Alex has spent the winter preparing for a remote backcountry hut trip. It turned out to be a trip of a lifetime for him. I’ll share his incredible photos and provide a little context behind the trip.
He and eight friends drove up to a small ski town in interior British Columbia, skied at a resort for a day, then got helicoptered out and dropped off at a remote cabin in the middle of the mountains for the week.
They spent the week backcountry skiing, disconnecting from technology, learning and relaxing. Backcountry skiing, or “ski touring,” is a way to access big mountain terrain without a chair lift. To do this, you need to be able to ski up the mountain. Generally, you’d ski in a zig-zag pattern across the mountain to make it a bit easier on your legs for the ascent.
Skiers attach “skins” to the bottom of their skis to provide traction for the uphill. This also requires special bindings that detach the heel, but the toe stays clipped in {similar to Nordic bindings}. Most people prefer ski touring boots, which have a lot more ankle flexion than standard downhill boots. When the skiers reach the top, they remove the skins from the base of their skis, clip their heels into their skis and then ski down.
With backcountry skiing, it’s also important to note that there is *no* avalanche mitigation from ski patrol. It’s imperative that skiers who venture into the backcountry are prepared with rescue gear, such as a beacon, probe and shovel, and that they are well-equipped with terrain management and avalanche knowledge to avoid triggering an avalanche {and the skills to rescue a ski partner, should an avalanche occur}. There are books and classes a person can take to learn these critical skills.
Anyway, back to the trip! Alex’s group’s trip aligned with the end of a major storm cycle that dumped a LOT of light, fluffy powder all across the region. The guys had the most epic, incredible ski conditions of their lives.
Their cabin looked and sounded amazing. It was huge, had a full kitchen, running water and heat, along with a gear drying room, though the bathroom was an outhouse {with a heated toilet seat!}. The guys took turns cooking dinner for each other and relaxing without the use of their devices {no cell service or wifi}.
They spent eight days skiing powder, exploring new expansive terrain, learning about the mountains and having fun together. I hope you enjoy his photos!
