Backcountry Skiing

by Volken, Martin

• ISBN13: 9781594850387
• ISBN10: 1594850380
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-30
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books

Summary

Martin Volken and his co-authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountains. The guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and ski mountaineering, from planning wilderness trips to perfecting turns in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. For those skiers ready for a more technical, high alpine environment, they draw on traditional mountaineering skills, including roped climbing, setting protection anchors, using ice axes, climbing on bare rock, and more.

Author Biography

Martin Volken is one of only three officially certified Swiss Guides working in the U.S. Scott Schell is a certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guide and has led numerous single- and multi-day trips in the Cascades, British Columbia's Coast Range

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 9
Introduction	p. 11
Gear and Equipment
Skis	p. 22
Boots	p. 28
Bindings	p. 32
Skins	p. 39
Poles	p. 47
Boot Crampons	p. 48
Ice Axes	p. 51
Harnesses	p. 52
Clothing	p. 53
Day Packs	p. 60
Overnight Packs	p. 62
Ropes	p. 63
Avalanche Safety Equipment	p. 66
Decision-Making in Avalanche Terrain
The Anatomy of a Decision: The Decision-Making Framework	p. 83
Avalanche 101: Snow Safety, Avalanche Awareness, and Avalanche Terrain	p. 87
The Mountain Snowpack	p. 91
Terrain Selection: Understanding and Identifying Avalanche Terrain	p. 98
Tour Planning	p. 106
Human Factors and Group Dynamics	p. 115
Observations and Awareness for Backcountry Travel	p. 120
Navigation
Navigation Tools	p. 132
Navigation Techniques	p. 134
Uphill Movement
Skinning: The Motion	p. 140
Skinning; Turns	p. 147
Skinning in Difficult Conditions	p. 161
Track Setting	p. 167
Transitions
Transitions from Skinning to Skiing	p. 183
Transitions from Skiing to Skinning	p. 184
Transitions from Skinning to Booting	p. 185
Transitions from Snow to Glaciated Terrain	p. 187
Transitions from Unroped to Roped Travel in Glaciated Terrain	p. 188
Ski Mountaineering Techniques
Protection in Ski Mountaineering	p. 193
Anchor Basics	p. 194
Anchors on Snow	p. 195
Rock Protection and Anchors	p. 203
Ice Protection and Anchors	p. 207
Seated Belays	p. 212
Roped Travel	p. 217
Prerigging for Glacier Travel	p. 220
Downhill Skiing Techniques
Backcountry vs. Alpine Gear	p. 236
The Front-side Skier	p. 237
Survival Skiing Techniques for the Backcountry	p. 238
Advanced Skiing Techniques: Skiing on Belay	p. 242
Taking Care of Yourself and the Mountains
Staying Dry	p. 248
Staying Warm	p. 249
Planned Shelters	p. 250
Nutrition on a Ski Tour	p. 254
Mountain Ethics	p. 256
The Mountain Environment
Mountain Weather Basics	p. 262
Anatomy of a Glacier	p. 266
Rescue Techniques and Emergency Preparedness
Avalanche Companion Rescue	p. 276
Crevasse Fall: Self-Rescue	p. 287
Crevasse Rescue	p. 291
Emergency Shelters	p. 308
Emergency Sleds	p. 311
First-Aid Kits	p. 317
Repair Kits	p. 320
Emergency Communication Equipment	p. 321
Resources Appendix	p. 324
Glossary	p. 328
Index	p. 336
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