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Backcountry Ski Touring — Making a Plan
MM ski guide Stephen Heath gives some basic, but important advice on planning your backcountry adventure
Getting to places like this doesn’t just happen. It takes some work, physical work of hauling yourself up the mountain. But even before that you have to put in the work of doing your homework.
It’s the quiet time at home, in a backcountry hut, or on the drive to your destination. It’s a necessary pre-tour routine, before you even put your gear on, when you set yourself up to make good decisions before you’re out in it.
![Backcountry Fundamentals 5](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=b9ea61d0510f6f2c551e4701685d4b81 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=45aaea97aaa4f9e031dc2354cbd7abbd 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=c64585b2cf48f542cc5603bae35f026d 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=c4a371292519b3e20795436841c952d2 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=179049ea4de516082a9b9852c8aebcc1 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=9312adcbb8e3aa9a3da37bae5a5b473e 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=146e9e9b9ff4000777482c8bcbe4b44b 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=14f369cbc3626d3195340261aa823fc4 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=b85cc0ac773a6ff02476767418511b8d 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=d8df396f1e25bbe3b6b66b13fd8ab585 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Backcountry-Fundamentals-5.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=a398883f52b55fef32c4b7e4cca69de3 200w 167h)
![IMG 3207](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=354db29083c7bbe10aa30f21608fdb0a 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=1063178351396ed4fc9cf9fb375fd7f6 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=3c577f93d9817d77b29d17f235e6b649 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=6e13039c26c026a5251f2165cacb54ab 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=49e0e1e8f7c44800af167ea6a81561d7 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=3381a7de126b4a9234f9ff1daecdaa64 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=529e8af9c90254c38c28d5726ee192f0 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=542b680fbe2bf49058693a9aee2ee0c4 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=1f67503cc7a36b90f86a67e272b23ac5 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=bdbfd8ea2919362e59076f125e074f98 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_3207.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=4ee0dfefcb3b056e568ac62d112c07c9 200w 167h)
My goal at this time is to pre-bias myself to make good choices for that day’s conditions. If I don’t do this beforehand and I’m faced with a beautiful line with blower pow then I’m probably going to build a narrative that allows me to ski that line because powder is so compelling and I WANT TO GO TO THERE.
This is why we pre-bias ourselves by ruling out terrain based on the day’s conditions before we’re staring at it longingly. It’s often a difficult decision, one that palces good judgement over desire. The terrain we choose then to interact with is one of the few things we have complete control over and it’s the primary way we can mitigate our exposure to avalanches.
![cascades backcountry skiing powder with mountain madness](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=01db4da5a4ccc5dd67fa20e0c8fe0d05 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=56a7a01bb75c48103161a78c28d9ed55 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=d513c1b3264824b56647d7e8b510789f 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=c67056d4fd3bb9d0d730d7c4b07a8e64 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=3a1b99a04d4b5fb092328f8d5da9beab 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=589afb61e26bc3b86179b04f7cc8586d 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=bb8ea074128c23bbe6ca7c25a00e6ab7 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=25168064eae0689b6904d068a0b120ea 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=17f56fa23933be449ed88eaf6a66b6db 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=d5dc8ac7c6560ec83d05aea389e40a7b 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/IMG_2294_2022-03-11-232340_jgiu.f1647041161.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=d3e839d9af90f4717cdc05cc728cec70 200w 167h)
![Shutterstock 1306457782](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=69e08e150f36fe6ce8a43d8299e2d153 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=5bcb3bf55b79b15840f7e20e514a4734 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=69f363c03fa5d85d90fb1275a7014a03 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=ae7d22297308d935c0daa2e5ac5e0ec4 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=f5b2fc02d7b4595bf02f376387484b38 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=1d671fa46d50170e634794c9e8d04bbd 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=9931795c6fa9dace95937171312c6ddf 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=1c9f4e18694355adaeea52814a036789 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=e1f403dac571b66a9adc39cc0ba66077 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=4ac87e38d2abcdfec4e065e75d06361f 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/shutterstock_1306457782_2022-03-11-232426_ghde.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=5fa08bd8c592b57a90c9f988bae70f11 200w 167h)
![Nice Run Tino](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=22d21f39851ec3ce66cdd62b932af5d1 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=9df9c84ace200ffabd1e0534f2cee1ef 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=2dd110104478d7200e0b4923c1347d0c 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=99da251e34bcfa1e70e8aaec0b63b78f 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=6e43795f3c1d9436c59036ffef8cb425 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=67c1a05b7cdd31f8d632e68fe3d13a60 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=8b60174aaf3b00c95208fffaafa71204 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=44e581987337f328a98876f356ae3d1c 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=ea0904edb4c07d9f3f9683bd2724418c 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=18dd213394cc10af9f36099d9b78787d 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/Nice-Run-Tino.f1647041681.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5774&fp-y=0.5315&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=f68097dd3b66a73a125ee16bef5a0570 200w 167h)
Your local avalanche center has all the information you need to make these terrain choices for the day. Choosing where you’re going to go but also, and perhaps more importantly, where you’re not going to go.
Put in the time to dig into the avy forecast for your zone, not just reading the primary problems, but also the forecast discussion and any observations that were submitted.
Set yourself up for success, have a plan and be observant of what’s happening out there.