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Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal
  • Features
  • The Hut Journal
  • The Backcountry Scene
  • The Tour
  • Avalanche Class
  • Store
  • Gear
  • Breakable Crust
  • Avalanche Beta
  •  

Utah

02Feb 21
The Red Castle
02Feb 21
Fear and Loathing in the COVID Backcountry
05Feb 20
What’s Your Favorite Place to Ski?
25Jan 16
Analysis of Utah Avalanche Fatalities in the Modern Era
11Nov 14
A Selected History of Ski Mountaineering in the West

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The FIS Alpine World Cup is also known as the “W The FIS Alpine World Cup is also known as the “White Circus.” The Circus came to Sun Valley for a week. Circus is indeed an appropriate name! #fisalpine #worldcupsunvalley #sunvalley
Idaho Hot Potato!!! We’re ready to ship the new Idaho Hot Potato!!! We’re ready to ship the new issue, so for those of you have already subscribed, thanks! The response has been amazing! If you haven’t reserved your copy yet, please do so soon if you can. Ascentbackcountry.com! In this issue we’ve got stories from Austria, Italy, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, China, and Norway. Plus 25 Years of the Chuting Gallery, and a profile of photographer @steinretzlaff, and so much more. It’s our best issue ever!
The @iceaxeexpeditions winter 2025 guides and frie The @iceaxeexpeditions winter 2025 guides and friends summit and retreat, France. A great time with friends from all over the world! So much skiing that we’re not posting any ski photos, just of friends who made it so memorable. Can’t wait until next time! Thanks to @odesiivonen @perasmountainguide @icemandoug and @ashleighstevens for the wonderful planning and hospitality in La Grave and Chamonix, and to our hosts in LaGrave at Gite le Rocher for the accommodations and for enabling, and then putting up with our shenanigans. Also for the amazing food and wine. Until we all meet again…
Here are your choices, for the cover of the next i Here are your choices, for the cover of the next issue, and our last one this year! Please pick your top 3, and tell us in what order. It's a tough decision, so your help is always appreciated!
Here we go for the 2025 winter. Our friends at @ic Here we go for the 2025 winter. Our friends at @iceaxeexpeditions had another successful trip to the white continent to kick things off, and with decent snow storms covering the western US with early season powder, the year is off to a great start! Stay safe, and have fun in your early season pursuits, and hope you can find the time to subscribe to Ascent!
Wasatch friends! Hope to see you tonight at the um Wasatch friends! Hope to see you tonight at the umpteenth annual @utavy fundraiser at @blackdiamond in Salt Lake City! Stop by the Ascent booth and say hi, we’ll be offering a special deal for subscriptions for the coming winter with a gift for those as well, and will have copies of the current issue to pick up too. Come on by and have a cold brew, talk about ski touring, and support the UAC- helping to keep you on top of the greatest snow on earth! See you there!
Regular readers of Ascent know that we like to cel Regular readers of Ascent know that we like to celebrate the historic accomplishments and pioneering adventures of those who have shown us what is possible in our sport. Growing up and learning to ski tour in the Wasatch in the 1980’s was literally a world away, but awe inspiring nonetheless, of the accomplishments that my friends and I thought we were emulating of the first true “extreme” skier, Sylvain Saudan the Swiss legend “ skier of the impossible.” He truly showed what slopes might be possible to descend on skis, providing inspiration and imagination for adventurous skiers for many generations, and did it with style. Sylvain Saudan 9/23/36- 7/14/24.
Our friends at KPCW radio in Park City have been d Our friends at KPCW radio in Park City have been doing a series on magazine publishers in the outdoor world on the show “This Mountain Life.” Tomorrow morning (7/3) at 9am mountain time will air a conversation with Ascent publisher Paul Oelerich. If you can find the time, give it a listen, or check it out when you can later at KPCW.org. It’s a worthwhile conversation on the state of print magazines, their history, and the future of niche publications. Thanks to the fantastic hosts @lwpeek and @jride13 for their support of print media! Photos courtesy of @steinretzlaff #kpcw
