Big news out of Sugar Bowl today! It has been announced that Sugar Bowl will be added a new chairlift for the upcoming season. At a cost of $3 million the new fixed grip triple chair will access 1,000 vertical feet of what was previously hike to access terrain on the resorts west side. The new chair will provide better fall line skiing and easier access to what is locally known as the ‘Crow’s Nest.’

South Ridge of Crow’s Nest
Photo by Jon Hoffman

SUGAR BOWL TO INSTALL NEW CHAIRLIFT THIS SUMMER, EXPAND LIFT-SERVICED TERRAIN FOR 2013/14 SEASON

(Donner Summit, Calif.) – Sugar Bowl Resort will install a new chair lift this summer, improving lift-serviced access to advanced and expert terrain on the west side of the resort. The Crow’s Peak chairlift, a fixed-grip Doppelmayr triple, will provide lift-serviced skiing & riding in the Strawberry Fields area of the mountain, just below the Crow’s Nest Peak. Currently hike-to terrain accessed from the Disney Express Chair, the new Crow’s Peak chair will greatly improve fall line skiing, increasing the overall terrain and vertical for skiers to enjoy. With approval from the United States Forest Service in place as of last week, installation of the new chairlift will begin immediately, ready for skiers & riders to enjoy during the 2013/14 ski season.

With a total project cost of $3 million, Sugar Bowl continues to make significant capital improvements to the resort, both on-mountain and around the base area. Sugar Bowl recently acquired Royal Gorge, North America’s largest cross country ski resort, brining multiple XC ski trails directly into America’s only snowbound village, at the foot of the mountain. The new lift’s bottom terminal will be located just above Royal Gorge’s Van Norden Meadow, physically bringing the two resorts closer together. At nearly 1,000 vertical feet, the new lift will run to the top of Crow’s Nest Peak, with the top terminal located just looker’s left of the peak itself. The terrain enhancements will include two new groomed runs, excellent tree skiing through glades, chutes and cliffs, and also provide a wind-protected area on those inclement weather days.

NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH, JUNE 2013 – The 2012-13 ski season in New Hampshire was a success for skiers and ski area operators alike. Mother Nature’s cooperation provided excellent skiing and riding conditions for much of the 2012-13 ski season resulting in impressive business levels. New Hampshire’s resorts hosted more than 2.5 million skier, snowboarder, and snowtubing visits, according to numbers released by Ski NH.

Alpine ski areas recorded a total of 2,276,370 alpine skier and snowboarder visits, a 20.9% increase from the prior winter and a 4.7% increase over the ten year average. This number is the 5th best downhill ski season on record for the state. Cross country areas also had a very successful winter, hosting 151,276 visits, a 57.2% increase from the prior winter and a 14.8% increase over the ten year average. Areas with snowtubing parks reported 113,058 snowtubing visits, a 23.4% increase from the prior winter and a 7% increase over the ten year average.

New Hampshire’s extensive snowmaking infrastructure went to work before the December holidays and got the slopes ready for the vacation period. At that point resorts welcomed a lengthy stretch of regular snowfall and outstanding skiing and riding conditions. Most of the holiday periods had excellent business levels thanks to enjoyable weather and snowfall. In contrast to recent years, the winter weather continued right through March making for excellent skiing and riding conditions well into April.

Mostly without the benefit of snowmaking technology, cross country ski areas really enjoyed the abundant natural snowfall. The storms cooperated and spread the snowfall relatively evenly across the state, allowing entire trail networks to be opened and guests enjoying snow-covered scenery.

Since 2000, New Hampshire has recorded 8 of their top 10 ski seasons showing the success and growth of skiing and snowboarding in the Granite State. New Hampshire businesses rely heavily on the ski industry. An economic impact study conducted after the 2009/10 season showed a total of $910 million dollars spent by guests visiting NH ski areas. Of that total, only 12% was spent directly at ski areas, with the remaining 88% spent on ski visit-related expenses such as lodging, restaurants, gas, tolls, retail, and other.

“After a difficult ski season last year, this winter was what everyone was hoping for. New England skiers are resilient and realize how much snow our ski areas can make, but there’s no substitute for the excitement and fun consistent natural snowfall produces,” noted Karl Stone, Ski NH’s marketing director.

“With 8 of our top 10 winters occurring since 2000, we’ve got a great deal of momentum for skiing and riding in the state. It’s always a good sign when our ski areas close with snow still on their slopes and trails due to guests moving on to other activities and not a lack of snow,” summarized Alice Pearce, Ski NH’s president.

The Aspen Skiing Co. has been cleared in a federal investigation into the death of a Snowmass ski patroller who passed away in December.

