Title: Skiing the Balkans. Fifty backcountry descents in Bulgaria.

Author: Dimitar Dimitrov

Year: 2017

Where can I get it? Amazon and skiingthebalkans.com lists other places too

Bulgaria has held a special place in my heart for nearly a decade and a half. Ever since venturing on her soil and traipsing around in her vast and beautiful mountains, amidst friendly people, and with history all around…. I fell in love. While I have never skied in Bulgaria, I have passed through many of her majestic mountains in summer, and I always vowed to go back in winter. Who would not want to saunter through the beautiful town of Bansko in the snow? Now, it seems, I have the perfect tool to fuel a backcountry ski trip to Bulgaria – a guidebook written by Dimitar Dimitrov.

A collection of photos from my two trips to Bulgaria. Click to enlarge:
[See image gallery at dev.14erskiers.com]

Dimitrov begins Skiing the Balkins with some critical background information – most of which is present in just about any backcountry skiing guidebook. But, a couple of things stood out as I read through his introduction. First he says, “One very important point to understand for avalanche forecasting in our mountains is that there is practically no official bulletin available” (p. 19). That’s right, there’s no Bulgaria Avalanche Information Center or something like that. He recommends checking the bulletins at nearby ski areas, the Mountain Rescue Service, or the Bulgarian Extreme & Free Skiing Association.

The other thing that Dimitrov mentions is the extensive hut system – which some call “chalets”. After hiking around the Rila and Purin mountain ranges of Bulgaria, I can attest to this extensive network. The huts are good, the food is good, they are indeed plentiful, and they will make a great basecamp. Perhaps the best way to get an avalanche forecast is to ask other hut-goers.

As the subtitle states, Skiing in the Balkans contains 50 backcountry ski routes in Bulgaria. These are scattered over three separate mountain ranges – the Rila Mountains, the Pirin Mountains, and the Vitosha Mountains. Each range begins with its own chapter introduction with further explanation of the region. Routes are complete with an info box that contains the name, aspect, approximate total time, skill level, starting point, summit point, hazards, special equipment needed, and nearby huts. In addition, each route contains a thorough description.

Color is use to really enhance the maps. While some maps may contain several routes and others may only contain one, one thing is consistent – a blue line is used to demark the up track, and red is used to show the descent. This carries over to the color photos too – some of which are marked with specific route overlays.

Skiing in the Balkans: Fifty backcountry descents in Bulgaria, is a 250-page book packed with information and colorful pictures to inspire. If you’re willing to make the journey, Bulgaria will mesmerize you with her character and her beauty. And I am sure the routes in this book are just a small sample of what the magnificent peaks of Bulgaria have to offer to backcountry skiers.

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Podcast are growing and it seems like many new ones pop up every month. I’ve listened to many of the skiing-related podcasts and have narrowed the best down to just three. Sure, there are more out there, but these three are the ones that I think are the best and worth spending time listening to. I listen to these regularly, and I hope that you will be inspired by them too.

The three podcasts every backcountry skier should listen to are:

1. Powder Radio – Sponsored

   Brought to you by none other than Powder Magazine, Powder Radio was in my opinion long overdue. They just started broadcasting in September 2016 – and my thought was “finally a big ski magazine is hosting a good podcast”. Although they’ve only been in the game a short time, their episodes have been fantastic. Currently hosted by Mike Powell, this interview-based podcast has featured episodes with long-time skiers like Wayne Wong and Glen Plake, as well as new generation skiers like Caroline Geich, Lexi du Pont, and David Lesh. They even did an episode with Greg Stump, the ski film director who changed the direction of skiing in the late 80’s. Although not backcountry oriented, this podcast is the best skiing-related podcast I have found.

   Note: In May 2017, the Sponsored podcast was discontinued by Powder Magazine. But the host, Mike Powell, has given rebirth to the show as The Powell Movement. So, be sure to check it out! A little less censored than the show above, this one is sure to entertain!

