With the Winter Olympics in full swing, we look at some thrilling winter sports in N.H. An increasing number of people want to get outside in winter, and many say part of the fun of skiing down is climbing up snowy trails and mountains, or even scaling icy cliffs. Have you tried backcountry skiing or ice-climbing? We learn how to safely get started in these growing winter sports, what equipment is needed, and where it can be done.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Drummond - owner of Ski the Whites, an alpine touring (backcountry) online shop, with a location during the season at Black Mountain ski area in Jackson.
- Tyler Ray - president of Granite Backcountry Alliance.
- Brad White - a long time climber and guide from the Mount Washington Valley; he's the co-owner and director of the - International Mountain Climbing School in Conway.
Listen as, a few years ago, Sam Evans-Brown caught up with the "Tom Brady" of ice-climbing.
And see a video of Fred Wilkinson climbing:
Ski the Whites hosts a "Friday Night Lights" program at Black Mountain ski area which gives an opportunity to rent equipment and practice climbing a slope and skiing down:
Here's a photo Andrew Drummond took looking backwards as he climbed Mt. Washington with his skis on his back:
Granite Backcountry Association Chief Tyler Ray skins through a new zone the GBA pitched as a glade project to the WMNF. The effort failed due to presence of lynx habitat.
Granite Backcountry Association "quarry dogs" - or glade volunteers - clean up the Gulf of Slides Ski Trail in Pinkham Notch over the past summer.
Watch this video by Andrew Drummond of Ski the Whites and see if you don't want to give it a try, and check out his videos on YouTube for more inspiration:
