We Fell into a Burning Ring of Fire

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Outside magazine, March 2001

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We Fell into a Burning Ring of Fire
Tread Lightly: A few words about environmentally responsible ski mountaineering


	Eighteen feet and rising Michael Darter

WHEN THE PERSON behind the desk at Mount Rainier's Paradise Ranger Station asks how many "blue bags" you want to pack up the mountain with you, take our advice and err on the side of plenty. The self-sealing, heavy-duty plastic sacks are the key to keeping Rainier's most popular routes relatively free of human waste. (If you think this isn't a big deal, consider the following: Last year, the portable toilets at Rainier's two high camps, Muir and Schurman, accumulated 15,600 pounds of excrement—every ounce of which had to be helicoptered off the mountain.) Blue bagging, however, is only part of the commitment you should make to minimum-impact ski mountaineering. Here are a few other points to keep in mind:

* Eat what you cook; pack out what you don't. It's a no-brainer, but we've gotta say it: Haul out all litter, even trash that's not yours. And remember that burying your garbage in the snow or tossing it into a crevasse is not an acceptable means of disposal.

* When camping on heavily trafficked routes on popular peaks such as Rainier or McKinley, be thoughtful and leave your snow structures standing for the next party. In more remote areas, knock them down to hide your traces.

* On tight bivouacs where snow is scant, avoid the few pristine patches of powder when it comes time to pee. Otherwise, you contaminate the water supply for you and everyone else.

Resources

Twenty years ago, ski-mountaineering guidebooks were largely nonexistent. Now, everyone's either an author or a reader. Below, a list of our favorites.

Location-Specific Guidebooks:
NORTH AMERICA
Wild Snow: 54 Classic Ski and Snowboard Descents of North America, by Louis Dawson.

THE ROCKIES
The Chuting Gallery, by Andrew McLean

Teton Skiing: A History and Guide to the Teton Range, Wyoming, by Thomas Turiano

*Wasatch Tours, by David Hanscom and Alexis Kelner

Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, by Louis Dawson

THE WEST COAST
*Backcountry Skiing Washington's Cascades, by Rainier Burgdorfer

Exploring the Coast Mountains on Skis, by John Baldwin

Cascade Alpine Guide: Volumes I, II, and III, by Fred Beckey

Backcountry Skiing California's High Sierra, by John Moynier

NEW ENGLAND
Backcountry Skiing Adventures: Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in Maine and New Hampshire, by David Goodman

*Classic Backcountry Skiing: A Guide to the Best Ski Tours in New England, by David Goodman

*Northern Adirondack Ski Tours of New York, by Tony Goodwin

General-Reference Guidebooks:
Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book: Traveling and Camping Skills for a Winter Environment, by Allen O'Bannon and Mike Clelland

Backcountry Skier: Your Complete Guide to Ski Touring, by Jean Vives

Backcountry Avalanche Awareness, by Bruce Jamieson

Free-Heel Skiing, by Paul Parker

Rock & Ice Gear, Equipment for the Vertical World, by Clyde Soles

* Out of print

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