2. Slide: The Avalanche Podcast

   Slide was another podcast that just started this fall. Hosted by Silverton’s Doug Krause, Slide discusses all things related to avalanches. Doug spends a lot of time discussing things like heuristic traps, and how the dynamics of a group can impact people’s decisions in avalanche terrain. His discussions are not interview-based, but rather like a magazine article in-print. The information he presents can be a bit intense at times, and I’ve had to listen to some episodes multiple times to really understand them fully. But, even if you don’t do that, I promise you’ll take away something from each episode. The best parts of Doug’s podcast are his anecdotes, where he brings avalanches and decision-making to life.

3. Totally Deep

   Based out of Carbondale, CO, Totally Deep is hosted by Doug Stenclik, Randy Young, and Chris Kalous of the Cripple Creek Backcountry shop. This podcast features backcountry skiing but occasionally has an uphill focus. Really, this podcast jumps all over the place – some episodes are interviews, some are just banter. And don’t expect a regular posting of podcasts either. They broadcast when they have something interested to do a podcast on, which means they could go months between episodes. These guys have interviewed people like Aaron Carlson (Friends of CAIC), Chris Davenport, Lou Dawson, Glen Plake, and Ted and Christy Mahon. They even held a rather rowdy episode at the Brick Oven here in Crested Butte. Two things can be guaranteed with these guys – you’ll get some good laughs while talking about skiing, and expect them to drink a lot of beer.

Crested Butte is Home

Since this post was first published, Frank started his own podcast- Crested Butte is Home. While this podcast isn’t specifically ski-related, many of the episodes are ski or bike related (or honestly, they’re applicable to mountain towns everywhere). As one reviewer stated, “The mountains catch your attention when you arrive, but the people are really the secret behind the uniqueness of Crested Butte. In this podcast Frank meets up with various CB residents and lets them reveal how they got there, why they stay, and what makes it what it is. Highly informative and enjoyable.” For more on Frank’s podcast and links to the show, visit this 14erskiers post and read more deeply into one of the episodes.

But, wait! What’s a podcast anyway?

Some of you may have heard of “podcasts” but don’t really know what they are. Podcasts are a type of digital radio. Usually they are in the format of “talk-show-radio”. But, instead of listening to them on your radio, you can listen to them on your computer or cell phone. Back in the day before cell phones were as “smart” as they are now, I used to download episodes onto my computer and then transfer them to my phone and then listened to them with my music player. But now, you can download podcast players which makes it all the more easy to search for a podcast, subscribe to it, and even download specific episodes. iTunes can be used to search for podcasts on iPhones. But Android has many more podcast player options. Stitcher is known to be the most popular Android app for podcasts, but I had enormous problems with it freezing in the past – plus I thought that the user interface was pretty poorly designed. So, now I prefer Podcast Republic.

Now its your turn

I’ve told you my favorite backcountry skiing podcasts, so now it’s time to open it up to you. What ski podcasts have you found that you enjoy? Please share them with us!

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Title: Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Volume 2: North of Interstate 70

Author: Fritz Sperry

Year: 2016

Where can I get it? First, check your local shop. Many local mountaineering shops on the Front Range including Bent Gate in Golden and Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder will be carrying this book. If your local shop isn’t carrying this, then request it. The book can also be purchased on the publisher’s website at Giterdun Publishing.

Review

Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Volume 2: North of Interstate 70 is another great book written and published by Fritz Sperry. A continuation of Volume 1: South of Interstate 70 This book features 109 routes spread among 55 peaks or regions that are great for backcountry skiing or ski mountaineering. Some of these areas feature one or two routes, while others have more – 9 is the largest routes I counted in a specific zone. As the book title states, all of these routes are on the Front Range, and north of Interstate-70, reaching as far as the upper reaches of the Indian Peaks.

This guidebook is fairly well organized and easy to follow. First, Sperry includes a page with a map of the area that is north of I-70, with route numbers placed near the approximate route location so that you can easily see where each route is relative to the others. This map is followed by the table of contents which is broken down into sections which match the sections of the book. At the end of the table of contents is another table which breaks down the routes by general difficulty based on the season – winter or spring/summer.

