10 Rules For Your First Ski Season In The Backcountry

Backcountry skiing: So hot right now. With AT setups flying off the shelves here at OGE and elsewhere across the country, it’s clear that the appeal of skipping the traditional resort experience — and the crowds that come with it — isn’t lost on people this winter. Whether your decision to cut the metaphorical cord of lift-served skiing comes from a desire for more socially-distanced outings, or a newfound or reinvigorated love of winter exploration, here are some rules that I like to abide by as a relative newcomer to the scene myself:

1. Take Your Time

When there’s a foot of fresh snow on the ground — and a ton of cars already parked at your local backcountry zone — you’re bound to feel a heightened sense of urgency to get out there fast to score some fresh turns. And while that sense of urgency isn’t totally unwarranted, it’s only to a point. After all, what, really, is the rush? There are plenty of freshies to go around. You’re in the backcountry to clomp around uphill and ski some sweet turns on the descent — enjoy it! I like to stay organized so I can get out on the skin track quickly, but I care more about being comfortable and enjoying the ride than making it to the top first. I typically go with other people, and since I’m newer to touring, I put myself at the back of the pack and just take my time. There’s no reason to over-work yourself trying to keep up with the fastest guy in the skin track.

2. Rad is in the eye of the shredder.

“Hey, we have to get after it today.” “We have to check out those cliff bands up there.” “I don't want to ski there, it's too flat.” “The ski down only takes like 2 minutes!” Use this as your mantra: Getting rad is whatever you want it to be. You don't always have to go after crazy objectives, ski multiple laps, or stay out all day. Ignore the gatekeepers of the ski and snowboard world who say that you have to be skiing hard, on hard terrain, at all times. Some days, the weather is ideal and you want to have a big day. Other days? You might just want to get outside — at a distance — with the folks you care about for a little hike and a short ski/ride. Sometimes it’s nice to simply relish in the glory that is touring for 30 minutes, then crush some wiggly little turns back to your car. Some of my best days touring have been what most would consider “super mellow days.” Personally, I think that getting rad is in the eyes of the shredder. Even if I just score one epic — and I mean EPIC — turn, that can make my whole day. That is the radness I’m always after: Whatever makes me feel the best. So don't let your shred-friends get you down if you don't want to ski the hardest or longest thing. Just getting out there in the first place is rad as heck.

3. Good Layers Are Nothing Without Temperature Control

Now this may seem like a given, but let me assure you: That $80 mid-layer and $150 puffy are going to seem totally useless if you don't understand temperature control. My first time touring, the temperature was around 25 degrees, and I started out fully layered up in my puffy and mid-layer. Fifteen minutes in? I was sweating profusely. To make a long story short, I was freezing cold for the next 4 hours. My issue was that I hadn't regulated my temperature at all: Touring had taken my true love of skiing, added a crazy level of cardio to it, and crushed my dreams — all within a span of 15 minutes. The lesson: Having the ability to take off and add layers constantly to maintain a comfortable temperature is the name of the game. Understanding when to layer or de-layer, is a skill that takes some time and effort to learn, but eventually you'll have your own style of getting your temperature locked in. If you want some help with this, look no further than to our winter layering guide. You’ll find all sorts of great tidbits of information on materials, fit, and functionality. The biggest point that I’d like to share with you though, is:

4. Start Cold!

I don’t back a product or advice unless it changes everything for me. Besides wearing merino wool base layers, it was the simple advice, “start cold,” that made me love touring. Sure, I’ll have a puffy on when I’m just putzing around and getting situated pre-skintrack. The second I click in though, I’m in a merino tee or a baselayer. I won’t lie to you readers out there — for the first 5 minutes or so, it’s cold. But, with some light gloves, a beanie, and the right attitude, it’s really not that bad. To be clear: I run warm. Even during mid-February tours, I’m still in nothing but a baselayer for my entire journey to the top of the zone. My girlfriend is cold when the house isn't 70 degrees; she's a layer queen. If that’s your speed, I’ll still say that starting cold is the only way to go — even if starting cold for you means that you’re wearing a midlayer. If you don’t start cold, you’ll inevitably find yourself stopping a few times to situate your layers and stay comfortable. Save yourself the time and energy instead with a few minutes of chilliness as you get warmed up.

5. Know Your “Why”

Before you spend any time getting acquainted with (or totally jumping head first into) a new sport, you should ask yourself, “Why?” Are you getting into touring for fitness? To ski deep, untouched pow? Or is it just to spend more time out in nature? Everybody has different reasons for doing what they do. Knowing what your goals are, and what experiences you're hoping to have, will help you enjoy touring for what it is, relish in the comfort of your own pace, and make it all your own. There’s nothing worse than being halfway through a tour on a long day and asking yourself, “Why the hell am I out here…?” It seems simple, but building your setup, picking the areas, picking the people you go with — these will all factor into your “why.” Maybe you don't know your “why” yet. That’s a great place to start, too. Sometimes, just getting out there is a surefire way to find the answer.

