Playing Safe

After months of restricted outdoor access, we can all attest to what a precious commodity time in the mountains is-- all the more reason to ensure that it is time well spent. You might have spent Lockdown stocking up on the latest gear, or have the ability to carve it up like a pro, but planning a successful backcountry ski trip is about taking a holistic approach. Here are six tips to help you prepare for a season of safe and memorable (in the right ways) backcountry touring.

- Aspiring Guides

Use a variety of sources when planning your route. Topographic maps are a good source of information and can be useful for approximations of slope steepness, but they don’t necessarily contain enough information to determine whether a route is feasible or not. Vertical spacing between contour lines often means that a lot of detail is lost, so use these maps alongside other sources of information that will fill in the gaps. These could be photos or videos from the location or check out online visualization tools such as the Fat map.

In New Zealand especially, flexibility is key. Have plans for a number of objectives ready to go. Then when the dates draw near, you’re able to choose the most appropriate trip for the given weather and conditions. Locking onto a single plan and stubbornly plunging forward regardless of the circumstances is a big red flag.