The Ski Patroller, Patsy Hileman, died from injuries to her chest and back after a small avalanche swept her over a cliff in the Hanging Valley Wall at the Snowmass Ski Area.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that Hileman was on duty at the time of the accident but was skiing in a permanently closed section called Ship’s Prow Glades.

Hileman was a 26-year veteran of the Snowmass Ski Patrol.

Accident Summary
There were no eye witnesses to the accident. The skier’s track crossed the crown face approximately 10 m uphill of the cliff’s edge. She likely triggered a portion of the crown and was washed over the edge of the cliff.

You can read more about the accident that led to Hileman death here - ski-patrol.net

This is the last formal “State of the Backcountry” report for the 2012-2013 season. The first day of summer is this upcoming Friday, June 21st, and if you feel like sliding down some snow there are still a few places in the Sierra worth checking out. In the above photo you’ll see Round Top and Sister #1 off Carson Pass. It’s no surprise that the coverage is going fast, but what you see here will hold on in thin panels and patches through summer. The snow up high is surprisingly smooth.

Jillian Raymond boots up a chute off Folger’s Peak, Ebbett’s Pass, CA.

If you head down that way it might make sense to go a little deeper towards Ebbett’s Pass and check out Folger’s Peak. Most of Ebbett’s has been done for a while, but access via Highland Lakes Road will bring you out towards Folger’s and some more smooth snow. The hike is currently on dirt for a little bit before breaking climber’s left and heading up to the peak proper. The three prominent chutes off the top are holding smooth snow and worth the effort if you’re feeling it.

While Carson Pass and Folger’s are pretty easy day missions from most locales in Tahoe-even better when teamed up with some climbing, mountain biking, swimming or another couple of your favorite summer time activities-heading down to Saddlebag Lake is where you’ll find some of the best snow in California right now besides Mt. Shasta. From the trailhead/lake parking lot you can either hike the trail towards Mt. Conness and/or North Peak, mountain bike the loop, or chose the service of a boat taxi. The later knocks a few miles off the approach and is always a novel way to start this classic late spring/early summer ski mission.

Unless you brought your fishing pole, which you should if you fish as people were slaying trout when we were up there on Monday the 17th, jump off the boat and have at it. Both Mt. Coness and North Peak are holding amazing quality summer snow even though we’ve had such little precipitation in 2013. At first glance, as beautiful as it is down there, you might be thinking  you should really be fishing or just hiking, not skiing.

But a little ways in towards Mt. Conness and the panels that are still prime start to appear. They’re not too long, but they’re super smooth. Either peel off early to ski around the Greenstone Lakes area, or keep heading up towards Conness proper for a solid start. Of course you can go right for North Peak, but passing on the quality found around the Conness area right now is not advised. After a nice climb that’s just as easy to boot as it is skin, take in your surroundings and think about what route you might want to climb in Tuolumne tomorrow.

Toby Schwindt and I were the only two people skiing back in the zone on the 17th, but we sure weren’t the only ones playing on Mt. Conness. Several climbing parties were heard while we were lapping the “Y Couloir”, and if you look closely where the ridge starts getting vertical in the following shot you’ll see a belayer ready to charge the classic North Ridge (5.6 II).

The skiing around Mt. Conness, including the glacier and the “Y Couloir”, is about as good as one could possibly ask for at present given the time of year. Both branches of the “Y Couloir” were perfectly smooth. Not just kind of smooth, perfectly smooth. Here’s Toby booting up,

and enjoying his reward on lap one.

Lap two was just as good. Here’s a shot Toby took of me,

and another one of Toby, as stoked as a couloir fiend can be for almost summer in the Sierra.

Over towards the Conness Glacier the snow continued to hold its smooth factor where there was a good pitch to ski, although the sun cups are out in full force on the flats.

After skiing as much as you’d like on the Conness side there’s still the classic steeps of North Peak to be had. Climbing up from Conness the route is a mix of loose gravel and snow right now. It’s not very difficult to get up there, and the extra effort really makes this mission stand out. The walls in the skier’s right couloir are some of my favorite on the Eastside. It’s even better when the snow in the couloir is just edgeable enough to lay the dependable, steep turns this line calls for. If you decide to drop this one be weary that the rocks are starting poke out at the choke. Here, Toby has a blast sending.

If you do head south for a Saddlebag Lake mission this late season and plan on skiing North Peak make sure you have your exit strategy dialed. If you hike in from the backside after skiing Mt. Conness it’s very tricky to find your way to the bottom. There’s some route finding and downclimbing involved to get out. If you’ve done this tour before you know what I’m talking about, but if you haven’t it’s best to either go with someone that knows or come in from the front so you can scout access safely. No matter how many times you’ve done it, the downclimbing on the out is always a spicy way to end the mission.

