About: The High Route

There’s a common saying that goes like this: a mile wide and an inch deep. Here at The High Route, this is the antithesis of our editorial philosophy. We’ll go a mile deep, or a kilometer deep to keep things metric, and maintain a backcountry specific mountain culture focus. We’re interested in human powered backcountry turns on snow. That includes exploring how you access those turns, discussing best-practices, and how to ensure you return home for more mountain adventures.

We love backcountry skiing and we’re here to celebrate that. Expect deep and thorough gear reviews. Expect honest commentary. And expect us to have some fun with this project.

To be transparent, we are inspired by the group behind the Escape Collective; a recently launched cycling website. (Check them out, these are good folks.) They write that part of their mission is to “prefer to be everything to someone, not something to everyone.”

We share similar values. As a site funded by the backcountry community, we understand who we are writing for. The folks driving the spirit of The High Route are Adam Fabrikant, Billy Haas, Sam Hennessey, Gavin Hess, Alex Lee, and Jason Albert.

All this means reader support makes us viable. If you have specific questions about our mission, you can read our FAQs where we expand a bit on what we aspire to be. If you don’t find answers there, please feel free to email us at editor@the-high-route.com.

The site’s name. The High Route has some etymological DNA in the haute route; the Alp’s storied wintertime high traverse. Moving through the mountains is what inspires us. More than anything else, we feel our name embodies a spirit that encourages seeking, and exploration, and a true sense of adventure where outcomes are somewhat unknown.

The name The High Route can be construed as sanctimonious too. Concerning our naming convention here, we don’t intend to be preachy or self-righteous. But the name is a reminder that our editorial mission and core values are cemented in seeing the community as partners, not simply potential eyes to register clicks, optimize traffic, and monetize.

We will make mistakes. But we’ll learn from them and hope you support us through those experiences.

Thanks for checking out The High Route.