Backcountry skiing (sometimes called off-piste skiing) is any type of skiing done outside the patrolled boundaries of a ski area. It's often done with alpine touring or telemark gear, where you use climbing skins and bindings with a free-heel feature to ski uphill and then back down.

The Bad: Increased Risk and Responsibility: Skiing alone amplifies the risks inherent in backcountry terrain. You bear the sole responsibility for decision-making, route finding, and avalanche safety. The absence of immediate assistance can be daunting, and the consequences of mistakes or accidents can be more severe.

Skis. Any downhill ski can theoretically be set up for use in the backcountry, but alpine touring skis designed specifically for backcountry use usually feature lighter weight designs that make hiking uphill drastically easier.

In backcountry skiing there is never an absence of risk, but if you have an idea of how avalanches might behave and where they most likely will occur, you can plan on how to avoid them. How do you identify potential avalanche hazards? Keep reading for the general tell-tale signs.

Backcountry skiing unlocks a level of freedom not possible within the confines of a ski resort. It allows us to interface with nature more intimately with fewer distractions.

Backcountry Touring Skis Regardless of purpose, most backcountry skis employ lighter-weight construction than their inbounds brethren, and offer touring features like notches in the tip and tail for attaching climbing skins.

Studies show that winter recreation can impact wildlife, which is particularly vulnerable to disturbance from unpredictable human activities such as off-trail snowmobiling or backcountry skiing.