I have three books sitting on my kitchen table right now, and while I’m waiting for this week’s crazy avalanche hazard to settle I’m catching up on the current issue of my one skiing magazine subscription. These are my “go-to” resources for backcountry skiing. If you’re looking to add to your bookshelf - and who isn’t - I’ve included affiliate links, but I encourage you to look for and purchase these titles from your locally-owned, brick and mortar outdoor store.
Backcountry Magazine. There are several online publications (a couple were print and had to switch to digital), but I like being able to physically turn pages. They also have a great digital newsletter and online content that doesn’t completely mirror what’s in the magazine, so receiving all three is a nice combo. 6 issues annually, $32.95 for one year or $52.95 for two years, LINK
Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, by Matt Schonwald, published by Off-Piste Ski Atlas. This 55 page, waterproof and field ready book is the first of its kind in the northwest: a photo atlas of the backcountry runs around the Pass. I can quibble about the out-of-season photography and editing errors, but the author stepped up and did the work no one else was willing to do. And I just learned there is a second edition that I haven’t gotten to check out yet. He also authored similar books for Crystal Mountain, Mt Baker, and the Olympics (coming out in March). $24.95, LINK.
Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes Washington, by Martin Volken & The Guides of Pro Guiding Service, published by Mountaineers Books. Using the metric of “where would I take out-of-town friends for a ski tour?”, this guidebook has an admittedly biased western Washington lean, not because there isn’t good skiing in eastern Washington, but to get there requires a bigger time commitment and higher conditions uncertainty than the authors wanted. And this book is authored by a large group, so some contrasts in style and editing is apparent despite the publisher’s best efforts to “smooth” out the differences. But there are 81 tours described, down from the “Top 100” goal simply because of book-length constraints! From one-day outings to tours lasting over a week, and from low-angle skiing to “no-falls-allowed” this book has something for everyone. Disclaimer: I am one of the authors and receive a percentage of the sales. 350 pages, $24.95, LINK.
The Ski Guide Manual, by Rob Coppolillo, published by Falcon Guides. This is my current read - the winter companion to the author’s first book, The Mountain Guide Manual. The author is a good communicator, the book is organized in a manner that makes sense to my own mental map, and it’s essentially a primer for an aspiring ski guide. Nothing like this existed when I began, so I’m using it to help identify and fill in the holes in my own education. I’m reading it in small chunks, to try to consider and apply the information it’s offering. 300 pages, $32.95, LINK.
What are you reading? I intentionally left out titles that are out of print, and to be honest I only look to them after I don’t find what I’m looking for in these four sources. What’s your go-to library? Let me know in the comments!