The Blackbird Blog
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Get up-to-date news, industry updates, insider tips and techniques, and helpful information for all your mountain adventures.
News
Lassen National Park Road Openings
2024-05-01 | Lassen National Park Road clearing operations are underway. The park has made significant progress, but there are still closures in place and major snow removal operations ongoing.
Mt Shasta Backcountry Ski Conditions
2024-04-28 | MT SHASTA BACKCOUNTRY SKI CONDITIONS Avalanche Gulch. Fresh snow and cold conditions made for some great powder skiing on Mt Shasta this weekend! The new snow piled in and made for some great skiing, but it also created a hazard with wind slabs building in Avalanche Gulch.
Eastern Sierra Backcountry Ski Conditions
Bishop & Lee Vining Areas Eastern Sierra Backcountry Ski Conditions. The bottom line is that conditions on both northerly and southerly aspects are skiing well right now. New cold snow on high norths and corn on all other aspects were glorious this weekend! Many areas in the range received no snow at all,...
New FKT on Mt Shasta 2024 by David Sinclair
Wow, this is absolutely incredible! A new Fastest Known Time was just set on Mt Shasta by ultra-athlete David Sinclair. Sinclair set the record on skis on April 23rd, 2024, blowing the previous FKT up by almost 15 minutes. Here's what David had to say about the day, as well as pictures...
Backcountry Ski & Splitboard
Lodge Profile: Snowfall Lodge, BC
In the midst of the glaciers, winding rivers, and thick forests of the Battle Range, there's an unexpected refuge from the wilderness. A luxurious respite from the elements in the middle of this wild landscape, Snowfall Lodge is the perfect spot for backcountry skiers to stage for a long list of secluded backcountry ski...
British Columbia Backcountry Ski Lodges
British Columbia has something that no other place in the world has: incredible, remote lodges that provide unique access to wild backcountry terrain. Sure, Europe has plenty of refuges that provide access to the mountains, and Colorado has an array of pretty plush huts, and now there are even some pretty incredible...
Backcountry Weather & Planning Resources
This page contains critical information on: Backcountry Skiing Conditions Alpine Climbing Conditions Avalanche Forecasts Avalanche Observations Avalanche Accidents Weather Forecasts Weather Telemetry (Data from Weather Stations) Webcams Bookmark these pages for each zone we cover, and they can act as your “dashboard” for quickly understanding the conditions, hazards and weather...
Hardboots vs Softboots: Splitboard Setup Advice
Splitboarding has seen wild growth over the last ten years as riders seek out remote lines, the crowds at resorts grow, and technology makes the sport more approachable. A microcosm within the realm of splitboarding is the world of “hardbooting”, or using a soft-flexing ski touring boot instead of the...
Avalanche Education
Avalanche Transceivers - Electromagnetic Interference UIAA Recommendations
Electromagnetic interference has long been a known issue with avalanche transceivers. But how much of an issue? And what do we do about it? The UIAA released guidelines earlier this month describing what types of electromagnetic interference affect avalanche transceivers in both transmit and receive modes. Included in their findings are...
Tracking PWLs: Tahoe Snowpack Tests 2023-12-24
We dug in the snowpack to investigate the Persistent Weak Layer and see if the layer has gained some strength after the intense rain/snow storm we received last week.
Avalanche Transceiver Upgrade Trade-In Program
Looking to upgrade to a shiny new Barryvox Avalanche Transceiver? Blackbird clients can upgrade their old transceiver to a new Mammut Barryvox for 40% off retail when they trade in their old, fully functional digital transceiver. See details in the blog!
Video: How to Use Snowpack Tests
Our Video demonstrates an excellent progression of snowpack tests that can help to flesh out the hazards in the backcountry snowpack. It shows how to make snowpack observations and conduct snowpack tests to inform your understanding of the avalanche hazard. Remember, you're not trying to be an avalanche forecaster - always read the...
Why Your Avalanche Rescue Course Should be Lift Accessed
It sounds like a funny idea: training for avalanche rescue at a ski resort. Shouldn’t a backcountry course take place in the backcountry? Isn’t the whole point of taking an AIARE course being in the backcountry? As surprising as it may be, in the case of the Avalanche Rescue Course, the answer...
