We鈥檝e been conducting some indoor research on Outdoor Research鈥檚 website, and the results of our study are in: the PNW-based outfitter is currently having a massive sale. Our hypothesis? If you love to save money and spend time outside, you don鈥檛 want to miss this.

Now, these discounts are as steep as OR鈥檚 home range鈥攖he picturesque, quad-cramping Cascades鈥攚ith 60 percent off on hundreds of pieces of gear. That includes last year鈥檚 ski and snowboard apparel, high-performance puffies, MTB gear, and alpine accessories like hats and gloves. Our gear team sifted through mountains of bargains to hand-pick 12 deals worth jumping on right now. Browse the , or check out our top picks below.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Freewheel MTB Half聽 Zip Hoodie for $72 ($179)

Dirt connoisseurs from Vermont鈥檚 Green Mountains to Vancouver鈥檚 North Shore know that mountain bike season isn鈥檛 relegated to clear, sunny skies. A stretchy, wind- and water-resistant pullover crafted from recycled nylon and spandex, the Freewheel MTB Half Zip Hoodie is purpose-built for shredding singletrack in style and comfort. A drop-tail hem keeps your bike shorts dry, while a low-profile hood fits comfortably underneath your helmet. If you could use some mountain bike-specific outerwear, now’s the time to pull the trigger, as the Freewheel line is now 60 percent off.

Freewheel MTB Short Sleeve Jersey for $24 ($60)

A mountain bike jersey for 60 bucks? Not a bad deal. That鈥檚 retail pricing for the Freewheel MTB Short Sleeve, a streamlined, lightweight, sweat-wicking polyester-and-spandex jersey with a drop-tail hem that offers summer singletrack crushers UPF-30+ protection. Now on sale for $24, this short sleeve jersey is an absolute bargain.

Freewheel MTB Long Sleeve Jersey for $28 ($70)

This long-sleeved mountain biking essential utilizes the same stretchy, thermoregulatory fabric as Freewheel Short Sleeve, but with longer sleeves to give bikers more comprehensive protection from sun rays, whipping branches, and inevitable dances in the dirt. Now it can be yours for less than half the retail price. Compared to the $24 tee version, you鈥檙e only paying a couple of bucks per sleeve. In this economy? Sign us up.

Trail Mix Cap for $13 ($32)

We love a gridded fleece hat around here. Stylish and comfortable, breathable and warm, we鈥檒l rock these idiosyncratic caps year-round. From casual summer hangs around the campfire and high-alpine adventures to frosty backcountry ski days, the Trail Mix Cap does it all. Plus, it鈥檚 currently discounted by 60 percent and only $13, making it an excellent last-minute Father鈥檚 Day gift if you鈥檙e still in the market.

Skytour AscentShell for $160 ($399)

The Skytour isn鈥檛 the most waterproof three-layer jacket we鈥檝e ever tested, but the brand鈥檚 AscentShell Air nylon and spandex blend is relatively lightweight and stretchy, offering impressive range of motion while touring. Plus, the breathability is superb. Needless to say, it鈥檚 one of our top recommendations for skiers and splitboarders who spend ample time in the skintrack. Even at a retail price of $400, this jacket is affordable and a smart addition to any backcountry traveler鈥檚 winter kit. At $160, this is a slam-dunk buy, and if it鈥檚 still available in your size, we highly suggest grabbing one. You鈥檒l thank us come winter.

Skytour AscentShell Bibs for $172 ($429)

These bibs feature the same tester-beloved, spandex-injected fabric as the Skytour jackets. Essentially, these are a cross between your favorite yoga pants and go-to backcountry touring fare. They鈥檙e comfy as can be, offer decent waterproofing, and they鈥檙e currently on sale for a steal. We also love the pocket configuration (including an avalanche pocket with an integrated clip), generous vents, burly cuffs and cinchable gaiters for crampon usage and bootpacking, and the broad, comfortable suspenders.

Helium Down Hoodie for $120 ($299)

New puffy day is always exciting, and that鈥檚 more true than ever when you snag one for 60 percent off. Outdoor Research鈥檚 popular Helium Down Hoodie is stuffed with lightweight, lofty, high-quality 800+ fill down, offering a premium warmth-to-weight ratio for any outdoor endeavor. The body of the puffy is made from minimalist Pertex Quantum material, while the hood and shoulders are reinforced for better protection from precipitation. If you鈥檙e on the hunt for a versatile, warm, and affordable insulator, check this one out ASAP, as colorways and sizing are聽very听濒颈尘颈迟别诲.

Sureshot Heated Softshell Gloves for $108 ($260)

If cold hands are a constant concern for you come winter, Outdoor Research鈥檚 Sureshot gloves are a smart investment (especially when you can buy during this OR sales event). The gloves themselves are low-profile and dexterous. Most critically, they feature Outdoor Research鈥檚 ALTIHeat system鈥攐ne of the more effective heated glove frameworks we鈥檝e ever tested. The system is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries, is easy to operate in frigid temps, and has multiple settings so you can save battery or prioritize maximum warmth.

Helium Adrenaline Day Pack 20L for $56 ($139)

We鈥檝e been praising Outdoor Research left and right throughout this article. Allow us, for a moment, to pause and question the aesthetic of this 20-liter Adrenaline Day Pack. Why the bumblebee black and yellow colorway? Why the garish white logo plastered down the bulk of the bag like it鈥檚 the hood of a NASCAR race car? That said, we鈥檙e happy to ignore these questionable design choices because function matters more than fashion around here (and, let鈥檚 be completely honest, we love a 60-percent discount). Moving on, this pack is highly rated by OR customers for its lightweight construction, easily accessed strap pockets, and overall waterproofing. Essentially, it鈥檚 a featherweight, comfortable, and haul-able dry bag, and we can get down with that. Did we mention it鈥檚 60 percent off?

Trail Mix Quarter Zip Pullover for $48 ($120)

For the outdoor enthusiast, a cozy quarter-zip fleece like this Trail Mix pullover might as well be a standard-issue uniform. Ready for cool summer nights around the campfire, international ski trips, and everything in between, the ultra-soft polyester fleece is the definition of versatile. The fabric is both comfy enough for all-day wear and breathable enough for moderate hikes, while chest and hand pockets add utility for travel and daily life.

Snowcrew Jacket for $140 ($349)

If you鈥檙e looking for a resort-ready jacket, the Snowcrew has your name on it. The two-layer exterior features a proprietary Outdoor Research waterproof and breathable membrane, keeping you dry onpowder days. Heavier synthetic insulation keeps your torso toasty, while lighter insulation in the sleeves and hood adds more dexterity and mobility. Not only is this coat discounted by 60 percent off, but it鈥檚 still available in a full size range, from small to XXXL.

