Solitude

Utah - March 2018

There’s always a buzz when ducking a rope.

A feeling of childlike skulduggery envelopes the group. We chat, we laugh, we hike, we ride, we’re carefree.

Personally, I’m always waiting for an authoritative shout to call me back, some pumped up member of patrol stealing my ticket, and sending me on my way with a clipped ear and a kick up the arse.

But the slack is allowed!

In fact, it’s mostly a welcoming zone of monitored North American backcountry. But don’t be fooled, as it’s not a sanitised pisted zone, there’s a very real dark side to the Slack and risks are involved every time you duck that rope or pass through that gate.

There’s been 14 inbound avalanche deaths in the USA over the last ten seasons, so just because it’s open doesn't mean your safe. As far as I’m aware no one's told the mountain it’s been deemed open.