Death and Desire in the Backcountry

Oceans and lakes provide pleasure to countless people–but can also kill. The same holds true of snow in the mountains.

In Final Tracks: Earlier this winter, three men went snowboarding in Crystal Mountain’s backcountry. They haven’t been seen since. What happened? And what makes the backcountry so alluring?, Courtney Nash talks about three Washington men who disappeared in a snow storm and were presumably killed in an avalanche. Nash provides a little information about avalanches themselves, but even more about the appeal of the backcountry, taking risks, and the most important piece of safety equipment.

Why do people bother going into dangerous situations? Says Nash:

In the backcountry, you feel more alive because you’re wholly responsible for your own survival. Surrounded by beauty that could kill, every moment is heightened. Combine that with thousands of feet of untouched powder, and the draw for any skier or boarder becomes even more apparent.

Are such people reckless? Not necessarily: risk is all around us, and something we accept as part of our everyday lives. When it comes to the backcountry, says Nash, there is a wide spectrum of possibilities.

What is the most important piece of equipment to have?

The hardest thing to acknowledge after people die in the backcountry is this: Being caught in an avalanche is not an accident. It is the result of a combination of terrain, conditions, and human judgment. Your brain, not an avalanche beacon, is the most important piece of equipment to bring into the backcountry.

Nash brings a personal dimension to the story, both as a backcountry skier generally, and as someone who ended up in avalanche country while researching a story on avalanches.

It’s a great read, even if you never have plans to leave the groomed slopes.