In every Backcountry issue, we rely on a team of photographers to get out there and get the shot. And in December’s Photo Annual, we’re giving credit where it’s due, shining the spotlight on those behind the lens—and their photography.

But first, we explore a controversy in Rogers Pass, B.C., as Parks Canada attempts to open access to an off-limits zone on public land. And in the nearby Selkirk Mountains, we profile the completion of Empire Lake Chalet, which offers B.C.’s newest haute-route potential.

Then, six contributing photographers take center stage to share insights on their motivation, visualization and reflections of life behind the lens. Each photographer, along with a handful of others, is featured in this issue’s 22-page gallery of creativity and stoke.

And while such imagery fuels the desire to get out there, our 2016 Apparel Guide reviews the jackets, pants, puffies and accessories for any mountain mission. Inside are eight Editors’ Choice products, plus more than 30 Editors’ Selects to keep you warm, dry and out there for as long as possible.

FEATURES

PHOTO ANNUAL
It's easier to snap a photo today more than ever before. But when taken into the wind and wild, photography becomes an entirely different game: a craft balancing the elements, light and a quickly moving target. So each year, we devote 20 pages to action and lifestyle imagery that only the best shooters can capture. And this year, we've profiled six standout photographers for an inside look at the inspiration and motivation behind their art.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
At the end of Europe's alpine arc and tucked away in a nation smaller than New Jersey, Slovenia's Julian Alps offer lonesome forests, aged huts and steep couloirs without the cost and hype of traditional European haunts like Chamonix and Zermatt. Contributor Brigid Mander and photographer Kt Miller explore the country's legends and old-world history in search of a new powder destination and the unknown.

2016 APPAREL GUIDE
This year, our apparel guide is all about the story behind the product. As we toured and tested the various layers that landed in this issue, one constant stood out: an intriguing reason for design, construction and material choice. So in addition to this year's Editors' Choices and Selections from hardshells to helmets, we've deconstructed this year's apparel for a behind-the- scenes look at the best of 2016.

DEPOSITION

CONTRIBUTORS
Snow Shooters

EDITOR'S NOTE: THE OTHER SIDE

LETTERS
Gear Guide reflections, a plea for tele and the great drone debate

BACKSTORY: THE SKI HANGOVER
Sacrifices in pursuit of the skintrack

BLOWN IN

FORBIDDEN LAND
Rogers Pass, B.C. encompasses some of North America's best ski-touring terrain. And while the Pass sits within public land, some of its biggest mountains— and best lines—are off-limits due to a private rail line. Now, Parks Canada is working to bridge the gap to get skiers into the Shaughnessy basin

HOT SMOKE, COLD SMOKE
This summer was a notably active one for wildfires across the West, and along with destruction, fires bring impacts to the backcountry—both positive and negative.

THAT GIRL: KT MILLER
At just taller than five feet and one of the ski industry's only female photographers, Kt Miller is setting her own tracks.

BOARDROOM: CANADA'S JOHNNY TSUNAMI
Nikolai Samson, owner of snow-surf company Almond Manufacturing, hangs 10 in Revelstoke's powder.

BASECAMP

MOUNTAIN SKILLS: BIG LINES, BIGGER PLANS
Riding big lines—whether it's a first descent in Alaska or your first trip to New Hampshire's Tuckerman Ravine—is all about the details.

MOUNTAIN ACCOUNT: MARCH MADNESS
Three friends gain vertical and a lesson on a classic run in Rogers Pass, B.C.

TECHTALK: FORECASTING THROUGH CROWDSOURCING
To provide a daily, comprehensive, statewide avalanche forecast, the Utah Avalanche Center gets a little help—from social media and an army of 50 field observers.

ON LOCATION

HAUTE EXPECTATIONS
A new lodge in British Columbia's Selkirk Mountains turns a simple hut trip into a European-scale, high-mountain haute route.

BLOWN OUT

BIFF AMERICA
Tricks and tips to keep skiing 'til you're as old as Biff.

LAST COL: STRIP SKINS, NOT CLOTHES
Giving a new meaning to "wind buff."