Rising Popularity of Backcountry Skiing
HOWELL: It is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The snow has been piling up all season. Ski resorts in North America but many are ditching the long lines for a unique experience.</s>ALLEN: We know someone that just did that. Meteorologist Derek Van Dam found a way to turn his love of snowboarding in the backcountry into a really cool story for us.</s>DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: -- snowboarding with meteorology, right?</s>ALLEN: Why not?</s>VAN DAM: Backcountry skiing and snowboarding is anywhere outside of the resort. You know, every time this time of year, I get excited about the potential of snow, how deep it will get. I'm not the only one out there. I found an answer to this winter addiction that I have. You need to see this. By the way, I'm the guy in the yellow and the brown jacket. Take a look.</s>VAN DAM: As a meteorologist, I thought I had the inside track on when the snow would dump. But here with the Steamboat Powdercats, they know when the big snow is coming. So we have perfect conditions for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Come on.</s>VAN DAM (voice-over): The allure of backcountry skiing comes from people's desire to skip the long lines at resorts while virtually guaranteeing the deepest, softest, powdery turns one can imagine. But traversing untouched mountainous terrain comes with its challenges. That's why Steamboat Powdercats enlists expert guides and specialized machinery to transport the customers to the best snow of their lives.</s>BRITNI JOHNSON, STEAMBOAT POWDERCATS: I guess I'd liken a Sno-Cat to have a bulldozer on track so that we can move through deep powder without getting stuck so to speak.</s>VAN DAM (voice-over): It is no coincidence that Northwest Colorado consistently receives some of the highest snowfall totals in the state.</s>JOHNSON: Buff Pass (ph) is known for having some really special orographics. It's one of the deeper snow packs throughout the state of Colorado.</s>VAN DAM: This is a trademark champagne powder they keep talking about, low density and high fluff and maximum fun.</s>VAN DAM: Nice.</s>VAN DAM (voice-over): As if skiing perfect snow all day long wasn't enough, there's even a gourmet meal and a warm drink waiting for us at this private cabin deep in the wilderness. The 11 others who joined me on this adventure clearly knew what they were doing. Me, on the other hand, could have benefited from another day on the mountain.</s>HOWELL: We'll be back after the break.