We’ll start this start of Feb. news segment with some basic gear/industry news. On the lighter side of the news, BCA, or Backcountry Access, has a logo rebrand moving forward. The letters “B,” “C,” and “A” still stand proud with enough of a spiffing up to offer a fresh look.
BCA says, “The logo design represents a blending of a mountain motif, lightning bolt of energy and change, and the iconic BCA letters that have a well-earned association with promoting access and saving lives through reliable, easy-to-use products and consumer education. BCA’s new brand manifesto is a striking reminder: Going into the backcountry isn’t exiting the real world, it’s entering it.”
Keeping it simple with a BCA logo rebrand.
On the hard goods front, there are lots of teasers out there. Atomic has announced some new skis for the 2024-2025 season, including a few that Gavin has been roaming about on—a Backland 102 and a Backland FR 109. These skis replace the Backland 100 and 107, respectively. If you see Gavin on these boards, you might notice this: a slightly slower pace (the skis are mounted with the 800g SHIFT2), a pivot from his beloved and svelte Garo Titans. With the news of the new ski drop, the odds are in your favor that you can find a deal on the worthy Backland 107 this spring.
New for 2024, the Atomic Backland FR 109.
The list of new gear dropping could go on and on. And damn, if this time of year doesn’t tug at the “I need new gear” strings,” which, if you are honest with yourself, your bank account, and the landfills, you might not need new schwag—eeking out another season with the stuff you’ve got might suffice.
Yet, if your boot toe inserts are trashed and the rated 130 flex is now mushy, there’s eye candy for you. Tecnica spots up with a new iteration of the Zero-G Tour Pro. According to Tecnica, the upgrade comes with a nominal weight reduction, a slight increase in range of motion, some fit modifications, and the same old reliable four buckle and stiff, responsive ride.
Dynafit’s new Ridge Pro Boot.
Dynafit jumps on the Gavin and Slator bandwagon with the release of their new Ridge Pro boot. Set firmly in the 2 buckle + category, the Ridge Pro (and Ridge) features the Hoji Lock system and a floating tongue (a new feature), which promises to accommodate a variety of foot instep volumes and help secure the foot in place when skiing. THR should be on the Ridge Pro in the next few weeks, and we’ll have a first look for folks soonish. We’ve seen weights in the 1250g range, but the folks at Skimo.Co has the 27.5 weighing 1350g.
The gear news expands with a more sobering perspective. Last month, an in-bounds avalanche at Tahoe’s Palisades killed one skier, while three other skiers were caught in the slide, one of which was buried and rescued.
According to a paper presented at the 2023 ISSW titled Characteristics of Inbounds Avalanche Fatalities at United States Ski Areas, “During the past two decades, an average of about one public avalanche fatality per season occurred within the boundaries of a U.S. ski area. A total of 17 people were killed in 14 avalanches.” (We’ll have more on this paper at a later date.)
With another atmospheric river pounding California, it is safe to assume all eyes are on in-bounds safety.
Late last month, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Palisades Tahoe had not bombed the run on which the avalanche occurred as part of their daily mitigation practices. According to the piece, the lower snow totals overnight did not warrant mitigation with explosives. The spokesperson for the area, Patrick Lacey, stated, “Our patrol conducted a thorough assessment, as is their routine every morning, clearing the terrain for opening. Generally, we refrain from using charges when there is minimal snowfall. Nonetheless, our team diligently evaluates the slope daily, regardless of the prevailing conditions.”
As noted in many reports, the snowpack in the region had been “complicated” and atypical.
The mention of the above incident is relevant, as Brighton, on Jan. 17, opened their Milly Bowl only to those carrying a beacon, shovel, and probe. Some resorts require skiers to carry safety gear when accessing unmitigated zones. (Note—we’re not calling this sidecountry, to dispel the myth that you’re 100% safe from avalanches when accessing terrain from a ski resort. Out of bounds, even just slightly out of bounds, consider it backcountry.)
All this got a discussion going on here at THR about avalanche safety gear and potential litigation from inbounds accidents relating to natural hazards —that backcountry users often take precautions to assess and avoid—like avalanches. Is it possible that some resorts prone to weak snowpacks will require users to carry a beacon at a minimum and possibly a probe and shovel? And if this becomes a norm, how would that impact transceiver development moving forward, as the market size for such products would likely increase exponentially?
Recall the story about Doug Coombs faking a BCA beacon to ski the ridge at Bridger Bowl (my beloved home hill) by seeing a block of wood I to a yellow and black sock, and bypassing an electronic beacon checker by using a disposable camera flash….”oh, the elegance”