What is the AIARE 2 Avalanche Course?
Avalanches are hard to predict and avalanche education is a lifelong pursuit. After the AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course and Avalanche Rescue Course, the AIARE Level 2 is the next step. We explore what the next chapter in your avalanche education is all about!
SKI MOUNTAINEERING
Mt Shasta West Face with Daron Rahlves
We couldn't have timed conditions better for our West Face summit and ski descent on Mt Shasta with Daron Rahlves. With warm temps at night and high winds forecast, had us on guard about climbing and skiing conditions, but conditions turned out to be incredible!
Baker in a Day: Single Push Ski Mountaineering on the most Glaciated Peak in the North Cascades
Our mission was to summit Mount Baker and ski from the top in a day. Originally, we had been planning to spend few days on the mountain, skiing various routes, but with stormy weather incoming for the next couple days we knew we had to make it work in a day. It was...
The best ski route on Mount Shasta? A Trip Report from the Hotlum Wintun Route
Memorial Day weekend continued the trend of wacky weather with frigid temperatures around 10 degrees at 12,000’. Even with the strong California sun doing its magic on the snow, it was hard to imagine the surface softening significantly. It seemed that the weekend might be a bust, but we shrugged off...
Ski Mountaineering Isn't That Hard
Zeb Blais, IFMGA Mountain Guide and Director of Blackbird Mountain Guides, taking a crew of ski mountaineers for a climb during a recent Ski Mountaineering Skills course on Donner Summit in Truckee. Photo: Ali Agee. Ski Mountaineering is intimidating. It doesn't even sound like a sport. It sounds like a Bachelor...
ALPINE CLIMBING
Mt Blanc Gouter Route Summit
My first trip to Mont Blanc this season was via the Gouter Route and began in a rainstorm. Not exactly how anyone wants to begin a trip, but with hut reservations at the Tete Rousse and Gouter Huts and an improving forecast, we made moves up the mountain.
Temple Crag: Classic High Sierra Alpine Climbing
When the weather is nice in the High Sierra Alpine, there's no better place to climb than Temple Crag. With huge alpine rock routes spanning well over 1,500', Temple crag boasts some of the longest continuous climbing in the High Sierra. The 4 major routes on the north face of Temple Crag,...
Mt Shuksan Fisher Chimneys: Small Mountain, Big Punch
For a relatively small mountain, Mount Shuksan packs a big punch. Stretching only 9,131’ above sea level, one might easily overlook this gem of the North Cascades. Luckily for Mt Shuksan, mountain climbing is more than mere altitude.
Summit on Mount Rainier
Blackbird Mountain Guides made the summit of Mount Rainier during the Rainier Summit & Skills Expedition on July 20th. The summit was made during the 5 day skills seminar & after a number of days of mountaineering skills including crampons, ice axe arrest, glacier travel, knots, anchors, crevasse rescue &...
Tocllaraju: Our Final Climb in the Cordillera Blanca
We woke early, knowing that if we wanted a chance to summit Tocllaraju, we were in for a long day. The morning started off like the evening: clear, cold and still. As we gained altitude on the glacier, the winds picked up and soon gusts were blowing snow into our faces...
The Ishinca Traverse: Peak 3 of 4, Cordillera Blanca
After a wild and windy summit on Urus Este, we were feeling well acclimatized, and ready for our next objective: the Ishinca Traverse. This is a classic climb in Peru's Cordillera Blanca and offers incredible views of Ranrapalca, Ocshapalca, Tocllaraju, Palcaraju and our last peak Urus Este.
ROCK CLIMBING
Fixed Anchor Policy Changes on National Parks & Forest Service - Take Action!
If you rock climb or alpine climb on National Park and National Forest Lands, this affects YOU! Proposed change of the fixed anchor policies in National Parks and on Forest Service Lands will make it hard to maintain safe anchors and will have a direct effect on your favorite climbing areas. ...
Best Spots for Beginner Rock Climbing in Tahoe
Whether you're new to outdoor rock climbing, sport climbing, trad climbing, or multi pitch climbing, check out our list of the best crags in the Tahoe area for beginner rock climbers! We've got the lowdown on all the best spots to learn rock climbing or build your rock-climbing skills in the Truckee...