Introduction to Alpine Touring, Backcountry Skiing and Ski Touring.

Author: Rene-Martin Trudel for GOLH.TV

What is Alpine Touring, Backcountry Skiing or Ski Touring?

First, they are all the same. But, I would say that they include skiing, snowboarding, telemark and any other snow-gliding sport that has yet to be invented.

In short, they are the original form of skiing before ski resorts were created.

Second, the terrain skied is not organized. There is no avalanche control. No ski patrol. You are responsible for your own safety and your own self-rescue if you get injured. You have all the responsibility and all the power to create your ski touring adventure.

Backcountry skiing poses a real danger and the knowledge required to tour safely in the backcountry in the winter is substantial. With today’s gear, interest in this sport is growing rapidly and more and more people are going in the backcountry is search of adventure and the good skiing conditions that are often found there.

This article has four goals. It will explain the risks of Alpine Touring, the how-tos you need to know, the essential gear you need to bring and the fun you’ll have with all this.

Lastly, I want you to take this information as a starting point in your ski touring learning adventure and to get you onto a path of higher learning and backcountry education.

Risk Management for Ski Touring in the Backcountry

Alpine Touring is one of the ways to explore natural terrain on snow. Skiing in the backcountry implies managing the risks created by the mountain environment. This includes avalanches, glacier travel, varying snow conditions, natural hazards such as open streams, fallen trees, exposed or hidden rocks, unmarked cliffs, and many more perilous hazards. This understanding is called terrain management. You can plan your route to avoid certain dangers according to your level of experience, or at least mitigate them while ski touring.

Then there is the skiing (snowboarding, and telemark…). Most people nowadays have gained good terrain experience in resorts before going into the backcountry. This is good and bad. It’s good because alpine touring is quite technical and to learn it in the backcountry is definitely harder. It can be bad because people’s skiing skills can be far superior to their backcountry skills, thus taking safe decisions can conflict with the desire to ski hard lines.

Risk can come form the skiing part but also from simply touring in the backcountry.

When out on a ski tour, we spend most of our day walking on skis: this part is called touring. This requires some knowledge because it is technical, and your access route decisions will expose you, your buddies, and others to different dangers.

Terrain Risk

This section will focus on some terrain risks, mostly avalanches. Excluded are glacier travel and mountaineering skills that some more advanced travel may require.

Avalanches

NOTE, this article is not a substitute for a formal avalanche course, wilderness first aid training, mountaineering courses, and the need for a guide. GOLH.TV strongly suggests that you take an official course given by an avalanche professional in your area.

Find a local avalanche professional here:
Avalanche Canada Courses: https://avysavvy.avalanche.ca/en-ca  
Avalanche USA Courses: https://avalanche.org/avalanche-education/ 

SnowPack

Each snow storm will deposit a layer of snow. A bond will link each snow flake into a layer. The snow will accumulate in layers, then from a storm cycle. Then, the next cycle gets added  to another, and another. All the layers accumulated during the season are called the snowpack.

Gravity is always pulling on those snow layers.The bond between the layers creates a resistance that counterbalance the gravitational force. This is called tension.

Tension will change the snowpack, it's layers and the bond between the snow flakes over time. 

In general, the snowpack will solidify and become stable or will weaken and be ready for gravity to win. And an avalanche will occur when gravity wins. 

Managing avalanche risk is the same as learning how to swim. Failing to learn proper skills will have dire consequences. It’s a must.

The Recipe to an Avalanche

Avalanches require 3 ingredients to happen.

1. Terrain
2. Unstable Snow
3. A Trigger

If one of those three ingredients is absent, the snow will be stable.

Terrain is where we go skiing.

Unstable Snow is the snowpack layers bond strength.

Trigger what ruptures the balance between gravity and snow bonds. There are natural triggers, and human triggers. Both are important for the ski tourer because not only can you cause an avalanche and kill or injure a skier below, someone else can cause one higher up and take you out. And if caused naturally, an avalanche can still kill or injure someone.

Avalanche sizes

This is the United States’ Avalanche Rating scale:

This scale is exponential. Each category is 10X the size of the one before

Skiers will most often be caught in avalanches in sizes 1, 2 or 3. In bigger mountains, a size 4 avalanche is also possible. Size 4 and 5 are rare but will create massive damage. 

Remember that a lot of avalanches triggered by skiers are size 1. Although it cannot burry you, it can certainly kill you if it takes you into a tree, a rock or over a cliff.

Avalanche Danger Scale

Many countries have a similar scale of avalanche danger. In most places, it is divided in 5 steps. We will take the North American Scale as a reference:

REF.:https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/danger-scale/

The safest and most dangerous ratings make for easy decision making. It’s a Go or No-Go. When the danger in considerable, the uncertainty of an avalanche creates a false sense of security. It is at this mid scale (moderate-Considerable-High) that most avalanche accidents happen. 

Beware! Really, beware.

Terrain

Terrain is were we go skiing. Terrain is the only factor that is constant. If you go out on the same slope over and over, it will not change.

The slope angle will remain the same.
The orientation will remain constant.
The shape won’t change.
The ground surface will remain the same too…

Those factors influence snowpack stability. 

So, terrain analysis is very important. Once a terrain is analyzed for the dangers it presents, they will remain the same.

Altitude Levels

We divide a mountain by its vegetation coverage, into 3 sections.

1. Alpine, is free of vegetation it’s usually at the top of the mountain.
2. Tree line, is an area with trees far apart.
3. Below tree line, a.k.a the forrest.

Terrain Traps

There are different types of terrain traps. They all need to be identified and avoided because they increase the risk of injury or burial.

The terrain you navigate can create bottlenecks for the snow to slide that will increase the danger if an avalanche occurs. This can concentrate the avalanche debris in a small area, making a rescue very hard.

You must be on the watch for terrain traps on the way up and on the way down. This includes looking out for gullies, a flat a the bottom of a slope, crevasses, dense vegetation like small trees that would create a barrier…

Slope Size

Size matters.
The greater the slope size, the greater chance an avalanche can be produced.

Other than the avalanche size, a big slope is also very hard to evaluate. Snow stability changes as the altitude varies, by creating different climate zones. The snow accumulation, the wind, the sun, the air and snow temperature can vary a lot as you go up in altitude.

Slope Angle

REF.: https://avalanche.org/avalanche-tutorial/avalanche-terrain.php 

Studies have shown that avalanches will happen the most on terrain with slope angles between 30 to 45 degree. Sad for us, this is also the best terrain angle to ski. Low-angle slopes can still avalanche but less frequently. Steeper slopes will avalanche very frequently. Thus, not creating the bigger sized avalanches we see occur on slopes between 30 and 45 degrees. 

