Backcountry Skiing Every Month of 2016
Refugio Jakob Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina September
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Well, it happened. I successfully dedicated 12 months of my life to shredding the backcountry and I still have yet to ski the ski bum out of myself. I kind of saw that one coming. I literally live to ski. It is a bit of a curse at times. For example, losing 8 toe nails in a year or spending the majority of my savings on plane tickets while simultaneously purchasing food at the dollar store. But, I can't have face shots of blower pow and 8,000 vertical foot ski descents without these moments alongside for the ride. The thought of traveling the globe with my skis and then settling down was a fairy tale. The only thing to do now is to keep getting after it!
Mt. Shasta, California November 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Grizzly Gulch Alta, UT January 2016
Photo by: Joey Camps
The decision to dedicate 2016 to backcountry skiing happened organically. I was working and living at one of the lodges in Alta, UT and realized that my dreams had come true: after attending three colleges and graduating from two, I was finally a ski bum! Sorry Mom. Each morning, I served breakfast to cheery customers excited to be in the mountains on vacation. After the last pancake had been consumed and the guests were out and about themselves, I was free- at least until my dinner shift. I ran back to my room, wedged my skis outside of my window and crawled through, using pillows as a step stool, as I began my tour. Walking uphill for 45 minutes, ascending 1,200 vertical feet, is all it took to reach the top of the Emma Ridgeline. Below me sat endless lines of powder in which I sunk literally up to my armpits. I choked on and was blinded by the snow as I surfed my way through the trees. Oh Utah...I was in heaven.
Emma 2 Alta, UT December 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
I have been skiing since I was 4 years old, for 21 years. Thanks Mom! During middle and high school I spent a great deal of time in Colorado and all across the Midwest ski racing. I raced in the Junior Olympics coming in 6th in one downhill race when I was a wee teenie bopper. Somehow I was able to clock out at almost 70 mph weighing under 100 lbs. I loved going fast, but never got into free-riding. Which is probably for the best as I am so lucky to have never torn a knee or broken anything in a ski accident. I even ate it, hard, in a speed event one year at Junior Olympics crushing through the b-netting and walking away freely. After graduating from college and no longer getting discounted lift tickets for being on the race team, I thought skiing was now out of my reach. I was used to chairlifts and big resorts not free powder and the best workout imaginable.
Volcan Lanin Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
On May 3rd, my first day ever freeing the heal of my binding and attaching skins to my skis, I attempted to trek up the tallest peak in Oregon only to be turned around by white-out conditions and near frost bite. It is a surreal feeling when you can't feel the very skin you are touching on your face. Two days later, May 5th, I successfully summited Mt. Hood: a volcano that I have been skiing on since I was 14 years old. I grew up watching mountaineers hike beyond the race course to the summit of this live, active rock and now I was one of them. This day marked a significance in many ways. May 5th was my first volcano summit, my second ski tour, and my first time using an ice axe and roping up to traverse a glacier. I also happened to be skiing with the very people that told me to come live in Alta, UT in the first place, the place that changed it all for me.
Alta, Utah March 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
The two gentlemen that graciously picked me up the 30+ times I fell while ascending the slick volcano, one a dear ski racing friend from Michigan (Max Sasso- I will be surprised if none of you Michiganders know him) and the other a new bestie, had just finished up a season at the Rustler Lodge: a place where face shots and fun still come with a below average snow year. While we ate snickers bars and took silly summit shots at 11,240 feet they shared stories about swimming through snow as they unloaded the Wildcat lift in Alta. I was smitten.
Hogsback Ridge Mt. Hood Oregon May 2015
Photo by Matt Glen
Palmer Glacier Mt. Hood June 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
After finding the backcountry, skiing is now, maybe always has been, my church: a place where I can find clarity and freshies without committing to 20 runs of knee wrenching torque. I can spend all day backcountry skiing and not have to worry about aching joints, as the uphill is where most of my time is spent. That counter balance of ascending gracefully to charging down with gravity has been a body saver for me: something that became an issue at the end of my ski racing career and I am sure many of you fellow snow dudes and divas can relate to.
Refugio Frey Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina August 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
After leaving Utah, I flew to Alaska to hike peaks most people access with helicopters: a machine I have yet to ride. I say hike and not ski for a reason. After waiting 2 weeks for an adequate weather window, we hopped on our plane and got dropped in beautiful untouched terrain. The only problem was that air was warming to almost 5o degrees F by midday. I saw and heard more avalanches in that week on the glacier than I think I will in the next decade of my life. Read my last blog post "We, Not I" for intimate details about the experience of waking up and falling asleep to slides.
