#backcountry-snowboarding

#backcountry-snowboarding

The storm already underway across most of the state keeps snow going through today, then winds down overnight and early Wednesday. The guidance is well clustered on that timing and on snow levels holding between 6,500 and 8,500 feet while it is snowing.

The storm cycle will bring 8-17 inches of new snow to most open resorts in the PNW, with snow quality starting dense to moderate on Tuesday and improving as colder air arrives on Wednesday.

The ski area received more than 20 inches of new snow through a recent storm, and the forecast has more in store through the rest of the week.

Kirkwood has had a pretty solid past few days, seeing 42 inches of snow through the past 7 days, 31 of which fell in the past 48 hours. As of April 13th, Kirkwood has 5 lifts spinning with 45 of 84 trails open to skiers and snowboarders.

The ski season in Colorado is being described as the worst in 50 years, with resorts opening less than half their usual terrain for much of the winter.

Head finished the season with 9,720 points across all disciplines, leading in Downhill, Super-G, and Slalom, while placing third in Giant Slalom. This consistency ensured a comfortable overall victory, nearly 4,000 points ahead of the next-best ski brand.

Mammoth Mountain reported between 12 and 18 inches of new snow over the past 48 hours, with additional snowfall forecasted to add to an already solid late-season base.

"Just when we thought the season was over, winter had other plans," Angie Grubb, Marketing Manager at Arizona Snowbowl, said to SnowBrains in an email.

Both days delivered clear skies and cold temperatures, with hardly a cloud overhead and almost no wind. Despite the strong alpine sun, temperatures remained below freezing, keeping the snow in excellent shape across the mountain.

The RECCO system is a search-and-rescue technology designed to help professionals locate people buried in avalanches or lost in the outdoors. Today, it is integrated into millions of pieces of ski and outdoor equipment worldwide.

The biggest payoff goes to the Tahoe crest and the central Sierra, where favored terrain stacks up 2-3 feet by Monday morning, while Mammoth lands closer to 14-19 in.

Visually inspect skis, bases, and edges. If any damage, get a full tune to fix the damage, grind the bases, and sharpen the edges.

The storm will begin warm and wind-affected on Friday, with snow levels starting around 7,000 to 8,000 feet, leading to wet conditions at lower elevations initially.

Enzo attempted a double front flip at Alaska's Hilltop Ski Area. He comes pretty close to landing it, nearly getting his skis all the way around, but he just didn't quite get it.

Runaway snowboards were a cause of great concern in the early days of snowboarding as snowboards don't have breaks like skis. This concern was justified in many ways as proto snowboard bindings much less secure and reliable than modern systems using simple straps, rubber components, or basic buckles that could loosen or fail more easily during a crash.

Mt. Baker is the PNW's snow vacuum. It's close enough to the Pacific to get storm after storm, and the North Cascades do what they do best: force moist air straight up, wring it out, and bury everything in sight. Maritime storms roll in wet and heavy, then pile up fast when they hit terrain.

To get back to average snowpack, we essentially need to have the most snow that we've ever had for the last 30 years between now and mid-April. It would be extremely difficult for Colorado to get back to a normal/average snowpack. As an example, when looking at the Independence Pass SNOTEL site in central Colorado outside of Aspen, we typically have 13 inches of snow-water-equivalent at the end of February. This year, we only have 6.7 inches of SWE.

When you're touring in the backcountry, you'll want a different kit than what you wear inbounds at the resort. Inbounds, your main goal is to stay warm and comfortable, and you're usually not working nearly as hard as you do on the skin track. Touring generates a lot more heat, so your layering system has to breathe, manage moisture, and still keep you warm when you stop.

Cornice collapses can be incredibly dangerous, having the potential to crush people, pull them down mountains and potentially over rocky cliffs, and cause larger avalanches. Professional skier Josh Daiek doesn't seem to be impacted by cornices as much as a regular skier or snowboarder would be, though. This incredible line starts with a heart pounding moment as he looked over the edge.