Ski Mountaineering with SJE

Ski Mountaineering Course

  • Duration 3 Days
  • Backcountry Skiing

Learn advanced ski mountaineering skills in the mighty San Juan Mountains

With an emphasis on education, our Ski Mountaineering Course is a fantastic introduction for those who are looking to take their skiing/riding to the next level. Our AMGA educated and certified guides will share their expertise and train you on a variety of advanced techniques to give you the tools to tackle objectives that go beyond a normal tour. 

Our low client/guide ratio (3:1) ensures you get the dedicated attention required to become proficient in advanced techniques such as belayed skiing/riding, low angle ice climbing, advanced avalanche hazard mitigation, and more. As a Silverton based course, you will live, breathe, and eat in the mountains we will be recreating and learning in for the duration of the course. If objectives like the Grand Teton, Snake Couloir (Mt. Sneffels), Holy Cross Couloir (Mt. of the Holy Cross), Shit for Brains (Black Mountain) are on your tick list, our Ski Mountaineering Course is a great opportunity to give yourself the skills to get you closer to completing your objective.  

Trip Details

Duration

3 Days

Difficulty

Some backcountry skiing experience is necessary

Maximum Guide Ratio

3:1

Included

  • AMGA and SJE trained/certified ski guide
  • Avalanche beacon, shovel & probe 
  • Federal land usage surcharge (USFS/BLM)
  • Mountaineering equipment (ice axe, harness, anchors, rope etc.)

Not Included

  • Personal skiing/riding equipment
  • Lunch/snack food & water
  • Guide gratuity 

What You Will Learn

Climbing chops are often an overlooked skill set when considering a technical descent in the mountains. We will cover best practices for steep snow and low angle ice to help you access those hard-to-reach lines.

It is common that when accessing lines from above, rappelling is necessary to safely descend. We will cover a variety of techniques on snow, ice, and rock.

Belayed skiing is a skill best applied when skiing terrain of consequence or testing slopes for instability. We will talk about the applications of this technique and how to execute this maneuver for best results.

Ski mountaineering requires a keen eye for terrain navigation. Not only do you need to consider avalanche terrain, but you also must consider route finding when entering more vertical terrain. We will show you how to find that path of least resistance.

When venturing in terrain above 30 degrees, mother nature can throw a whole new bag of tricks at you. Learning advanced techniques to identify and mitigate avalanche risk is essential for safe navigation through technical descents.

Once you are ready to drop, do you have the skill necessary to execute the best part of ski mountaineering – the descent? We will teach you a variety of techniques not only on how to successfully descend but also self arrest in the event of a fall.

Once you are ready to drop, do you have the skill necessary to execute the best part of ski mountaineering – the descent? We will teach you a variety of techniques not only on how to successfully descend but also self arrest in the event of a fall.

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