Episode 2 from the North Face stresses the most important 3 FACTORS in reading your mountain environment, Terrain, Snowpack, and Weather. These three elements can never be ignored and must be respected and handled with care. A couple bad decisions can lead to epic failures and disastrous results. Gut instincts, intuition, and straight up communication with “ego’s” aside will always bring you home safely with powder grins, and confidence that you made the right decision.
Skiing powder in the bigger mountains is a lot like doing homework. Difference is that you actually want to do it, it is rewarding and nobody is slapping your knuckles with rulers…BUT….the consequences are far greater than bloody knuckles.
Get educated, be keen, be smarter, and have good friends that you trust your life with.
This is what really matters. Good partners in the backcountry. Not many people can save themselves when shit goes down. So, homey up and find some good ski friends that care. Have fun, and play it safe, you want to do this for a while, not just a couple of good days. Read terrain correctly and to one’s abilities, and stay active in your avalanche community. Thank your local ski patroler….many times over...they deserve that much, taking risks with their own lives for the greater good of powder harvesting!