Skiing

Skiing is truly the closest to flying without leaving the ground. And the ever-changing state of snow means every day is a new world to explore. Backcountry equipment has become so reliable and lightweight, the terrain you can see from the edge of the ski area begs to be discovered. Skiing is how I was introduced to and fell in love with the mountains, and it’s what I love to spend most of my days experiencing. From pursuing bottomless powder to farming spring corn snow, skis allow us to travel across the white mountain world and find nature like few others get to. Backcountry skiing new for you? No worries - you just need to have solid intermediate skiing ability, a few pieces of key equipment, and a willingness to let the snow and weather conditions dictate where you go that day. Updated for 2021!

“A bad day skiing is better than a good day in the office.” - Unknown

April - June: Cascade ski mountaineering

May is the month to start pushing your skiing into the North Cascades. From consider one-day ascents (and descents of Eldorado or Sahale, overnight ski trips to summit Mt Baker, to classic multi-day ski tours of the Forbidden Tour, the Isolation Traverse, or the Ptarmigan Traverse. Want to go steeper? The North Face and Northwest Couloir of Mt Shuksan, the Coleman Headwall and North Ridge of Mt Baker, all have your number. Want to go deeper? How about the North Ridge of Glacier Peak (aka the Frostbite Ridge)? Or the Kulshan Crown Tour, which summits Colfax, Sherman, and Grant Peaks on Komo Kulshan (aka Mt Baker), and has descents down or across every glacier surround the mountain? Want to build your glacier skills for Rainier or Europe, or just review your avalanche rescue? Mt Baker has the perfect terrain - easy to reach, great to practice, and your rewarded with a summit and big-mountain ski descent.

February-march 2022: hokkaido powder

I’ve skied in Japan for three years, and I will swear on all things holy: Japan has greatest snow I’ve ever skied, day after day, week after week. And when you leave the ski areas and cross a ridge, you suddenly have the mountains to yourself - well, yourself and the 15kg white rabbits that are hiding all around you (not joking). I’m making tentative plans to return to the town of Niseko on Hokkaido Island again in 2022. Equipped with an all-wheel-drive rental car to explore, I expect to only use a chairlift once or twice a week. If skiing in Japan has been on your bucket list, don’t hesitate to contact me for more information.

March-April 2022: european alps ski tours

As great as the powder skiing is in Japan, the hut skiing in the Alps is truly unique and nothing like it can be found in North America. The fully catered access means you can ski for days - for weeks even if you wanted - with the same pack you’d use for a day tour. Since 2013, I’ve guided the classic Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route a half-dozen times, as well as tours in the Bernese Oberland, the Ortler, and the Haute Route Imperiale. I’m wicked excited just to be considering an extended Alps trip for 2022, and hope to explore further into eastern Switzerland, Italy and Austria!