Tungsten II Pants for $160 ($399)

Finding a ski pant that can handle backcountry and resort riding alike is tricky enough. Finding one for $160? That鈥檚 damn near impossible. Luckily, Outdoor Research鈥檚 Tungsten II Pants fit the billThe pants feature a touch of synthetic insulation in the seat and thigh, just enough to stay comfortable on rickety fixed-grip chairlift rides and sub-zero powder days without completely torpedoing backcountry utility. An industry-leading Gore-Tex membrane provides top-notch waterproofing, while inner thigh vents allow you to amp up airflow on spring days and grueling ascents.

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Apparently, one of the trickiest parts of negotiating the ski slopes on a large dose of psychedelic mushrooms is 鈥渒nowing which end of the lift the mountain part is on.鈥�

鈥淚 was so confused about when to get off the 鈥榝lying seat鈥�,鈥� explained the snowboarder regaling his buddy about a recent six-gram day.

聽 聽 聽 聽Also Read: Jim Harris Was Paralyzed. Then He Ate Magic Mushrooms.

From what I heard of the rest of the story (before the three of us had to get off the 鈥渇lying seat鈥� ourselves), his trip greatly improved once he felt safe in the trees where he 鈥渂ecame the snow鈥� and met a squirrel who bore a striking resemblance to his dead grandpa. 鈥漈hey had the exact same eyebrows!鈥�

As I watched him strap on his board at the top, I was distracted by the question of whether or not squirrels have eyebrows. But by the time he slid away, the big question hit me: Wait, people are on the slopes while tripping on six grams?

With Colorado voters approving psilocybin (the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms) for personal use in 2022, I should have expected people to try adding a shroom trip to their ski trip. But although psychedelics and skiing have proven to be the two most helpful ways to manage my PTSD, I would never combine the two鈥攁nd certainly not at a six-gram dosage. By comparison, during a therapeutic trip of that magnitude, I wasn鈥檛 able to get even an arm out of my sleeping bag to reach my water bottle for three hours.

Some extoll the joy and beauty of taking a smaller amount of 鈥渕ushies鈥� (anywhere from .1 to 2 grams) and 鈥渕icroshredding.鈥� While I鈥檓 not your mother, I鈥檓 about to do a pretty good impression. When it comes to psychedelics on the slopes, make good choices. I would advise against shroomskiing not just because you could get in trouble and it鈥檚 not safe (both of which are true), but because there is a pretty good chance it won鈥檛 be all that much fun.

Let鈥檚 start with the small print. Yes, magic mushrooms are legal in my home state. In fact, growing, possessing, and sharing psilocybin are all allowed if you are 21 or older. However, ski resorts operate on federal land, where shrooms (and weed for that matter) are still illegal.

Operating under a 鈥淗ealers, Not Dealers鈥� model, Colorado prohibits the selling or buying of mushrooms. So if you don鈥檛 have a generous friend growing fungi under a heat-lamp in her closet (and I don鈥檛, so please don鈥檛 fill my inbox with requests), then things get more complicated.

That said, there is a provision in the law that allows administration of psilocybin for 鈥渉arm reduction services.鈥� Entrepreneurs are pushing the boundaries of the new law like skiers scouting the sidecountry for lines on a powder day. At a mushroom 鈥渃o-op鈥� or 鈥渃lub,鈥� people can pay as little as $30 for a consultation session and leave with four grams of blue-veined psychedelic fungi.

In other words, a motivated individual could likely get their mittens on some shrooms and hit the slopes. But should they?

鈥淵ou鈥檒l always have some wildly irresponsible people,鈥� said Sean McAllister, a Denver attorney specializing in psychedelic law. 鈥淏ut the majority of people know this [psilocybin] has a serious level of impairment. It鈥檚 not like cannabis or alcohol, where with a low dose you can do some activities. You don鈥檛 want to be out in the real world walking around, or God forbid skiing.鈥�

Although Colorado resorts aren鈥檛 reporting any shroom-related incidents, they are leary of the possibility.

鈥淲hen you think about it, the possible negative outcomes are endless,鈥� said Sarah Beatty, a spokesperson for Colorado Ski Country USA, the non-profit trade association representing 21 Colorado resorts. 鈥淣ot only could you hurt yourself, but there are other people out there on the mountain who didn鈥檛 agree to be a part of the experience you鈥檙e having.鈥�

聽 聽 聽 聽Related: I Was Traumatized After an Accident. Then I Tried Ketamine Therapy.

Because of the myriad of variables in the mushrooms + skiing equation, you yourself might not have signed up for the experience you end up having. Unlike beer, with its regulated level of alcohol content, the potency of shrooms varies in different strains and even different batches.

Psilocybin also picks up on your mindset and setting, and amplifies what鈥檚 going on in your head, the vibe of the people around you, and your environment.

Think of your favorite run and how dramatically different it is depending on the temperature, time of day, snow conditions, whether the sun鈥檚 out, how many people are on it鈥攊t can feel like a different run every time.

It鈥檚 the same with psilocybin. On a macrodose (vaguely defined as one gram and up), you will likely have several different trips within the same trip. I know I do. My PTSD comes from when he was 15 and I was 12. I take mushrooms in a reverential way with experienced guides to help me deal with what comes up. I鈥檓 blindfolded to keep my focus inward and safely tucked in a sleeping bag.

It鈥檚 in the liminal space mushrooms create where I find my brother. Psilocybin doesn鈥檛 make you see things that aren鈥檛 there as much as it lets you feel things that no longer are. One minute, Mark and I are lying on our backs in a sunny meadow of wildflowers while he tells me how proud he is of me, and seconds later, we are back in the hallway outside our bedrooms where he said goodbye to me. I still feel the warmth of his hug and think this time I can stop him. When I realize it鈥檚 too late, the grief is so strong I couldn鈥檛 stand if I wanted to.

So, no, macrodosing is not something I want to experience on my skis.

As for the difference between a macro and a micro dose, I think it was best summed up by Carter Antebi, a Mammoth skier who gets in about 75 days a season.

鈥�10/10 would do again,鈥� the 22-year-old wrote in a forum addressing the topic on Newschoolers.com. 鈥淒efinitely a micro tho, I鈥檓 not tryna have an ego death or temporary psychosis on the mountain. Gotta save that stuff for home.鈥�

When I reached out to him for this story, Antebi cautioned that anyone considering skiing on shrooms best be an experienced skier and know how they react on mushrooms.

鈥淚 make sure that I鈥檓 feeling good about myself and that the environment is right,鈥� Antebi said. 鈥淚t makes the day more fun, more meaningful. I feel a strong connection to the mountain and my skiing.鈥�

After all, microdosing is a steroid for nature appreciation. It can make a single tree, or even a single leaf on that tree, the most beautiful thing you鈥檝e ever seen. And while losing yourself in nature is a lovely experience, I don鈥檛 want to do it while the lifts are running.

The good news is you can tap into the magic of natural medicine without being on anything but snow. Next ski day, go in the trees, sit still and simply receive whatever nature has to offer. And if you happen to notice whether or not squirrels have eyebrows, let us know.