NOTE: this is a general guideline. Big avalanches can happen in all skiable angles. If you can ski it, an avalanche can happen.

Slope Shape

The shape of the slope also has great impact on snow stability. 

We have:

• linear slopes,
• convex slopes
• concave slopes
• unsupported slopes

Slopes have other shapes and terrain can vary more than once during a ski descent.

A linear slope is a constant slope angle. It can be steep or not. The fact that the angle is constant helps create uniform snow layers within the snowpack. This is usually good for snow stability.

A convexe slope will have breaks in tension in the layers within the slope. This is usually not good for snow stability.

A concave slope usually increase the tension in the layers within the slope. This is usually good for snow stability.

An unsupported slope is created by a strong break in the slope angle. This usually means there is a cliff. This is usually not good for snow stability.

Slope Orientation

If the slope is oriented North East South or West, it will be affected differently by the sun, the wind, snow accumulations and more.

Understanding this is crucial in accessing avalanche risk.

In general we want to avoid slopes that:

• have been cooked by the warm Sun,
• have received snow deposited by the wind.

This is the most complex terrain variable. The mountain will remain the same but we have to be able to analyze how the elements affected that aspect. 

For example: 

• Did the wind really blow North East during the storm like the forecast said?
• Did the sun affect the slope at this altitude or was there some fog?
  

Bed Surface and Anchors

The bed surface is the surface on which an avalanche will slide.
Anchors are underneath the snow. Such the ground, the soil, the trees, rocks, boulders….

The types of anchors under the snowpack also have an impact on the snowpack and it’s tendency to avalanche.

Scenario 1
If the snowpack is thin, a lack of anchors is generally not good for snow stability. Avalanches that take the entire snowpack is not rare in the early months of the season.

Scenario 2
If big anchors like big boulders, isolated trees are present in a thicker snowpack, they can also create a weakness in the snowpack.

Let me explain.

The snowpack is a balance of forces or tension. If an object breaks that tension, and a skier goes over or close by that weak point, an avalanche can be triggered.

Knowing what the ground looks like in summer can add a lot of value to knowing the terrain you are skiing in winter.

In the end, I would suggest you avoid thin snowpacks of the early winters and that you stay away from big anchors breaking the tension in the snowpack.

These anchors are the reason why a slope is not safe once 100 skiers have already skied it. You may be the one to hit the break in tension that a big boulder or tree created.

If you want to know more about early season dangers, watch my video here: 

Types of Avalanches

There are two main types of snow avalanches:

• Slab avalanches
• Loose snow avalanches

A slab avalanche is created by the break of tension between a layer and snow of different cohesion in the snowpack. It usually results in a fracture spreading across the slope that will create blocks of snow. The fracture can run from a few meters to hundreds of meters long. Creating avalanches of whole slopes or mountain faces. They generally have greater destructive power and are responsible for a lot of avalanche accidents.

A loose snow avalanche is created by surface snow (or near the surface) not well bonded that will have a single point of origin. It will run in a cone shape downhill and generally affect only the snow downhill. Skiers often call it sluffs. This type of avalanche is often regarded as being less dangerous. But remember, it can carry you down into a hazard or still burry you!
Accumulations of many loose snow avalanches as you go down can still affect the whole slope.

Note: Scientists define avalanches into more categories. 

Types of Snow Conditions

There are two types of snow conditions that we need to be aware of in avalanche terrain.

• Wet snow
• Dry snow

Wet snow is created when temperatures rise above the freezing level, rain or shine. Wet snow avalanches will be heavy and will have a lot more energy while going down. They can travel great distances and the speed is generally slower. In some cases they can still outrun a skier if the slope is steep. Because of the mass they carry, in some cases, they can run very slowly on mild slope angles that other avalanches cannot. It will follow the terrain shape, a bit like a river.

Dry snow is full of air, and the density is not as high as wet snow. Dry snow avalanches are lighter in comparison but still carry a lot of energy, like we said before, have massive destructive power. They will travel over obstacles, will create a snow cloud and can move very fast, some big avalanches travel at hundreds of kilometres per hour. 

A slab avalanche can be generated by dry snow or wet snow.
A loose snow avalanche can be generated by dry or wet snow.

Avalanches are going to be influenced a lot by the snow density. 

Pre-Trip Planning

Avalanche Bulletin

The bulletin is used as a starting point to create a pre-trip plan. 

Most of the regions in North America where backcountry ski touring is popular, an avalanche forecast will be issued daily. This bulletin, prepared by an avalanche forecaster, will give you the avalanche danger level, the avalanche problem types and recommendations to follow.

Sample Avalanche Bulletin:

It is a good habit to read the full version and to understand what the forecaster is telling us.

In order you have to check:
The date issued.
The area covered by the avalanche forecast.
the danger rating for each altitude.
The identified avalanche problems.

The bulletin will clearly tell you the avalanche danger, the orientations to avoid and the main avalanche problem types that are present. The forecaster will often give a forecast of the problems that can develop in the period of the bulletin (usually daily but up to three days in advance in some areas).

It is not rare to see accidents related to avalanches that were predicted by the avalanche bulletin of the area.

I’ve seen very direct recommendations saying “… Avoid all North facing slopes. They have been loaded with up to 90cm to 100 cm of snow during the night by the wind…”

And yet people skied a North facing bowl and triggered a class 2 avalanche that buried three people anyways. Sadly, one of them died.

Terrain Classification

In areas where there is an avalanche bulletin, the forecasters will also have classified the terrain into three categories.

These will be classified with a colour code.

Simple = green
Challenging = blue
Complex = black

REF: https://avysavvy.avalanche.ca/en-ca/the-avalanche-terrain-exposure-scale

The classification has nothing to do with how hard the terrain is to ski even if this is the same colour system as a ski resort slope difficulty classification.

This is very important to understand.

Avaluator™

The Avaluator™ is a tool created to help you decide on your ski touring trip destination.

When the avalanche forecast is issued, you can check the danger level and see the available terrain for you to ski in accordance with the Avaluator™.

Get the most recent avalanche forecast report here: https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

Image of the Avaluator™ https://www.avalanche.ca/glossary/terms/avaluator 

This is the right way to plan a trip. Check the dangers, choose a destination accordingly. 
We often see people choose a destination and then check the avalanche forecast. This can lead to bad decision outcomes.

In addition to the Avaluator™, your pre-trip planning needs to consider the mountain orientations that are dangerous. Let’s keep the same example as above and look at it again.

For example, let’s say the forecast is saying: Strong winds have created big snow accumulation on Northwestern, Northern, and Northeastern aspects.

You know that you need to ski Eastern, Southern or Western-facing slopes.

From this method, you know now that you need to find a slope that is West, South or East, and the terrain needs to be Simple or Challenging in the trees and Simple at tree line and in the alpine.    

