Lightweight Backcountry Winter Gear Shouldn’t Skimp on Safety

The purpose of this article is to provide a very brief introduction into three key skills that are must-haves in the quiver of any backcountry traveler: 1. Snow stability assessment. 2. Avalanche transceiver use. 3. Surviving a cold winter night. This article does not, by any means, address any of these skills in great depth. Rather, we hope to provide brief introductions to the skills using multimedia: video, audio, and photography, to make an important point: the ultralight philosophy has its limits: go light on safety gear, but don't eliminate it.