Winter Dispatch: 013
All things uphilling plus first responders ski for free, Uber Ski, + climate change.
Good morning! I’m up in Breckenridge this weekend so today’s letter is short but sweet so I can get out on the slopes!!! Hope you’re able to get some turns in this weekend before the Kendrick show on Sunday.
Chairlift Chatter
Mammoth Mountain and Big Bear are giving first responders a well-deserved thank-you in the form of free lift tickets – including for those who battled the recent SoCal wildfires. Through the rest of the season, firefighters, police officers, and EMTs from the US, Mexico, and Canada can ski for free every Tuesday and Wednesday. Love this!
In an exciting move, Uber is leaning into ski culture. ‘Uber Ski’ vans equipped with ski and snowboard racks will transport riders to and from over 90 ski destinations across Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, and Switzerland.
- (aka Wishbone Kitchen) broke the internet (and her ACL, poor girl) with a veryyyy luxe ski trip in Montana sponsored by Montage Big Sky. You may have seen her 85640 social posts about it. If not, congrats on spending less time on TikTok than me. She shared her Big Sky favs here.
Kings + Queens of Corbet’s is back this weekend in Jackson Hole! You can also watch via YouTube this year to watch athletes who are simply built differently hurl themselves down the couloir with zero hesitation.
And in some truly sad news: Sandia Peak Ski Area in New Mexico is closed until further notice due to warm temperatures and lack of snow. It’s been a bizarre winter across the country (for many reasons), and while I could do a deep dive into climate change, the short version is: it’s really awful. I’m currently in Breckenridge, where it’s 42 degrees in February at 9,680 feet.
Uphilling is trending.
Chances are, you’ve noticed more people slogging uphill at resorts lately. Maybe you’ve even done a double take, wondering if they missed the memo about chairlifts. At this point, the pic of someone skinning up a mountain is becoming equivalent to the fish pic on dating apps. Uphilling – also known as “skinning” or “ski touring”– has gained major traction at resorts across the US in the past few years. Once reserved for hardcore backcountry skiers, it's now attracting a broader (and slightly less intense) audience looking for a serious workout, some mountain serenity, and, let’s be honest, a great IG flex.
Like a lot of people, I got into backcountry skiing during COVID. Living in Bend, Oregon at the time I had the perfect playground to test out my gear on low-angle terrain (generally, slopes under 30 degrees are considered lower risk for avalanches). Admittedly, my training back then consisted of binge-watching YouTube tutorials and demo’ing a touring setup before taking the plunge and buying my own. Eventually, I got more serious and took an AIARE 1 course – a three-day deep dive into avalanche hazard management, including hands-on rescue training. Super informative, though I quickly realized avalanche skills are very much “use it or lose it.”
While backcountry skiing is incredibly fun and rewarding, it’s also insanely high-risk and requires a significant amount of preparation. It’s been very fun to see so many people getting into in-bounds uphilling – it gives you all the fitness benefits with way fewer life-or-death calculations. If you're considering giving it a go, here are a few reasons to make the switch from the treadmill to the skin track:
Skip the gym, get outside. Uphilling is a lung-busting, heart-pounding cardio workout that, in my experience, rivals sprinting on a treadmill – except with better views and no fluorescent lighting.
It’s way cheaper than lift tickets. With single-day lift passes hitting eye-watering prices, skinning up the mountain is an appealing alternative. Many resorts offer free or low-cost uphill access, usually around $30-$50 for a season pass. That’s like 10% of the cost of a single-day ticket at Vail or Park City.
Avalanche risk is significantly lower (but not nonexistent). Unlike the backcountry, resort-based uphill routes are patrolled and controlled for avalanches, making it a much safer option – especially for those still learning the ropes. No need to stress about reading a snowpack report or meticulously planning your route before heading out.
You don’t have to be a pro. Most resorts have designated uphill routes on mellow green and blue runs, meaning if you have the gear and basic know-how, you’re good to go. No need to be a ski mountaineering pro – just slap on some skins and start climbing.
Uphilling might not replace powder days BUT it’s a solid way to get in shape, escape lift lines, and earn your turns. Plus, if nothing else, it gives you a great excuse to need more ski gear :) :) Speaking of which… here are my rapid fire ski touring picks!
Skis: I went with the Black Crows Navis Freebird touring skis – insanely lightweight and an absolute dream both on the uphill and the descent. After demoing a bunch of other brands, these were my favorites by a long shot.
Bindings: Touring bindings aren’t cheap (painful), but I’ve been really happy with my G3 Ion 10 100mm bindings. The transitions are smooth, they feel super secure, and have felt easier to use than others I’ve tried.
Skins: Couldn’t love my Pomoca skins more. I have the Pomoca Free Pro pink skins and shockingly, after several seasons, the glue is still holding strong. If you take good care of these bad boys, they’ll last a long time.
If you enjoy this letter, please share with friends! Feel free to respond here with ski-related intel, new products you’re loving, or just to say hi. Thanks for reading 💌
I got into skinning during COVID too. My first one was up Buttermilk in Aspen on my third day at 9K ft and it was not pretty — I cried a lot. But it’s SO much fun. Def type A fun. Would love to see your touring apparel setup.
One thing my husband and I love are Sprints hats which are moisture wicking quick dry hats designed for runners but are excellent hats on a sunny day skinning when a beanie is too much!
Having just uphilled I am going to say the trend is me 😉