Greenland, a land of amazing contrast. Heat, cold, Greenland, a land of amazing contrast. Heat, cold, crystal clear waters, wildlife, and above all stunning scenery. There are so many places to explore for ski touring here, and while access to shore is key, the crew of @skydancersailing put us ashore and kept us safe (and very well fed!) for the week. While we saw a handful of fishing boats during the week, we saw not another soul on land. Magnificent!
We love Copenhagen. Visiting amazing cities like t We love Copenhagen. Visiting amazing cities like this in Northern Europe usually means we’re on our way to someplace for a great spring ski trip! Any guesses? #copenhagen #scandinavia #denmark
In an effort to reduce crowded slopes, and direct In an effort to reduce crowded slopes, and direct more beaters into the backcountry, Sun Valley has implemented an ingenious new Sun Valley Ski and Snowboard Competency Sills Test and Exam Protocol (SVSASCSTAEP). If you fail the test you have two choices, either wear the designated vest, or try your luck out of bounds. Fear not however for there is a loophole if you can’t hack it in the backcountry! Simply purchase a subscription to ASCENT for a chance to retake the test. #beater #sunvalley #backcountryskiing #skitest
Salt Lake City friends, pick it up now at your fav Salt Lake City friends, pick it up now at your favorite backcountry specialty shop in town! Copies are available at The Gear Room, Wasatch Touring, Voile and both Black Diamond stores. Thanks for supporting them and the stores that support Ascent. #thegearroomslc #blackdiamondequipment #voilemfg #wasatchtouring
Jackson Hole friends! Pick up the new issue in tow Jackson Hole friends! Pick up the new issue in town at The Black Diamond store or at Headwall Sports. Please support your local business that supports Ascent and backcountry adventure! If your favorite store doesn’t stock it ask ‘em to! #headwallsports #blackdiamondequipment #backcountryskiing #
Slopeside accommodations. #vanlife #ascentbackcoun Slopeside accommodations. #vanlife #ascentbackcountry #skiing #idaho #powder
Sun Valley/Ketchum friends, you can now pick up yo Sun Valley/Ketchum friends, you can now pick up your copy of the big new issue of ASCENT in town! Find copies for sale (it ain’t free anymore) at Elephants Perch, Backwoods Mountain Sports, and Chapter One Bookstore. Thanks for your support of our local businesses that support our backcountry community! #sunvalley #chums #powderskiing
Here it is! Now taking subscription orders for imm Here it is! Now taking subscription orders for immediate shipment! After a long hiatus, the print version of ASCENT is now ready to be delivered to your mailbox or PO Box. It’s the only way you can get it. Sorry, but the changing landscape of print media means no more free copies, and for that, I do apologize, but I think this new issue and new format,size. and paper stock will knock you out! A quality printed publication is rare nowadays, and to those who do still love having a real magazine in your hands, I appreciate your support in helping us to bring it back. If you can go to Ascentbackcountry.com you can subscribe. There will be some newsstand distribution soon, but your best bet now to secure your copy is to subscribe. Thanks!
Ruby Mountains days and cowboy nights. A great wee Ruby Mountains days and cowboy nights. A great week in Nevada! #elko #nationalcowboypoetrygathering
Here we go. Just a couple of days until it goes to Here we go. Just a couple of days until it goes to the press. But I’d like to get some votes for your favorite cover! We’re excited to be back with a new issue, and we think you’ll be impressed with the new paper and design. It’s a completely different look and quality from the past. Let me know if you’re also interested in reserving your copy.
A trip to Tahoe for some Sierra fun. Wind, snow, s A trip to Tahoe for some Sierra fun. Wind, snow, sun and some fluff. Always a great time to connect with our friends from @iceaxeexpeditions and a great evening of entertainment at the Tahoe Adventure Film Festival! We won the prize in the raffle for a trip to join our friends at @pulselineadventure for some skiing in Alaska!
Besides the Ascent, there are some other good ones Besides the Ascent, there are some other good ones in this collection! #stickers
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