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Reprints From The Professional Skier

Winter 1998 - "High Mountain Skiing: Basics To Live By" by David Sword

This article is reprinted from The Professional Skier. All copyrights apply. Please see our copyright and disclaimer notice page.

At some point in the lifetime of ski enthusiasts, both recreational and professional, the lure of backcountry skiing puts them into the adventurous environs of the high mountains. Persistent images of the rugged American outback in ski films and advertisements help fuel the desire for skiing untracked lines.

Those who try to duplicate these feats, however, frequently encounter the dangerous realities of the backcountry. Make no mistake; the inherent dangers of skiing and snowboarding the unpatrolled slopes with unmarked hazards bring tragedy every season in a variety of weather-related accidents. The ill-prepared are playing a game of winter Russian roulette by wagering their lives on good luck.

I was fortunate enough to be raised in mountain country and had parents who encouraged me to follow my dreams. They were adamant, however, that if I were to pursue climbing and skiing in the high mountains, I would be required to take courses that would teach me how to be safe and how to survive.

I recently returned from a trip to Mt. McKinley, and although my years of experience blazed the trail, the fundamentals kept me safe and sound. Here are some essentials that will get you started on a safe and relatively comfortable adventure.

Clothing - Dress Warmly, and Don't Forget Your Hat

Mom was way ahead of her time, you know. Thinking of your clothing as equipment is a solid philosophy because good gear can save your life. Layering is the name of the game: Wear lighter materials next to your skin, and layer the bulkier stuff as necessary. You can lose a large percentage of your body heat through your head and neck, so listen to Mom and put on a hat, neck gator, and scarf.

Since cotton can do more harm than good in extremely cold or wet environments, it is best to use garb made of heat-insulating synthetics such as capilene or polypropylene. Wool is warm, but cumbersome; however, many climbers swear by it. Gore-Tex is still king for waterproof, breathable layers, but many companies are designing their own hybrids that are getting good reviews. Do your homework to determine what material you prefer, and develop a system you can live with on-the-run Too hot? Stash the hat and unzip the underarm vents. Getting chilly during a break? Don the cap and put to use that down jacket you bought for a song last summer. It's easy.

Food and Drink - Lead The Horse To Water And Make Him Drink

Without fail, the quickest route to sickness and disaster in the mountains is to pretend you are a camel. The majority of ailments contracted in the backcountry can be directly related to dehydration or low caloric intake. Some of the classics include headaches, muscle soreness, dizziness, and nausea, which are also indications of acute mountain sickness. Consuming three to four liters of water per person per day is recommended--more if it's hot or if you are carrying Herculean loads.

Food is another necessity, but consuming the 3,000 to 5,000 calories you need each day in the backcountry can be a challenge in itself. Items that can easily help you bulk up on calories include peanut butter, chocolate, butter, and packaged food with high fat content. A favorite calorie-boosting trick on snowy backcountry trips is to add butter to your hot cocoa. And, instead of worrying about rationing your food, it's always preferable to bring more than you think you're going to need. This is especially true if you are stuck in a snow cave for a couple of days. Food also has great barter value. (On Mt. McKinley, I traded cheese and salsa for two titanium ice screws, tortillas, and one really good beer.)

One note on backcountry ethics regarding prepackaged drinks and foodstuffs: What you pack in you had better be prepared to pack out. It takes only one garbage heap to ruin it for the rest of us.

Equipment - Cheap Gear is Cheap Gear

Whether you are considering purchasing a tent, shovel, boots, or a stove, it is worth the item's weight in gold to purchase the best gear you can. Before purchasing substandard gear simply because it is affordable, think about the worst possible conditions and multiply these by 10: Will the gear stand up to the rigors and abuse of mountain weather? I have seen more than one tent ripped to shreds by high winds, and a stove that is difficult to repair in the field is as useless as your older sister's 8-track tape collection.

Spending a few more dollars to purchase equipment that is proven tough could save your life. For example: Dome tents have lower profiles in wind storms and shed snow better than their A-frame counterparts, and easy-to-pack low-maintenance isobutane stoves prevent cold fingers. Think about the worst situation you could end up in, and purchase your equipment accordingly.

Know your gear as if it were your best friend. If you know what you have and know how to work with it, you can extract yourself from a myriad of difficult situations. Assemble a repair kit that will allow you to continue your trip even if you break a binding, boot buckle, ski pole, or backpack strap; make a foundation of a multi-use tool, duct tape, and bailing wire, and build to suit. On my trip to Mt. McKinley, one of my partners broke his sled after two-and-a-half weeks out. He was not carrying a repair kit but was fortunate enough to bribe two other climbers who did. You might not be so lucky.

