| | |  | Ski Clothing: Women's | Home » » Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series) | | | | | | | Description: | | Martin Volken and his co-authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountains. The guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and ski mountaineering, from planning wilderness trips to perfecting turns in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. For those skiers ready for a more technical, high alpine environment, they draw on traditional mountaineering skills, including roped climbing, setting protection anchors, using ice axes, climbing on bare rock, and more. In addition to mastering techniques, Backcountry Skiing also features information on recent evolutions in ski equipment; avalanche safety tips; a primer on mountain weather and glaciers, trip planning tools, a discussion of emergency situations, nutrition and fitness advice, and winter camping basics. Throughout this guide, a special emphasis is put on being well-informed and making good decisions-whenever you strap on your skis and skins and head out into the backcountry. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Martin Volken | | Paperback:
| 339 pages | | Publisher:
| Mountaineers Books | | Publication Date:
| November 30, 2007 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 1594850380 | | Product Length:
| 8.83 inches | | Product Width:
| 6.64 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.84 inches | | Package Length:
| 8.4 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.9 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.25 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 11 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 11 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 found the following review helpful:
 The Best Soup-to-Nuts Primer on How to Ski the BackcountryDec 16, 2007
By Booker
"Booker"
It's bizarrre: For as huge as backcountry skiing has grown, the definitive "how-to" manual hasn't been written. Until now.
I own everything from Lito Tejado-Flores' ancient book "Backcountry Skiing" to the slim "Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book" and about three avvie and ski-guidebooks. None of those has everything that today's newbie Alpine ski-tourer needs to know.
But this book by Schell, Wheeler and Volken has it all. And while experienced backcountry skiers might be able to skip parts of chapters, and skim others, this longtime backcountry skier was surprised (and a little embarrassed) how much he learned -- the mountain-guide authors cover in detail things like seated belays, various shelters, placing protection on ice, and building several kinds of anchors. Pair this book with an even more detailed avalanche-awareness book (or better, a class) and you'll be ready for the mountains this winter.
7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 A Must-Have For Your Guidebook LibraryDec 14, 2007
By Christopher G. Miske
"Chris"
Scott Schell, Margaret Wheeler and Martin Volken have teamed together to write the definitive guidebook on backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. All three authors, who are either IFMGA or AMGA certified mountain guides, have organized the discipline of backcountry skiing into ten concise chapters that take the reader through such topics as gear selection, avalanche preparedness, ski mountaineering, and mountain rescue techniques. One highlight of the book is the clear photos and graphics to demonstrate the useful skills and ideas that are helpful in the backcountry. For example, I recently used the skin cutting guide for my new touring skis. The step-by-step instructions and accompanying photos walk you through the essentials to match your skins perfectly to your skis. Instead of just describing what specific items you need for safe travel in the backcountry, the book has clear pictures of such items and procedures as a basic ski mountaineering rack, building an emergency sled, and crevasse rescue just to name a few. Make sure you have a highlighter and sticky notes to mark important information for you'll find yourself returning to this handy guidebook time and again for further reference. "Backcountry Skiing" is designed for both the experienced backcountry skier looking to hone his/her skills and the novice seeking to strectch his/her limits outside the ski area boundary.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Great Book on the Best Type of SkiingJan 17, 2008
By Alfromcolorado
"Wish I Could Get Some News"
This is a great book. Not too basic and not too advanced for someone wanting to get into the best way to ski-the earn your turns way.
I used to teach alpine touring and ski mountaineering in the army and this would have been a great book to have around as the textbook. We taught all of this and then went in depth on the important items like avalanche safety (avoidance) and rescue. This book gives a beginning or intermediate ski mountaineer a taste and encourages AIARE level one certification (I recommend level two personally...)
I still have my copy of the past standard, Peter Cliff's out of print classic "Ski Mountaineering" (no, I won't be selling it on EBay) and this is an improvement on it.
It is great for learning and a great review for those that think they remember everything. I got some good tips on gear that, damn, I SHOULD have known!!!
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Comprehensive and PracticalDec 10, 2007
By D. Brady
Nothing is left out of this comprehensive guide. I have been backcountry skiing for several years, but this book still had many new ideas for me. And a beginner would find a huge amount of practical advice - would save years worth of trial and error on your own! The steep snow and glacier travel sections are also really well done.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommendedJan 06, 2008
By Midwest Book Review
The collaborative effort of Martine Volken (IFMGA certified Swiss Mountain Guide, founder and owner of Pro Guiding Services and Pro Ski Service of North Bend, Washington); Scott Schell, and certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides Scott Shell and Margaret Wheeler, "Backcountry Skiing: Skills For Ski Touring And Ski Mountaineering" is an informed and informative instructional guide and manual for skiing safely in winter mountain terrains and trails. Aspiring skiers are provided with intermediate to advanced level techniques for ski touring and mountaineering; skills for mastering uphill travel; primers on mountain weather and avalanche safety; practical advice on selecting gear, troubleshooting, and adapting to varying conditions; vital information on constructing emergency shelters and sleds; as well as a wealth of useful tips for wilderness trip planning and navigation. Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommended for anyone contemplating skiing mountain terrain in winter conditions anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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