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To those who have already hung up their skis for the season now that winter is officially over鈥攜ou鈥檙e missing the good stuff. April is a great time to hit the resort and enjoy soft turns in spring corn, short lift lines, and end-of-season closing festivities.

Watch: How to Choose a Line in the Bumps

That said, hitting the sweet spot with springtime conditions can be a challenge when the snowpack enters a melt-freeze cycle. Too early in the day, and those slushy bumps are glazed over and filled with death cookies. Too late, and you might as well be skiing through real mashed potatoes. When it comes to spring skiing, timing is everything.

Luke Toritto, a fully-certified PSIA ski instructor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, is well acquainted with the mixed bag of snow conditions that spring skiing can hold. 鈥淏ut when you can time it right and ski soft groomers in the morning and slushy, playful bumps in the afternoon, that鈥檚 the best,鈥� he says.

Working as a ski instructor for over a decade, Toritto has fine-tuned his strategy for optimizing soft, forgiving turns in the spring. Here, he shares his tips for how to make the most out of the end of the season.

Come in with a different mindset

While winter resort days are usually about sniffing out the best powder stashes on the hill, springtime is a good time to be more strategic. According to Toritto, step one of spring resort skiing is changing your mindset. 鈥淢idwinter, you can sometimes come to the resort and bank on getting good skiing the whole day in cold snow. But in the spring you have to look for a window here and a window there,鈥� he says. 鈥淪pring skiing is less about charging hard all day and more about having fun and celebrating the season.鈥� For Toritto, spring turns are like a bonus, icing on the cake to a successful season. It鈥檚 a time to relax, enjoy a sunny lunch on the deck, and wrap up the day with live music.

Know your aspects

Slope aspect is everything with spring skiing, and getting familiar with the aspects of some of your favorite runs will help you time them. In the northern hemisphere, north-facing slopes are the most shaded, often holding dry, cold snow when the rest of the solar aspects are heating up. South and east aspects get the most sun, and will be most susceptible to big temperature fluctuations. Toritto says in the spring he鈥檒l often stick to north-facing aspects earlier in the day, until the sun softens the south and east aspects. Midday, south and east slopes can ski really well, until they鈥檝e gotten too blasted by the sun by late afternoon.

Related:

Work your way up the mountain

Elevation can play another key role in choosing terrain. At most resorts, where temperatures are higher at the base and colder up high, starting low and working up higher throughout the day as it warms can be a good strategy. When the corn gets slushy and grabby down low, head to the upper mountain for cooler temps. It鈥檚 worth checking your local resort for temperatures at different elevation bands (often the resort website will list a base and summit temperature) to check if that鈥檚 the case. Resorts like Jackson Hole often have temperature inversions, so some days it pays to start up high where it鈥檚 warmer.

Check the grooming report

Many resorts put out a daily grooming report, a trick that Toritto uses to determine where to start his day in the morning. 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth checking what got groomed overnight and what was groomed in the morning,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nything groomed in the morning tends to be softer and smoother than the snow that was groomed overnight, which can set up to be weird and chunky.鈥�

Quit early

Yeah, you read that right. When temps are rising into the 40s throughout the day, don鈥檛 get lured into skiing until last chair. Grabby and sloppy conditions at the end of the day can be challenging, but also dangerous. Toritto says he鈥檒l often call it at 2 p.m. if it鈥檚 getting too warm. 鈥淎 lot of injuries happen late in the day in sloppy, heavy snow. Keeping an eye on the snow and how your body feels can keep you from getting hurt,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat might be the best time to enjoy some beers in the sun and catch live music at the base.鈥�

Ski the East

Again, you read that right. While it鈥檚 hard to compare the midwinter skiing in the Rockies to anything out east, Toritto firmly believes the East Coast corn skiing rivals the West. Toritto has noticed that man-made snow, which is prevalent at , corns up more easily and he鈥檚 found East Coast corn snow to be more smooth and consistent compared to the West鈥檚 more complex snow conditions. 鈥淒on鈥檛 underestimate the East Coast, especially in the spring,鈥� Toritto concludes.

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When I drive into the parking lot at Homewood Mountain Resort鈥攁 small, beloved ski area on the California side of Lake Tahoe鈥攐n a recent sunny morning, the place is deserted. There鈥檚 snow on the slopes, but no skiers in sight. The parking lot is empty, save for a few storage containers and idle construction vehicles. The Madden chair, a relic installed in 1966, five years after the ski area opened, is surrounded by orange ropes with signs that read: closed.

This past October, Homewood announced that the ski resort wouldn鈥檛 be opening for this winter, a blow that devastated local skiers who鈥檝e come to call this place home. It鈥檚 not what anyone wanted. This winter鈥檚 closure is just the latest bad news in a series of bad years for Homewood鈥檚 public image. You see, a couple of years ago, word trickled out that Homewood was going to become a private resort for the rich. Think the Yellowstone Club, only with a grand view of Lake Tahoe.

鈥淗ad [Homewood鈥檚 owners] set in front of our community this member-only concept, there would have been lines out the door in protest,鈥� local resident Renee Koijane wrote in a public comment soon after Homewood鈥檚 privatization plan leaked out. 鈥淭his type of plan is the opposite of what any community should be planning for in the wake of climate change, wildfire, and affordable housing issues.鈥�

The threat of Homewood going private came as other small resorts across the country either adopted the business model or entertained it as a way to compete with the ski industry鈥檚 move toward megapasses and consolidation.

In Utah, Powder Mountain has made sections of its terrain accessible only to members of its private ski community. In New York, Windham Mountain Club bills itself as a 鈥減ublic-private mountain community鈥� with skiing for everyone and luxury amenities like access to a private lodge for dues-paying members (memberships start at $200,000). Discovery Land Company has submitted plans to turn a defunct ski area near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, into a private ski and golf resort.

These privatization plans have generated headlines and elicited grumbles in communities across the country. But at Homewood, the prospect prompted a loud and angry response. An outraged group of locals began to put up a fight. They formed a group called Keep Homewood Public and began hanging red signage all over town and holding community meetings to organize a resistance.

Their efforts worked鈥攎ostly. As of March 2025, the it will still welcome the general public when the resort reopens hopefully next winter. But there were consequences to all of the town meetings and angry signs: namely, the cancellation of the 2024-25 ski season. Losing a ski season dealt a financial blow to local businesses and was a loss for area skiers who love this place. The setback left even the most ardent activists wondering if the pushback was worth it.

But the ordeal at Homewood represents something much larger than a small ski area shutting down for one season. If feisty stalwarts can save skiing from becoming something only the rich and richer can participate in, then maybe we all still have a chance.

To understand why you should care about the closure of a small ski area that perhaps you鈥檝e never heard of before, first you need to understand the backstory and know that what is happening here could happen anywhere.

