Backcountry

Backcountry skis are the great compromise: wide enough to enjoy soft backcountry powder, but light enough for energy efficiency on the ascent. Backcountry skis are built to take advantage of the pristine, untracked conditions that exist on skiing’s frontiers, where you have to put in some sweat equity to get your turns. Although the backcountry can be accessed in other ways than sheer manpower (snowmobiles, cats, etc.), these skis cater to those who will be skinning or hiking for their turns. As a result, the backcountry skier must decide whether he or she is willing to haul up the extra weight on their feet for an extra fun ride down, or if he or she prefers a lighter ski that will allow faster hiking and thus more turns. Backcountry skis are built to handle soft snow but still need to handle any conditions found on the mountain, from frozen wind pack and bottomless pow to ice and spring corn. People who put in long treks in to the backcountry generally want a ski that is wide enough for their skiing needs but still light enough to travel well uphill (Bluehouse MR, Monarch, District). The Bluehouse District won an award from Backcountry Magazine in 2009 and 2010 and has great dimensions, weight and performance for a backcountry ski.

Sidecountry Skis are sometime lumped in with backcountry skis, but are generally wider, since less effort is tied up in reaching the beginning of the descent. Sidecountry skiing is the term used for accessing the terrain outside the open gates of your local ski hill. Skiers do everything from boot packing to throwing skins on their skis to access the incredible snow just a 10-15 minute hike in open and approved out-of-bounds areas. There’s a sidecountry ski for a wide variety of preferences, from the fattest powder ski to the all-mountain ski, such as the Bluehouse Maestro or Precinct.