From there, the book is divided into sections. The first section features the Introduction which summarizes how many of the fundamentals of winter and spring backcountry travel like avalanches, weather, cornices and backcountry etiquette. Sperry also includes pertinent information about wildlife, marijuana use on public lands, and communication. Last, Sperry explains how best to use his guidebook.

Each section of the book is clearly marked in the upper corners of the page, so readers know which section they are in, making it easier to navigate your way quickly around the text. For example, the Introduction is marked with a gray “i” and the trailheads section is marked with a brown “th”.

After the Introduction follows the Trailhead section. This section lists all the trailheads in order of how they appear in the book and describes how to get to them. Photos are included with the trailheads so travelers can be reassured that they’ve shown up to the right place.

Next, is the meat of the book – the ski routes. Sperry lists 55 peaks or zones, mainly organized geographically from south to north. Most areas have over one route listed, adding up to well over 100 routes total. In the fashion of his Vol. 1 book Sperry organized routes by number and letter so that lines that share the same peak or zone share a number, but are assigned a different letter. Routes that are on different peaks or are in different areas have different numbers.

Also similar to that of his Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range: Vol 1 – South of I-70, Sperry continued to organize his route descriptions with a table that states the route number, peak or area, name of the route, difficulty, distance, vertical gain/loss, sunhit, aspect, preferred season, trailhead name, and page numbers for maps and for photos. The route numbering system corresponds with the numbering system on the maps as well. The actual descriptions themselves are quite detailed giving necessary route-finding information as well as stating any concerns that may be present for each specific route, such as rockfall or potential avalanche danger.

As is typical for all of Sperry’s guidebooks, Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Vol 2: North of I-70 is printed in color and full of vibrant photos which both help to add to the route description as well as to the stoke of the book.

Readers will find maps located at the end of the book. Routes are marked by their corresponding number and letter, and color is used to help make the map more clear. Many routes are included in one map which allows users to see how the geography of the region all fits together. I think this is one of the best attributes of Sperry’s books in general – instead of having a map for each route, one map is used for several.

Another great feature of this series is Sperry’s use of “sunhit”. For example, in the table at the beginning of a route he might say, “Sunhit: Sunrise +1 hour”. Toward the end of the book, Sperry has a “Sunrise/Sunset Chart” which lists the sunrise and sunset for Colorado for every day of the year. Sunhit can really be a useful thing to know, especially when timing for spring lines and trying to avoid potential wet slides.

Aside from routes, Sperry also includes a section about traverses, which could be done in a day by the hardy and as overnights by those wanting a slower tour. These traverses usually include areas already mentioned in the text.

Last, no Sperry book would be complete without his famous “Teasers” section. I’d say he has more teasers than usual, totaling 25 in all. There’s just a lot of cool things to ski in these parts!

A Closer Look at the Trailheads

I’ve mentioned this before in my other reviews of Sperry’s books and I still feel the same – the trailheads can be a bit confusing and this continues to be an issue in Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Vol 2 – North of Interstate 70. Sperry lists the trailheads in the route description, but then readers must flip through the trialhead section until they find it, or refer to the table of contents at the front of the book to find the page number where the trailhead description is located. I believe that organizing the trailheads in alphabetical order, rather than the order that they appear in the book, might make it more user friendly. Alternatively, Sperry could include the page number of the trialhead in the route description, just as he does with the maps and photos.

This confusion transfers over to the maps where trailheads are marked with a “P”, but no name or number associated with them. One must look at the route number in order to take a guess at which trailhead is being shown on the map. Adding some sort of naming of trialheads on the map might help to make navigation easier.

Evolution of Giterdun

Fritz Sperry publishes under his own company, Giterdun Publishing. This is Sperry’s third book to write and fourth one to publish. Sperry’s first book was Making Turns in the Tenmile Mosquito Range published in 2012 and his second was the first of this series – Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Volume 1: South of Interstate 70. In 2013, Giterdun also published Backcountry Skiing and Ski Mountaineering in Rocky Mountain National Park by Mark Kelly.

