By Jeffrey Weidel
There’s something extremely alluring about heading off into the trees for an adventurous journey that has its huge rewards and also arrives with an element of danger.
To my great surprise, that opportunity presented itself on a visit to Northstar California on Dec. 7. The popular Lake Tahoe ski resort decided to provide a sneak preview, opening more expect terrain on the Backside by early afternoon. The official opening wouldn’t happen until a day later.
If you love long, wide, steep runs, the Backside is the place to be at Northstar. Not only does it supply the thrills of bombing down the hill at high speed, it can often be a place of solitude, especially mid-week when skiers and riders are scarce.
Somewhat surprised by the quality of the snow at Northstar – light and fluffy – I was a bit astonished to see fresh powder among the many trees that inhabit two of my favorite Backside trails – Burnout and Polaris. Despite large sections of trees on either side of these two runs, I had only been there a few times and the visits were short due to hard, crusty snow.
But this time it was totally different. There had been a recent snow and multiple storms had accumulated at Northstar over the previous two weeks. The powder was ample and the lure to be one of the first to ski through it was far too tempting.
In a rash decision, off I went into the privacy of the trees on my first Backside run. A little tree skiing had been done in the morning, but that was on snow that had been tracked over on modest intermediate runs. This was the real thing.
Perhaps 6-10 inches of powder lined the Polaris run, which is thick with trees in some areas. Turns needed to be carefully planned out in advance, I thought as I headed cautiously through the trees.
Tree skiing or glade skiing provides its own unique slice of heaven in the form of deep powder and untouched lines. The joy and pure fun of navigating your own path through the trees is something I only encountered after several decades of skiing mostly groomers and occasional moguls.
My first venture into the trees more than a decade ago at Heavenly Mountain in Lake Tahoe was an awakening. I was immediately hooked, experiencing the feeling of floating in the snow as I picked my own unique path among the trees. Tree skiing quickly became something I looked for at any resort, given the right circumstances – good snow, clear sight lines, and fresh legs.
The “fresh legs” can be extremely important. Skiing powder can be exhausting and doing it among the trees typically requires more muscle to make the proper turns that often arrive in quick succession. Do it on tired legs and one is asking for trouble.
Yet the reward is worth the effort. Tree skiing brings a freedom that can’t be found on a normal trail. Here it’s chose your own trail, providing a tremendous adventure as one glides through the trees with the senses on high alert.
And they better be on high alert, because there is inherent danger picking your way through the trees. Ski or snowboard into a tree and there’s almost a guarantee that some part of your body will be impacted by the collision. Tree skiing has claimed its share of lives over the years, so don’t minimize the danger – it’s real.
But we all know danger lurks on any venture down the hill. And tree skiing certainly ups those percentages. Still, it’s what most skiers and riders love about the sport. It’s extremely adrenaline-based, yet also meditative.
For nearly two decades, Jeffrey Weidel has been providing unique coverage of skiing and snowboarding for the beautiful Lake Tahoe region and other popular Northern California resorts. Contact him at skiweidel@gmail.com
