FEATURES

The Curious Face of Artesonraju
Though many are familiar with the iconic mountain in the Paramount Pictures logo, few know the peak itself: Peru’s Artesonraju. Located in the Cordillera Blanca, Artesonraju is a glacier-draped, 19,767-foot mountain that’s considered one of the most challenging ski descents in South America. The Southwest Face was first skied 46 years ago and, this summer, Marco Malcangi and Elias Ejderhamn made the second descent.

Valley of Plenty
Between the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc is a river-carved valley ringed
by glaciated peaks. This is the Aosta Valley, or Valle d’Aosta, as the locals call it. In the winter, it’s easier to access on skis than via car. The isolation and high-alpine terrain have created a unique mountain culture that welcomes visitors, from the merchants who used the historic trade routes hundreds
of years ago to modern-day skiers seeking a quiet corner of the Alps.

Contours: Mount Everest
In 1970, Yuichiro Miura carved the first pair of ski tracks down Mount Everest. The race to pioneer new lines on the mountain and to ski them in their purest, most complete form, has continued for half a century. The raw difficulty of surviving, let alone skiing, at 29,032 feet has made Everest a battleground for the most daring ski mountaineers. And just last year, three groundbreaking firsts raised the bar of what’s possible on the highest arena on Earth.

DEPARTMENTS

Perspective
Jordan Reichman lives his Hokkaido ski dreams.

Editor’s Note
Betsy Manero knits a hat.

Letters

Off Grid 20 Spectacle

Straight Lines
Carolyn Highland skis when she wants to, and Ethan Daly follows a cross-generational friendship up the bootpack.

Blown In: Rogers Pass Permits
In one of Canada’s most storied and popular backcountry destinations, the Winter Permit system seeks to manage recreationists in a critical avalanche mitigation zone.

Blown In: A Skimo Spectacle
Skimo’s inaugural Olympics put the sport on display but in a singular, manufactured discipline. That will change when France hosts in 2030.

Wisdom: Craig Gordon
Dynamic forecaster and snow safety visionary Craig Gordon considers his decadeslong career with the Utah Avalanche Center.

Mountain Skills: Clothing Care
In a PFAS-free age, caring for mountain apparel is increasingly important for longevity and performance.

On Location: The Eklutna Traverse
Sometimes home is the destination. Anchorage resident Emily Sullivan finds renewed challenge, escape and respite on Alaska’s Eklutna Traverse.

Faces: Sarah Carriere
Sarah Carriere fell in love with skiing at an early age. She has spent her life chasing that passion and trying to find ways to build a more diverse community around her.

Boundary Lines: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Gearbox

Biff America
Biff takes an old friend for his last run.