Key takeaways
- Sidecountry is uncontrolled backcountry terrain accessed easily from resort lifts (through boundary gates).
- Despite the lift access, it IS backcountry — unpatrolled and not avalanche-controlled.
- It carries the same avalanche and hazard risks as any backcountry, requiring training and gear.
- Experts dislike the term because easy access leads people to underestimate the danger.
This is general educational information, not avalanche training. Sidecountry is avalanche terrain — take a certified course and carry rescue gear.
What sidecountry is
Sidecountry refers to ungroomed, uncontrolled backcountry terrain accessed easily from a ski resort’s lifts, typically by riding up and passing through a marked boundary access gate. It’s convenient because you reach it from the resort — but it lies outside the resort’s controlled, patrolled area.
It IS backcountry
Despite the easy access, sidecountry is true backcountry: not avalanche-controlled, not patrolled, and carrying the same avalanche and hazard risks as any backcountry. You need the same avalanche training, beacon-shovel-probe, and decision-making — the only difference is how you got there.
Tempted by untracked snow just beyond a resort boundary gate, a skier remembers that this ‘sidecountry’ is uncontrolled avalanche terrain — so they check the forecast, confirm their partner’s rescue gear, and treat it with the same caution as a full backcountry tour, rather than as an extension of the patrolled resort.
Why the term is debated
Many safety experts dislike ‘sidecountry’ because the cozy-sounding word implies it’s milder or safer than backcountry — when it isn’t. The easy lift access lulls people into venturing out unprepared, contributing to accidents. They prefer to call it what it is: backcountry. See backcountry vs sidecountry; it’s distinct from in-bounds off-piste.
The bottom line
Sidecountry is backcountry terrain you reach easily from resort lifts — and that's exactly the trap: the convenient access masks the fact that it's uncontrolled, unpatrolled, full-risk avalanche terrain. It demands the same training, beacon-shovel-probe, and judgment as any backcountry. Experts dislike the cozy-sounding term for good reason: there's no such thing as 'safer' backcountry.
Frequently asked questions
What is sidecountry?
Sidecountry is ungroomed, uncontrolled backcountry terrain that can be accessed easily from a ski resort's lifts — typically by riding a lift and then passing through a marked backcountry access gate at the resort boundary. It looks convenient because you reach it from the resort, but it's outside the resort's controlled, patrolled area.
Is sidecountry safer than backcountry?
No — this is the dangerous misconception. Sidecountry is true backcountry: it is not avalanche-controlled, not patrolled, and carries the same avalanche, terrain, and hazard risks as any backcountry. The only difference is that it's easier to access via lifts. You need the same avalanche training, beacon-shovel-probe, and decision-making as for any backcountry travel.
Why do experts dislike the term 'sidecountry'?
Because the word implies it's something milder or safer than 'backcountry,' when it isn't. Many avalanche safety professionals argue that the easy lift access lulls people into venturing out unprepared and underestimating the danger, contributing to accidents. They prefer to call it what it is — backcountry — to emphasize that the same risks and preparation apply.
Sources
- Backcountry access & avalanche safety — Avalanche.org
- Avalanche education — American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education