Complex terrain is never recommended. In 20+ years of experience, skiing full time, there is terrain I have been looking at and skied just a few times. Complex terrain is not difficult to ski for most expert skiers. That dichotomy between the technical challenge to ski a slope and the challenge to evaluate its avalanche danger is at the centre of the problem that the backcountry skiing community is facing.

Knowing when to go in complex terrain takes a lot of experience and if you are learning this process through this article, it is something you should definitely avoid. 

Human Factors

Before you go out, it’s a good idea to sit down with your ski touring partners. We recommend you form a group between 3 and 6 people.

It’s important to talk about personal goals, fears, limitations, physical conditions, and experience.

In the end, the party should have a common goal and each member must be comfortable with and accept this goal.

You should also talk and agree on departure times, return times, variables that may occur and when to turn back. It’s better to fail at skiing a line and come back another day.

In the end, each person should be responsible for their actions. As a group, you should voice that you are going out together and coming back together.

A lot of mistakes come from in the field decisions that divided the group or members of the group not voicing their disagreement, concerns, worries, or fears.

With time, pick partners that have this same philosophy and that you know they will have your back. 

In the Field

Red Flags

Red Flags are a list of elements that increase instability in the snowpack.

Red Flag 1: Snowfall.

Total new snowfall of 30 cm or more, or 5-6cm an hour will load the snowpack, making some layers inside the snowpack weak.

Red Flag 2: Wind.

Strong winds will move massive amounts of snow from one side of the mountain to another. This can turn into snow bombs falling from trees (loaded branches released large blocks on windblown snow at once), moving snow up on ridges creating a white tail, or high-altitude clouds moving very fast… This will load the snowpack fast, making some layers inside the snowpack weak.

Red Flag 3: Rapid Temperature Increase. 

Any rapid raise in temperature is a potential problem because the snowpack doesn’t have time to adjust to it. Let’s add to that, temperatures reaching 0 degrees Celsius, the Sun affecting the slope, and rain all have a major potential to weaken the snowpack.

Red Flag 4: Cracking, “Whoomf” Sounds.

While skinning and touring, be aware of snow cracking, the snow around you collapsing slightly or hearing the snow collapse. This is a clear sign of a weak bond in the snowpack.

Red Flag 5: Recent Avalanche Signs

This is the biggest clue nature can give you. If you see avalanches triggered naturally or by humans, this is a clear sign of a widespread weak layer ready to be triggered.

Constantly evaluating red flags can change your trip for the better. Be aware and adjust your terrain choice if you see red flags.

Touring

Most of your day, you will travel to get to your desired descent. This takes time and effort and in order for you to enjoy it, a few good tips will make a huge difference. To see the most common mistakes people do ski touring in the backcountry, you can watch this video.

As a party, it is recommended to stay somewhat in a group. Don’t leave the people struggling far behind. First, it’s demotivating for them and second, it removes them from all the decision making as they are left to follow the skin track. This is crucial as not everyone has the same tolerance to risk.

Also, when in the alpine, it is not rare to go from a snow field to a wind swept surface. This will not leave clear tracks and people following might not be able to follow anymore. 

In general, you will have planned a safe route to go up that avoids complex and challenging terrain. A lot of popular places will already have a dedicated climbing route. Its usually cut across the slope, making long traverses.

If you do have to cross a slope that you suspect is dangerous, go one at a time, moving from one safety island (or zone) to another. This will slow the pace but will greatly mitigate risk. For example, this could be crossing a previous avalanche path, an exposed slope over a cliff, a wind swept area that is hard to hold an edge on a steep slope and so on.

Remember that you can always turn back. It's all about the journey!

Skinning

Before You Go Up

Check list:

• Put both skins on, make sure all the edges are free and that skins are somewhat centered.
• Put your binding in walk mode. Every binding is a bit different but general mistakes are to leave the brakes down. Also make sure that your low-tech pins are in walk mode.
• lift the walk mode on your boot and open most of your boot buckles.
• If you have telescopic poles, give them an extra 15cm from your skiing length. Play around, some people like a bit more and others, a bit less. I usually don’t play with the length on the way up, but I will shift my hand on the pole a lot to accommodate the terrain changes.
• Remove jackets and open zips until you feel chill. Depending on the group I’m with, I will do this right at the start or after 5 minutes on the trail. The goal is to not overheat.
• Double-check you have all your gear for the day and check behind you as you start to skin.

Check out the gear section below if you are not familiar with skins.

Technique

Skinning is quite exhausting. But doing it right makes a huge difference. 

While going up, you and your crew need to exchange the lead as the first in the line will be breaking the trail. This is quite fun in my mind. But you sure spend more energy doing it. Do 10-15 minutes at a time and pass the relay. If someone is struggling, include them in the group, in second or third position. This is usually the easiest position as the snow is packed but not too much. In certain conditions, a packed skin track will slip more and will become more exhausting.

If you are the stronger skinner, make sure you insist on keeping the group together. A lot of times, it is the weaker skinner who is happy to be left behind because he doesn’t want to hold people back.

In the end, the group will summit at the same time. This is good because everyone will have the same rest time. If the first skier is to wait 5-10 minutes at the summit, chances are that they will get cold or just be impatient to go down.

The Skin Track 

Tip #1 Make Long Strides

Make sure that your boot is in walk-mode and that all boot buckles are somewhat undone. You will not get blisters if you have good ski socks that fit tightly. Make sure you don’t wear a thick sock.

Tip #2 Don’t Use the Climbing Heel Lifts.

Just don’t. Or as little as possible. Touring bindings usually have two heights of heel lifts. Most people will stay in the first height and use the second height if it gets steeper.

When you use a climbing heel lift, you reduce the Range Of Motion (ROM for short) of your boot. Boot companies spend a lot resources on R&D to create boots with the most ROM in walk mode.  ROM is the key to saving the most energy while going up. Having a long free stride really adds up in the long haul and saves you energy. 

This is a concept a lot of experience backcountry skier do not understand or believe in. 
Word of caution, not using the heel lifts are the objective. But some people have limited calf flexibility. If this is your case, then by all means, use the heel lifts. 

Tip #3 Keep the Climbing Angle Very Low.

To be able to use the full ROM, a good tip is to choose a slope climbing angle that is conservative. There is no right angle. It depends on the snow, the obstacles, the forest, where you are going. Many of the best backcountry skiers that have millions of vertical meters of experience swear by that tip. Just that. Have a nice and easy angle to skin up.

I was given a good tip when I started more than 20 years ago. In the alpine, on simple terrain, have the first person that is breaking the trail to close their eyes. The others behind them can check for safety. You should feel the snow and change the directions a bit at every step to follow the same angle of climbing. This is fun and looking back at your trail, you will realize all the micro adjustment you made along the way.