The saga of Homewood is bogged down by bureaucracy, but beneath it all is a clear theme: The world of skiing is getting privatized and you鈥檙e either in the club, or you鈥檙e out of it.

Homewood used to be the kind of place where beginners skied in starter jackets, you could score a $60 lift ticket from the gas station down the road, and passholders were given free breakfast burritos and early lift access on appreciation days. But, apparently, none of that was contributing to the financial well-being of the resort, which has allegedly been in dire straits for years now.

The resort, which sits almost entirely on private land, was purchased in 2006 by a real estate investment firm called JMA Ventures. In 2022, Discovery Land Company, known for its private resorts like Wyoming鈥檚 Yellowstone Club and other ultra-luxe private ski, beach, and golf clubs around the world, partnered with JMA. The following year, Mohari Hospitality, an investment company based in Cyprus that funds luxury properties around the world, became the main equity investor in the Homewood development. Mohari is the one that pulled out their subsidy for this winter, forcing Homewood鈥檚 hand to close.

鈥淭he notion of subsidizing another winter loss without the certainty of the project moving forward caused a lot of ripples,鈥� Andy Buckley, Homewood鈥檚 vice president of mountain experience, tells me when I pull into the parking lot. 鈥淭he closure of the mountain this season is not what we wanted.鈥�

In November 2022, JMA Ventures founder Art Chapman wrote a letter to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), the local regulatory agency, that indicated a 鈥渂alance of public and private use鈥� business model. According to JMA Ventures at that time, this exclusive model was needed for the resort to stay afloat.

The letter indicated that Homewood would open to the public several days each month (not on holidays or weekends) as well as on so-called community days, where residents could purchase tickets that would benefit local philanthropic causes. But on all other days, the resort would be exclusively open to property owners. 鈥淚n doing so, Homewood would still be available to the local community, albeit on a more limited basis,鈥� Chapman wrote at the time.

A former mountain manager at Homewood during that time told business owners in the area that things would soon be changing. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to start seeing fur coats,鈥� the resort manager said. Locals were outraged at the thought of losing access to their cherished ski hill. So, in February 2023, that prompted the formation of Keep Homewood Public, which organized quickly and fiercely.

鈥淧ublic access is our number one, number two, and number three issue,鈥� says Candice Wilmuth, a spokesperson for Keep Homewood Public. 鈥淲hen I talk to Homewood employees and they call us the opposition, I say, we are not the opposition. You have the biggest lovers of Homewood in this group. We do not want to stop the development. We want the resort to be open and thriving. All of us want to go skiing there.鈥�

Homewood鈥檚 location on the western shore of Lake Tahoe is both a blessing and a curse. When all the big, flashy ski resorts around Lake Tahoe shut due to wind and blizzards, little old Homewood would keep its eight meager lifts cranking. Some of the deepest powder turns of my life have been on storm days in the trees off Homewood鈥檚 painfully slow Ellis chair. Homewood is where old-school powder chasers, families seeking affordable adventure, and anyone who wanted a quiet, uncrowded place to ski escaped to.

But these days, unless you鈥檙e coming from the sleepy neighborhoods that dot Lake Tahoe鈥檚 west shore, on busy days, you鈥檒l sit in traffic heading to other, bigger ski areas like Palisades Tahoe or Northstar in order to get to Homewood. In recent years, skiers and riders have not been choosing to do that. Even west-shore residents have bypassed Homewood for more amenity-rich mountains. Revenues at the resort have gone down since 2010, and the number of visitors to the ski area has dropped by 70 percent since then. The rising popularity of mega passes like the Ikon Pass and Epic Pass have further driven down profits at Homewood, which is not on a collective pass.

鈥淲e saw a lot of Keep Homewood Public stickers and banners, but not a lot of people buying passes or tickets,鈥� one former Homewood employee, who asked not to be named, told me. On a deep powder day in March 2022, this employee said the total skier count at 11 a.m. was 38 people on the mountain. 鈥淲e were getting face shots after lunch,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was amazing. But you can鈥檛 run a business with that.鈥�

And as other resorts have built new lodges and faster lifts, Homewood has made few upgrades over the past two decades. The South Lodge, at the base of the Quail chair, burned down in 2016 and in its place sits a row of dilapidated structures and storage sheds. The Ellis lift, a creaky triple chair that notoriously left skiers stranded for hours, got a mechanical update in 2020, but plans to replace Ellis with a detachable quad haven鈥檛 happened yet. West Shore Inn and Caf茅, formerly a hotel and restaurant across the street from the ski area that JMA purchased in 2010, has been closed since 2023, allegedly for renovation, and will likely remain a private facility going forward.

Homewood used to offer some of the cheapest lift tickets in the Tahoe Basin, but in recent years, those ticket prices have spiked. In 2022, Homewood set the record for most expensive day lift ticket in the U.S.: $279 for a single-day ticket to a homestyle ski hill with antique chairlifts, a mid-mountain pit toilet, and on-hill dining that requires you to microwave the chili yourself. Some theorize that Homewood was trying to price out skiers ahead of time to show they needed to go private in order to stay afloat.

The resort ownership has lofty goals for a major redevelopment of the mountain and base area, but it鈥檚 taking forever for any of that to be implemented. Homewood鈥檚 original master plan, which was first passed by the TRPA in 2011, lays out plans for a much improved future Homewood. The master plan鈥攚hich includes many community improvement benefits ranging from fire protection to workforce housing鈥攈as been nearly universally supported, including by those at Keep Homewood Public. (鈥淲e want the plan. Stick to the plan,鈥� Wilmuth says.)

In late September, the TRPA regional planning committee met to discuss Homewood鈥檚 master plan, which had no real directive regarding public or private access. The KHP crew arrived at the meeting ready for a fight. Over 100 people gathered in the parking lot in red T-shirts with the words Keep Homewood Public emblazoned across their chests. The meeting room filled to capacity and public attendees were relegated to three overflow rooms to await the comment period.

After a lengthy committee discussion, the public comment period opened and one red shirt after another stood in front of the microphone to implore the committee to reject the developers鈥� application unless they add clear language about public access. Each had their own distinct point to make, but many included the same request: a hard reset on the master plan. 鈥淲hen the developers say anyone can ski at Homewood, what they really mean is anyone with a whole lot of money,鈥� one speaker said. 鈥淭his is not the general public.鈥�

Toward the end of the public comment period, a speaker named Lynne Hurst got emotional, tearing up at the mic as she said, 鈥淚鈥檝e skied at Homewood most of my life. I have Christmas pictures every year at the top of that hill that I treasure. It鈥檚 the most beautiful place in the world to ski 鈥� Come together with the developer, make it work for everyone 鈥� Don鈥檛 take it away to only let a few enjoy it.鈥�

But just like that: The chances of anyone skiing at Homewood this winter disappeared. A few weeks after that September meeting, Homewood announced on October 11 via an email to staff and the resort鈥檚 mailing list that the ski area wouldn鈥檛 be opening at all for this winter. In a statement, the resort declared, 鈥淔or many years, Homewood Mountain Resort has been subsidizing the community鈥檚 ski experience while operating at a deficit 鈥� Hypothetical fears and false rumors regarding public access to the mountain from Keep Homewood Public鈥檚 leadership have dramatically slowed the pace of the approval process 鈥� Without a clear path forward, our financial partner has withdrawn support for this ski season.鈥� It was almost like the resort was saying, you want to put up a fight? Remember who has the upper hand here.

