Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Course

Everett Backcountry Ski Course - “Exploring the Cascades” The course offers a great introduction to safely meeting the challenges of travelling in the Cascades backcountry on snow.

This course is designed for alpine tourers, telemarkers, and snowboarders of intermediate level or better. A prerequisite for the course is having completed an AIARE or AAA Level 1 course within the last 3 years. You need to show your completion certificate at the first ski course lecture. The course teaches winter camping, emergency shelters, winter navigation and tour planning. We will teach you skills to set you on the way to becoming a competent backcountry winter traveler with the decision making knowledge to venture beyond the boundaries of the ski area and into the world of untracked lines.

The field trips are tours where we put it all together, from planning where to go (tour planning) to making decisions on how to travel uphill and downhill (route finding). Everybody will get the chance to practice skills they have learned while receiving coaching and feedback. The tour locations will depend on the avalanche hazard and group desires.

The fee is $150.00 for Mountaineer Members and $175.00 for non-members.

Course Schedule

Jan 21 7-930p classroom - intro and equipment

Jan 24 8a-4p field trip - gear shakedown

Jan 28 7-930p classroom - winter camping / shelters

Feb 4 7-930p classroom - navigation / trip planning

Feb 7-8 8a-4p field trip - winter camping / touring

Feb 25 7-930p classroom - weather / LNT

Feb 28 8a-4p field trip - complete tour

The classroom lectures will be in a meeting room at Snohomish Co PUD in Everett at 2320 California St, Everett, WA 98201. Please bring pen and paper for taking notes. Equipment will be discussed at the first lecture.  Shovels, probes, avalanche transceivers and either backcountry skis or splitboards are required for field trips.

For enrollment or course information, please contact: Mike Palmer at mike@cascadespecialty.com or Lee Wilcox at leebttrcup@aol.com. Sign up online www.mountaineers.org or phone 206-521-6001.

Cancellations within 7 days of course start will be charged 50% course fee unless a replacement student can be found.