Books, those paper scraps Gen Z skiers may have little experience with, retain an innate ability to transport us from one reality to another. For tomes that focus on the outdoors, that may be doubly true, as they detail mountains and experiences in other parts of the world. We are here Backcountry Magazine Love a good book that contains essays about the outdoors, photos of a lifetime spent in the mountains, or beta for our next trip. (We also love a good young adult fantasy novel.)
Below are eight that caught our eye this year. – Editors
The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains
Jeremy Jones
$30, mountaineers.org
Since then Deeper Jeremy Jones, who hit the silver screen in 2010, is the most well-known splitboarder in the world. His films have taken him from the Andes of South America to the glaciated peaks of Alaska to the highest reaches of his home range, the Sierra. Along the way, he gained extensive knowledge of winter camping, avalanche and snowpack assessment, fitness and the mindset required to ride big lines. His first book, a mix of memoir and expertise, features hard-earned experience with advice that will help any backcountry enthusiast who aims to “ride the best lines in the best conditions,” as Jones puts it.
Angle of repose
Greg Von Dorsten
$65, gregvondeorsten.com
Photographer Greg Von Dorsten has been snapping photos around Wyoming’s Teton Range since the late ’80s, but he’s yet to capture epic powder days at Cody Bowl or long tours around Grand Teton National Park. Angle of repose His collection features crop cream, making it a must-have on any ski house coffee table. Throughout the 132 glossy pages of this 9-by-12-inch book, you’ll find more than just legendary lines from his home range. Von Dorsten captures the nuances of Jackson Hole’s culture, from the thrill of catching the first tram on a powder day to the death leaves of a tight-knit mountain town. Von Dorsten’s narration of his own life in Jackson complements every image and adds depth to the spectacle.
The Ski Town Fairytale: A Quest to Live the Dream
Sam Morse and Ryan Stolp
$40, ryanstolp.com
Meet Sophie: an overworked veterinary student living in a coastal town in America. Inspired by the social media feeds of outdoor influencers, she packs up her life and heads to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. But it turns out the ski town dream isn’t all that broken. High housing costs and a laundry list of odd jobs to pay the bills destroy Sophie’s dream—until her ski bum fairy godfather and his magic bears arrive. Don’t be fooled by the comic doodles and whimsical characters in this grown-up children’s book. Here’s a deeper take on the dark side of being a ski bum in 2022 by Ryan Stolp and Sam Morse, and what it means to “live the dream” in the age of social media.
Stevens Pass Ski Atlas
Gary Rambis
$30, alpenglowpublishingstudio.com
After last winter’s inaugural ski atlas focused on the Oregon Cascades, Alpenglo Publishing Studio returns this winter with a pair of photographic coffee-table-style guidebooks. By Gary Rambis Stevens Pass Ski Atlas The diverse rugged terrain in The Enchantments and the North Cascades traversed by Washington State Highway 2 is highlighted. Each zone includes basic information on named lines, maximum slope angles, mileage and elevation gain, as well as recommendations on which peaks can be best accessed with a snowmobile. While Rambis’ book won’t give you a detailed beta on the routes, the aerial photos give you a strong sense of the area and enough large-format images to get your wheels turning. Also available from Alpenglo this winter Tahoe Ski AtlasOffers similar photos and information for the California region.
Beyond the Skid: A Cookbook for Ski Bums
Lily Krauss and Max Ritter
$45, beyondskid.com
Everyone from Snoop Dogg fans to readers have cookbooks these days A walking ghostSo why ski bums too? Backcountry Magazine Contributor Lily Krauss and partner Max Ritter published a hardcover version of their book. From energy lifters like Double Espresso Chocolate Balls and Banana Oatmeal Cookies to après dinners like Pasta Bolognese and Ski Boot Schnitzel, the duo has recipes that will keep you occupied until you crash on the couch while watching a movie and hit the alarm. Beyond the skid Skintrack features enough global flavors and creative treats to keep you away from the granola bar and basic burrito rut all winter.
Backcountry skiing Rocky Mountain National Park
Mike Soucy
$28, beaconguidebooks.com
While most people’s National Park trips include a roadside stop at Old Faithful or a look at the changing leaves in the Great Smoky Mountains, the latest offering from Beacon Guidebooks can help you find a little more solitude. Like many of the publisher’s books, Mike Susi’s Backcountry skiing Rocky Mountains National Park Features aerial photos with detailed route tracing, slope angle and descent information. Susie, an internationally certified guide who works in the park, carries a local’s knowledge that conveys detailed descriptions of the area’s complex terrain. It’s small enough that you can carry it into the field, but it can be purchased with a waterproof map ($18) intended as your resource on the Skintrack.
squeak! Going backcountry skiing
Illustrated by D. Scott Borden and Mallory Logan
$20, beaconguidebooks.com
Backcountry skiing can be intimidating for anyone unfamiliar with the intricacies of avalanche safety and winter weather management. However, those risks are worse if you’re a rat. squeak! Going backcountry skiing The story of a colonized rat who tries to steal a snack from a skier’s pack, unwittingly ends up on a tour. Along the way she uses the help of animals to understand why humans ski and what avalanche safety is, and must find her voice as they argue about which lines are safe. Translating backcountry safety concepts to two-year-olds isn’t necessarily inherently engaging A very hungry caterpillar, but nothing will grab your child’s attention like you yelling “blizzard.” During story time.
The art of tracking up
Alex Geary
Choose your price, gearysguiding.com
If you’re the kind of skinner who sets the track straight up the mountain, internationally acclaimed ski guide Alex Geary has the book for you. The art of tracking up A basic e-book dedicated to setting up an efficient and secure Skintrack. Geary takes what he’s learned from years of guiding to create an easy-to-follow book with lots of pictures showing the efficient tracks he covers, from the best angle to how to navigate across glaciers to whiteouts. Although he recognizes that “like achieving a great painting with watercolors, the result is always subjective,” his goal is to see skintracks that don’t follow the path of most resistance.
If you want more book recommendations, check out last year’s Backcountry Magazine The Book Roundup features guidebooks on Canada’s Spearhead Zone, Oregon’s Cascades, and the Hut-to-Hut Traverse in the US, as well as nonfiction fare from the past. Alpinist Editor in Chief Katie Ives and Backcountry Contributor Heather Hansman.
