Featured Image: Rick Sorensen
It's easier to become lackadaisical in your safety as the weather warms and the days grow longer. Plus, your gear can change depending on the time of year. There are items that are better suited for your pack as the season moves along and you have to start getting more creative when finding turns in the high peaks.
That's why we've put together FREESKIER's four little things for big mountain adventures, so you can plan out those summer turns in peace knowing you've got a few versatile pieces of gear ready to rumble. These aren't hard-to-obtain, expensive pieces of exotic gear. These are everyday items that have done us well, and just might save your day going from bad to worse when you least expect it.
A few honorable suggestions include a headlamp, a multitool (such as a Leatherman), and, of course, a proper snack selection and enough water to get you through the heat of the day and long approaches. But we assume you've got those bases covered.
1) Duct Tape and Voile Straps
It's the end of the season, and your gear has been through a LOT. Personally, I lost the walk mode on my boots (only a year old) just last weekend while pushing into Montana's Tobacco Root Mountains. That's why the combination of proper duct tape and Voile Straps is crucial. After taking a beating all winter, your bindings, boots and more are subject to... malfunction.
I've found Gorilla Tape to be the best in that category, and have no preference between Voile and Titan Straps. Though Titan Straps can be a big bulkier, which can be a pro or a con depending on your needs. Either way, carrying these two will ensure that you've got a good shot at whatever late-season gear malfunctions fall upon you.
2) Rain Jacket
You don't often associate a rain jacket with skiing, but I'm telling you, it's a must. From late April into the heat of summer, storms advance quickly in the alpine. Dark clouds roll over ridgelines in minutes, and before you know it, you're sheltering in place.
Your normal extra layers during winter (down jacket, midlayer, etc,) just won't cut it during a moisture onslaught. Ball that rain jacket up and be sure that it makes its way into your pack. Plus, rain jackets are light, easily packable, take up minimal room and can be great to make turns in when you want something covering your skin but don't want the warmth of normal layers. Even when rain isn't likely, this one's a must.
3) Bear Spray (Depending on region)
Another item that we don't normally associate with skiing, bear spray is mandatory if you're hunting spring and summer turns in grizzly country. That includes, but is not limited to, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, northeastern Washington, British Columbia and Alberta. Anyone who has come across bear tracks understands the shrinking feeling these giants instill.
Don't put it at the bottom of your pack. Make sure it's clipped to your belt, in an extremely accessible side pocket (like a shoulder or hip sleeve), or in a holster. Two people have already been charged by a grizzly bear on a popular route in Glacier National Park this summer. It's always a possibility, so stay vigilant.
4) Beacon, Shovel, Probe
I get it, this isn't a little thing. Nor is it some unknown secret supply. But too many times, I've been advnacing on a late season mission when somebody asks about bringing the big three. My answer is always yes. You never know what can go wrong in the backcountry, especially when May and June can bring massive temperature fluxtuations in the high alpine from day to night, messing with the snowpack.
We've all heard that faces can still slide after multiple people have skied it, and that doesn't change when the weather warms. At this point in the season, snowpacks are generally more compact, but wet-loose avalanches are no joke, and depending on where you're riding, there might be more snow than you realize. Plus, a shovel can be handy in more ways than one. Some might disagree or call it overly-precautious, but if you're skiing in the backcountry, there's never a reason not to bring these three.
