I purchased my backcountry touring setup the winter before COVID lockdown in 2019. Of course my original plans were trashed and my gear sat basically untouched until the following winter. I did get some use in with fun video and photography projects during lockdown as fun COVID creative projects.

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After a tumultuous year when the season rolled around we finally had an opportunity to test our gear and opted for a light touring day. It was a negative degree day with low temps and very few people venturing outside rewarding us with a mostly crowd free day. The price you pay being frozen hair, snot sickles and literally being cold to your bones. Touring helps with that, of course, keeping you warm enough to ignore the reality.

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We left the parking lot and skinned our way up one of the old roads nearby. With virtually no sun in the treeline we were delighted as we topped out to sunshine and a little warmth above the trees. 

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We took some time to practice some skills, test turns, transitions and familiarize ourselves with our new gear. Despite negative temperatures we had a wonderful day of touring and testing our new toys!