North America - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 187

The new woRLd of Snow

North America's ski resorts are the envy of the world. The service is reliably slick, the lift
queues move quickly and there's huge versatility, from the mellowness of Québec's Mont
Tremblant to the sophistication of Aspen, the rawness of Jackson Hole and the steep
slopes of BC's Fernie. But ploughing down perfectly groomed pistes all day long can
feel restrictive, and while you'll often find fresh powder in-bounds, there will always be
the temptation to go out of bounds into the real wilderness. There are risks (so consider
going with an experienced guide) but as long as you follow the correct etiquette, are
fully trained and have the right equipment, you'll discover a whole new world of snow.
Here are six of our favourite ways to enjoy the backcountry bliss.

243 Slow ski at Lake Placid
In upstate New York, just a few hours' drive
from Albany, Syracuse, Montréal and Ottawa,
Lake Placid's Adirondack Park is a convenient
place to discover off-piste adventure. Nordic
(cross-country) skiing specialist High Peaks
Mountain Adventures runs several guided
backcountry tours in the park, from a couple
of hours' introduction to snow-shoeing (and
navigational skills) to a full-day's Nordic skiing,
ski touring or telemarking (free-heel skiing) in
the rolling hills of the High Peaks region. There's

also a one-day course on ice-climbing, where
you'll climb up frozen waterfalls and learn the
basics of tool placement and crampon footwork.
W www.highpeakscyclery.com; T +1 518 523
3764.

244 Moonlit meanders in Oregon
Snow-shoeing at night through hidden forest
trails can be a magical, eerie experience: the
snow glistens under the light of the moon and
the crunch of powder underfoot is all you can
hear among the hush of the trees. For a few
nights over the full moon from
December to April, Wanderlust
Tours runs several moonlit snow-
shoe tours in the High Cascade
Mountains of central Oregon. En
route through the snowy forest,
you'll be shown how to look for
signs of nocturnal animals as well
as how to understand the different
constellations of the night sky,
before reaching a bonfire in the
middle of an amphitheatre, hand-
carved into the snow, where you
can sit and enjoy hot chocolate and
marshmallows amid the solitude of
the forest. W www.wanderlusttours.
com; T [phone].

Deer River Flow, Adirondacks,
New York