Intrested in Backcountry Skiing??

Hello,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I have set up this blog to give skiers in Colorado an alternative to skiing at the resorts and frankly only durning the winter. I myself am a Ski Instructor at Beaver Creek and although I love to ski in the resorts I have found myself venturing out into the backcountry more and more.
In the Backcountry, there are no lift lines, no traffic, and best of all more fresh powder skiing than you now what to do with. I like the idea of being self-sufficient and "earning my turns". It is also great exercise. Skiing has been around for thousands of years and was not really until the last couple hundred years that people starting riding chair lifts to access the terrain they want to ski.
If you want to return to skiing's roots and start going down the road less traveled then backcountry skiing might be for you. There are few prerequisites for backcountry skiing which everyone should take very seriously. Because there are no grooming machines and Ski Patrol where you are headed it is very important to understand a few simple safety precautions that will make your travel a lot less worrisome.
First off, take an avalanche class and get the proper equipment. I took a three day course through Colorado Mountain School that was extremely comprehensive. Here is a link to their website: http://www.totalclimbing.com/page.php?pname=guided/options/avalanche There are other courses that are less time consuming and less of a financial burden, however when it comes to survival I rarely pinch pennies. It is also important at a minimum that you carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe on every trip. I like this course because it teaches AIARE avalanche awareness standards which is an international certification. It is the most uniform in the industry. If you are looking for other AIARE courses outside of Colorado I suggest checking out this website: http://www.avtraining-admin.org/courseprov.cfm
The second most important element in traveling in the backcountry is finding a partner you can trust. Some might argue that this is the single most important aspect of traveling in the backcountry. You want to ski with someone who you would trust to save your life if the situation arose. Find someone you feel comfortable with and start planning trips together. The more time you spend together the easier it will be to rely on someone in dire circumstances.
Finally, purchase a Colorado Fishing Licence. I know it sounds a little quirky but for under $20 you purchase an unreal amount of security. By having a fishing licence your are covered under liability insurance by the state and if you needed helicopter evacuation in the backcountry you could call the number on the back of your fishing licence and they will pick you up in a Chopper at no cost. This is a small price to pay to potentially save your life. Here is a link to the website where you can purchase a fishing licence: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/

OK, well, I think that is enough for my first post. I gave you a laundry list of things to take care of before you even think about stepping foot in the backcountry. My next post will outline an introductory day-trip ski tour to get you moving in the right direction. Until next time.

Pray For Snow!