In the end, I will only steepen the climb if I have no other choice because of the terrain. I try to limit those segments and keep them as short as possible.

Tip #4 Make Long Traverses.

Make sure you make long traverses if the terrain allows. Turning slows the pace a lot. By making long traverses, it’s easier to keep the right angle while climbing and to keep the group together.

Choose safe terrain over long traverses. For example stay in simple terrain, stay on ridges or avoid convex areas on open slopes.

Choose easy terrain over long traverses. For example, if the slope angle becomes really steep ahead, you might want to turn around and stay in a reasonable approach angle.

Tip #5 Choose Round Turns Over Switchbacks or Kick Turns

When you turn, choose a spot were the angle of the slope flattens. There, you can easily make a long round turn. This is by far the best way to turn. It’s not technical and economical.

Switchbacks or kick turns are a necessity from time to time but they take more energy. They slow the group’s pace and are just harder to do. Especially for beginners. See below for more info on a kick turn.

Check out this video of a kick turn I made:

Tip #6 Stay Upright.

If you end up on a stepper climb, the best tip is to keep your upper-body upright. People tend to bend down over the tip of their skis. This will shift your weight away from under your feet and will create some slipping and instant frustration.

Stay upright and make little steps. Use the climbing heel lifts (its OK). Keep your poles close to your hips. You can either grab the handle normally over move the palm of your hand on top of the pole to get more reach.

Tip #7 Plan and Reuse Your Climbing Route.

Sometimes, this will influence your decision making and you will end up saving a lot of energy.

Tip #8 Use a GPS or a GPS app on your phone.

This can give you precise data on your progression and if you pre-trip planning goals are still making sense. This is also a good way to build knowledge and to get better for the next time. If you did a mistake or if you nailed the approach, you want to keep that knowledge over time. Also, you can share routes with friends and vice versa.

Tip #9 Make Mistakes and Realize You Made Them

Too many beginners have fixed objectives. They will keep climbing no matter what. 
As your day progresses, re-evaluate your situation and talk it over with the group. It is quite normal to turn around and to make mistakes. Stop before you put yourself in a dangerous situation.

Tip #10 Constantly Check for Snowpack Instability (the 5 Red Flags)

If you are always following a track, make sure to take a few glides in fresh snow once in a while. You will be able to see how deep the fresh snow is today, how easy it is to break trail, if there are signs of cracking, Whoomfs or sounds, and much more.

This is not rocket science. Just look for changes along the way, as you change slope aspects, elevations. Communicate the information to your party.

Tip #11 Take a Break.

Take regular breaks, especially if you are not experienced or if you are with a new crew member. Many short breaks are way better than fewer longer ones. You will keep the group together, and nobody will get cold.

You can chat about conditions, objectives, physical shape. You can also check if others are struggling more, if their skins are clipped properly (the back hook often unclips and the skier is unaware) if they have blisters, cold feet… You get the idea.

No breaks means no communication, no group check. No good.

Boot-Packing

Boot-packing is more or less used depending on the type of snow and the route chosen to reach the objective.

It can be more efficient to remove the skis and strap them on your pack and to walk uphill. This is particularly true in the spring or in mountain ranges that have dense wet snow like the Coast Range Mountains in Canada. You will rarely see someone boot pack in champagne fluffy powder as the foot penetration is just to great.

Boot-packing allows you to climb straight up, to move on rocks and boulders, to avoid a lot of switchbacks in narrow slopes and so on. It is generally not your first option and I found that going around a longer, shallower route if often better.

In general, as a beginner, unless you have other experience from climbing or mountaineering, I would exclude objectives that need a boot pack. Not because boot packs are hard, but because they often imply climbing complex terrain, hard route finding and a lot more exposure to avalanche terrain.

Remember to keep a safe distance from each other as you bootpack. The person in front of you might fall and take you with them. We often see lines of dozens of people in the spring boot-packing up the same route. This is not the best practice and should be avoided at all times.

If you are in a resort or just outside the area boundary, you will often see boot-packed trails on short distances. Because the distances are short (shorter because some of the climbing was lift access) it can be more efficient to boot-pack rather than putting your skins on. Talk to locals about their choices and take your own decisions.

Transition for the Descent

Here we are. You are at the top. Yippee!

Whether you are first or last, take the time to do these steps. Start by flattening the area around you with your skis on your feet. Make the area pretty big around 3 or 4 feet wide and a bit longer than your skis.

I usually take my pack off and put my warm layer on right away. If I was climbing with my Gore-Tex jacket, I will add a puffy jacket over it. If I was climbing with a fleece only, I will put my ski jacket on first and then put my puffy over it. If I’m sweaty, I will not zip it all up, for some heat to escape. I will not put my helmet on right away, nor my goggles. My head is usually too hot and toasty at this point.

Take a moment to regroup.

• Drink and eat a bit.
• Talk about the objective, if it’s still a viable option or not.
• Talk about seen red flags.
• Double check that you are in the right spot and validate your GPS position.
• Start your transition after you and your group have validated the descent. It is not rare that a bad decision will occur because someone transitioned before the objective was confirmed. People then feel committed, and will usually ski regardless of the warnings.
• Choose the descent scenario like skiing one by one in alpine terrain or into 2-person teams (Buddy-Buddy) that will ski together in gladded terrain. You can mix in other descending methods according to the foreseen dangers and to accommodate people’s strengths and the group size.

Before You Go Down

Start at the feet and work your way up.

Check list:

• Remove one ski at a time. This is what I usually do :
  • to keep sinking too much in the snow,
  • if the slope incline is too steep,
  • if it’s hard to secure both skis at the top because of hard snow, wind, or other factors that create a zero mistake factor.
  • If there is no deep snow and they area is flat, I sometimes remove both skis to be more comfortable.
  • If I’m on a strong incline, I will always start with the downhill ski as it is a lot harder to put back on. Still having a skin on the other ski helps a lot.
• Remove one touring skin, fold it, and put it inside your ski jacket.
  • Depending on the temperature, It’s a good habit to keep the touring skins warm inside your ski jacket.
• I will put them in my pack if they are wet, If it’s my last run
• Put the binding in ski mode.
• Put the ski back on the boot.
• Clip the boot into ski mode.
• Repeat with the other leg.
• Close all pant zippers.
• Shorten ski poles.
• Put helmet and goggles on.
• Remove the warm layer, close all ski jacket zippers. Keep the warm layer for as long as possible. Look at your companions to see where they are at.
• Double check that you are 100% in ski mode. After all this effort, it’s so frustrating to waste all those good turns in walk-mode!
• Put your pack on, and send it! Safely…

 Alpine Touring Gear Recommendations

Gear, THE topic.