The news of the closure was a blow, but it wasn鈥檛 all that surprising. 鈥淭he writing was on the wall,鈥� one Homewood resident told me. Season passes typically go on sale in the spring for the following winter, but by September, Homewood still hadn鈥檛 opened up season pass sales. In a presentation to a Homewood homeowner鈥檚 association last fall, resort execs said that they reserved the right to not open for the season if the approval for the new gondola didn鈥檛 come through. And in September, Homewood canceled its J-1 visa contracts, the hiring of foreign workers that the resort has relied on in past winters to perform seasonal jobs.

Around 200 people work at Homewood, with roughly 40 of those employed year-round in managerial or administrative positions. The rest are seasonal employees鈥攍ift operators, ski instructors, food and beverage staff鈥攚ho were laid off or not hired for this winter. The trickle-down impact of the closure on Tahoe鈥檚 west shore is already being felt.

鈥淥ur winter business relies heavily on Homewood being open and that day-to-day visitor, which has dwindled year after year due to their increasing rates,鈥� says Trevor Larkins, owner of West Shore Sports, a ski shop located down the road from Homewood ski area. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a progression of price increases pushing their customers away.鈥� Last year, profits at his shop were down 35 percent.

But still, after all of this, the questions remain: Who will be allowed to ski at Homewood in the near and distant future? Everyone? And for a reasonable price? Or just private members paying six-digit dues? Homewood鈥檚 execs have kept mostly mum on the subject of privatization, but that鈥檚 changing now, as they鈥檝e switched gears with more open communication and聽 promises to remain committed to public access. 鈥淲e recognize that it鈥檚 been a mistake to remain silent for so long,鈥� Buckley tells me.

This winter, Homewood management unveiled a plan that represents a compromise. Under a part of its website titled Community Access, the vision lays out future day ticket and season pass offerings that ensure that anyone with a valid ski pass or ticket will be able to access the mountain during operating hours. It also lays out discounted passes for west-shore residents that will remain 35 percent below the cost of a pass or ticket to nearby Palisades Tahoe or Northstar. 鈥淧eople ask us to define public,鈥� Buckley says. 鈥淲ithout being flippant, it鈥檚 everybody.鈥�

He says public access has been there all along, it鈥檚 just changed in scope. 鈥淭here was always going to be a component of private membership in the plan, but upon really reviewing the plan documents, it became absolutely clear that the mountain had to have public access,鈥� Buckley tells me. 鈥淔rom that day forward, that is what the partners have been saying.鈥�

Residential property owners will be able to access members鈥� lounges in the base area and at mid-mountain, but the lifts and ski runs will be open to everyone. 鈥淵es, there鈥檚 going to be an HOA with member amenities like many places,鈥� Buckley says. 鈥淏ut the public component of the whole business plan is critical.鈥�

The promise to stay public is now on a banner hanging over the parking lot of the closed ski area that reads, 鈥淪mile! Homewood will always be public.鈥� But getting that in legal writing has been a long time coming. 鈥淭hey closed the resort, then they started this PR campaign around public access. But it鈥檚 still not effectively written into their documents. Without that, we鈥檙e worried it鈥檒l be public for a few years and then they鈥檒l start restricting access or pricing everyone out,鈥� Wilmuth, from KHP, says. 鈥淎 lot of people are saying, 鈥極h, we won. This is good enough.鈥� Which means people are so desperate to have this ski resort open that they鈥檙e willing to believe the developers. But we don鈥檛 think that the job is done until it鈥檚 documented.鈥�

Wilmuth says nothing was gained by having the mountain closed this winter. 鈥淲e never wanted or expected that to happen. That was Homewood鈥檚 decision. There is still nothing stopping Homewood from operating right now and season passes have yet to go on sale for next year,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur community had to get vocal to ensure what was always part of the plan鈥攑ublic access鈥攚as followed through on.鈥�

In late January, the TRPA governing board finally voted to approve Homewood鈥檚 master plan amendments as long as the resort includes a clearly-defined community access plan. With that approval, the ski area and its new gondola could be up and running by next winter.

Dave Powell, who鈥檚 86 and skis with just sunglasses, no hat, is holding out hope that his treasured ski area will reopen鈥攆or everyone鈥攏ext year. For five decades, Powell has clicked into his skis on the deck of the cabin he built in 1974, nestled into a grove of pine trees near Homewood鈥檚 base area, and glided through the forest to the Madden lift. This mountain is deeply personal to him, just like it is to many people in Tahoe. He used to work on ski patrol with his late wife, and he taught his now-grown daughters to ski here. 鈥淚 would not be surprised if there鈥檚 some kind of deal where those who buy into the new real estate get primo access to the mountain,鈥� Powell says. 鈥淎nd that doesn鈥檛 bother me, as long as the rest of us can still enjoy the place.鈥�

Megan Michelson lives in Tahoe City, California, five miles down the road from Homewood. She鈥檚 had some incredibly deep powder days at Homewood in the past.

The post Locals Unified to Fight Homewood Going Private. Will it Save the Resort? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I was smoked, shellacked, completely and utterly exhausted. It was a bluebird afternoon in late-March, and I had just finished a full day of skiing with my five-year-old daughter at Colorado’s Keystone Resort.

My lower back throbbed from the several-dozen times I’d scooped her up from the snow. Carrying my skis and poles in one hand, her skis under an arm, and her hand in mine, I awkwardly hobbled through Keystone’s base area toward the bus. One thought echoed through my head: I gotta find a better way to carry all of this crap.聽

The very next morning, while riding the ski bus, I glanced over and saw a guy using a device I’d never seen before: a neon bag that enveloped his bindings with a drawstring at the top, and slits on the top and bottom allowed the ski tips and tails to protrude. His wife and kids, seated next to him, also had bags on their skis. When the four of them stood up, they wore their skis and poles like backpacks.

The man introduced himself as Phillip Peterson, unzipped his jacket, and tossed me one to try. I couldn’t believe how small and lightweight it was鈥攊t crumpled down to the size of a handkerchief in my pocket.

Philip told me that the device, called The Ski Pack, was sold by a company called that he co-owned. I asked him how he had come up with such a cool and innovative design. He smiled.

“My son and his friend invented it,” he told me.

How Two Kids Invented a Game-Changing Ski Bag

News flash: skiing with small children is hard. Really hard. You have to juggle meltdowns, snack time, weather conditions, and yeah, tons of gear. To hang out at a typical ski resort’s kiddie area is to see dozens of parents finding creative ways to schlep skis, boots, water bottles, helmets, and yes, the occasional rag doll-like toddler, across the snow.

