Introduction to Backcountry Travel for Skiers

This course is intended for skiers who are in good physical condition and can ski / ride at an advanced level in a lift-served resort (descend black diamond runs and make turns in ungroomed snow).  Field trips will require travel in backcountry settings, where ungroomed snow and obstacles such as trees, rocks and narrow paths pose serious challenges.

Students will learn the basic skills to safely travel in the winter backcountry for single and multi-day tours.  The skills obtained will allow students to be competent participants in Mountaineers ski trips rated M1-M3 (no glacier travel).  

SPLITBOARDERS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS COURSE.  While most topics apply equally to travel on skis or splitboards, splitboard-specific instruction may be limited due to instructor availability.

If the course has reached capacity, participants are encouraged to join the waitlist. Additional students can be accepted if more instructors become available.

The course consists of

• Four 2-hour evening lecture sessions that cover topics in Weather, Winter Camping, Emergency Evacuation and Bivouac, Equipment Repair, Winter Health & Safety, Trip Planning, and Winter Navigation.
• Up to 2 hours of reading or self-study per week.
• A one-day Basic Maneuvers field trip including familiarization with equipment, uphill travel, transitions, route finding and preparation of an emergency bivouac.
• A two-day overnight field trip covering route finding, navigation, construction of snow shelters, and winter camping in snow shelters

To Participate in this course students must:

1. Have completed a Basic Navigation course, or the basic climbing course, or equivalent.
2. Have completed, or be currently enrolled in an AIARE Level One avalanche course.  Students must complete AIARE level-one to participate in the Overnight Field Trip.

To graduate from this course students must:

• Attend all lectures and field trips.

Disclaimers

• The Basic Maneuvers field trip will cover uphill travel skills. Most ski techniques apply to splitboards, but instruction on splitboard-specific methods will be limited.
• This course does not teach avalanche rescue skills.