Top 5 Backcountry Guide Books
Twenty years ago there were hardly any backcountry guide books, now there’s a ton of them!
So to cut the wheat from the chaff, we ask Andy Malton - from Backcountry Books - to pick out his favourite five guides, as he’s a bit of an expert on these things after all. Not only did he come up trumps with his somewhat left-field choices, but he also offered BACKDROP JOURNAL readers a 10% discount across his site, and offered a free guide to one lucky reader that signs up for our Newsletter, what a top man!
But to get the discount code you have to scroll to the bottom of the page, so you may as well have a jolly good read on the way down there.
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain
It’s only right to kick off this list with the industry benchmark avalanche safety book. Bruce Tremper’s Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain strikes the right balance between the scientific and the practical. It’s relevant to all levels of backcountry rider, from beginner to the most experienced.
The author takes us through all aspects of avalanche safety, including snowpack, terrain, weather and heuristics (which are: reliable, if not perfect, practical methods for thinking things through and getting to a decision. Thanks Wikipedia!)
Tremper is a world-renowned avalanche forecaster and his expertise really shines through. This is a book that leaves a lasting impression, and one you may well be flipping back through your whole snow-based career!
No of Pages: 320
First Published September 2008
3rd Edition Aug 2018
£18.99
Buy it now
Tignes Hors Piste: Le Guide Complet
Le Guide Complet is the new benchmark guide book to off-piste skiing and snowboarding in this part of the Alps.
Tignes has an incredible amount of terrain beyond the many lifts and this guide really showcases the best of what the area has to offer.
Le Guide Complet has great descriptions, loads of beautiful images and a plentiful amount of local info and tips to make the most out of Tignes.
There’s even a QR code that can be scanned for every line, which downloads the route onto digital mapping, a feature I imagine we’ll see on many future guide books.
French and English text
Clear topos and route descriptions
Published 2019
275 routes
432 pages
£32.99
Buy It Now
Safer Ski Touring in Norway
The first guide book I’m aware of that aims to include only predominantly avalanche safe routes.
Safer Ski Touring in Norway is a brilliant representation of the incredible quality and variety of Norway’s backcountry potential.
Every chapter is full of images that are guaranteed to leave any skier looking for wild mountains and deep snow in a state of excitement.
Don’t be fooled into thinking all the routes in Safer Ski Touring in Norway are simple beginner outings. Some super classics are featured and, although complex terrain is avoided, many of the routes described are still big, spectacular days out.
111 Routes
Published 2018
Pages 338
£46.99
Buy It Now
Freeride Verbier
I admit I’ve never been to Verbier, but this book does its best to inspire me to change that.
It’s the images that do it; Freeride Verbier is full of sumptuous aerial shots of the resort and surroundings plastered in powder and looking so epic.
There are also bonus chapters on some mega spots nearby including Arolla, the Grand Combin and one of the best locations in the Mont Blanc Range; the Trient Glacier.
Freeride Verbier leaves the reader in no doubt that Verbier fully deserves its legendary status within the freeride community.
87 routes
Pages 300
Published 2013
English and French
£44.99
Buy It Now
Ski Touring in Troms
I admit to being a little biased where this choice is concerned. I’ve taken Ski Touring in Troms on many trips to the Lyngen area, a place that’s pretty special to me and my touring buddies.
The mountains and fjords that surround Tromso are some of the best in the world for ski touring and splitboarding and this book is the essential guide to them.
Written by local legend Espen Nordahl, it describes a variety of tours in all the most popular spots in the area, including Lyngen, Tamok, Kvaloya and Kafjord.
The recently released second edition has even more info than the first and includes a welcome section on Senja too.
116 Routes
Pages 396
Published 2018
£46.99
