100 Classic Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes in Washington (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Why bother, anyway?..." (more)
Key Phrases: high avalanche potential, retrace your approach, return via the approach, Best Time, Skill Level, Start Point (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

[Burgdorfer has]done his homework. His book is full of tips on how to get the most out of backcountry ski and snowboard routes.(Eastside Journal (Bellevue, WA)) -- (Eastside Journal - Bellevue, WA)

Product Description

Washington backcountry skiers know the name Rainer Burgdorfer. The Northwest's backcountry skiing guru and author of the popular but long out-of-print Backcountry Skiing in Washinton's Cascades, has created this entirely new guidebook to include the best, most challenging descents in Washington.

With more than 100 routes and tours for intermediate to advanced alpine and Nordic skiers and snowboarders, Burgdorfer's guide is the definitive reference for the Cascade region. Each trip description details the best times to go-including year-round opportunities--access, starting elevation and high point, tour length and time, maps, level and type of skill required, and permit information. Special sections cover avalanche conditions, snow survival, environmental considerations, weather, equipment, and techniques. A seasonal cross-reference table helps readers select tours by season. Featuring 100 b&w photos and 90 maps.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 2 edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898866618
• ISBN-13: 978-0898866612
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #382,085 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #18 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Snowboarding
  #22 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Skiing > Cross-Country
  #32 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Skiing > Excursion Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars By far, the best backcountry ski/board guide available in WA, March 6, 2003

By	Eric Franklin (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

Reading the other reviews of this book, I felt that people were ganging up on the author and that I just needed to chime in with my two cents worth. I believe this book to be far and away the best backcountry skiing/snowboarding guide available for Washington. These are the epic routes and memorable peaks that are the stuff of touring legend. I have found the route descriptions to be highly accurate and the maps to be fine for the purposes of illustration. After all, you should really have a full USGS or at least Green Trails map when you go into these areas anyways. The only thing I wish had a bit more consideration are snowboard specific hazards such as long flat or uphill areas along the descent. These add drastically to estimated times, especially when postholing is involved. That, however, is my minor quibble. I've made several of the trips in this book and loved them all (even last weekend when I broke my splitboard out by the Sulphide Glacier). Hardly a weekend passes where I do not have this book out planning my next escapades with my climbing partner. An admirable job on highly variable subject matter. Now, if I can just find a book that accurately predicts what the snowpack will look like for a given day...

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of a Review of 100 Classic Tours..., January 14, 2001

By	Rainer Burgdorfer "burgdorfer" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Everybody is a critic, including some twelve year olds.Talk about a scathing review, this kid really let me have it. However... * If you want to ride Tomyhoi in winter, get a snowmobile, or take a week off and make sure your life insurance is paid up. This is not a winter tour. As an aside, most of Washington's mountains are not accessible in winter. Blame God, USFS, or NPS. * I am not a self-proclaimed guru. Some publicist wrote that. I have a job. I try to get out and ride or ski. That's it. * The Publisher did the maps. My contribution was the relevant information, not the format. I'm sure the Publisher would be happy to create maps just for you if you would guarantee payment! *The avalanche zone indicator debate is obviously alive and well. I'm personally against showing the "danger zones" but Publisher insisted on it. And, if you read the book, you'll discover that you and I agree on this point also. *Photograph selection and captions, indeed the entire content of The Book is subject to the discretion of the Publisher. Gary Brill had agreed to provide images for this book but did not deliver by the Publisher's deadline. I had a contractual obligation to deliver and I did. Fourteen out of seventyfive aerial shots doesn't seem excessive, especially if they offer information not otherwise possible. *It is not muddled thinking to encourage dog owners to consider the consequences of taking their dog in the woods and show an image of a Husky inside the Stevens Pass Ski Area boundary. Personally, I enjoy outings with dogs. *My route times don't seem underestimated. Camp Muir is easily reached in under four hours by fit climbers, in good conditions, carrying a daypack. An hour for lunch and a nap, and an hour for a leisurely descent makes for a reasonable day. * Finally, my first guidebook was published in 1986, not two decades ago. It was intended as a year-around guidebook, not a winter guide. The current guidebook is a similar effort, with an added emphasis on snowboarding. Further comments or questions can be addressed to me at [e-mail]. Happy Trails! Rainer Burgdorfer

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The book for backcountry skiing in Washington, April 23, 2005

By	avid skier (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This is the best book for backcountry skiing in Washington State. As noted by other reviewers, some of the tours are best done in the spring and summer---they are great when done it the right season. This is all covered by the authors and useful mileages are provided. Skiers and snowboarders looking for adventures in Washington State won't be disappointed by Burgdorfers suggestions---some of them are tough, but usually worth the suffering.