Gear specification, selection, and purchase is something very complicated and at the same time not so important. Backcountry skiing or snowboarding requires a setup that enables you to go up and to go down.

There are a lot of different choices and innovations are part of a healthy sport. In this section, I’m going to give you the main criteria I recommend. You will need to validate this information for your situation, location and the latest gear trends.

Skis

Light and Wide
Skis have evolved so much in the last twenty years. In short, buy a ski about your height that is between 105 mm and 115mm under foot that weights in at around 3.5kg per pair.

Ski Shape
Today’s skis are on a wide platform. We generally categorize them with the width underfoot and by the shape while laying on the ground. A ski used to have a full camber, meaning that the tip and tail of the ski are touching the ground but the middle part, the waist or underfoot, is not. The opposite would be a rockered ski, where the waist touches the ground but the tip and tail are lifted. Most skis have rocker tip and a small camber under foot.

An infinite number of shapes exist but this is the most common. Avoid full rocker skis, as they are very specific. Good in powder, not so on other kinds of snow.

If you want a more complex story, I’m always amazed by what we could ski twenty or forty years ago. We could ski it all really. So why has it changed so much? Well, I will tell you that today’s skis are so much easier to control. We see intermediate-skilled skiers going down really hard lines and we see really good skiers going down at speeds we could have never imagined before. This is the difference. Oh! And it’s a lot more fun too!

The weight of the ski is the second most significant change that happened. Today’s dedicated alpine touring skis are light. And it makes a huge difference while going uphill. I consider a ski around 3.5kg per pair or less a touring ski. At 4.0 kg, you will definitely feel it while going up. Those heavier skis are good for going downhill, in big lines, going super fast, jumping cliffs, i.e.: young blood experts not reading this article.

If you want a wide ski to go touring, even occasionally, believe me and get a light ski.

Ski Touring Bindings

Dynafit Low-tech
To make it short, buy a low-tech binding. It’s light, reliable, and it creates an almost friction free pivot for optimal ROM.

The TLT low-tech binding, invented in late 1980 by Dynafit is at the root of the backcountry skiing revolution that we see today. The low-tech binding from the early days is almost identical to today’s version. It just took a long time to get adopted by skiers. It’s got two unbeatable ingredients, it saves so much weight and the toe engagement provides a lot of range of motion. 

Walking almost seems effortless. 

Today, many brands produce similar models almost identical to versions of the original TLT binding. The main criteria I would suggest you investigate are the level of release adjustments found on different models.

Ski Touring Skins.

To make it short, make sure you buy a skin that you can trim to the exact shape of your skis. 

Types of skins

• Mohair
• Synthetic (Nylon)
• Mix (of mohair and nylon)

Mohair is a natural fibre made from goat hair. It glides really well but is does not have the highest traction on the climb. It’s light, packs really well, but will not be as durable a the other types.

Synthetic is the most user-friendly. Super-sticky traction on the climb, it’s durable, but they are not as packable as others. They are more rigid. This can be good as it’s easy to install and will stay on the skis better. There are a lot of other qualities to point out but, let’s keep it simple for now.

Mix. Like the name suggest, it’s a mix between Mohair and Synthetic fibre, creating a great combo with advantages of both fibres.

This is the one I use most often and that I recommend.

It’s a bit more expensive but you’ll never go back to Synthetic or Mohair.

The Secret to a Great Touring Skin is the Glue.

A Black Diamond Equipment employee once told me that the most secret thing at their head-office was the recipe for the touring skin glue. 

Skin glue is special. It needs to stick flawlessly in cold wet temperatures. You need to be able to remove the skins easily, it needs to be durable. No small feat.

Glue technology evolves from time to time and I recommend you ask around which is the one to avoid.

I have not used all of them but my favourite brands are Black Diamond Equipment and Pomoca.

Again, the most important about climbing skins is that they are shaped exactly to your skis.

For this, you will need buy the skins wide enough to cover the widest part of your skis (around the shovel) and trim them to your ski’s shape. No cheating here as even a few millimetres can make the skins slip while climbing in certain situations. If you are an expert, you might be able to get by with less than perfectly cut skins. But beginners or people like me who want no hassle, will definitely put a lot of care into trimming their skins to the exact shape of their skis.

Backpacks

What’s in my backpack and what is my favourite pack for backcountry skiing.

First, let me tell you, there is no perfect backpack. It’s all about compromise. Believe me.

What kind of pack to get?

I would recommend you get a pack that’s around 30 litres and has these features:

• A dedicated avalanche tools pocket.
• A hip belt.
• A helmet carry system.

The avalanche tools pocket should separate your shovel and probe from the other stuff in your pack. This is something you need quite often, not just in emergencies. You don’t want your shovel to tear your puffy or just snow everything up. It should be easy to access because when you need it for a rescue, you don’t want to fiddle around or have to empty your pack to access your probe or shovel.

A hip belt is just essential to carry the load on your hips. This is very common in 30-litre size packs. Make sure it’s comfortable and adjusts easily with gloves and all your layers.

The helmet carry should be conveniently placed, and easy to use too.

FYI here are my packs

Black Diamond Equipment Jet Force Pro 40L, air bag.
Osprey Kamber 42L, for guiding with lots of gear.
An old Black Diamond Equipment 28L pack (forgot the name) for long days, or a light day of ski touring.

What about an airbag pack, is it worth it?

Absolutely! This is the single most effective piece of equipment to reduce the risk of getting buried in an avalanche. But it’s heavy and it’s very expensive.

Unfortunately, the weight is a big factor in your ability to tour and a heavy pack is going to slow you down on the up and make skiing harder on the way down. Airbag pack weight is slowly decreasing with each new generation of airbag technology. I still use mine the most I can. When I know I’m going for a long day, or that I will need to bring extra gear, I will use my other bags.

Price is a factor too. But considering how effective the airbag is, it’s really a no-brainer for me. Plus, if you add the average budget people put on skis, boots, binding, replacing them too often, I think it is more a priority question. 

If air bags where 3X more expensive and as light as a regular bag, I would use one all the time.

I have never been caught in an avalanche

But avalanche burial is such a high consequence risk that having a device that reduces considerably the chance of you getting deep in the avalanche debris increases your survival chance significantly.

What’s in my bag?

This will vary with temperature, time of the year, if I’m with friends or guiding.