After an amazing start to the season, things got challenging in late January. A few blasts in March and April, and I certainly know why many gave up on winter so early this year. That said, there’s always some snow out in the backcountry to shred, and more often than not it’s about adapting to the conditions more than anything else. That’s why we’re in the backcountry, right? We have no control of what’s out there, you never know until you go, and it’s usually better than you think. 

Thanks for checking out another year of “State of the Backcountry”. It would not have happened without the support of Alpenglow Sports this season (The Mountain Festival starts this Saturday, see details below). A big THANKS to them and also to Unofficial Networks for continuing to provide the outlet for these reports. It’s perpetually an honor to provide this resource to our amazing Tahoe community. Along with cornerstone groups like the Sierra Avalanche Center we have one of the best communities of backcountry skiers and riders on the planet. Being safe, growing in education and keeping the stoke going in paramount.   No matter what you find yourself getting into this summer be safe and take advantage of each magical day in the Sierra. Everyday holds the potential to be the raddest adventure of your life. I look forward to seeing you on a skin track in October (hopefully)! Have fun out there!

“State of the Backcountry” is sponsored by Alpenglow Sports. Established in 1979, Alpenglow Sports is Tahoe City’s original mountain shop. Specializing in backcountry and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, trail running, backpacking, hiking, camping, and the mountain lifestyle apparel, Alpenglow is always psyched to offer premier user-based customer service.

Alpenglow Sports is thrilled to announce their inaugural Mountain Festival from June 22 – 30, 2013.

Summer skiing on the Horstman Glacier @ Whistler Blackcomb kicks off this week! Horstman Glacier provides two t-bars to access numerous park features, bump lines, groomed runs and even a half pipe.

Image provided by momentumcamps.com

Summer Season: June 22 – July 28, 2013

Operating hours are from 12-3pm daily, weather permitting. Public upload begins from 11am at the Wizard Express which is located at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. Only Camps and Coaches are permitted to upload before 11am. Sightseeing upload begins at 10am.

Your Summer Glacier ticket includes shuttle bus service to and from 7th Heaven and access to Public Lanes and Public Terrain Park features. Please note, many lanes and areas are reserved for Glacier Camps only. Please see signage at the top of 7th Heaven for public lane information or ask uniformed staff member there for details.

Ski and Snowboard ability level should be advanced to expert and must be able to ride on T-Bars. There is no chair lift on the glacier.

- whistlerblackcomb.com

In the rainforest’s of Southern Mexico lies the Rio Tulijá (A.K.A. Agua Azul). The river is known for it’s impossibly blue water and a series of five large waterfalls which we now share with you in this short film by Teva.

Check out the Teva Water Shoe Collection:http://www.teva.com/mens-water-shoes/… Six pro kayakers from around the world meet up in the rainforests of Southern Mexico to run the Rio Tulijá. Also known as the Agua Azul, the river features impossibly blue water and a series of five large waterfalls. Led by Rafa Ortiz, the kayak team, including Rush Sturges, Evan Garcia, Aniol Serrasolses, Martina Wegman and Casper Van Kalmthout, have fun exploring the river and the local culture, showing us that when it comes to running waterfalls there’s a lot more to it than just the drop.

Over Powered Powerwheels Snow Jam

Racing and drifting in the snow with modified power wheels!

[via MMWUC]

Backcountry huts have not changed much it seems. They do an excellent job of remaining durable, clean, simple, and usually remote and low impact. The Italians have now integrated technology and (for better or worse) design into a new take on low impact backcountry shelters.

They call it LEAP (Living Ecological Alpine Pod) and it is your own odd shaped and funny colored nature-living-unit. I cannot explain all of the concepts and strategies attached to this product, but browse their website for a better understanding of the product.

“completely self-sufficient, it doesn’t alter the places where it is installed in any way”

“designed to resist the extreme stress of high altitudes”

“a modular, comfortable, technologically sophisticated shelter. Entirely prefabricated and assembled off-site”

The LEAP has various functional units and versions so that you can taylor your own remote getaway pod to your needs and desires. The modular design, in addition, makes it possible to create a LEAP of any size. I wonder what the different color option are? The obviously unnatural look of the LEAP however, is also on purpose:

“The aesthetic features of LEAPfactory don’t try to mimic or resemble any traditional alpine structure. On the contrary, the intention is to effectively declare its unrelated look in the surroundings through the expression of its high-tech features. The ecology of LEAPfactory lies in its transitional nature and total reversibility. At the end of its “life cycle” the pod can be lifted away by helicopter without leaving any permanent trace of its presence in the natural environment.” – LEAP

What are your thoughts on this tubular tube? It would be pretty cool to place a few of these on top of your favorite backcountry line. Then again, it would be kinda cool to just have the money necessary to do so. Crazy Italians.

We stumbled upon this rocking photo of some Russian heli-skiing from back in the day and thought we would share it. 

[via outdoor-sport-leisure.net]