V-Team ambassador Iain Kuo shares experience from previous ski expeditions to destinations around the globe that will help you execute in style, from the airport to the summit. Here are Iain’s pro tips to help you plan your dream ski expedition. If you’ve been dreaming of high peaks in remote places, thirsting to take your skis to another continent, planning …
How to navigate the ski guide system Somehow, at the ripe young age of 16, I was lucky enough to be exposed to professional mountain guiding. I remember the moment, 500’ below the summit of Mt Lafayette in a whiteout when I resolved that a career in the mountains was to be the path of my life’s work. Fortunately for …
From time to time, I think that it’s important to ask: What does skiing mean to you? For me, it is something that changes season by season and day by day. In many ways, it comes down to another question: What do I need skiing to be? Last year, I was deep in a training cycle for a trip to the …
All Photos Courtesy of Aidan Goldie-Ahumada What is it about steep skiing that has enthralled so many? As the Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda said, “Someday, somewhere – anywhere, unfailingly, you’ll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life.” Both the happiest and bitterest moments in my life, the ones where I …
SKIING LOW-ANGLE TERRAIN IS STILL SKIING, AND SKIING IS THE BEST. PERIOD. Many avalanche classes and backcountry riding communities stress that “the decision to not go is never wrong,” or some other such quip that values the ability to ski another day over the risk of life or serious injury in the event of an avalanche. In a world where …
Ski trips shouldn’t just focus on the adventures that take place on the mountain. There is much more to skiing than sliding, gliding, and making turns on snow. During my escapes to adventure ski around the world, I astutely learned that some of the best adventures are experienced during the exploration of surrounding villages and their communities of soulful mountain …
Odds are you’re deciding what food you’re going to bring into the backcountry from the comfort of your home, tent, or van. And that’s ok! As a matter of fact, this opens the door for many unique backcountry meal opportunities. From a protein bar to a “charcuteski” board, sardines to a sandwich, last night’s leftovers to a gas-station burrito, anything …
Photo Courtesy of Iain Kuo. If you’ve been following along on social media you’d know that we’ve spent this fall searching for seven new members to join us as V-Team ambassadors for the 21/22 season. While the V-Team has always been open to people from all backgrounds, this year we made the conscious effort to invite underrepresented folx to apply …
There is no replacement for good group synergy when traveling in and around avalanche terrain. Good synergy within a group can help create an epic day of powder euphoria. The lack of it can also be the difference in returning home safely. Although finding good backcountry partners can be challenging, setting some basic ground rules and strategies before heading out …
Q: What are your earliest memories of backcountry travel? It really started because of my Dad’s love for skiing. He started me at a young age of two, and before then would ski with me in a backpack. I switched over to snowboarding when I was twelve and never looked back. They were the cool kids back then – remember; …
