Adventure Talks

Heading into the backcountry this season requires that skiers know the risks and how to safely manage them, especially in avalanche terrain. If you’re new to backcountry skiing, let internationally licensed mountain guide Rob Coppolillo teach you what you need to consider before leaving the groomers behind. From the avalanche courses you need to take to the safety gear you need to invest in to how to stay risk aware, in this Adventure Talk video, Rob shared with you some basic tools you can use on your backcountry journey. Rob focused this Adventure Talk on the one thing that every backcountry skier needs to learn — avalanche awareness and avoidance. This is not a replacement for formal avalanche education, but a primer on how to get started raising your level of awareness. With a little effort, humility, and willingness to learn, anyone can become a backcountry skier, and Rob will teach you about the importance of heading out with a guide and how they can help you prepare for backcountry adventuring in a safe way. Rob is the author of The Ski Guide Manual: Advanced Techniques for the Backcountry, as well as an AIARE Level 1 & 2 Instructor. His guidebooks are what guides turn to for info, so there is no better teacher than him! Sign up to get the video and find out how you can safely experience the magic of backcountry powder with the help of Rob Coppolillo.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Tetons is that these iconic mountains hold something for everyone. Their reputation for challenging and steep lines may proceed them, but this Wyoming ski hub has terrain that emcompasses everything from mellow touring to fun tree skiing, ridgeline traverses and grand couloirs, made all the more appealing by easy backcountry access. Join Betsy Manero and Rebecca Yaguda from The Mountain Guides as they take you on an adventure through this incredible area — covering everything from the history of women backcountry skiing in the Tetons to its modern heyday. When you combine the local conditions and the breadth of areas for ski touring — from Wyoming Range, Palisades, Teton Pass, Grand Teton National Park, Big Holes, Togwotee Pass and more — with the character of the ski runs, it’s an equation that makes for epic backcountry powder days. Betsy and Rebecca shared their wealth of knowledge on the area and gave you the tools you need to seek out the best spots for yourselves. They also delved into the all-women deep powder backcountry ski camp, which runs in March, and went over what makes the Tetons a great place to build community while leveling up your backcountry skills. This is a webinar for women who want to learn, ask questions in a welcoming space and connect with other women who share the same passion for outdoor adventure. If you want to discover what draws skiers from all over the world to this incredible location or hear more about what you’ll gain from a deep powder camp, check out this free webinar recording to find out!

British Columbia has a well deserved reputation for having the best skiing in the world, and its backcountry has seen a major surge in popularity amongst skiers in recent years. For skiers looking beyond the resorts for powder turns, remote backcountry ski lodges are the ultimate unplugged getaway — far from the crowds, it’s just you and your small group enjoying pristine wilderness ski touring without competition from the roadside throngs. Apart from being perfectly situated in ideal ski terrain, backcountry lodges offer a high level of service, guiding and catering that make these trips a relaxing world-class ski holiday. Most of the ski touring and ski mountaineering that is available at backcountry ski lodges tends to be classic skiing that is accessible to anyone with solid downhill ski skills and a good level of fitness. Think 30-35 degree deep powder, not Alaska couloirs! Let Tom Wolfe, ACMG and IFMGA Mountain Guide, introduce you to the best lodges in BC’s backcountry, focusing mainly on Burnie Glacier Chalet and Selkirk Lodge. Tom gave us a rundown of a typical day at a backcountry ski lodge and he also shared photos and videos of his favorite ski runs and offered advice on how to plan an adventure like this. If you’ve wondered what it’s like to be at a lodge, now is your chance to tune in and hear firsthand from a guide who’s been hosting clients at these lodges for more than a decade.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to climb Everest the right way, now is your chance to find out from the IFMGA Mountain Guide with three decades of extreme adventuring experience. In this free webinar recording, you’ll get a window into Willie’s first hand experiences with Everest, and hear from his long-time client who summited in 2017. This is a unique opportunity to hear from a guide who is passionate about protecting Everest and the local community through sustainable adventuring. During the hour, Willie talked about how to manage the crowds and set the right expectations, focusing on embracing the journey and avoiding summit tunnel vision. His client, Reagan Rick, shared his experiences, from training in Ecuador and the US to summiting the famous peak. If you want to know more about what the sustainable future of Mount Everest looks like, Willie discussed the changes he’s seen happen and what he’s doing to honor and protect this world-famous climbing destination. There’s no denying Mount Everest’s popularity, but if you tune into Willie’s presentation, you’ll see why there’s still magic in this majestic mountain. Check out this free webinar recording and find out what it takes to climb Everest from the guide who’s stood on the summit over a dozen times. From choosing the right training ground to setting micro-goals, learn how you can do your homework and prepare for an adventure like this.

Snowkiting is an exhilarating sport that can be embraced by anyone. Whether you’re playing in your own backyard or being pulled across the frozen Arctic, nothing beats the rush of gliding across the snow being pulled by the power of the wind.  Nobody knows this better than Dixie Dansercoer, world-renowned polar explorer and expert snowkiter, who has travelled to furthest reaches of the planet, often pulled by his snowkite along the way. Dixie has written the definitive book on snowkiting, Snowkiting: Freedom of Flow, and we’re giving away a copy during the webinar.  An expert on the sport, and Dixie shared the ins and outs you need to know to get started. With the right gear, a little preparation and some tips from this snowkiting expert, you’ll be ready to start snowkiting in no time. Joined by his former client turned adventure partner and avid snowkiter, Matthieu Tordeur, you’ll hear his journey of how Dixie helped him progress from a beginner to snowkiting in Antarctica. For backcountry skiers looking to climb faster and further, to kiteboarders looking to practice throughout the winter, to outdoor adventurers just looking to have fun, this is the webinar for you. Find out what it takes to get you started on your snowkiting journey.