Here is what I will bring on a normal day out with friends in the winter:

• 1L water bottle
• Insulation for water bottle (it’s cold in Canada eh!)
• Puffy jacket
• Extra: warm gloves
• Extra: 0.5L of water or hot tea
• 3x Energy bars
• 200g of GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts)
• 1 wrap sandwich
• Gear Repair kit
• Duct tape
• Snow shovel
• Snow saw
• Probe
• Avalanche study kit
• Headlamp (with extra AAA batteries)
• Leatherman multitool
• Bike multitool
• First aid kit
• Emergency sled
• Insulated mattress
• Phone
• 2x Toe Warmers
• Sun glasses
• Goggles
• Toque and/or cap
• Lip balm/sunscreen/cold cream
• Compass
• Fire lighter  

Note: I will divide the first aid kit and the emergency sled within the group.

Extras I bring if I’m guiding or if it’s really cold:

• Puffy mittens
• Neck warmer or bacalava
• Puffy pants
• Extra puffy jacket (yes a 2nd one)
• Bigger first aid kit
• Bigger repair kit
• I can bring up to 2L of water if I know it’s going to be a long day without the chance of refilling. If I know I can refill in a stream, I will bring a water treatment such as Pristine
• Pocket wood saw
• Pocket stove
• GPS/spot/InReach/Satellite phone
• Map
• Batteries
• Camera, lens, batteries, drone, GoPro, gimbal… 

And the list goes on.

This is a lot to bring.

Your list might be different because of your location, the type of terrain, your experience, time of the year…

Just make sure that whatever you bring, you know how to use it. Be prepared for an emergency. Because you don’t want to be stuck for an overnight stay in the backcountry at -20C with nothing to eat nor a way to stay warm.

WHAT TO WEAR BACKCOUNTRY SKIING 

Depending on the temperature, weather and your fill factor, you will need to dress differently. This is called layering. Adding or removing layers of garments to reach and maintain a comfortable temperature. 

Here is what I wear most of the time.

• A base-layer top and bottom
• A mid-layer fleece top
• A mid-layer fleece short
• A weatherproof jacket and pants.
• Ski socks
• Puffy jacket

Extras:

• Goggles
• Sun glasses
• Gloves
• puffy pants
• helmet
• cap and or hat

You have to see backcountry skiing as three different activities. 

1. Going up.
2. Going down.
3. Break times (I call this “going to the Chalet”).

Each activity or segment will require that you add or remove a garment. 

What to Where When Going Up

The goal is to sweat the least possible. Remove garments until you feel chilly, then start skinning. A lot of people will start skinning and stop after five minutes to adjust their layering. This is also a good way to proceed. This is very personal and as you gain experience, you will know how much you need to remove or add.

As an example, I often skin up with a small hat or a cap, my fleece jacket, but no gloves. As I skin below the tree line, I will add my weatherproof jacket as I gain altitude and the wind blows in the open area of the alpine. I will usually keep most vents open.

What to Where When Going Down

The goal is to keep snow out -hopefully from all those face shots!
I will wear my weatherproof jacket, helmet, gloves, have all my zipper vents closed (especially for the pants).

What to Where When On Break at the Chalet

Obviously, your puffy jacket is no chalet. But since there is nothing better out there, I threat it just like that. While eating, resting, transitioning at the top or the bottom, I will always wear an insulated jacket.

Here is more advice on layering

Base layer

It can be merino wool or synthetic. Both have the same purpose to wick moisture away from your body quickly. I personally like my garments to be made of Polartec® Power Grid. It’s usually more durable than merino.

Mid-layer Fleece

Keep it simple here. Just get a normal mid-weight fleece. Outdoor companies have reinvented this over and over, with mix of design and materials. It can be good I guess, but in real life, I don’t see much difference between a nice Patagonia fleece and a generic fleece made by REI, MEC or Decathlon. Just make sure it’s quality fleece. Again, I like Polartec® fabric.

NOTE: A chest pocket is a must, and a hood is a nice to have.

Mid-layer fleece shorts

Ok, this is where it gets complicated. For reasons I cannot understand, the industry has stopped producing fleece pants. they’re rare. And fleece shorts exist but only in very technical apparel lineups. My ideal setup is a fleece pant that I cut just below the knee. This provides enough warmth and it is not bulky at the bottom of the legs. A lot of people will just wear a heavy weight base layer and not wear any fleece. If your climate is mild and you are not chilly, go for it! On the side of the spectrum, some companies make a puffy short.

Weatherproof jacket and pants

Gore-Tex or not, this is the question. The easy answer is take a Gore-Tex-like garment.
But, depending on your climate, you might not need something that is waterproof. I’ve used a lot of different combinations over the years and I can tell you that there is no wrong answer here. If the snow you ski is often wet, heavy, Gore-Tex is a no brainer. If, like me, this varies a lot, you can probably get by with a weatherproof jacket. Schoeller makes a material that is a wind and water resistant that breathes more than Gore-Tex.

Note: Gore-Tex is a brand, there are other similar products out there. But most replacements are nothing compared to Gore-Tex. Check the reviews!

Must-have features for an alpine touring ski jacket

Make sure your jacket has the following features:

• A hood that fits over a helmet.
• Long sleeves that accommodate gloves with an adjustable flap.
• Big pockets to stash essentials.
• Pit-zip vents (zippers under the armpit) to help manage heat.

Must-have features for alpine touring ski pants

• Make sure your ski pant have the following:
• Reinforced fabric between the ankles.
• Articulated knees stitching.
• Vent zipper along the upper leg (quadriceps)
• A boot gaiter or snow cuff that keeps the snow out.

The list could go on but these are the most important feature I look for.

Ski Socks

These are a must. They are expensive, but they really make a difference to avoid blisters. Don’t take them too thick. Socks are not the main source of insulation in a boot. It’s your boot liner. They need to be long enough to rise above the boot’s cuff.

Insulation Jacket, a.k.a. the Puffy

A puffy jacket is a must. It is your “chalet” for when you stop moving. 
There are many categories. It can be down-insulated or synthetic fibre-filled. Synthetically insulated is more water resistant and down is more packable (and more puffy).

It needs to have a hood. Inside pockets and hand pockets are a nice to have.

If you choose a synthetic-filled puffy, I like ones with PrimaLoft in them better than the other options. It will last longer and beat the others in almost all categories such as warmth per gram, and thermal efficiency when wet. You need to choose the amount of insulation in your jacket. The amount of insulating material is often calculated in grams. I like a jacket that is a big as possible but that will still fit under my ski jacket.

If you choose down-filled, make sure the density of the down is at least 600 fill-power. Down fill-power is an indicator of quality, and higher fill-power provides more warmth for the same weight.

A lot of companies now mix the insulation choices into one jacket to provide packability and some water resistance.

Accessories

You can’t ski without them. I wanted to separate them from the basic garments so that you understand the layering concept.

Ski Goggles

An absolute must to protect your eyes and face from the cold, to maintain visibility when it snows, to protect your eyes from tree branches… I recommend a general use lens, not too dark, not too clear. I usually just wear them going down unless it’s really, really windy on the way up. If you do wear them when going up, make sure you don’t overheat because they will fog up.
 
