Customer Rating: 
Summary: Volken, Schell, & Wheeler have an instant Classic!
Comment: This new "Backcountry Skiing" guidebook is destined to become a classic in The Mountaineers Books collection ... one that will be considered an indispensible reference in the libraries of mountaineers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. Authors Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler have each guided ski tours in the Alps throughout Europe, where Ski Mountaineering has been popular for quite some time ... and have introduced their clients to the famous summits of the Alps, as well as the local peaks of the Cascade Range. We have a large number of Alpine Climbers in the Pacific Northwest, many of whom may find that their "next step" is Ski Mountaineering ... thanks to the information in this new and comprehensive guidebook. The large number of excellent pictures makes the text all-the-more understandable. Those Reviewers preceding me have already given a good account of some of the specifics that they've found valuable ... so I won't elaborate here, except to say that the information on avalanche safety is invaluable for ANY one who ventures into the backcountry. We have lost nine lives to avalanches in Washington State already in this season! The authors of this guidebook are Instructors of the AIARE courses, and are passionate about personal safety above all else. I've already sent copies of this "new classic" to some of my best friends! Armed with the knowledge from this book, the readers can venture into the backcountry with newfound confidence and enjoyment of a sport that is bound for increasing popularity worldwide.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Comment: This is a great book. It allows beginners to develop a good base of knowledge and provides a great reference for those with years of experience. It is exactly what we have come to expect from the Mountaineers.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good Primer, But Not The Definitive Handbook
Comment: This probably is the sixth of the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series books that I have purchased as published by the Mountaineers Books. As with those other texts, I was able to learn some things and was surprised and disappointed at the information which was not covered. This book is no exception.
On the positive side, there is very good instruction on roped skiing and on situations requiring belay stations and stances with skis. The avalanche safety section is good, but not definitive. The strong point of this book is the techniques for skiing in various terrain, along with the transitions that inevitably occur. For this, I would say this is one of the better, more up-to-date instructional books.
A big disappointment comes with the lack of depth in discussing the merits of various gear options. For example, in the beginning there was a brief illustration of the history of telemark vs. alpine touring setups, followed by a bare discussion about the merits of each. This fundamental question is then quickly dismissed simply by the statement "the best answer remains to choose the right tool for the job, or quite possibly to go with whatever style you prefer." That completely misses the point on why someone would buy this in the first place; these experts should give much more information to the reader before the readers embark on the very expensive quest to discover this for themselves...the reason for an "expert" series in the first place.
Another example is their discussion on ski weight. It starts out good, but then the authors punt again by saying "Shop at a store where the salesperson can answer technical questions and can point you in the right direction for your intended application." But isn't this the reason one would buy this book?? Having very frustrating experiences with so-called "expert" salespeople in many of these stores leaves much to be desired, which is why I would like the opinions of the experts who wrote this book. This punting on fundamental gear questions grows tiresome quickly...
There is no discussion on the merits of wax or XCG/Crown/Fishscale means of level or uphill locomotion. And there is nary anything about using mountaineering boots in conjuction with ski setups...only an acknowledgement that you can. These examples of lame treatment of important gear questions frankly minimizes the utility of this book. Certainly, the authors have an opinion about such things; the reason people like me buy books by experts is to read their reasoned opinions. This gives nothing of the sort in order to be "gear" neutral (a sort of "political correctness" imported to an "expert" book so as to perhaps not offend any company or various gear afficionados...)
A second and larger disappointment is that this book deals minimally with hauling gear for winter camping/expedition purposes. For all intents and purposes, this book should be entitled "Day-Trip Backcountry Skiing" because there is hardly anything referring to the load-carrying complications of overnight and/or expedition-type traveling. There is no instructions on how to rig a pulk/sled, or how to rig a backpack even for overnight use. Absolutely nothing on winter camping after the skiing, which to me is the essense of ski mountaineering.
In sum, the good technique instruction in this book is worth the purchase price. But this definitely is not the definitive Ski Mountaineering book...if this is what you are looking for, you might need to look further.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book on the Best Type of Skiing
Comment: This is a great book. Not too basic and not too advanced for someone wanting to get into the best way to ski-the earn your turns way.
I used to teach alpine touring and ski mountaineering in the army and this would have been a great book to have around as the textbook. We taught all of this and then went in depth on the important items like avalanche safety (avoidance) and rescue. This book gives a beginning or intermediate ski mountaineer a taste and encourages AIARE level one certification (I recommend level two personally...)
I still have my copy of the past standard, Peter Cliff's out of print classic "Ski Mountaineering" (no, I won't be selling it on EBay) and this is an improvement on it.
It is great for learning and a great review for those that think they remember everything. I got some good tips on gear that, damn, I SHOULD have known!!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommended
Comment: The collaborative effort of Martine Volken (IFMGA certified Swiss Mountain Guide, founder and owner of Pro Guiding Services and Pro Ski Service of North Bend, Washington); Scott Schell, and certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides Scott Shell and Margaret Wheeler, "Backcountry Skiing: Skills For Ski Touring And Ski Mountaineering" is an informed and informative instructional guide and manual for skiing safely in winter mountain terrains and trails. Aspiring skiers are provided with intermediate to advanced level techniques for ski touring and mountaineering; skills for mastering uphill travel; primers on mountain weather and avalanche safety; practical advice on selecting gear, troubleshooting, and adapting to varying conditions; vital information on constructing emergency shelters and sleds; as well as a wealth of useful tips for wilderness trip planning and navigation. Comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Backcountry Skiing" is strongly recommended for anyone contemplating skiing mountain terrain in winter conditions anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
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