The Ski Pack was born from this epic struggle. Back in 2020, Phillip Peterson’s son, Zachary, was a fourth-grader at Redstone Elementary in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He and his friend, Madeline Gacnik were both involved in an extracurricular activity called Destination Imagination, which prompts kids to find creative solutions to everyday problems.

Anyone who is familiar with the long-running kids’ programs Odyssey of the Mind or Olympics of the Mind is familiar with the concept.

Both the Peterson and Gacnik families were passionate skiers, and the kids’ problem solving idea stemmed from their own trips to the resort.

“They originally wanted to solve world hunger, and we had to rein them in a bit,” Phillip, who works for the Colorado Department of Public Health, told me. “The problem they moved to next was that parents get tired of carrying their kids’ skis and they could get more ski days in if kids could carry their own skis.”

No notes from me on this logic.

The kids had two months and a $100 budget to create their prototype before presenting it to a panel of adults. Julia Gacnik, Madeline’s mother, told me that the families took regular trips to Hobby Lobby to examine fabrics suitable for carrying skis. Then, the kids had to investigate various designs that solved the problems of other minimalist ski carriers.

“If you’re putting a basic shoulder ski strap on a three-year-old, they’re going to be hitting cars and scratching up their skis,” said Julia, who works in data analytics. “We’d prompt the kids with these scenarios. How should it fit? What should you do with it when you get to the ski lift? What should it look like?”

The questions helped Madeline and Zachary zero in on a concept. The bag should fit like a backpack, they decided, because young children are accustomed to wearing backpacks. The bag should be made from lightweight and collapsible fabrics. When not being used, it should be able to fit in the pocket of a toddler’s jacket.

The original prototype was made from Colorado Rockies-branded fleece. Julia helped the kids sew it together on the Gacnik family dinner table. But it had a flaw.

“It didn’t dry very well and it didn’t have adjustable straps,” Julia said. Employees at Hobby Lobby pointed the kids toward a nylon ripstop fabric instead. That material worked better, and the kids’ designs evolved around it.

After two months, Zachary and Madeline presented their product to the Destination Imagination panel, who offered feedback. There are no winners in the activity. But with the project done, the kids’ still saw room for improvement, and their parents encouraged them to continue working on it.

Julia said a lightbulb went on in her own head during one of her family ski trips. The Gacniks have four children, and all of them were using the bags as they walked through the parking lot.

“It was the end of the day when kids are usually in meltdown mode and we walked in peace and quiet. There were no tears, no struggle,” she said. “It was validating, like 鈥榟ey, we’re onto something.鈥�”

The Gacnik and Peterson family decided to safeguard the design. They filed for a patent in 2020 and founded a company later that year. They began selling it through word-of-mouth and also to parents’ ski groups. The product evolved too, and the kids’ eventually sourced reused parachute nylon for the bags. The design also evolved.

Right now, the .

“Every parent is proud of their child, but seeing my kid go through this鈥攕ewing a product together, evolving it, pitching it to adults鈥攎ade me so proud,” Phillip said. “To see Zachary and Madeline grow this way has been special.”

Testing the Ski Pack on the Slopes

Whether or not to bring a backpack has become the seminal question of my ski days.

Before having kids, I’d only bring my pack when I planned to bootpack to expert terrain. But when I started skiing with my daughter, the backpack became a semi-permanent part of my setup, specifically so I could A-frame my skis for the trudge back to the bus. In truth, I dislike skiing with a pack鈥攏o matter the design, all of them are hot and cumbersome on a chairlift. I miss the carefree days of hitting the slopes pack-free.

My assessment of The Ski Pack was borne of that experience: could I enjoy a day on the slopes鈥攈alf of the day by myself, the other half with my kiddo鈥攚ithout the crutch of my backpack?

The first part of my day went swimmingly. After placing my own skis in the Ski Pack, I walked with ease to the chairlift. Sure, it took a few moments to adjust the straps to my torso and to dial in a snug fit. But after that initial monkeying with the product, I was off.

The Ski Pack’s magic was most evident when I wasn’t using it. I folded it into a wad no bigger than a roll of kids’ socks and just tucked it into my pocket. I never felt a bulge in my side, nor did I inadvertently bump into something due to a protruding pocket. I just forgot about it.

That’s a big upgrade from the other ski slings, straps, and carriers I’ve tried over the years. You can find dozens of these products on Amazon, but the ones I’ve tried are all bulky enough to be an annoying item in your pocket.

Hours later, when it was time to go home, I produced the Ski Pack, tucked my kiddo’s skis into it, and wore it like a backpack. My wife wore it, too. We even put it on my daughter and had her walk around wearing her skis. It was that simple.

I have minor quibbles about The Ski Pack. The shoulder harnesses are not connected by a cross-chest strap to better distribute the weight of your skis. There’s also no padding on the shoulder harnesses, so if you have a thin jacket, you might feel a pinch. Both issues are harder on adults, due to our heavier skis. My daughter never complained.

Of course these two additions may alleviate these problems, but they would also add to The Ski Pack’s overall bulk鈥攁nd the product’s minimalist size is the key to its success.

“I think as adults inclined to overcomplicate designs with additions,” Philip Peterson told me. “The kids wanted something extremely simple.”

I have no clue what the future holds for The Ski Pack. Phillip told me that the product is at a crossroads, as both Zachary and Madeline are now teenagers who have obligations and interests outside of the company. They’ve had to change manufacturers recently, and both families are in talks about what to do next with the whole project.

I sincerely hope they keep it going. After all, skiing with your kiddo isn’t going to get any easier. The Ski Pack solves a big part of the struggle.

The post This Tiny Ski Bag Is a Game Changer for Parents. It Was Designed by Two Colorado Kids. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Three men were killed and one critically injured in a devastating avalanche on Monday, March 24, near Kaslo, British Columbia, according to reporting by Global News and the Vancouver Sun. The slide occurred in the Clute Creek watershed, on the east side of Kootenay Lake, while two groups of heli skiers with were staging below the treeline.

A transport helicopter pilot approaching the zone saw the avalanche release and alerted the skiers. One group was able to escape, but the other group of four was swept into the trees.

Friends and industry colleagues have identified the deceased as:

• Jason Remple, owner and lead guide of

• Alex Pashley, Global Sports Marketing Manager (Snow) at The North Face, who previously spent nearly a decade at Smartwool and held roles at Slash Snowboards, Dragon Alliance, and Rossignol

• Jeff Keenan, professional snowboarder and co-founder of Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards.