Some will bring a spare lens and swap it when needed. This is not something I do.

If it’s really sunny outside, I will still wear my everyday goggle on the descent, it’s never too long anyway. And I will wear my sunglasses while going up.

Goggles are fragile and prone to fogging. Wipe the outside of the lens with a clean rag. 
If there is fog build-up, try this:

• Remove snow on the top and bottom foamy vents.
• Vent it out by swinging your goggles in your hands.
• Never wear them on your forehead, neck or other warm places.
• Don’t put them in you jacket.
• Put them in your bag if you don’t use them.
• Keeping them cool and ventilated is the key.
• Never, never wipe the inside of the lens, as it is very fragile and has a protective coating to prevent fogging.

If there is snow or iced fog in your goggles, try this trick:

Remove snow stuck inside by tapping on the side.
Take a break and put them in your jacket if you are not too sweaty. Your body heat will help.

Again, don’t rub the inside. If it a desperate situation, I would do it knowing this will ruin my goggles.

Lastly, you goggles can be part of your “chalet” if it’s stormy at the top.

Helmet

A helmet is a safety equipment on the downhill. But really it’s a lot more than that. It’s warm, has some decent ventilation too. It also prevents goggles from fogging up because it keeps your head heat away from them. I will never wear it uphill unless I’m in a terrible storm. In any case, don’t sweat in it as it is part of your “chalet”.

It has to fit like a… glove.

The helmet can be the most comfortable piece of equipment you own. Make sure you try a lot of different ones before you buy one.

Bring your goggles to the shop and try as many helmets as possible. It needs to be a perfect fit with your goggles on your face. Some helmets might push your goggles down on your nose, other might leave a gap on your forehead, a gordy gap -not cool.

Once you find a helmet that really fits you, you will never want to ski without one.

Sun glasses

Just find a good pair of sun glasses. I use them going up only but you could ski down with them as well. Just remember that in tree skiing, they don’t offer as much protection.

Gloves

Gloves, mittens. I could write an entire article just on this subject. I love gloves (and mittens). I’m not sure why but I really like them.

The general idea I see is one small glove while going up and a mitten to go down and for the “chalet”. I have a great resistance to cold so mittens are overkill for me. I usually have a small glove for pretty much the whole day and keep a big leather glove in my backpack just in case. 
 
Puffy pants

This is an extra and it won’t be useful most days. This is something I carry when I guide or when I’m in a remote area, for safety. If you buy puffy pants, I recommend buying PrimaLoft synthetic ones with full-zips on the sides so you can layer them on top of your weatherproof pants without removing anything, not even your skis.

Cap and or a Hat

I like to carry a baseball cap and/or a tuque hat. This is a good combo to thermo regulate your head as you climb.

During the day, your head will loose heat the most so it’s important to use the layering technique there too. Combined with a fleece jacket hoody, a Gore-Tex hoody and a puffy hoody, I can layer my head several ways, no problem. 

Emergencies

When ski touring in the backcountry, we need to be as self-sufficient as possible. Injuries, although rare, are a serious part of this sport. Some outdoor sports such as alpine touring, white water sports, alpinism […] have greater risks and are often done in remote places.

PREPARATION

As a group, you will need to have an emergency plan if something were to go wrong.

This means four things:

1. Analyze and prepare for dangers.
2. A realistic evacuation plan.
3. First aid knowledge, skills and a complete kit.
4. An emergency sled to evacuate an injured skier.

If you and your party are missing one of the four elements, it’s a sign that you are not ready for this adventure, no matter how small.

I’d like to point out that outside help is a possibility in a lot areas of the world. But you always, always still need to be autonomous as they can be slow to deploy and to arrive on scene.

Analyze and prepare for dangers

While touring in the backcountry and skiing, you will encounter the same kind of dangers as you would at the resort plus some others. We have:

• Collisions, with other skiers, trees or rocks.
• Simple falls.
• Tree wells and hot spots.
• Running into streams.
• Avalanches…

Injuries are relatively rare but have a lot of implications. Here are in the most common situations I have experienced:

• Sprained knees.
• Fractured bones.
• Shoulder injuries.
• Concussions.

In life-threatening situations, remoteness, limited access to specialize material, and the elements will complicate the situation greatly and rapidly. This is where you and your group needs to be prepared. 

Before going out, make sure that the risk assessment, equipment carried and emergency plan are discussed among group members. Spread the equipment between the members, make sure everybody agrees with the risk assessment and is ready for such adventure.

Note each person should have their own avalanche rescue equipment in their backpack.

Putting Together a Realistic Backcountry Evacuation Plan

Be prepared for your planned trip. This starts with a good pre-trip assessment that corresponds to your group’s ability to cope with an emergency. Then, depending on the remoteness, the terrain, the group’s skills, the weather, the time of the year… you need to carry different equipment, and prepare to face different dangers.

Most important of all, you need to have a realistic evacuation plan.

Every year we see people venture outside of ski area boundaries with no gear, and no plan. And they don’t make it back.

As seen in the pre-trip panning, you can calculate the time to evacuate a victim but not as precisely as reality.

For instance, you ski down on the back side of a mountain you just skinned up. You had planed to skin back up to the good side but if someone gets injured, it can be a long, long way out to go around the mountain. Pulling a victim uphill is no easy task either. 

To evaluate the evacuation plan let’s consider these red flags:

• Distance to road, snowmobile.
• Evacuation is not just downhill.
• Poor visibility.
• Poor weather.
• Night time.
• Extreme cold.
• Quality of communication with outside world.
• Time from EMS.
• Quality of EMS in your region.

Here are a few notes on REMOTE AREAS and first aid skills:

Remote Areas

More than two hour from EMS is considered remote in most places. The notion of distance or time from EMS varies from region to region. Some will calculate the time to reach an ambulance or Search & Rescue (SAR). Others calculate the time to reach the hospital. Some places will consider one hour away from EMS as remote, in other places it can be 6 hours.

So, remote is relative but consider the extended difficulty of maintaining the victim in homeostasis for a long period of time.

First Aid Knowledge

I will not go in details because I want you to take a course and to learn this complex subject more thoroughly than in a simple article. Also, depending on your region, the laws, protocoles and equipment can vary a lot. Where I ski, cold is the main danger and great care is taken to insulate an injured skier as fast as possible.

Wilderness First Aid 

First aid in nature is a greater challenge than around a city. For this, specific courses exist and will teach you how to rescue someone and or keep them alive i the wilderness. 

The term homeostasis designates the stability, balance, or equilibrium within the body’s different systems.

