Tam McArthur Rim

One could make the argument that the terrain along the Tam McArthur rim is the best in Oregon. Located NE of Broken Top, and more or less due East of the Three Sisters, the Tam rim offers some of the most sustained steep pitches in Oregon. Given the steepness of the terrain, much of it is highly avalanche prone, and can only be skied in prime conditions. We headed out there the day after Christmas. Unfortunately for us, we did not hit prime conditions. Nonetheless, the views alone were worth the six mile approach.

Ski Mountaineering, Backcountry Skiing, and Ski Touring: What's in My Pack (Part One)

Powder to the People.
Yes, splitboarders are people too

"I'm going on a ski mountaineering trip this weekend"

"I knew the resorts were going to be packed so I just skied the backcountry this weekend."

"Hey Dude, want to go on a ski tour this weekend?"

It seems the terms Ski Mountaineering, Backcountry Skiing, and Ski Touring are used interchangeably. Some may argue that they mean different things. Some may say they are in fact interchangeable. I don't really care what they mean in the abstract. Really, all I care about is where we're going and what kind of gear I'll need to be safe and have a good time. The purpose of this article is to distinguish between Ski Mountaineering gear and Backcountry Skiing gear, and give some potential buyers some thoughts on what type of terrain and objectives they will face when going on a "tour."

I guess to know the important things, like what gear is appropriate for ski mountaineering versus backcountry skiing, we should delve briefly into the abstract. In my mind, ski mountaineering typically involves a summit, a traverse, or some other specific route or destination. You're going somewhere.  Backcountry skiing on the other hand, is more about the finding interesting terrain and quality snow to ski. Ski touring is kind of a general term that can mean either.

So with those general thoughts in mind, I'm going to go through what gear I bring for a ski mountaineering trip vs. a day of crushing powder snow in the backcountry. I'll draw distinctions between ski mountaineering gear and backcountry skiing gear where I can, but a lot of this comes down to personal preference.

Gear Review: Tyrolia Adrenalin 16 Touring Bindings

If you're looking for one binding to do everything, the Adrenalin is a great option. I wanted to be able to bring only one setup on trips, and not be stuck in the resort because I had no touring setup, nor ski the resort on bindings not quite cut out for the beating I typically give my gear. The Adrenalin allows me to ski the resort and the backcountry confidently on the same system. But the binding is not without drawbacks.