Safety Tips for Backcountry Skiing

In pursuit of powder, the type that will have any skier or snowboarder feeling like they are defying gravity and floating on earth, the best snow is not always found in the resorts. For more experienced powder hounds, this often means venturing into the backcountry to “earn your turns”.

If exploring backcountry skiing is something that sparks your interest, we suggest following a few simple tips to help you stay safe and have fun out there:

• Gear Talk. Every backcountry skier or snowboarder should have a beacon, shovel and probe easily accessible – it is a MUST! As the saying goes, “Turn your beacon on at the car and off at the bar” to ensure it is on for your entire ski day.
• Trusted Ski Buddies. Never go alone! Skiing in the backcountry should be done with at least one other person. Make sure everybody is on the same page about safety and maintains open lines of communication all day.
• Avalanche Training. Never take a day out in the backcountry lightly. The risk of triggering an avalanche is always possible. By taking an avalanche training course, you will learn how to make educated decisions about where to ski based off the snow pack, terrain, slope angles and more.
• Know Before You Go. Read the snow report every day. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) website and app provides an extensive daily snow report that will help inform your ski day.

If you are newly integrating into skiing in the backcountry and do not yet own a setup, renting equipment is a great way to learn.

Outpost Sunsport has backcountry setups available for rent! We rent out alpine touring setups for both skiing and splitboarding. Brands for boots, skis and snowboards include Scarpa, Rossignol, Salomon and more. Every rental will include skins as well. Our backcountry inventory is limited, so please call in advance to check on availability – 970-225-1455.