I strongly recommend you take a wilderness specific course for all your outdoor adventures. You will learn the following:

• How to maintain a victim in homeostasis for long period of time.
• Creative ways to use materials at hand.
• Leadership skills and roles (as the leader and also as the group member).
• What to bring in your first aid kit.

Outdoor sports such as ski touring in the backcountry, white-water sports, and alpinism have greater risks.

As for a first aid kit, I like to start with medical kit sold in speciality stores and add or remove stuff as needed. When you buy those kits, make sure to open them and remove the material you don’t need or add more of what you need. I usually find that the medium size kits have the best value without extra stuff you will never need or that you can easily buy separately.

For a list of material please see below.  

The Emergency Evacuation Sled.

The sled is your way out, but it cannot be used in all situations. Travelling in the backcountry with a victim is very exhausting. You should practice this with your crew at least once a season.

There are a thousand different ways to carry someone out in winter. But the general rule is that the lighter the setup, the less efficient it will be.

Generally, it will use the victim’s skis and other equipment like poles or a backpack. This makes a lot of sense as it is the equipment available.

A lot a commercial options exist and a lot of DIY projects can also be found online. 

I often opt for a very light setup. I know that it will not be the most efficient but I have no excuse not to carry it.

I carry a specialized tarp shaped to build a cocoon to wrap the victim. The skis are strapped inside the tarp at the bottom. I will layer all that I can, backpack, mattress, clothing on top of the skis before putting the victim in. This will create comfort and insulate the victim from the snow. Cold is the main problem and it is hard to insulate properly. You need to put a lot of thought into how to achieve that. 

ON SCENE

When an accident occurs, we need to:

Secure the area. 

Look for dangers for us, other group members and the injured person.

Determine a leader

This is the single most important action. Having a leader clearly identified will make or break the rescue.

Assess the situation

The leader will coordinate the rescue, one (or more) person will evaluate the injuries and stabilize the victim, the others will be given tasks depending on the situation. But it will often be about insulating the victim and the group from the elements.The victim’s main injury will give (dictate) the next actions:

• Is the injury life threatening or not?
• Is the victim mobile or not?
• Will moving the victim risk increasing their injuries?
• What are the terrain obstacles if we evacuate the victim?
• What are our resources if we decide to stabilize the victim on site?
• Can we reach EMS or SAR?
• How far are EMS or SAR if we stay on site?

Execute the plan

Leadership

From the leader’s decision, the group members will work to execute the tasks given to them. This is autocratic leadership. The leader can choose to consult the others for their opinions but in the end, the leader will order the procedure. Following the leader’s decisions is key to create a successful rescue.

Team work / Communication

Good communication between team members will improve moving efficiency. If you evacuate the victim, the group will probably need to create more than one scenario as you are going downhill, uphill, across the slope. Talk about what works, what makes you waste energy, when to take breaks, when to change positions.

Overcome the unexpected

Reassessing

Backcountry rescues are very hard and take a lot of energy mentally and physically. The leader needs to stick to the plan as much as possible but at the same time, always be reevaluating if the plan is still working.

Changing conditions are part of a long rescue: weather, snow conditions, the victim’s condition, terrain, vegetation, etc. will make original plans fail. Recognize these situations, reassess the dangers and modify the original plan to fit these new conditions.

It’s never like in the guidebooks

In the end, having a good group bond, going out with people you trust and staying in your comfort zone are the most valuable elements of your backcountry journey.

 

CONCLUSION

The dichotomy between the technical challenge to ski a slope and the challenge to evaluate its dangers is at the centre of the problem that the backcountry skiing community is facing.

To be a successful and complete alpine touring enthusiast go get educated. Keep learning. Get certified. Refresh your certifications. Practice. Be safe. A lot can go wrong very quickly in the backcountry. It’s less about the thrill of the descent. It’s all about the journey! The journey back home, so you can tell the tale.

Cheers,

About Rene-Martin

With over 25 years of teaching skiing and telemark under his skins, Rene is your GOLH instructor for the Backcountry Skiing course!

Rene has worked as a backcountry skiing land manager to further develop the sport and was team leader at the Le Massif Ski Patrol. He holds a baccalaureate in Environmental Studies as a Geographer. Further more, he is a certified wilderness first responder, ski patrol instructor, telemark instructor, and all around great guy. Wait until you see the efficiency gains and safety with which you'll ski on your next backcountry trip!

BONUS MATERIAL

EMERGENCY KIT GEAR LISTS

To simplify, let me show you what I usually carry for two scenarios:

1. Day-trip close to a road.
2. Multi-day trip in a remote area. (More than two hours from emergency medical services - EMS)        

Day-Trip Scenario

For a ski touring day-trip, and if I stay within two hours of EMS, my group will save weight and bring very little equipment.

• First aid kit (small).
  • Klings.
  • 4x4 pads.
  • Surgical gloves.
  • Blister kit (2nd skin works good).
  • Tape (duck tape is ok).
  • Sam Splint (or other similar).
• Emergency sled, as light as possible (with all the ropes).
• Repair kit.
  • Multitool Leatherman type.
  • Multitool MTB style.
  • Duct tape.
  • Cordelette.
  • Spare pole basket.
  • Spare binding parts.
  • Spare skins parts.
  • Zip ties.
  • Ski straps (Black Diamond Equipment).
• Fire kit.
• Communication device.
• GPS.
• Insulated jackets.
• Water.
• Spare gloves.
• Sun glasses.
• Goggles.
• Ski skins.
• Knee pads.
• Insulated thermos with hot liquid.
• Chocolate (for team morale).

Multi-Day Trip Scenario 

For a multi-day trip, if I am more than two hour from EMS, my group will carry:

• A complete first aid kit (medium to large kit)
  • Klings.
  • 4x4 pads.
  • Surgical gloves.
  • Blister kit (2nd skin works good) multiple bandage of different size.
  • Antiseptic wipes (BZK-based wipes preferred).
  • Butterfly bandages / adhesive wound-closure strips.
  • Gauze pads (various sizes).
  • Nonstick sterile pads.
  • Sterile gloves.
  • Triangular bandages.
  • Dedicated medical tape.
  • Ibuprofen, acetaminofen.
  • Chocolate.
    **** It can get crazy, but make sure you only put stuff you know how to use.
  • SAM Splint (or other similar).
  • CPR mask, no shield (if you need it, you will really appreciate having one).
  • Hand sanitizer.
  • Equipment Repair kit.
  • Medium weight fabric sled (with ropes).
  • Extra 20 meters of rope
  • 2 carabiners..
  • 1 pulley.
  • An insulated mattress (the ultimate is an air mattress with R value of 4 or more).
  • Extra insulated big puffy jacket for the group.
  • Extra insulated pants.
  • Extra insulated gloves.

 

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