Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
An early-season trip in the Crazy Mountains is always a gamble. Sometimes the snow can be pristine, most of the time its not.
Heading deep into Montana’s Crazy Mountains chasing a promising backcountry line—but the wind-hammered snowpack has other plans. From unstable wind slabs to bulletproof ice and a close call on a steep couloir climb, this day was all about making tough calls in unpredictable terrain.
⚠️ What you'll experience in this video:
Avalanche risk assessment and pit digging
Exploring wind-affected alpine terrain
A near fall on icy slopes with no crampons
Finding redemption snow in sheltered trees
Key takeaways for safer backcountry travel
🌬️ When the alpine snowpack turns dangerous, it's the trees that save the day. This is what real splitboarding looks like—raw, humbling, and rewarding.
👉 Subscribe for more episodes focused on human-powered mountain adventures, avalanche safety, and the rugged beauty of winter travel.
The longest running splitboarding playlist by a single channel on Youtube here,
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLP0J-UsoJ3NwTl-2Aq0VhBj-1ZzUT0an
We have partnered with Epic Water Filters. They create filters of all kinds from at home use, to incorporating a filter into a Nalgene water bottle. They can filter out harmful chemicals in tap water and make water in the wild safe to drink.
Get 15% off your first order when you enter the code "WildernessMindset15" upon ordering.
epicwaterfilters.com
0:00 tour through brush
1:05 the climb
1:25 avalanche pit
2:45 the run
3:50 sketchy touring
4:35 the climb again
5:18 bad snow run
6:18 outro
Splitboard Gear used in these videos
Bindings- Spark Arc - amzn.to/3ETQUSW
Boots - Nitro Incline TLS - amzn.to/43fPMlT
Skins - G3 Climbing Skins - amzn.to/3GCnt8F
Trekking Poles - Trailbuddy trekking poles - amzn.to/4jHgYQr
Gloves - Outdoor Research Aksel Work Gloves - amzn.to/4jHgYQr
Crampons - CAMP stalker universal crampons - amzn.to/4m2VCyo
Beacon - Backcountry Access Tracker beacon - amzn.to/4k2s0iP
Probe - Backcountry Access Stealth 270 Avalanche Probe - amzn.to/3EVgJSG
Shovel - Backcountry Access Bomber B1 Shovel - amzn.to/3EVgJSG
Saw - Forester Hand Saw - amzn.to/44UCuMS
Inlinometer - Sun Company Avagage - amzn.to/438dob1
Camera Gear used in these videos
Sony a7iii - amzn.to/4k0Lg0l
Sony 24-240mm lens - amzn.to/4jAw8XE
Rode videomicro - amzn.to/4jy7VBp
K&F circular polarizer 72mm - amzn.to/3GvCMQa
Gobe Variable ND - amzn.to/3Gt3Rnn
Ruggard 12 Card case - amzn.to/3GvOpXw
Gopro Max - amzn.to/44LUskA
Tripod - SCHONFELD SCH-KF6615T legs - binocularsnscopes.com/Schonfeld-Lightweight-Compact-Carbon-Fiber-Tripod-p/sch-kf6615t.htm
Tripod Head - Ulanzi U-80L - amzn.to/3SaDAfY
DJI Mavic Air - amzn.to/4iPp8VO
Camera carrying pouch - Overboard SLR bag 7 liters - amzn.to/4cUBGtj
Wired lav mic - Sardonic SR-XLM1 lavalier mic
Battery bank - 20,000 mah Anker powercore - amzn.to/4cUDaDV
Camera Backpack and Splitboard pack - Shimoda Explore 30 amzn.to/4jBBz8J
Disclosure: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This means we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
An early-season trip in the Crazy Mountains is always a gamble. Sometimes the snow can be pristine, most of the time its not.
Heading deep into Montana’s Crazy Mountains chasing a promising backcountry line—but the wind-hammered snowpack has other plans. From unstable wind slabs to bulletproof ice and a close call on a steep couloir climb, this day was all about making tough calls in unpredictable terrain.
⚠️ What you'll experience in this video:
Avalanche risk assessment and pit digging
Exploring wind-affected alpine terrain
A near fall on icy slopes with no crampons
Finding redemption snow in sheltered trees
Key takeaways for safer backcountry travel
🌬️ When the alpine snowpack turns dangerous, it's the trees that save the day. This is what real splitboarding looks like—raw, humbling, and rewarding.
👉 Subscribe for more episodes focused on human-powered mountain adventures, avalanche safety, and the rugged beauty of winter travel.
The longest running splitboarding playlist by a single channel on Youtube here,
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLP0J-UsoJ3NwTl-2Aq0VhBj-1ZzUT0an
We have partnered with Epic Water Filters. They create filters of all kinds from at home use, to incorporating a filter into a Nalgene water bottle. They can filter out harmful chemicals in tap water and make water in the wild safe to drink.
Get 15% off your first order when you enter the code "WildernessMindset15" upon ordering.
epicwaterfilters.com
0:00 tour through brush
1:05 the climb
1:25 avalanche pit
2:45 the run
3:50 sketchy touring
4:35 the climb again
5:18 bad snow run
6:18 outro
Splitboard Gear used in these videos
Bindings- Spark Arc - amzn.to/3ETQUSW
Boots - Nitro Incline TLS - amzn.to/43fPMlT
Skins - G3 Climbing Skins - amzn.to/3GCnt8F
Trekking Poles - Trailbuddy trekking poles - amzn.to/4jHgYQr
Gloves - Outdoor Research Aksel Work Gloves - amzn.to/4jHgYQr
Crampons - CAMP stalker universal crampons - amzn.to/4m2VCyo
Beacon - Backcountry Access Tracker beacon - amzn.to/4k2s0iP
Probe - Backcountry Access Stealth 270 Avalanche Probe - amzn.to/3EVgJSG
Shovel - Backcountry Access Bomber B1 Shovel - amzn.to/3EVgJSG
Saw - Forester Hand Saw - amzn.to/44UCuMS
Inlinometer - Sun Company Avagage - amzn.to/438dob1
Camera Gear used in these videos
Sony a7iii - amzn.to/4k0Lg0l
Sony 24-240mm lens - amzn.to/4jAw8XE
Rode videomicro - amzn.to/4jy7VBp
K&F circular polarizer 72mm - amzn.to/3GvCMQa
Gobe Variable ND - amzn.to/3Gt3Rnn
Ruggard 12 Card case - amzn.to/3GvOpXw
Gopro Max - amzn.to/44LUskA
Tripod - SCHONFELD SCH-KF6615T legs - binocularsnscopes.com/Schonfeld-Lightweight-Compact-Carbon-Fiber-Tripod-p/sch-kf6615t.htm
Tripod Head - Ulanzi U-80L - amzn.to/3SaDAfY
DJI Mavic Air - amzn.to/4iPp8VO
Camera carrying pouch - Overboard SLR bag 7 liters - amzn.to/4cUBGtj
Wired lav mic - Sardonic SR-XLM1 lavalier mic
Battery bank - 20,000 mah Anker powercore - amzn.to/4cUDaDV
Camera Backpack and Splitboard pack - Shimoda Explore 30 amzn.to/4jBBz8J
Disclosure: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This means we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
