High Avalanche Danger Incites Warnings Across 5 States A large winter storm slugged its way across the Pacific Northwest, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado last Thursday to Sunday, dropping several feet of snow in many mountain locales. As a result, avalanche danger has skyrocketed across four states, with avalanche centers issuing warnings to avoid steep, avalanche-prone terrain due to the risk of large, life-threatening slides. Washington/Oregon The Northwest Avalanche […] Avalanche Martin Kuprianowicz | December 5, 2023 0 Comments
Letter From The Editor: Myths, Fallacies, and the Usefulness of Social Media in the Backcountry I took my role as Editor with SnowBrains four years ago, when I was a young college kid at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. I wanted to ski every day and find a way to make a living from writing, and by some cosmic chance I landed an internship with SnowBrains. Not long after that, I was […] Backcountry Martin Kuprianowicz | November 29, 2023 0 Comments
Sun Dogs, Sun Halos, and Complex Sun Phenomenon—What Do They Mean? Was it an angel? Or perhaps a portal opening to another dimension? Either way, the vastness of outer space has never felt so nearby. We stopped and gazed for a while at the event unfolding above our puny human heads as we stood in the cold snow of the mountainside at the end of a long ski tour in the […] Brains Martin Kuprianowicz | November 21, 2023 0 Comments
[REVIEW] Cody Townsend’s “The Polar Star”—A Wholesome Ski Expedition to Baffin Island Cody Townsend’s “50 Project” is at the apex of its career with “The Polar Star,” a full-length feature film covering one of the project’s most coveted lines. In the film, Townsend, accompanied by cinematographer Bjarne Salen and IFMGA Mountain Guide Vivian Bruchez, embarks upon an adventure to Baffin Island in the far reaches of Canada’s Arctic Circle to ski the […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | November 13, 2023 0 Comments
Gear Review: LEKI Spitfire Vario 3D Adjustable Ski Poles After I got my LEKI Spitfire Vario adjustable ski poles, the first thing I did was ski Main Chute at Alta Ski Area. I immediately noticed how light, easy to swing around, and well-constructed they were. With its variable length of 110 to 140 cm, you are immediately safely on the go in any terrain and can very easily adjust […] Gear Review Martin Kuprianowicz | November 9, 2023 2 Comments
“If an Animal Can Trigger an Avalanche Right Now, So Can You.” | Suspected Wildlife-Triggered Avalanche Reported in Colorado Human-triggered and natural avalanches aren’t the only kinds of slides backcountry travelers need to be aware of. The Colorado Avalanche Center shared an Instagram post on Sunday showing what appears to be the remnants of a large avalanche that was triggered by an animal in the Colorado Rockies. According to the CAIC, an avalanche report was submitted by a hunter […] Avalanche Martin Kuprianowicz | November 6, 2023 0 Comments
Ski Bumming 101: How to Ski 100+ Days a Year as a College Student in Salt Lake City, UT Salt Lake City. Where you go to school to ski. A college degree is only a bonus—if you are so disciplined to resist the calling to give up on life and retreat into the Wasatch after your first season experiencing “the Greatest Snow on Earth.” It happens to a lot of people. I graduated from the University of Utah in […] Brains Martin Kuprianowicz | October 19, 2023 1 Comment
“Women Need to Be There.” Athletes Criticize Red Bull Rampage Riders for Being All-Male Again This Year Red Bull Rampage is one of the most thrilling and extreme downhill mountain biking events in the world. Held annually in the desert terrain of Southern Utah, the high-stakes competition challenges elite riders to conquer treacherous natural terrain, including massive cliffs, rocky drops, and steep chutes. The riders, handpicked for their exceptional skills and bravery, navigate gravity-defying descents, executing jaw-dropping […] Cycle Martin Kuprianowicz | September 25, 2023 0 Comments
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