Skiing, snow sledding or snow shoeing in the backcountry is one of the more serene and mentally therapeutic activities you can do. The quiet sounds of snow crackling under your gear, the crisp mountain air and the ice crystals in the trees are a sure way to ensure that you have a great day in the woods. With all of this natural beauty something to remember while you are exploring is the possibilities of avalanche. Mother Nature has the ability to make sure we know how small we are on this planet by loading snow on angled slopes that is just waiting for a catalyst to make it break loose. This catalyst could be you, your sled or an animal walking on a slope above you. So what can you do?
The biggest piece of advice that we can give you is to get educated. The Woodriver Valley is lucky enough to have many organizations that conduct Avalanche classes. The various classes will continue to run throughout the remainder of the winter season. Stop by the Elephant's Perch to find out when the next one is coming up or check out www.avalanche.org. This great site also gives local up to date conditions on the snow pack that you can use to make safe decisions.
The next piece of advise is to get properly geared up. Gear you ask? Of course, this is Sun Valley, you have to have gear. The essentials are the beacon, probe and shovel and inclinometer. Other pieces such as snow saws, snow science magnifying glasses, snow data books, emergency blankets and a first aid kit. The list could go on but these are the essentials.
The pick of the day for the 4 main pieces are as follows:
Beacon: Mammut Barryvox Pulse - Digital system with 3 antennas and easy to use.
Shovel: Black Diamond Deploy - One piece system that stows nicely and is very sturdy.
Probe: Black Diamond Super Tour - easy to link together and strong pointed tip.
Inclinometer: Back Country Access - easy to read and does not fall out of your gloves when in use.
Beyond these "essentials" always venture into the outdoors with a buddy or at least let someone know where you are going and when you plan on returning. Use your common sense and always assume that something will slide. Put your self in the path of least impact. The snow world is a wonderful place so get out there and enjoy yourself with the confidence of knowing you are informed and safe.
To ensure that you are getting the best possible Boulder Mountain Tour race wax, drop your skis off at the Elephant's Perch Friday morning before the race. The Elephant's Perch wax team receives up to date waxing information from both Swix and Toko that allows them to make great BMT wax choices. The Elephant's Perch has 3 race day wax choices to choose from starting with our standard $20 wax to the high zoot $50 race day waxing system usually consisting of 3 coats starting with a Moly moving onto a High Flouro then topping off with a Cera or similar pure Flouro product.
