When Natural Snow is Hard to Find, Uphill Skiing Moves to Resorts
Uphill skiers embrace ‘human-powered’ skiing—forgoing the lifts, they strap grippy adhesives to the bottom of their skis and ‘skin’ up mountains. But while uphilling is traditionally done in the backcountry, uphill skiers have begun allying with resorts, whose snowmaking systems allow them to ‘earn their turns’ on more consistent snow cover.
Pats Peak Ski Area, Henniker, NH
Justin Culligan, an avid backcountry skier, gets ready to skin up Pats Peak in December 2023.
Justin Culligan begins his trek up the Blast trail. During a snowless end of December, Pats Peak was one of the few places he could find a skiable surface.
Pats Peak’s robust snowmaking operation means that uphill skiers can often find snow there even when conditions in the backcountry are suboptimal.
Whaleback Mountain, Enfield, NH
Trip leader Josh Chang leans down to help a beginning ski tourer strap into her skis. Chang says beginner trips like this one are helping to make ski touring a more inclusive sport.
Inclusive Ski Touring volunteer Joseph Little peels skins off his splitboard (a snowboard adapted for uphilling) before starting his descent at Whaleback. Little prefers splitboarding in the backcountry, but has begun spending more time at ski areas like Whaleback due to declining backcountry snow conditions.
Participants in an Inclusive Ski Touring introductory program dodge grass and running water as they skin up a trail at Whaleback in January, 2024.
Mount Washington
Skier and Protect Our Winters Alliance Member Torey Lee Brooks hikes up Mount Washington in search of snow to ski on. Brooks has found herself able to ski on Mount Washington less often due to changing snow conditions. (Courtesy of Torey Lee Brooks, photo by Christian Eaton)
Skiers Adam Bidwell, Jerimy Arnold, and Josie Fisher make their way towards the entry point to Right Gully in Tuckerman Ravine in late January, 2023. Their ski partner Ed Warren worries that climate change is making backcountry skiing more dangerous. (Courtesy of Ed Warren, photo by Ed Warren)
Torey Lee Brooks skis on patchy Mount Washington snow cover.