Each winter, skiers and snowboarders duck the lines that separate in-bounds from out at ski areas throughout Western Canada. Enticed by the untracked terrain beyond the ropes, many do so without avalanche training and the gear that could save their lives if the slope goes for a slide. Here’s how you can prepare yourself for your next slip into slackcountry.

We all hope we’ll adventure furiously in the mountains for years and years without incident. But each and every time we step out into the great outdoors – each time we seek that joy-filled rush only the mountains can bring – we tap into the potential that something will go wrong. For Abby Cooper, getting caught in an avalanche was a wake-up call to trust her gut feelings. Here is her story.

We all know things can go wrong in the mountains. We prepare ourselves by taking courses, gearing up, and carrying our emergency beacons. But are we prepared for what comes after a trauma?

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a backcountry pro, west of Calgary the Rocky Mountains have more terrain than you could ever hope to cover. From steep couloirs to mellow glades, you don’t need to drive far to hit the uptrack! Check out these popular touring areas – all within 200 km of Calgary.

When you have an opportunity to join mountain man Jim Buckingham in the outdoors (or anywhere), you take it. Writer Nathan Jones spends a day on skis with the Banff legend, and comes away with some great turns – and wisdom to go with them. Turns out, the only way to have the good days is to get out every day…

In an industry that can sometimes have a reputation for serving sass and crass, UNLTD is dedicated to sprinkling positivity everywhere, from the ski hills to the skateboard parks. It’s this different attitude that has helped to outfit skateboarders and snowboarders in carefully-selected, top brands for the past 25 years.

When wildflowers take over the once snow-covered mountain slopes, avalanche specialists in the Canadian Rockies are far from done their job of keeping us safe. Come summer, many professionals from Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada are still busy with avalanche work. What are they up to when the snow stops flying?

Opening Day. It’s the day all ski and snowboard enthusiasts look forward to – a chance to be among the first up the chair and down the slopes. But opening a mountain for skiing isn’t as simple as turning on a lightbulb – far from it. Sarah Magyar from the Lake Louise Ski Resort walks us through what goes on behind the scenes.

Calling off a mission is not easy. Mountain folk tend to suffer from serious FOMO and have a hard time saying “no” to the peaks, their friends, and the potential for a great time. But, sometimes bailing on an adventure is the right thing to do. Abby Cooper outlines the factors that influence these decisions and provides a mental checklist to help you make the right call.

It’s hard to come by a better spokesperson for avalanche safety than Marty Schaffer. This ACMG Ski Guide has grown up in the ski industry his whole life, works closely with Avalanche Canada, and now runs his own ski guiding operation, CAPOW – Canadian Powder Guiding. He gives us the low-down on why backcountry ski and snowboard enthusiasts should upgrade their Avalanche Skills Training, what an AST 2 course has to offer, and what the biggest mistakes are that he’s seen in avalanche terrain assessment.

Christine Feleki is a Canmore native who is about to push some serious boundaries. Contributor Abby Cooper caught up with Christine to hear about her current venture to become one of the first female splitboarding guides to take the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) test. Turns out, she is one of those incredibly humble and driven human beings that make you want to live a better life, love more, and be a better person. She must be from Canmore…

Many ski towns once started with an entirely different industry in mind: mining. Abby Cooper clips in to explore the relics of the mines in Fernie and Kimberley, B.C., linking turns as much as linking together the stories of a bygone era.