Salomon Covalent

Salomon Covalent
$319; salomon-sports.com
While breaking trail uphill in the 41-ounce Covalent would be a mistake, it's ideal for the lift-skiing crowd.

A wet storm at Mt. Baker didn't penetrate the Covalent's powder skirt or detachable hood, and the jacket sealed out wind equally well. The buttons that cinch the waistband and hood are hard to manipulate with gloves on. Otherwise, the Covalent is flawless and bomber. The jacket's Schoeller WB-400 fabric-a stout blend of flexible polyester and Cordura- deflected tree branches with ease.

Inside Line: Stevens Pass, WA

Seattle can be sloppy, wet, and cold. But drive 78 miles northeast and sloppy transforms into steep, deep, and dry at Stevens Pass, a ripper’s reprieve from fast-paced Emerald City life. There you’ll find a stable maritime snowpack, limitless backcountry access, and a massive park.

Washington

Bike parks in Washington.

Why It Dumps

What does Coolio’s line “Gotta gotta get up to get down” have to do with 2-3 inch-per-hour snowfall rates during the latest western storm?

Crystal Mountain’s Northway Lift

Storms in the Pacific Northwest hamper visibility. So get some depth perception in the rocky chutes and protected tree runs accessed by Crystal Mountain’s Northway lift. Before the resort installed the 1,870-vertical-foot fixed-grip lift in 2007, this zone was a backcountry stash for locals. Now the chair helps disperse skier traffic and has increased Crystal’s lift-served terrain by 62 percent.

2010 Red Bull Linecatcher

Red Bull's innovative backcountry freestyle competition, Linecatcher, is back for 2010. Frenchman Candide Thouvex, back in his first competition since breaking his back in 2007, took first place at the first stop in Vars, France. Check out his winning run.

TGR's Generations: An Environmental Ski Film

Known for their ski porns, Teton Gravity Research has released an award-winning new film about climate change's impact on skiing. We spoke to producer Steve Jones about the simple things you can do to cut your carbon emissions and what TGR is doing to offset all that heli time.

Avalanche Conditions

Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Washington ski areas saw cold temperatures last week followed by new snow, currently creating snowpack instabilities. Avalanche warnings remain at high for mountain locations in these states.

Thanksgiving Powder

While most of us were preparing to stuff our faces on America's favorite holiday, skiers at Mt. Baker Ski Resort in Washington enjoyed faceshots the week before Thanksgiving. Black Diamond athlete, Zack Giffin, gives thanks by sharing his helmet camera documentation of the early season snow.

Outfitter Collection

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Outfitter: The New Shell Game

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