Eagle Crest Sidecountry

mayslayHas anyone here skied the Eagle Crest sidecountry? I’ll be skiing there presidents weekend, and have heard that you need beacon shovel probe to leave the gates. Can anybody confirm this, and is there anything else to know here? I have all the gear and AIARE 1, but the friends I’m going with don’t so I just want to determine whether it’s worth bringing or not. Thanks!

If you have all that gear and knowledge, why would you even consider going in the backcountry with people who don't? Use your brain dude. You shouldn't go anywhere outside the boundary without homies who are also on their shit.

“Sidecountry” means different things in different places. At Crystal Mtn in WA, all the sidecountry is avy controlled. I have and would continue to ski sidecountry there with no avy gear and/or friends who don’t know their shit. Schlassmans at Bridger requires a beacon only to ski it. I would also ski there with someone who doesn’t know their shit. I’ve also backed off of dropping into Revelstoke sidecountry with full avy gear and a group that knew what we were doing, because it wasn’t controlled. I’m trying to determine which one eagle crest is.

Way*MoIf you have all that gear and knowledge, why would you even consider going in the backcountry with people who don't? Use your brain dude. You shouldn't go anywhere outside the boundary without homies who are also on their shit.

Never skied there, but here is a recent observation from a pro indicating that it is not controlled out of bounds:

https://www.coastalakavalanche.org/observations/out-of-bounds-east-bowl-on-the-skin-track-to-the-orient/

I would always assume out of bounds is uncontrolled. Personally, I don't ever bring friends out of bounds unless, at a minimum, we all have beacons, and most of us shovels and probes (and knowledge...), or I know for a fact that we are not in avalanche terrain (Eagle Crest backcountry is definitely avalanche terrain)

mayslay“Sidecountry” means different things in different places. At Crystal Mtn in WA, all the sidecountry is avy controlled. I have and would continue to ski sidecountry there with no avy gear and/or friends who don’t know their shit. Schlassmans at Bridger requires a beacon only to ski it. I would also ski there with someone who doesn’t know their shit. I’ve also backed off of dropping into Revelstoke sidecountry with full avy gear and a group that knew what we were doing, because it wasn’t controlled. I’m trying to determine which one eagle crest is.

I wouldn't call Southback sidecountry, its in bounds and its avy-controlled, you just have to hike/sidestep to it. Same with Schlassmans, that's in-bounds. I don't really like the term sidecountry anyways, its either avalanche controlled or its not, lift or not doesn't really matter

Agreed, I don’t like the term sidecountry either, just trying to figure out which type of “sidecountry” eagle crest has. Basically asking if it’s controlled or not.

IsaacNW82I wouldn't call Southback sidecountry, its in bounds and its avy-controlled, you just have to hike/sidestep to it. Same with Schlassmans, that's in-bounds. I don't really like the term sidecountry anyways, its either avalanche controlled or its not, lift or not doesn't really matter

You know the best way to answer this? Call Eaglecrest directly and ask.

Or better yet, do 30 seconds of looking. There is a entire section of their Mountain Safety page that answers your questions.

https://skieaglecrest.com/info/#safety

mayslayAgreed, I don’t like the term sidecountry either, just trying to figure out which type of “sidecountry” eagle crest has. Basically asking if it’s controlled or not.

Side country is out of ski area boundary, the resort is not affiliated to it. Making schlasmans and whatever these other zones talked about actually in bounds.

if a zone is in a ski area boundary, they do avy mitigation and risk is relatively low of large slides. Small slides and getting buried is still possible but unlikely

Side country by definition has zero avy mitigation and has all of the gnarly risks associated plus no help from patrol.



looking at eagle crest’s map, if you’re talking about west bowl and east bowl zones that are still included and mark on the map, it is controlled and should be generally safe.

**This post was edited on Jan 24th 2023 at 5:58:41pm