While all of these books are valuable resources to Front Range backcountry skiers, each guidebook Sperry publishes continues to be an improvement over the last. Vol. 2 – North of I-70, is better organized and more succinct, yet still full of valuable information. We look forward to more publications from Giterdun and more guidebooks from Fritz Sperry.

The Wrap on Sperry’s Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Vol. 2 – North of Interstate 70

I always look forward to another Fritz Sperry book! Why? Because there’s always something in them I’ve never heard of skiing. Sure, Sperry includes classic and popular routes in his books, but he also includes lesser traveled zones as well. Of course, in publishing his very own guidebooks you could argue he is shaping the future of backcountry skiing, and perhaps some of these lesser known routes will become classics of their own. Either way, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more thorough guidebook that Sperry’s, either in-print or out of print, for nearly any zone he publishes about.

As a whole, Sperry has put together yet another highly valuable resource for Front Range backcountry ski and snowboarding routes that are north of Interstate-70. Sperry’s guidebook is full of detailed information that will get you to the trailhead and up and down the mountain safely. Any Front Range skier will find Making Turns in Colorado’s Front Range, Vol 2 – North of Interstate 70 a great addition to their library. I know that we are happy to have this one standing beside our stacks of other cherished guidebooks!

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Local skier and Fort Lewis alum Andy Sovick released his second edition of his Silverton backcountry skiing book: Off-Piste Ski Atlas Silverton, CO. Like the Crested Butte version, this guidebook is a Cliff Notes version for backcountry skiing in the area. Each section contains the basics: the trailhead, elevations, aspects, an amazing aerial photo, and a brief description. The rest is up to you.

The San Juans are one of my favorite ranges for backcountry skiing anywhere. Lots of vertical, plentiful snowfall most seasons, and terrific access thanks to the miners of the late 1800’s. Silverton lies in the heart of the range, and if you haven’t been, you should go. Most of the Silverton backcountry that we’ve done has been centered on the alpine peaks away from the highway 550 corridor. The Silverton Off-Piste Ski Atlas, however, concentrates on the popular routes with easy highway access, though there are a couple of new ones off of county road 2. Many of these routes are suitable for mid winter powder skiing, rather than limited to springtime descents.

I like the style of this book. The routes in this book are for somewhat experienced backcountry skiers- and for those users the basic information that the book provides should be enough. Like the Crested Butte book, the Silverton Off Piste Ski Atlas also codifies the run names- an important consideration in the event of an accident and a call to Search and Rescue.

The book is small and lightweight and is meant to go with you in your pack. Like the Crested Butte version, the second edition is made of weather resistant paper, so you should be able to leave it in your pack without it getting ruined from the elements. One of my complaints in the last version was that the action photos didn’t always match the route. In the updated version, that isn’t a problem anymore. Way to fix those issues, Andy!

The first edition was published in 2014, but the 2016 version adds a few new routes, as well as pertinent avalanche information – like what avalanche rating is acceptable to ski each route and and important hazards to be aware of. So if you have the old one, it might be worth upgrading.

The Off-Piste Ski Atlas can be found in our store:

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Local skier Andy Sovick and friends put together a lightweight, bare bones Crested Butte backcountry skiing guidebook. The atlas contains only the most relevant information, such as aspect and location, along with aerial photos of the zone.

If you are looking for an in-depth guidebook, this isn’t it. While there are directions to the trailhead, and a general discussion of skintrack locations, that’s it. No hand-holding here. Likewise, if you’re looking for some history and background, this isn’t the place for that either. Why is a run on Schuykill called Yogi’s? I’m not exactly sure of that myself, although I am fairly certain it was named by the old heli-op that operated in the 70’s and 80’s. Raise your hand if you knew that there was a heli op in Crested Butte. Because the atlas was meant to be small and portable, the Crested Butte off-piste ski atlas cuts to the chase.

The reason for the guidebook, as stated by Andy, is for safety. After all, if a member of your party is injured or in an avalanche, which will help search and rescue more- “We’re on Schuykill, by that opening in the trees a little ways down”, or “We’re about a third of the way down Thanksgiving bowl on the skier’s left hand side.” For areas with runs that look similar but are decidedly not, the atlas should also help skiers avoid dropping in in places where they didn’t mean to.