A fourth skier, a 40-year-old man from Nelson, survived with critical injuries and was flown to hospital for treatment. Kaslo Search and Rescue manager the group was 鈥渧ery, very proficient,鈥� adding that even with conservative terrain choices and expert guides, conditions can turn unexpectedly dangerous. The team recovered all four individuals from the debris; attempts to resuscitate the three men were unsuccessful. The North Face shared a tribute to Alex Pashley on Instagram, describing him as a kind, curious, and adventurous spirit whose work as a photographer was celebrated in snowboard media. 鈥淗is search for adventure will forever guide us,鈥� the brand wrote, offering condolences to his wife, Erin, and his beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dale and Rainer.

Brent Sandor, VP of Marketing at 686 and a longtime friend of the deceased, shared many memorable days with both Pashley and Keenan鈥攐n and off the snow.

鈥淎s I entered the snowboard community, both Pashley and Jeff loomed larger than life, having already built lasting legacies for themselves,鈥� Sandor told SKI. 鈥淭hey, along with their partners Leanne and Erin, were an omnipresent force in our community鈥攝igging and zagging, always a constant presence as they crossed paths with everyone in and out of the mountains.

鈥淭heir presence put you at ease and reminded you why we all chose this path. My thoughts and entire heart go out to Leanne, Khyber, Erin, and everyone else in Jeff and Pash鈥檚 inner circle who are deeply affected by this tragedy. As a community, we鈥檒l support those who need it most and get through this together.

鈥淭ell your friends you love them.鈥�

 

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Avalanche Conditions Were Critical

On the day of the incident, Avalanche Canada had issued a High (Level 4) avalanche danger rating at all elevations in the Kootenay Lake region. warned that rising temperatures and strong sun were creating 鈥渧ery dangerous avalanche conditions,鈥� with the potential for large, destructive natural avalanches. Recreationists were advised to avoid all avalanche terrain due to persistent slab avalanches on north to east aspects at alpine and treeline elevations due to deeply buried weak layers; wet loose avalanches on all sun-exposed slopes, and weakening cornices, capable of triggering deeper slides on slopes below.

Avalanche Canada reported widespread natural avalanche activity on Monday and Tuesday, including a size 4 avalanche on Sunday that ran to the valley bottom and climbed the opposite side of the drainage. The snowpack was described as highly complex and unstable due to multiple buried weak layers dating from January to March.

The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the incident near Kaslo. has suspended operations and extended its deepest sympathies to all affected.

Recent Tragedy in Alaska

This incident follows another deadly heli-skiing avalanche earlier this month. On March 5, three men were killed while skiing with Chugach Powder Guides near Girdwood, Alaska, in a slide over half a mile wide with debris as deep as 100 feet, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Despite deploying avalanche airbags and being accompanied by a guide, the victims could not be rescued in time due to burial depth and terrain complexity. The avalanche was the deadliest in the U.S. since 2023. Conditions that day were rated 鈥渃onsiderable,鈥� with a buried weak layer noted as a known hazard in the region. These back-to-back tragedies in Canada and the U.S. are a powerful reminder of the inherent risks of backcountry skiing鈥攅ven when guided by seasoned professionals鈥攔einforcing how unpredictable and unforgiving the mountains can be. Please check your local avalanche forecast before venturing into the backcountry, and bring (and know how to use) avalanche safety equipment and a partner.

The post Industry Mourns Three Killed in Avalanche in B.C.鈥檚 Kootenay Mountains appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 day five of our seven-day stay at Icefall Lodge, and Larry Dolecki, the lodge鈥檚 owner and lead guide, requests our attention as we鈥檙e finishing breakfast. He鈥檚 in his late 50s, married with three kids, yet still has a mischievous smile, the physique of a linebacker, and a smart-ass answer for all of our very important logistical questions.

Watch: Ski Touring From B.C.鈥檚 Icefall Lodge

鈥淭he good news is, it鈥檚 1 degree warmer today,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 -14C.鈥�

We laugh nervously. This is the balmiest day we鈥檝e had so far; the coldest: -26C.聽 I don鈥檛 know what that number means regarding temperature, as I gave up converting Celsius to Fahrenheit days ago. But I do know it means to layer up and keep track of my feet and hands. Once in the sun, it鈥檒l feel a lot warmer. Metrics and time don鈥檛 matter here. What matters is that we鈥檒l be out all day, skinning from the lodge鈥檚 front door to the untouched bowls and mountain saddles above.

This is Icefall, a heli-accessed backcountry lodge outside of Donald, British Columbia. Its appeal is its affordability and simplicity. The lodge is basic and isolated, heated by a lone woodstove and without indoor plumbing, cell service, or internet. There are indoor 鈥減ee toilets,鈥� but the rest happens in one of two wooden outhouses. All ski access is by skinning. The chopper delivers guests on a Saturday with the promise of a pick-up seven days later, weather permitting.

What Icefall lacks in bells and whistles, it more than makes up for in soul, camaraderie, and the ability to get up close and personal with the wildness and beauty of a B.C. winter.

This is my second trip to a heli-accessed backcountry lodge. I booked a week at Icefall鈥檚 sister lodge, Snowfall Lodge, in the nearby Selkirk range, two years ago with eight ladies from my Telluride ski squad to celebrate some 50th birthdays. The lodge鈥檚 capacity was 20. Ten women from Vancouver and a French couple from Los Angeles booked the other 12 spots. Of the 20, there was one dude.

At first, we were all cordial, but we sat at different tables for dinner. However, we bonded by mid-week, and by the end of the week, we鈥檇 become friends. So when the Canadian women booked Icefall for 2025 and asked if we wanted to join, it seemed a foregone conclusion. And that鈥檚 how we ended up with the same core group, plus a few new members on each team. And still only one dude.

The Icefall Lodge Experience

As we reunite at Icefall, there is no awkward cordiality; we greet each other with hugs and quick life updates. Each morning, we stretch on yoga mats, trade blister management strategies, and confirm the needed layers as Larry announces the day鈥檚 plan. It becomes our refrain.

鈥淭oday, you have two choices,鈥� he announces. 鈥淥ne group will ski above the hut to the right, and the other group will ski above the hut to the left.鈥�

Our tours are conservative the first few days. We gain a bench in the sun and ski laps in a specific area. We stay within a reasonable distance of the hut if someone needs to get down due to the temperatures.

On these days, there are more transitions鈥攖he ultimate exercise in self-care and being present. At the top of a pitch, we methodically go through each step of putting layers on for the descent, taking off skins, transitioning boots and skis to downhill mode, and drinking water and eating.

Then, we enjoy the bliss of skiing. The day before we arrived, the area received a foot of snow. It fell wet, but the week鈥檚 cold, dry temps have sucked the moisture out of it, providing us with lighter, deep, powder. We ski each pitch one at a time, no lifts or crowds, surrounded by sharp peaks and the textured lines of glacial cracks and shadows.

At the bottom, we do the reverse for the ascent, shedding layers and moving slowly; sweating while skinning is a cardinal sin. Sweat will freeze, destroying efforts to keep the core warm.

