Backcountry snowboarding

A backcountry snowboarder.

Backcountry snowboarding is snowboarding in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees ("glade boarding"), usually in pursuit of fresh fallen snow, known as powder.^[1][2] Often, the land and the snow pack are not monitored, patrolled, or maintained. Fixed mechanical means of ascent such as ski lifts are typically not present, but helicopters ("heliskiing") are sometimes used to reach the mountain's peak. More recently, splitboards have gained popularity given snowboarders the range and versatility of alpine touring skis while retaining the freedom of a snowboard for the descent. Unlike using snow shoes to access backcountry, the rider does not need to carry a board during the ascent, and does not need to carry snow shoes on the descent.

See also

• Splitboard
• Alpine snowboarding
• Backcountry skiing

References

External links

• List of Backcountry Snowboard Movies
• Portable List of Snowboard Tricks
• American Avalanche Association: Shovel Shear Test
• Backcountry Safety Info at backcountrysafety.com
• Bindings at the ABC’s of Snowboarding
• A First Timer's Guide to Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding