Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal

28/03/2025

The FIS Alpine World Cup is also known as the “White Circus.”
The Circus came to Sun Valley for a week.
Circus is indeed an appropriate name!

03/03/2025

Idaho Hot Potato!!!
We’re ready to ship the new issue, so for those of you have already subscribed, thanks! The response has been amazing! If you haven’t reserved your copy yet, please do so soon if you can.
Ascentbackcountry.com!
In this issue we’ve got stories from Austria, Italy, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, China, and Norway. Plus 25 Years of the Chuting Gallery, and a profile of photographer , and so much more.
It’s our best issue ever!

24/02/2025

The winter 2025 guides and friends summit and retreat, France. A great time with friends from all over the world! So much skiing that we’re not posting any photos, just friends who made it so memorable. Can’t wait until next time! Thanks to and for the wonderful planning and hospitality in La Grave and Chamonix, and the our hosts in LaGrave at La Gite Rocher for the accommodations and for enabling, and then putting up with our shenanigans. Also for the amazing food and wine. Until we all meet again…

15/01/2025

Here are your choices, for the cover of the next issue, and our last one this year! Please pick your top 3, and tell us in what order. It's a tough decision, so your help is always appreciated!

25/11/2024

Here we go for the 2025 winter. Our friends at had another successful trip to the white continent to kick things off, and with decent snow storms covering the western US with early season powder, the year is off to a great start! Stay safe, and have fun in your early season pursuits, and hope you can find the time to subscribe to Ascent!

07/10/2024

12/09/2024

Wasatch friends! Hope to see you tonight at the umpteenth annual fundraiser at in Salt Lake City! Stop by the Ascent booth and say hi, we’ll be offering a special deal for subscriptions for the coming winter with a gift for those as well, and will have copies of the current issue to pick up too. Come on by and have a cold brew, talk about ski touring, and support the UAC- helping to keep you on top of the greatest snow on earth! See you there!

16/07/2024

Regular readers of Ascent know that we like to celebrate the historic accomplishments and pioneering adventures of those who have shown us what is possible in our sport. Growing up and learning to ski tour in the Wasatch in the 1980’s was literally a world away, but awe inspiring nonetheless, of the accomplishments that my friends and I thought we were emulating of the first true “extreme” skier, Sylvain Saudan the Swiss legend “ skier of the impossible.” He truly showed what slopes might be possible to descend on skis, providing inspiration and imagination for adventurous skiers for many generations, and did it with style. Sylvain Saudan 9/23/36- 7/14/24

03/07/2024

Our friends at KPCW radio in Park City have been doing a series on magazine publishers in the outdoor world on the show “This Mountain Life.” Tomorrow morning (7/3) at 9am mountain time will air a conversation with Ascent publisher Paul Oelerich. If you can find the time, give it a listen, or check it out when you can later at KPCW.org. It’s a worthwhile conversation on the state of print magazines, their history, and the future of niche publications. Thanks to the fantastic hosts and for their support of print media! Photos courtesy of

20/04/2024

01/04/2024

In an effort to reduce crowded slopes, and direct more be**ers into the backcountry, Sun Valley has implemented an ingenious new Sun Valley Ski and Snowboard Competency Sills Test and Exam Protocol (SVSASCSTAEP). If you fail the test you have two choices, either wear the designated vest, or try your luck out of bounds. Fear not however for there is a loophole if you can’t hack it in the backcountry! Simply purchase a subscription to ASCENT for a chance to retake the test. **er

01/04/2024

In an effort to keep slopes less crowded and direct more be**ers to the backcountry where they belong, Sun Valley has now instituted a new Sun Valley Ski and snowboard competency skills test and exam. (SVSASCSTAE). Those who fail this rigorous test have two choices, either wear the pictured designating skier vest, or try your luck in the backcountry. Chances are you won’t have the skill to hack it out of bounds, but fear not. A purchase of an Ascent subscription qualifies you for a second chance at the exam!
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