There is a lot of hype this season about the rise of backcountry skiing and snowboarding, and there's a bit of grumbling too. Nearly every major publication has written about both the rise of backcountry skiing and the rush of newcomers to the sport.

But here at TREW, we're stoked. There will always be room in the backcountry for more courteous, educated, and stoked backcountry travelers. The more people that venture into the backcountry, the more demand there will be for backcountry education, the more stewards we will have for the environment, and more individuals will be healthy and fired up by the power of the mountains. 

It is important for everyone to remember why we go backcountry skiing. It's not to avoid crowds, face masks, or because it's trending. Go backcountry skiing because it's fun; go for the experience of navigating your own way through the mountains; go to challenge yourself; and go to carve your own path through untouched powder. 

To remind ourselves what it's all about, we created the Backcountry Because Series: a closer look at some solid individuals who love it all for the right reasons. 

Episode 1: Timmy Taussig aka Toeside Timmy. The most casually awesome snow slider you will encounter.