Women’s Adventure hits Utah this week for a backcountry ski clinic at Alta, where the terrain is steeper, snow is deeper and skis are fatter than almost anywhere. A serendipitous spring storm hit the area one day before I did, dropping 4 feet of fluffy powder and triggering 6 slides in Little Cottonwood Canyon (the only way in and out). The entire resort went on interlodge, which means skiers can’t even leave their hotels, and I was stuck in downtown Salt Lake City (where I got to taste pablano mole from a famous Mexican eatery, Red Iguana, and check out the Mormon Tabernacle).
When the canyon opened this morning to two days worth of ravenous skiers, I finally made it to my cozy home away from home, the Alta Lodge. I had almost an entire day to ski at one of the undisputed best mountains in North America. The snow was amazing, but after baking in the sun at over 10,000 feet, it turned from dry sugar into heavy chop. Avalanche danger was high, as variable weather recently has created a layered snowpack ripe with potential slabs.
That’s why ski patrol set off bombs most of the afternoon (shooting explosives with a Howitzer and dropping them from helicopters). But in the backcountry, you’re usually on your own. So the next three days I’m learning how to ski safely back there: What angles and snowpacks are safe to ski? How do you pick safe lines and avoid harm’s way? If someone gets buried, what technique do you use to dig them out? Stay tuned to the Women’s Adventure site for blogs and video of Alta’s legendary backcountry and how to enjoy it safely.
P.S. Did I mention I’m reeeally excited for tomorrow!