As far as human repair goes, this brings up probably the single most important item in your pack: a first aid kit. Stubbing your toe on the sidewalk in summer is one thing, but an injury in the field can lead to severe suffering--or worse. Having a solid understanding of outdoor rescue is paramount, and so is carrying a first aid kit that allows you to deal with everything from stove burns to knife cuts to broken femurs.

Weather - Mother Nature Can Cop A Serious Attitude

Remember the last time you were stuck on the chairlift in a vicious storm? Or how quickly you got soaked when the snow level jumped to an all-time high? Mountain weather is notoriously unmerciful, whether you're prepared or not. Just because the day starts out with cloudless, crystalline azure skies doesn't mean you can leave your brain in your backpack.

Take note of cloud development, such as a growing group of cumulus (the puffy white ones), which can become cumulonimbus (thunderstorm clouds) within minutes. According to the National Weather Service, an average of 93 people are killed in the United States every year by lightning, making it the second most dangerous weather-related event after floods. Mare's tail, or cirrus, those wispy-looking clouds high in the sky, may indicate approaching inclement weather, while cloud caps and lenticular clouds--those lens-shaped clouds often mistaken for UFOs--designate extremely high winds.

Both storm fronts and localized micro-storms can be dangerous, so know your cloud indicators, ask a local about the idiosyncrasies of the area, and pay close attention to the forecasts. Carrying a portable weather radio is cheap insurance.

Snow Conditions - You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide

Getting caught in an avalanche or failing into a crevasse make for exciting press, but--take it from someone who has personal experiences with both--sweet dreams are not made of these. Traveling in the mountains requires a thorough knowledge of snow stability and rescue techniques. If you don't know these things, learn them. But don't let your knowledge lure you into a false sense of security either; avalanches kill even the most experienced climbers. Dig pits to check snow integrity, and carry avalanche beacons and shovels (and know how to use them).

Before you embark, it's wise to contact the National Forest Service, the local avalanche forecaster, and the National Weather Service for details on snow conditions for the area you will be exploring. The experts let some of the greatest looking slopes go unskied when the conditions are marginal, and so should you. Traveling in glaciated environs from the Cascade Mountains to the Himalayas requires the same skills in crevasse travel and rescue techniques. There is no shortcut to knowledge, so hit the library, take a backcountry safety class, and find a qualified guide service or other reputable person to help you make your way through the snow.

The Human Variable - Your Brain Is Your Greatest Asset. Use It.

Many mountain safety issues can be addressed with logical thought. For example, let's say there's fresh snow on a skiable slope, but all the trees on that slope are bent over. This is when your backcountry guardian angel is supposed to tap you on the shoulder and say, "Hey, either those trees are extremely slothful, or that very well could be an avalanche slope." Perhaps you have been hiking all day, have not had much water, and now seem to be getting a headache and feeling really cold. Here's where you feel the tap again and hear the angelic voice: "Why don't you slip into some dry duds, guzzle some H2O and down some munchies?"

Many accidents that I have been involved in have been the direct result of human mistakes and the dreaded "ego" element. Acting cool, tough, or competitive has led to many disasters, so leave your ego at the cleaners. It is better to fail on your project and soak your sorrows in a beer than it is to be remembered as an adventurer who went for it one too many times.

It is also a good idea to share your itinerary and estimated time of return with your friends. (My mother hates hearing about my adventure plans, so instead I tell my neighbors where I'm going so she can get a good night's sleep.) Know your limits, know your partners, have a plan, and stick to it. Yes, plans can and do change with regularity, but listen to your intuition. There is no need to be overly paranoid, but small doses of anxiety keep your thinking cap secure on your head.

One Last Thought - Learn It, Apply It.

None of this information is worth a bar of wax if the knowledge is not put to practical use. Learn the material, and then apply it in practice situations. Even the pros get out to tune up their skills.

So, if you are an aspiring backcountry enthusiast or are looking to increase your challenges, take note of the concerns associated with backcountry winter travel, learn how to successfully deal with them, and enjoy the unbridled freedom that the backcountry has to offer.

David Sword is a PSIA-NW alpine examiner and technical team member who serves on the board of directors for PSIA-NW. He recently returned from a successful ascent of Mt. McKinley, where be skied from the 16,000-foot level to base camp.