"This is the moment when BC skiing becomes mainstream." Backcountry boom on tap

[quienes?]

Surging bc sales + resorts tinkering with crowd control = avy educators and SAR teams bracing for a BIG year in the backcountry.

"I think what we saw last spring was a precursor to what we will be seeing this winter.” : Aaron Carlson w/ Friends of CAIC

https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/22/b...ducators-wary/

[Benny Profane]

Sign of the cross.

[Bobcat Sig]

We are already there.

This past winter, I toured with Hutash and LBSkier in Teton National Park, and while the name of the zone escapes me, there were so many people out there that it looked like a weekday at some resorts. And by accounts from friends still in Bozeman, all skiable backcountry is hammered regularly. In fact, in the north Bridgers, there's an area called Fairy Lake. It's so busy in the shoulder season that locals now refer to it as the Fairy Lake Mountain Resort.

[Redsmurfer]

Some of the drivers of this trend, not in order of importance:
1. Fat skis and alpine touring equipment easy to attain now - low bar of skiing skill needed now
2. Insane cost of lift tickets/passes
3. $15 dollar burgers and $10 beers at the resorts
4. Avalanche forecast websites that publish google maps of snow pits and access areas
5. Social media braggers
6. Covid in the lodge
7. Mass realization that a day spent touring for turns is nearly always better than the resort
8. High speed 6 person ski lifts helping powder get skied out in 2 hours or less
9. Parking traffic at the resorts
10. Low elevations at Resorts
11. Texans
12. Season passes forcing you to choose which areas you are going ski before the season starts
13. Resorts closing in early April
14. Split Boards
15. Specialty weather websites and long term powder forecasts - easy for everybody to be "on it" now

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

First time I skied Taos I understood #11 within the first hour. And that was over 20 years ago.

[lifelinksplit]

#14.....damn bro that really hurts....

[skizix]

Some of the drivers of this trend, not in order of importance:
1. Fat skis and alpine touring equipment easy to attain now - low bar of skiing skill needed now
2. Insane cost of lift tickets/passes
3. $15 dollar burgers and $10 beers at the resorts
4. Avalanche forecast websites that publish google maps of snow pits and access areas
5. Social media braggers
6. Covid in the lodge
7. Mass realization that a day spent touring for turns is nearly always better than the resort
8. High speed 6 person ski lifts helping powder get skied out in 2 hours or less
9. Parking traffic at the resorts
10. Low elevations at Resorts
11. Texans
12. Season passes forcing you to choose which areas you are going ski before the season starts
13. Resorts closing in early April
14. Split Boards
15. Specialty weather websites and long term powder forecasts - easy for everybody to be "on it" now

Until the ebike equivalent of skins comes along, the reality of walking uphill all day for a small handful of runs will keep it from becoming TOO crowded. But I will say this:

Watch out for who’s skiing above you (especially in CO)!

[bonewrenched]

#14.....damn bro that really hurts....

Yeah shots fired!

While I'm aware my fellow knuckle draggers don't always represent well at the resorts, my personal experience in the backcountry reveals a higher number of goons on skis vs splits.

But it's a numbers game.

[grinch]

Everyone trespassing on fredsnurfer's land summer and winter. He teh queen

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[lifelinksplit]

Shit, does anybody ski around here anymore? Ok. Enough drunk posts.

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[geomorph]

Let's not forget that there's also about 100 million more people in the US than there were in the 1980's, and fewer ski areas as well (mostly small local areas but still).

[smartyiak]

Errrr...who couldn't have predicted this??? Even some dipshit from Delaware saw "ski touring" coming from a COVID shut down away.

That being said: I think I'll get some Zero G's and Shifts...and a car to get outta here. That's all I need right

[fastfred]

dont' know what the issue is
most people lack any fitness endurance or strength so they will go waddle around in the snow or use all the popular easy access areas or anything that you can shuttle in a car or snowmobile
they will do it a couple times and realize how hard it is and then sell there shit
if the store didn't preorder or only ordered so many units of gear back in the spring they won't have shit to sell stock is pretty limited
I'm selling all bc gear right now on craigslist well used and for more than retail win win

[schindlerpiste]

^^^This.
It's a good thing. Most people who are just beginning to venture out, or are novices at best, will not be on top of experienced bc skiers. They will do it a couple/few times for exercise, and to breathe fresh air in the great outdoors, and then either get into it, or give it up. Unfortunately, there will be more bc travelers during the early season when there is bound to be weak layers near the terra which are just waiting to rip loose. I think that it is a very safe bet that gapers will not be traveling from the ice coast to UT. or CO. to ski tour (especially the gnar) without a guide. OTOH, I think that the ski skate and cc ski trails will be much busier this year.

[hatchgreenchile]

#14.....damn bro that really hurts....

LOL - an unnecessary jab, but somewhat true. I tour with a 145 Sushi, it's like dragging 6x6s up the hill.

The other stuff...whatever. Every year us ColoRadBros whine about the backcountry getting busier, and CO burials are rarely clueless rookies getting caught in dicey terrain.

[XXX-er]

folks walk for ever and never do find the bar

[grinch]

There's a lot of skilled bc users now. Some impressice kids. In the early 90's there was 2 ast1 courses a year. Early season was in the rockies and then one in the new year in whistler then a late season ast2. Now theyre held continuously throughout the year. Probably 20x as much

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[Toadman]

So, stick to the resorts this year, while the masses ski backcountry moguls and catch the COVID in the parking areas.

[Bobcat Sig]

So, stick to the resorts this year, while the masses ski backcountry moguls and catch the COVID in the parking areas.

Pretty much

[skifishbum]

After a couple decades
I'm having a hard time deciding on a ice fishing shanty
Or take up curling
Or stay in the mainstream
Boom on tap be damned

[F#*k you cat]

I am sure we can set up curling in the Solitude lot. Should be a great place to throw stones. That thing is always frozen solid. Skiers vs Snowboarders. east coast Vs west coast. Jeans vs Gore-tex. However Texas will form their own team.

If you only knew......

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[Hacksaw]

https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/mo...eed-education/

[MakersTeleMark]

https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/mo...eed-education/

I had no idea you moved to Avon. When did that happen?

[hutash]

True that most skier won't take up earning their turns as it is just too much work, but that is not really the problem. Much of the BC (at least easy access BC) is already nearly over run. Add just a handful more and it will be down right crowded, and there are plenty of fit people to make up that handful.

BYW Ryan, we skied Wimpy's. While great, we did have to cross a fair number of tracks. My biggest concern will be they lack of BC etiquette and avi awareness, so yeah, watch out for who drops in on top of you.

[NathanL]

I know a lot of skiers in CO who might spend 80% of their days at a resort and 20% in the backcountry in a given year. This year I think they’ll flip that. Sure it’s not more novices (though there will be plenty of those too), but it’s more people taking risks, and that’s bound to lead to more accidents.