It’s not hard to understand why Red Rock Canyon draws thousands of climbers from all over the world every year. Soaring walls stand like elegant paintings against the backdrop of the Las Vegas skyline, inviting climbers to experience the area’s incredible Aztec Sandstone. Whether you’re looking for “5.7 Heaven” or trying to redpoint your next project 1,000 feet off of the ground, Red Rock has what you are looking for. Red Rock Canyon is one place where it pays to climb like a local. There’s a local etiquette you need to be aware of, and knowing the logistical details of the area will make trip planning a lot easier. Cody covered topics like how and when to climb, signing up for late exit passes, which areas catch sun or shade, and how planning ahead for your big day out can help you spend your days on the rock rather than wandering through the desert in search of that perfect route. If you’ve ever wanted to climb on Red Rock’s famous sandstone, this is your chance to get all the info you need.

Nearly twice as tall as Yosemite’s El Cap, Eiger towers over the town of Grindelwald, Switzerland. Eiger’s iconic reputation is well-earned, having challenged even the most seasoned alpinists. While other classic peaks of the Alps were being summited, it wasn’t until 1938 that the North Face — also known as the Death Wall — of Eiger was first ascended. Since then, it’s claimed the lives of dozens of climbers who dare to take it on. With worn out gear from the 50s still in place, climbers will find themselves battling fickle weather, lots of rock-fall, ice, snow, and ever-changing conditions in sketchy alpine terrain to reach the top. Completing this climb is a serious and demanding endeavour that takes technical knowledge and intense preparation even by today’s modern standards, more than 80 years after the first ascent. IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide Jeff Witt ticked the famous 1938 Heckmair Route off his bucket list in 2010. Join Jeff as he recounts his story, shares photos, and goes into detail about what it takes to prepare and execute a climb of this magnitude.

From the North Pole to the South Pole and back again, Dixie Dansercoer has been leading polar expeditions for more than 30 years. An IPGA Master Guide, Dixie has adventured to the poles more than 40 times, broke a number of world records, and is one of only four people to have crossed the complete Arctic Ocean and Antarctic continent. If you’ve ever been curious about what it takes to become a polar explorer yourself, let Dixie take you on a one-hour adventure of a lifetime. Spoiler alert: you’ve got what it takes! From Lake Baikal to the Greenland Crossing to the North Pole, journey with Dixie as he shares insights, photos, videos and stories of adventuring at the world’s furthest reaches. Dixie discussed everything related to the different levels of polar exploration — and snow-kiting — and revealed what it takes to prepare for and execute adventures of this magnitude. 

This former fisherman’s village came on the kiteboarding scene in the 80s and has since become world-renowned for good reason: there aren’t too many kite places where you have flat warm water, wide open bays, radical waves and constant side onshore winds make kitesurfing conditions perfect for 300 days per year.  This Epic Adventure Webinar is hosted by Tracy Shayhorn, founder and co-owner of Cabarete Kite Point Kiteboarding School. Tracy is a former professional race car driver who went to Cabarete on vacation 10 years ago and never really left. Her partner and head instructor, Jose Luis Ciriaco, was the very first Dominican professional kitesurfer back in the early 2000s. Together, they live and breathe all things kiteboarding in Cabarete.  Check out this free webinar recording and join Tracy as she shares her story and dives deep into what makes Cabarete a prime kiteboarding location.

Join emission-free adventurer and ACMG Ski Guide Greg Hill, as he explores five famous skiing locations in search of the best powder the world has to offer. Is the best snow in Japan, Jackson Hole, the French Alps, seaside in Norway, or deep in the interior ranges of British Columbia? Greg has searched for powder in all these incredible areas. You’re invited to come along as he covers each location in depth, reliving his experiences and sharing photos and videos of his epic adventures. Greg is known all over the world for his backcountry skiing feats. He’s journeyed to Japan to shoot the perfect glove shot, taken a boat trip around Norway in search of the best sea to summit skiing, searched for beautiful backcountry snow on his first electric road trip to Jackson Hole, taken the first turns off the French Alps, and is in constant search for the untracked in his home range in British Columbia. When it comes to skiing, Greg has seen it all and done it all. Check out this free webinar recording, as Greg revisits his turns in each of these famous powder locations. Which location will Greg crown the winner?

Do you aspire to find yourself climbing those famous peaks above Chamonix? So did Brian Monetti, a Brooklyn-based techie bit by the climbing bug ten years ago. With the help of his friend, Chamonix based IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide Jeff Witt, Brian transitioned his skills from the climbing gym to some of the biggest summits the world has to offer, including Chamonix. Brian and Jeff shared what it’s like to enter the world’s greatest alpine playground, taking a deep dive into everything Chamonix — the world-class climbing, the routes, where to stay and anything else you’d need to know to make the most out of your trip to the world renowned Cham. If you’ve ever been wondering what Chamonix has to offer, now’s the time to find out.