Backcountry Magazine The Photo Annual Back Issue

This year, our Photo Annual comes a month early, to combat the gray season and fuel anticipation for the snow to come. First, Andrew McLean and photographer Ming Poon search out a ski mecca in Gulmarg, Kashmir, where they sample 3,000-foot bowls and witness assault rifles in tramcars. Then, editor in chief Tyler Cohen reflects on winter in the Northeast—and the best and worst of times. Those photo essays set the skintrack for the Photo Annual’s Spectacle spread, featuring the work of the sport’s best, newest and most longstanding photographers and athletes. Together, they’re pushing boundaries on what’s possible when combining movement, shadow and light.