Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 20 406-580-7906 www.blueridgeHomesInc.com CREATING A NEW WESTERN TRADITION. DESIGN-BUILDER BLUERIDGE WILL DESIGN YOUR DREAM HOME FOR $2.00/SQ.FT. AND REBATE THIS FEE WHEN THEY START CONSTRUCTION. hill and in the backcountry. ere's a lot to be said for the "one quiver" option – laying down the cash for high-quality gear that can be used anywhere. Dynafit are the gold standard for Alpine Touring (AT) bindings, but Black Dia- mond, Atomic, Rossignol and Marker all offer worthy options. While the bindings keep improving, the basic Dynafit design is the same — there are two holes in the toe of your ski boot and two pins on the toe of the binding that lock into the boot holes, creating a nearly frictionless pivot point when climbing. e heels of the binding can be easily unlocked and swing out of the way, or adapted to form heel-lift platforms for climbing steep terrain. While manufacturers offer a dizzying ar- ray of AT skis, generally you want a fat, light weight ski with a good shovel at the tip. A softer ski will be more forgiving in variable backcountry snow conditions. You won't encounter much hardpack in the backcoun- try, so forget about stiff skis. And no need for symmetrical, two-tip skis since you are unlikely to be hucking off cliffs and landing backwards, unless you are already a badass skier in which case you don't need this article. Uphill travel on backcountry skis is com- monly referred to as "skinning." Climbing skins, necessary for any uphill travel, adhere tempo- rarily to the bottom of your skis. ey provide traction via mohair and cover the entire bottom of your skis. ese should be custom cut to cover the entire ski base except the edges. ere is a real art to skinning, involving weight distribution on skis, poling, route finding, kick-turning, and pacing oneself. Start with some easier approaches to get the hang of it. Whatever the slope, you are guaranteed to get a workout, and it's a lot more scenic than the stairmaster at the gym. Poles need to be adjustable so you can make them longer for the ascent and shorter for the descent. At more popular backcountry ski desti- nations you'll find a well-worn "skin track" where other motivated souls have packed in the uphill track for you. However, be forewarned. ese pre-made tracks can be a huge help, but some of them are extreme- ly steep and may be difficult to navigate, or may lead you into unsafe terrain. You can always kick in your own track. Yurt skiing in Glacier County www.distinctlymontana.com/yurt171 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

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