I’ve heard some grumblings around town about this book. To that, I have to ask just how many days it takes for a Crested Butte transplant to find out about Coney’s or Snodgrass? The areas in this book are largely the “low hanging fruit” that almost every backcountry skier knows about anyway. As someone I know and respect once said, “If you’re worried about a few photos ruining your stash, you’re doing it wrong”. If you think there are too many people in the backcountry these days, I agree with you. But it’s the gear, not a guidebook, that’s causing it.

The first edition was published in 2013, but the 2016 version adds a few new routes, as well as pertinent avalanche information – like what avalanche rating is acceptable to ski each route and and important hazards to be aware of. So, if you have the 2013 edition, it might be worth the upgrade. Also, the materials seem to have gotten an upgrade as well, and should withstand the elements better if you’re carrying it with you (and that’s the whole idea!).

In short, whether you’re an old vet like me or a Crested Butte Newbie, the Off-Piste Ski Atlas deserves a look and a place on your bookshelf, or better yet, your pack. This is THE Crested Butte backcountry skiing guidebook!

The Off-Piste Ski Atlas can be found in our store:

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During my trip to the Tetons last spring I was, needless to say, pretty excited about future ski mountaineering trips to the Jackson area. We were able to ski the classic Skillet Glacier route on Mount Moran as well as the Middle Teton, but obviously that only scratches the surface of what is available.

So when we were in Jackson, I hunted down and found a copy of Thomas Turiano’s Teton Skiing: A History & Guide To The Teton Range. Once home, I devoured the book with thoughts of skiing many of the lines within the book. The major landmark lines tend to have a thorough recounting of the first descent, while minor lines often have no more than a sentence or two. Rather than proclaim descents as “first descents”, this book simply calls them “Early Descents”, which is an easy way of avoiding any controversies as to who really skied what first. The amount of information packed into this book is simply astounding, with every conceivable peak and subpeak mentioned to some degree.

As a guidebook, very little information is actually given for the routes. While skiers accustomed to step-by-step climbing instructions may be dismayed, this book’s format leaves skiers to discover the routes for themselves. Trailhead directions could be more clear, however.

At times the book can bog down in a ___peak skied by ___skier in ___year on the ___face format. A new edition of the book would be a huge improvement from the current 1995 edition, and countless descents have been made since that time. What would really improve the book more than anything, however, would be more pictures with the routes labeled. While this would probably increase the price of the book considerably, a picture can sometimes be worth a thousand words, as the saying goes.

All in all, the staggering amount of information within this book is what truly sets it apart. The Tetons may be the only range in North America to receive such a worthwhile history book. While this book may not have the same “eye candy photos” appeal to light a fire within the heart of a ski mountaineer, the history alone makes up for it. Two thumbs up from this ski mountaineer, and a must-have for any ski-mountaineering library.

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The camp was the epicenter for nearly every American who knew anything about skiing, climbing, or any other outdoor activity at the time. Of course, I use the term “American” loosely, since you were just as likely to hear Norwegian or Swedish or a number of other languages at the camp. And this is one of the big reasons why I think everyone who loves mountain sports owes a debt of gratitude to Camp Hale. Because of the skills that congregated at the camp, American climbing and skiing took a big leap forward. After the war, 10th Mountain veterans went on to start ski areas, build outdoor companies, and so much more. Meanwhile, the army surplus skis and other equipment were readily available and cheap after the war- and the booming American economy provided plenty of money for those who were interested.

This was the time when my dad began skiing. I’m not sure if he would have today, now that things are so expensive, unfortunately. And that means that I never would have skied, which is a life I can barely even imagine.

Circling back to the book, that’s why it appealed to me. Knowing a bit more about Camp Hale means I know a little bit more about myself, in a round-about way. Without Camp Hale, outdoor sports in America would be a much different place. Given the number of photos and notes that take up the last 60 pages or so, World War 2 at Camp Hale is a quick read, and worth the time. For more information and places where the book can be purchased, visit the publisher’s website.

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