Not just for skiing! A shadow can help you find your way
— even without a map, compass, or GPS. All you need is the sun.
Knowing which direction you’re going is key when you are in the backcountry. This is especially true in the mountains, where slope aspect (the direction a slope faces) plays a big role in safety and enjoyment.
Watch this 3-minute video to see how you can use your shadow to figure out North, South, East, and West (Thank you to Alex Rawcliffe for the additional graphics & animation) :
In the snowy mountains, choosing the right slope aspect at the right time of day helps you find nice smooth spring melt-freeze snow — and it’s a concrete way to reduce your exposure to wet/humid snow avalanche danger. (See my article on wet snow avalanches here: henrysavalanchetalk.com/is-climate-change-making-off-piste-and-ski-touring-more-dangerous).
But you can use this ‘compass’ all year round too!
Check out my backcountry spring skiing article here: “Ski the Smooth!”
Henry’s Avalanche Talk in partnership with ORTOVOX