Backcountry on a Budget, The Alpine Trekker Will Give You a Taste

Sports Guide Magazine
March 2001
Ben Tiffany

Are you a poor, wretched skier? Sure, you work at the resort. So you've secured your Holy Grail ski pass. But as you stand in your Snowbird or Alta lift line, do you gaze across the canyon road at ant-sized skiers skinning their way up to this glorious and mystical plane you know only as "the backcountry"? Maybe you've nevr been there because you can't throw down the bucks for a telemark or Alpine Touring (AT) setup.

Or maybe you have plenty of cash but can't justify committing it to a sport you know nothing about. After all, ski touring isn't for everyone. And learning to telemark, well, some folks liken it to learning to walk.

Or maybe you are simply hell bent on getting into some burly-steep chutes. In that case, you might be unwilling to forgo the stability (and familiarity) of the Alpine Skiing set-up you grew up with.

So what's a skier to do? Well, the folks at Backcountry Access have long-since solved these problems with their clever Alpine Trekker - a ski touring adapter that snaps right into your alpine bindings. It allows you to climb and traverse with your fixed-heel equipment. And unlike Telemark or AT systems, the Trekker is removed prior to skiing downhill. So you just throw them in the pack, choke down a Power Bar and then rip. It's that simple.

The Trekker has dual heel "televators" to conserve energy and preserve your calves -one for moderate climbs and another for the steep stuff. BCA also offers and optional crampon for hairball traverses, glacier travel and general spring conditions.

Whether you're looking forward to seeing just what your alpine gear is capable of, or if you're simply trying to decide if this "backcountry" business is all that, the Alpine Trekker will provide you with the answer. And at about $179, it's an inexpensive answer indeed.