6. Feed The Machine

Leg-powered skiing/riding requires fuel. That means snacks and lunch, generally. I was terrible at feeding myself my first year of touring — I'd bring along plenty of water and snacks, but I’d always end up eating them at the end of the day, at the car, feeling totally crushed. WRONG. Proper caloric intake is the way to keep your stoke fire burning. Some people love doing the full spread, bringing elaborate sandwiches or whole meals. Other people just line their pockets with gummies and Nerds — why muscle down energy gels when it’s all just sugar anyway? Whatever you do, just eat and drink more than you’d normally think to. Chasing a handful of skintrack snacks with a few sips of water during your breaks will do a lot. Not only will it keep your energy levels up, it’ll — more importantly — help you forget how out of shape you are (like me) and how your legs are screaming for a break. Snack pockets for the win.

7. You Don’t Have To Go Ultralight

“Well, those bindings are an 1/8th of a pound lighter.” “These skis weigh only 1000 grams.” “I don't need that in my pack, it's too heavy.” Does any of this matter, really? From my perspective, everyone’s got to start somewhere — so who cares if your first year of touring isn’t in a pin binding? People can get bogged-down with how light and efficient their gear is, sometimes at the expense of actually doing the activity. If counting grams and nerding out over weight is your “why” though, then absolutely do your thing. Keep in mind, though, that the old saying, “Date your skis, marry your boots” still holds true to this day. You can always go for different bindings and skis throughout your life. Do some of them have an effect on touring efficiency? Yes, but without being able to appreciate that efficiency, it'll just be a hole in your wallet. For me, I learned that an extra set of hand warmers, an extra layer, and a heavier pack were worth their weight in gold — I nerd out on being over-prepared. Some days, slimming down for a tour is a cool way to challenge yourself. Most days, though, I'd prefer to carry an extra pound or so if it makes my first aid kit more well-rounded, or it means more cold pizza at the top. Do not worry how light the gear is your first year — just get out there. See if you love it. When you realize it's amazing, spend some time on a demo setup to see how light you really want to go — see how that pin binding actually skis on a bigger ski. It’s called methodical shopping, and it is the only way to go.

8. Enjoy The Suck

This one is simple. If it sucks for whatever reason: Your legs hurt, you didn’t get enough sleep, you don’t have enough food... Stop, take a breath, look around, down, behind and in front, and take it in. Chances are, you’re in a beautiful place, you have skis or a board attached to your feet, and you’re spending the day sliding on frozen water. IT IS GLORIOUS. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER.

9. It’s Not All Face Shots

The age-old questions of, “Where’s the good snow?” or, “Where’s the good terrain?” can be answered in different ways. For me personally, it didn't matter how many close friends could take me to their favorite spots — one of my “why’s” was to just figure it out with my partner, Elissa, and Moisie, my dog. Part of the allure of getting out for us, still to this day, is putting in the miles and poking around. Our first time into the Bolton Valley Backcountry area, for example, we had a general idea of where to look, and we picked a steep-looking trail and just started skinning. We ended up finding some goodies, but it turned out to be pretty mellow terrain. Exploring the unknown of whether it would be good or not, though, was all part of the fun. Then, when I came back into work on Monday and asked around, someone took out the map and pointed out some better terrain, farther left and up from where we thought we should be. This isn’t about gatekeeping secret stashes, or keeping newer skiers out of certain terrain. Just know that to start, unless you have friends taking you out to their favorite terrain, it may take you a few tries and some work to get to the goodies. In fact, 99% of backcountry skiers and riders feel the same way I do: If you’re out there putting in the time and effort to enjoy the goods, and you’re being safe about it, that's what really matters. Your first few times out might not be exactly what you pictured. After getting out there and meeting some other stoked people, though, the endgame ends up being the same: You've just entered another side of the winter sports community; and that is awesome.

10. When It Comes To The Backcountry, Safety Is NOT Last

I once had an Outdoor Education professor who said there were only 4 rules to adventure:

• LOOK GOOD
• FEEL GOOD
• LOOK GOOD
• SAFETY

You may have also heard things like, “Go fast, safety last.” Now, when you’re at the resort, skiing in the spring, and enjoying the shred, this may — only jokingly — apply, but when you’re going out into the woods and skiing through trees? Nah. That ain't it. Obviously, we’re primarily enjoying the great terrain the East Coast provides, so this next piece makes more sense when we think about taking some time off in the winter to head west: Avalanche Safety. No, I don’t mean “Hey, my jacket has RECCO” or, “I borrowed this beacon from my buddy.” I mean that if you plan on going into avalanche terrain, whether it’s in the Chic Chocs in Canada, or even in steeper areas of the green mountains, nothing takes more precedence than taking an Avy Course. Even if you’re just getting out after work and taking a lap at Bolton or Cochrans, there’s still a safety lesson to be had: Always have a basic first aid kit, and the knowledge of how to use the items in it. Besides first aid, things like extra headlamps, batteries, rubber ski straps, duct tape, a lighter, they can all be a lifesaver when you’re out touring. Just be smart; if you’re getting a late start, be conscientious about daylight and temperature. All of the other basic fundamentals of being safe outdoors should be applied too, though they all carry a little more gravity when you look at them through the lens of skiing. Remember, there’s no ski patrol and little to no cell service in the backcountry, so you and your crew will be on your own. Yeah, there’s some extras to bring with you, but I promise, even if that extra ski strap is just to fix your power strap, you'll be glad you had it. So what are my rules for getting out there? They look something like this:

• SAFETY
• SAFETY
• LOOK GOOD
• FEEL GOOD

Heed my rules when you head out there this winter — you won't regret it. Just remember, skiing is supposed to be fun, so leave it all out on the skintrack.