Ask Us Anything about Winter Backpacking, with Richard Forbes

Yesterday, Andrew and I hosted our first Ask Us Anything event of 2024. The topic was winter backpacking and our special guest was Montana-based guide, Richard Forbes.

Richard has guided more than 220 days across a wide range of mountain sports including rock climbing, mountain biking, mountaineering, whitewater, backpacking, backcountry skiing, map and compass, and photography. Over the last few years, Richard has:

skied or mountaineered across the Isolation, Ptarmigan, Bailey, Chiwaukum and Enchantments traverses in Washingtonclimbed and/or skied the five volcanoes of Washingtonrowed a raft down the Grand Canyon as part of a 27-day winter noncommercial trip, andvisited 20 out of 26 wilderness glaciers of Glacier National Park as part of a multi-year storytelling project.

Topics covered include:

Defining winter backpacking & the importance of understanding your regionHow to choose a location, especially as a beginnerThe biggest mistake Andrew and Richard have made winter backpackingHow to obtain drinking water and stay hydratedThe best stove and fuel to use in cold environmentsFood planning and ideal foods for winter travelGear considerationsBest use of snowshoes versus skisHow to sleep warm and dryVapor barrier liners: how they work and applicationConsiderations for choosing a winter shelterChoosing and preparing a campsite and pitching your shelterHow to deal with frozen boots overnightThe importance of avalanche training if you’re recreating in that terrainWatch the event:

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