Somewhere In-between Glacier Bay National Park and Haines, Alaska May 2016
Photo by Dan Curran
Glacier Bay National Park and Haines, Alaska May 2016
Photo by Dan Curran
Skiing 13.9ers (much less crowded than your average 14,000 ft peak) in Colorado was next on the list: a short stint before driving to Bend, Oregon. I spent 2.5 months of summer hiking up melting volcanoes and working full time at two restaurants to save enough money to jet once again, this time to southern Patagonia in Argentina.
Mayflower Gulch, Colorado June 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Mayflower Gulch, Colorado June 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Mt. Bachelor July 2016
I spent 30 days trekking between mountain huts in the Parque National Nahuel Huapi outside of Bariloche. The only reason to come back into town was to re-up on food and a shower, usually around day 6, before escaping into the mountains once again. I was and still am living my dream.
Refugio Frey Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
Refugio Frey Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina August 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
It isn't always glamorous: my gnarly mountain feet remind me of this daily; as do the endless W2s I have filled out, basements and couches I have crashed in and on, and family gatherings that I have missed. But life isn't about having things or showing off your pedicure at the beach. Instead, what I love most in life is navigating the mountains with friends and a map.
Refugio Frey Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Madeline Cecilia
Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
I need to note that this was the scariest and highest hazard avalanche conditions I have been in yet. Seeing a slope avalanche moments after you decide to move to the ridgeline is assuring until you realize the ridge just slid to the ground moments before you climbed aboard. This is not something I look to do often. Being stuck in the mountains, we made the best decisions possible and I wouldn't change them.
Skiing year round doesn't always offer the best skiing. Other than Alta, where the snow is always perfect (I am serious) I can count the number of powder days I had this year. In fact, I can guarantee you I skied more punchy, wind affected, sun burnt, rain rennelled, crusty volcano snow than anything else in 2016.
Volcan Lanin Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
It is the adventure of the ascent now that has me hooked. All that matters is that I can get down on skis, the type of snow and conditions just make it that much more thrilling. I truly enjoy the ride of creating plans A-D and then committing in the field to plan Z. I thrive and rely on my gear, myself, and the choices that affect the safety and the well being of myself and those traveling with me. Theres nothing more thrilling than making decisions in the mountains.
Refugio Frey Parque National Nahuel Huapi, Argentina August 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Argentina led me to Chile where I competed in my first free-ride competition: Avalanche en el Volcan. The event was solely timed, as opposed to being based on style points. The race included mountaineering to the summit, taking lava selfis, and then straight-lining down through chunder and then beautiful corn snow.
Seeing the earth's molten core as it splashed against the walls of the solo spire, just close enough for comfort, was potentially the highlight of my life.
Volcan Villarrica Chile September 2016
Photo by: Katrina Devore
The event reminded me of downhill races: my forte while I was a racer in my youth. I love to ski fast, and I love to mountaineer: this event combined both. I skied well, spent some time in Farellones, Chile, and then made my way back to Argentina to ski the gnarliest volcano yet: Volcan Lanin.
Farrellones Chile September 2016
Photo by: Mike Page
I rented a van with a friend, and we made our ascent and descent of Volcan Lanin in one day: 8,600 vertical feet of switching back and forth between crampons and skins.
Volcan Lanin Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
Volcan Lanin, Argentina
September 2016
Volcan Lanin Argentina September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
The ski down was a record of mine 8,000 feet of pure skiing bliss. Half of the descent was a no-fall zone passing massive crevasses and 100 foot sercas. I was skiing in-between two foot frozen wind lips and beside crevasses, eventually making it down to creamy corn snow for the last 2,000 vertical feet.
Volcan Lanin Argentina 1,000 feet into an 8,000 foot descent September 2016
Photo by: Aaron Rice
After seriously considering extending my trip and changing my flight home to compete in a Red Bull ski-mountaineering competition called “Out of Hell”, I realized there's always next year and decided to stick with the original plan. I flew to Colorado and attended the International Snow Science Workshop. Of course I took a 1/2 day hiatus to knock off my October ski. The snow was... not exactly snow. Think metal bowls you would eat popcorn out of all stacked next to each other. That is what I was skiing/stepping through and I had an absolute blast!
St. Mary's Glacier, Colorado October 2016
One way I have been making money in the ski world is through avalanche mitigation and education. At work, I hunt avalanches. I work with the Snowbird Ski Patrol in Utah and get to throw bombs 2 days a week in search of a slide. I am also an instructor with the Utah Avalanche Center and help with their Backcountry 101 courses. I am learning as much as I can from this steep avalanche prone terrain and using that knowledge to ski safe and live to do it again tomorrow. Following my love for skiing instead of my lust for a cushy life has allowed me to constantly be amazed by the world and those who live in it with me. I realize that I am incredibly privileged to live the life I do and I am grateful for all that I have been afforded. So many humans are carving their own paths and challenging the norm. Every single time I meet one of them it gives me energy to find the next gig or scout the next line. Wherever 2017 takes me I bet I'll bring the stoke with!
Blower pow on Mt. Shasta in November of 2016!