At many points through early 2020, it didn’t look like we’d get to ski at all due to COVID restrictions, and our Victorian friends found themselves in that situation most of the season. After an amazing cold pre-season dump in … Continue reading 2020’s Whacky Winter
On recent ski tours in Australia’s Snowy Mountains, we’d heard talk of the “real” route to the top of Mt Kosciuszko from Geehi Flat up Hannel’s Spur had been recently re-cleared. This is supposedly an ancient Aboriginal route that was … Continue reading Hannel’s Spur Trip Report – November 2020
A lot of the best ski touring terrain, particularly in Australia, is out of range for a comfortable day trip. This means you’ll need to commit to snow camping, and an alpine tent is one of your most essential and … Continue reading Buying an Alpine Tent for Backcountry Ski Touring
Picking the right weather window for a backcountry ski trip in Australia is a critical factor in having a safe and enjoyable trip. But with so many automated and human forecasts available these days, what’s the best way to determine … Continue reading Snow & Weather Forecasting for Australian Backcountry Skiing
Questions around getting started in the backcountry always pop up in forums from people looking to get out of the resorts. This post hopefully answers a few of the key questions and will help keep everyone safe and happy beyond … Continue reading Getting started with backcountry ski touring and split boarding in Australia
With the Covid-19 travel restrictions likely to lift just in time to do some ski touring and snow camping in Australia this Winter, I figured a quick reference guide for packing might help to send around to friends you’re heading … Continue reading Backcountry Ski Touring & Snow Camping in Australia – Packing List
In late November 2019 I had the chance to add on a quick Tasmanian hike before a conference in Hobart. Walls of Jerusalem had always been … Continue reading Walls of Jerusalem, Tasmania
Off the back of a work trip to Amsterdam in late October 2019, we thought it’d be worthwhile adding a week to explore a part of … Continue reading Picos De Europa
One of the classic ski routes in Australia is following the Main Range from Thredbo to Guthega via most of the highest peaks on the mainland. … Continue reading Australian Main Range Ski Traverse from Thredbo to Guthega
I recently went through the process of needing to replace my trusty old Dynafit Zzero 4C ski touring boots, a model that’s now over a decade old. There’s been a lot of advances in both boot and binding technology since … Continue reading What Type of Ski Touring Boots Should I Buy?
Thanks to Matt Timmins for the pro quality photos mixed in with my iPhone shots above. After a week of hiking peaks at Icefall Lodge we … Continue reading Chatter Creek Cat Skiing Trip Review
One of the challenges of being a skier stuck in Australia is having to plan Northern Hemisphere trips so far in advance. I’d grabbed a ticket … Continue reading Icefall Lodge BC
In early March 2019 we had the chance to visit Tasmania for a long weekend to do the Three Capes Track. The track itself took five … Continue reading Three Capes Track
I had the chance to revisit Tanigawadake Tenjindaira (Tenjin) again after more than a decade and wrote up a trip report for Snowsbest.com. This set off the inevitable response from a few commenters about blowing up a secret spot, respecting … Continue reading Share the Trip or Keep it Secret?
We hear a lot about people dying in big avalanches after venturing out of bounds and taking unnecessary risks, so I’ve always tried to be hyper vigilant in that type of terrain and have luckily never had to deal with … Continue reading Dumb Ways to Die
Backcountry skiing at many well known Japanese resorts is essentially off limits. If there’s no official backcountry gate, you’ll need to duck a rope and exit the resort boundary which will often raise the ire of the local ski patrol … Continue reading Backcountry Skiing & Touring in Kagura
Building appreciation and knowledge of the backcountry with your kids is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a parent. While the risks involved may seem a bit daunting, this post will hopefully show that it can … Continue reading Ski Touring & Snow Camping with Kids
Disclaimer: We are not insurance brokers or lawyers and have no affiliation with any companies mentioned here. Seek your own professional advice before settling on your preferred insurance policy. Information in this post is current at December 2018 and may … Continue reading Ski & Snowboard Travel Insurance for Australians in Japan
I recently took a Remote Area First Aid course with the view it’d come in very useful for all of our backcountry ski and snowboard adventures. Most trips we do tend to have a mix of people of varying abilities … Continue reading Remote First Aid for Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding
The backcountry skiing around the major Honshu resorts is world class with acres of untracked powder to explore. Many of these areas can be accessed off the lifts with varying degrees of official permission, so always check the signs or … Continue reading Japan Topographic Maps for Backcountry Skiing
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