I think people are being a little too gloom and doom here. Notice how the "crowds" we see are right at the access points, ie, the places in the backcountry that are less than ~5 miles from the gates. Even with the advent of better backcountry equipment, 99% of backcountry users aren't venturing to lines and mountains that take some legitimate work to get to. I saw mention in the comments about how this is Vail Resort's fault. I live in Vail Colorado and can confirm that yes, the easiest backcountry stuff to get to now in my town does get tracked out and impacted--but the harder mountains to get to, the places that are deeper in the backcountry, that really take skill and planning and knowledge to access, are still often hidden gems. If you really take issue with more people skiing these wild places, don't have children--it's population growth more than anything that is making our world smaller and more crowded. Get creative and explore more ranges, or deeper into the ones you already know. And fight climate change--climate change will do far more damage to the snowpack of the mountains we love than a few more people knowing of places due to Instagram.

In my opinion, these huts do not need Kickstarter money - they are an obvious benefit to Vail Resorts. Vail (Whistler) Resorts can afford the huts and the tourists coming to this will inevitably stay in Whistler at least 1 night and will buy lift passes to access the huts. Plus, (I hope this is already the case), but most of the money generated by the huts should be going to BC Parks and increased parking access to Singing Pass - Whistler benefits greatly from Garibaldi Park as their backyard and yet pays nothing towards our (BC's) underfunded and overburdened park system. PS Beautiful shots of one of my favourite places!

Awesome.

Beautiful footage!

truly extraordinary. Seth you are a genius! Stunning cinematography and storytelling!!!

Thanks guys for making our playground safer and more comfortable for everyone, cant wait to get out there!

So cool!

Great and challenging people!

I was invited by my friend and his Dad to come to BC for a week, 2 summers ago and we hiked up whistler and his day would not stop talking about this route. It cool to see what he was talking about

production on this is excellent

Stoked Maelle and Joris dad is mentioned.... My brother Andy and I grew up skiing at Whistler and the local North Vancouver mountains. We recognize many of those ski lines. At one point in the 90s my brother Andy almost lived on Decker he skied it at least 50 times. We have skied the traverse over 50 times combined on its own. Skied countless lines over a twenty plus period of time. We were not so into hitting the bars after to let people know what we were doing. By chance we were both Elite mountain bike racers in cross country and downhill so were were able to carry over that fitness into the mountains. Walk, climb, skin, repeat. Inspired by Trevor and Eric because they were ripping skiers. You guys need to follow skateboarding surfing history in California....Dogtown.... where they do there best to find the originals of the area that were getting it done. You interview the same people again and again and again. Many more characters made it happen.

great little flick! Stoked to see Matt Gunn, an old childhood friend

Nice video! Good work on it.

Some are saying that by making this video that it just advertises spearhead. It does do that but part of the video is to inform people of the problems that are occurring and ways they are trying to prevent it. A single video isn't going to make spearhead super busy when there is plenty of info on the area all over the internet

That was a Great Video Thanks :) The 8 people that did not like this video,,,, Probably want the Back Country to be left alone :(

Absolutely superb video. If someone happens to know... Can you share the opening piece of music. It’s right on the tip of my tongue. But I can’t quite recall.

8:51 incredible shot!

DOPE film

Did it back forth many times in the 80’s before Whistler became infested. Never saw anyone out there.

Did anyone catch that the photo at 4:11 is actually the legendary mountain guide Conrad Kain back in the 20's?

One way to manage the impact is to not advertise, too late.

My knees just shook

sickest drop happens at 8:30

my home . my play ground. :)

we want to bring people up to these amazing places but responsibly .

"Do you wanna not bring people out to these amazing places?" Depends what that means. I think a parking lot and a Tims would make it a fraction as amazing as it is now.

What's the name of the 11:40 minute song?

Man I miss BC

Well, me & the rest of the world are on our way.

8:31 Holy sheeeeit

Looks snowy

I love the videos about the snow. But I’m 64 and logged over 500 miles self substained in the back-country using Arc’Teryx outerwear with little or no snow. How about some videos in the brush or mountains with thick underbrush. BTW I won’t wear anything else for my rain gear.

RIP spearhead

The backcountry is a dangerous place, and you're right, Shovel, Probe, Beacon, aren't enough; ecological impact of increased usage is a reasonable concern; But if we look at the data, the back country skiing death rate in the last ten years in Canada hasn't increased in direct proportion to the increase rate of back country usage, has it?

The one in Rockies is the watch traverse???? Like sawatch?

Wait…people wear Arc’teryx outside of West 4th Ave?

I hope more and more people get out there, more open groomers for me!

Seems like you don't need huts but a quota system.

Yeah keep the crowds in Whistler. I don't want line ups like that on my trails.

So when can i take my snowmobile there?

Try not climbing mountains right next to one of the biggest tourist destinations on the planet. It would be like going to cancun during spring break and complain the beaches are too crowded.

Would you still to that run if you had to do it alone, couldn't make a video about it or tell people about it? If the answer is no, then you do it for the wrong reasons.

I really don't understand how adding infrastructure is supposed to improve safety and reduce human impact - that just don't add up?! Without putting a permit system in place this is only going to continue to commercialize and deteriorate in quality (of visitor). Hmmm...

I really love(d) the Spearhead. Which is why I really despise these media campaigns. Short sighted marketing/peacocking that does the opposite of "addressing the impact on these spaces as they gain popularity". The true beauty of such a classic traverse, is the mystery and the sense of accomplishment. When you travel the Spearhead in proper style for the first time, it looks impossible....like "how do I get through this place?". GPS tracking, huts,instagram photos, blogs, and paved path reduce this classic line to a trade route.Turned into another Joffre Lakes/Quarry Rock/Horseshoe Bend/ name-your-intstagram-location. Fine. Let everyone "do" the Spearhead. Adventure turned commodity. I'll keep my secret stashes...umm...secret.

'loved to death' is an exaggeration

Guess that’s the last time I do the spearhead. Thanks for ruining the “slightly less accessible” backcountry and making it a damn highway.

White titles in front of snow shots makes them almost impossible to read. A bit amateurish video post-production.

less talking more skiing

10:42 ... Amidst the narrators pleas for better backcountry awareness decision making ... Some dopey snowboarder does the old “falling leaf” down Decker ... STOP WRECKING THE SNOW!

Problem is as you make more comfortable accomodations like huts, you eliminate the skill set required to go there, and invite more and more less qualified skiers. I prefer less people and keep the area less crowded. Too bad to see back country areas being invaded by pretenders.

Sad sad sad…..keep your home quite stop promoting tourism! There is always an alternate motive!

More of a loop and not really a traverse

Too many people take away from the beauty of the mountains. Nothing wrong with seeing some good people out there, but seriously this traverse looks like the worst aspects of European skiing - too many people. That’s my two cents.