#backcountry-skiing

#backcountry-skiing

Southeast Alaska still has 225 cm (89 inches) of snow, and people are touring from the base. The local avalanche center is still posting forecasts, you won't spot a mountain bike anywhere in town, and ice still lines the hiking trails. While many mountain towns across North America have traded skis for bikes, people are still stacking ski days in Juneau, Alaska. Douglas Island remains dressed in white, and Eaglecrest Ski Area still has top-to-bottom snow for spring skiers to enjoy. These are the best days of the year to be in Juneau.

Remote-triggered avalanches allow you to trigger a slide from hundreds of feet away, sometimes while standing on flat ground or in the trees. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for safety.

"Everything was normal, just a typical day. Just out of the blue he said, 'My back hurts, it hurts between my shoulders.'"

The kit was developed over several years with input from mountain guides, doctors, and paramedics, and it is meant to cover the kinds of real-world issues backcountry skiers actually run into.

Spring in Tahoe rewards timing, and Truckee puts many good options within reach. From downtown, four major resorts sit just minutes away, and about a dozen ski areas are within roughly 45 minutes.

Skiing in a whiteout can be a very scary experience, especially when you're in the backcountry and don't know the terrain very well. Of course the best way to avoid this is to keep an eye on the weather, but sometimes you're caught by surprise especially in the mountains.

The Bridgeport Winter Trail System is a new winter recreation area in the region. Anyone hoping to explore scenic new routes and possibly take a dip underneath a natural thermal waterfall should add this groomed winter trail to their list.

"She was just a lovely person and would light up the room," Diane Gerold said. "Always very happy."