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WHERE TO SKI
The Pacific Northwest offers
excellent backcountry skiing.
Especially if you stretch it’s
boundaries and include Utah.
Starting with Utah, let’s take a
look at two incredible backcountry
destinations in the PNW.
Utah
You have surely heard of Alta Ski
Area and perhaps the nearby peak,
Mount Wolverine, a backcountry
locals’ favorite. In this area you
can access Wolverine Cirque (steep
chutes), Mt. Tuscarora, Patsy Marley
Peak, and the Wolverine Bowls, just
to name a few. This is backcountry
skiing paradise, but it does not
yield easily and is prone to
frequent avalanche problems
To find out more:
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Purchase a local guide book such
as Wasatch Tours Volume Two
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Call the Utah Avalanche Forecast
Center before going up, at (801)
364-1581
www.avalanche.org
Idaho
I am betting you have also heard of
Sun Valley Ski Resort in Idaho.
During good snow years you can
literally drive from Hailey Idaho to
Galena Summit, passing great
backcountry skiing on both sides of
the road where the ascending starts
right out the parking lot. This is
40 plus miles of choices right along
the highway, with the most famous
shots being closer to Galena Summit.
For beta on this area stop in at The
Elephant’s Perch or Backwoods in
Ketchum before you go. The descents
range from 500 vertical foot drops
all the way up to 3000 plus. It’s as
good as it gets, and has the quality
of experience comparable to the
Tetons.
To find out more:
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Ask the local employees in the
ski shops.
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Call the Sun Valley Avalanche
Center before you go. (208)
622-8027 or
www.avalanche.org
Note:
www.avalanche.org is your
resource for avalanche centers in
the U.S. By location, it offers
weather reports, avalanche
advisories, snow observations and
accident reports with statistics.
Use it! |
