STOGUIDE pages 62-67:Layout 1 10/30/07 8:43 PM Page 65
onforthedescent.Thefabric,whileitdoes
glide,stillgripsthesnowmuchmorethana
eading into the backcountry requires
waxedski,andifproperlyfittedstillallowsthe
a different set of tools and skills than
metaledgesoftheskitobite.
taking laps on the lifts. You need to be
Keepinmindthatonceyouheaduponthe equipped for variable terrain, chang-
TollRoadfromtheOctagonyouaretechnical-
ing snow and weather conditions, and
lyonyourown.Theareaisoutofboundsfor
any emergencies that might arise.
StoweMountainResort,patrollersdonot
Some people are comfortable heading down
sweepthesummitorthewestsideofthe
the backside of the mountain with a regular
alpine ski or snowboard setup, but I prefer to
mountainattheendoftheday,andanyserious
be as prepared as I can be, just in case.
injurywouldrequireasignificantrescueand
extractioneffort.Knowingthisandbeingpre-
Ifirmlybelievethattelemarkskisarethebest
paredwithfirst-aidkits,spareclothing,food
optionforVermont’sbackcountry.Inother
andwater,weduckedunderthesnow-laden
regionswherethegoingisprettymuchverticalin
eitherdirection,youroptionsincrease.Buttele-
branchesandembarkedonthesecondstageof
marking
our“roundthemountain”tour.
isperfect-
lysuited
T
herearesomesteep,shoulder-width forall
chutesrightoff,followedbysomeflat
Vermont
BACKCOUNTRY
sectionsandblindcorners—aback-
back-
countryskier’sdream.Totopitalloff,this
country
THE 10 ESSENTIALS
fantasticroutewascoveredinseveralinchesof
terrain:
uphill,downhillandrollingterraininbetween.
freshchampagnepowder,hissingagainstour
Modernplasticbootsarelight,especiallythe
pantsaswefree-heeledintotheunfamiliar.
low,two-orthree-buckleversionswellsuitedfor
Soonweencounteredasmallgroupthatbegan touring,andbindingchoicesarenumerous.Ilike
inUnderhill,seekingthesameprizewehad
thebindingswithafull-floatingtoepiecethat
justgrabbed,firsttracksdowntheTeardrop.I
allowsformucheasiermovementuphill(as
couldseeintheirwelcomesmilesahintof
opposedtoold-schoolthree-pinorcablebind-
disappointmentthatothershadcomebefore
ings,whichforcedyoutoliftuptheskirather
thandragitalong).Prettymuchanyskiwillwork,
them,butweexchangedgreetingsandencour-
butmetaledgesandawidewaistwillmaketurn-
agementasthoseinthewildernessoftendo,
ingandfloatingeasierandmoreenjoyable.
regardlessofwhateverpersonalagendawe
mighthavebroughtwithus.Thereisplentyof
Finally,the10essentials.Therearemanyver-
snowforeveryone,andsincethetrailgets
sionsofthislist,butthisistheonethatIuse.
EverytimeIheadintothebackcountryImake
widerasitcontinuesdownthemountain,
sureI’vecheckedthemalloff.Itmaymakemy
skiersandriderscanpicktheirownlineinthe
packalittleheavier,butcanyoureallyputa
trailitselforamongthehardwoodsthatcradle weightonsafety?
thedeepsnowpackonMansfield’swestslope.
Atalmostamile-and-a-halflong,the
Teardropprovidesplentyofopportunityfor
1. Extra food
speed,cruising—andwonder.Onadeeppow-
2. Extra water
derday,it’shardtobeatridingtheliftsand 3. Extra layers of clothing
loggingrunafterruninthefreshsnow,but 4. Map and compass (and the knowledge
excursionssuchasthiscanconnectthemod- to use them)
ernskierwithgenerationsthatcamebefore,
5. Signaling device (like a really loud
bothpeoplewhoskiedoutofnecessityand
whistle)
thoseforwhomhikingupto“earntheirturns”
6. Lighterormatchesinwaterproof
waspartofthewholeexperience.Thefurther
container
downthetrailwewent,themorepeoplewe
7. First-aid kit
sawsnowshoeingorskinninguptogettheir
8. Binding-repair kit(bailingwireandduct
ownrunontheTeardrop.Whilemostpeople
tape will do)
seemedtobefree-heelskiers,wealsosaw
9. Headlamp/flashlight
10. Let someone know where you’re
snowboardersandpeopleusingalpinetouring
going and when you’ll return
gear(whatusedtobecalledrandoneegear—
analpineskiset-upwithafloatingheelthat
You’ll notice that a cell phone and a GPS are
canbelockeddownfordescent).
not on the list. Cell service is unreliable at best
Eventually,wemadeittotheendofthe in the backcountry, and GPS reception can be
steeppitchoftheTeardropandhadtofindour spotty in our dense woods. If you’ve got them
wayontotheW.B.Trail,whichwouldeventu-
and have the room, certainly carry them along,
allyconnectuswiththeUnderhillTrail.Ihad
but please turn off the phone. Just don’t expect
somegoodinformationfromperhapsStowe’s
them to get you out of a jam. Be prepared,
mostknowledgeablebackcountryskier-car-
because every time someone calls for a rescue,
the rescuers put themselves at risk. And if
penter-sugarmakeraboutwheretofindthe
you’re lost on the Stowe side of Mansfield, just
trail,stoppedattheappropriatespot,andspied
Breck takes a breather
walk downhill and you’ll find the Mountain
afewmarkingsonthenorthsideofthetrail,
as the group departs
Road or the Mt. Mansfield Touring Center,
butnoneonthesouth.Thiswasacrucialjunc-
the Teardrop and begins
unless weather conditions dictate staying put,
tureforourmini-expedition.Ifwecouldn’t
preferably in a snow cave, or under a ledge
to make its way back
findthetrail,wewouldeitherhavetoturn
or substantial evergreen bough.
around the mountain.
aroundandabandonouroriginalplan,orset
outsouth,mapandcompassinhand,paying
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