Forging a Deeper Connection

Toward the end of the third day, we ski our last pitch and transition in the shade, putting on our skins to gain elevation for the final ski back to Icefall. With no sun lingering, we feel the cold.

鈥淲henever I think things are hard in the mountains, I think of Hil,鈥� I say to Annie, one of my Telluride friends I鈥檝e been skinning behind.

On the skin track, conversations commonly freely flow from silence to stream-of-consciousness, intimate, and logistical.

鈥淚 know,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his is nothing.鈥�

We fall quiet, both thinking of Hilaree Nelson, one of the most accomplished ski mountaineers of her time. She is famous for becoming the first woman to summit Everest and Lhotse in 24 hours and for ski descents off Lhotse and Denali. But her accomplishments span pages.

To us, she was a friend and fellow Telluride mom who agonized over the same parenting and relationship issues we do. She told us of the behind-the-scenes, unpublished incidents on her epic trips. We skied, mountain biked, camped, and stood on the sidelines watching high school sports with her.

On September 26, 2022, Hilaree summited Manaslu, an 8,163-meter peak in Nepal. At the beginning of her ski descent, she was swept off the peak by an avalanche and died.

As we skin, Annie and I trade images of Hilaree鈥檚 escapades in the mountains. In less than an hour, we will be welcomed with hot soup and a beer in a warm lodge, while she would have been heading into a tent at 4,000 meters or higher. We do not compare ourselves to her, as what we鈥檙e doing isn鈥檛 comparable, but the tangential trickle effect of her existence subconsciously infiltrates us on trips like this.

The Power of Female Bonding

On the fifth day, Larry announces the good news. The temperatures are as high as -14C, and the forecast calls for sun. Today鈥檚 plan is a bit more complex.

The group going above the hut to the right will gain a high ridge and continue up the adjacent alpine valley to ski Groove Tube, a beautiful couloir with a wide apron below a prominent peak called La Clytte.

The group going above the hut to the left will ascend higher to a saddle below Mount Kemmel and ski a wide, pristine pitch called Springboard.

We laugh. La Clytte is pronounced like the female body part. We question if the male guides really know where La Clytte is, and well, you get the idea. It鈥檚 all par for the course on a (mostly) girls鈥� trip.

I fall in behind Clara, one of the Canadians, on the route to La Clytte. She is originally from Colombia and speaks English with the rhythmic intonation of a native Spanish speaker.

Our patchwork, skin-track conversation ensues. I learn that she started skiing at age 29, when she moved to Vancouver to earn her graduate degree in engineering. She followed some of her classmates to the mountains, joking that it was mostly about partying.

Her story makes the ascent go by faster and the hard work feel lighter. She turns on a switchback and recounts the nascent days dating her husband. He grew up in a ski racing family and was working toward his guide certification.

鈥淚 went backcountry skiing with him early on,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e watched me ski and said, 鈥榊ou need help.鈥� I realized I had to do something about this.鈥�

She put herself in lessons whenever she could and kept working to improve.

My respect builds as I compare her ski journey to mine and reflect on her competence. I was put on skis as soon as I could walk, raced at one of the best ski academies in the nation, and competed for a top NCAA school. I see clearly that out here, your ski r茅sum茅 doesn鈥檛 matter;聽 it鈥檚 about who you are and how you show up every day.

Later, she鈥檇 tell me, 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 a part of a group of people who are good skiers, and I feel like I fit in.鈥� I couldn鈥檛 agree more.

It Takes a Village

We transition to ski mode at the saddle of La Clytte and make our way through Groove Tube鈥檚 variable snow to its apron鈥攁 long, 1000-foot vertical pitch of pristine powder. We鈥檙e in the sun, we鈥檙e warm, and we鈥檙e done with most of the day鈥檚 climbing. We have two more playful pitches into a shaded ravine before heading into the woods back to the hut.

On the last pitch, the snow becomes thicker, and one of the French women, Emilie, falls backward. Nobo, our tail guide, radios that she has hurt her knee. Gauthier, the lead guide, and most of the group are already in the shade below.

We are abruptly reminded how quickly a situation can turn in the mountains. The most significant danger is the dropping temperature. Those waiting in the shade climb a small ridge to get in the sun. A few of us skin up to Emilie and Nobo with Gauthier. We don鈥檛 have immediate access to a heli or snowcat. There is a sled the guides can bring up from the hut, but they want to avoid using it because it鈥檚 a cold ride during normal temps and even more challenging during this especially cold snap.

Emilie is able to traverse partway down on one leg, then, Gauthier puts her on his back and skis her the rest of the way as we all follow.

The Healing Properties of Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料

On our final ski day, I join the group heading to Springboard in the shadow of 10,207-foot Mount Kemmel.

I fall in behind Caroline, the only snowboarder on the trip. She learned to board as a child in the mountains of France and competed in the early days of snowboarding before qualifying for World Cup events. Even as a group of skiers, we can recognize her grace and comfort on the board. She plays with the terrain on her descents like a surfer riding a wave.

Caroline seemed a bit quieter and introverted than I remember. She lost her dad just three weeks earlier. Processing the grief has been compounded by a knee injury that has prevented her from getting out in the mountains. She鈥檇 been focusing on strengthening her knee for this trip.

Later, she鈥檇 tell us, 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find one moment that brought me relief and happiness until we did that first climb and took that first run. Instantly, I felt alive again.鈥�

We skin to an ice cave and explore it before advancing further through glacial terrain and snow-covered crevasses. Gauthier instructs us to put on our harnesses. If one of us falls into a crevasse, the guide will fish us out with a rope.

We approach the top of Springboard, and Gauthier gives us an option to skin an additional short pitch to the saddle to see the view. Corie, from the Telluride group and one of strongest skiers,聽 is uncomfortable with exposure. She eyes the shadows and contours of the snow, indicating crevasses, and decides to stay where she is.聽 Sarah, a Canadian, joins her. They鈥檙e in the sun and will take advantage of the extra time to transition to downhill mode, drink water, and eat.

Throughout the trip, it has become clear that, in general, women are not greedy skiers or mindless adventurers. There is a balance between each person wanting to push herself; no one wants to be responsible for holding others back or lessening the experience. However, each has her boundary and limit. Time at Icefall is just as much about pushing those boundaries as it is about accepting them.

The rest of us, summit and navigate back down. Then, we open up our turns down Springboard. It鈥檚 our last high alpine run. We have a few more pitches and short skins before approaching Homerun, a perfect,聽 consistent pitch down the bowl above the lodge. Corie and I rename it 鈥淲alk Off,鈥� referring to a game-winning home run at the bottom of the final inning, after which the team walks off the field.

We approach the lodge elated and relieved. There is a collective exhale and an anticipation that the lodge hang鈥攁rguably the heart of the trip鈥攚ill start earlier and last longer tonight. We鈥檒l have a sauna, drink beer, tell stories, and play games like the previous nights, but there will be no anxiety, preparations, or doubts. Tonight is about letting go.

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