Ski Mountaineering

Our Ski Mountaineering outing is the perfect experience for skiers interested in the backcountry and alpine environment or those comfortable in the alpine looking to push themselves. Ski mountaineering will give you experience traveling through avalanche terrain, and make you comfortable with the technical skills for beginner rock and ice climbing. Riding the big mountains, and technical terrain of Colorado can be a challenging objective for many backcountry riders and traveling through the mountains to reach a ski mountaineering objective requires an increased combination of skills and decision making challenges for backcountry travel, that go beyond the skill and decision making demands for a weekend day tours at the local backcountry area.

During a Ski Mountaineering program, you will work with your guide to develop and practice the skills needed to identify, plan, and shred that technical line you have been looking at all season. Our Ski Mountaineering outings take place over two days and the emphasis is on your group and the skills that you want to improve upon or begin developing. The baseline curriculum for a Ski Mountaineering program will cover information around trip planning, gear selection, uphill and downhill mountain travel techniques, and technical skills practice for anchor building and advanced rappelling.

* If you do not have experience ski mountaineering you can book the itinerary and communicate with your guide to develop a plan for working your way towards a Ski Mountaineering experience.

Possible Itinerary Progression

Day one: Classroom session and half day in the field

AM

• Gear review
  • Skis, boots, poles, backpack
  • Crampons, axe(s), harness, rope, anchor material
  • Satnav, apps, map, compass, first aid, repair kit
• Planning for an objective
  • Caltopo
  • Time plan
  • paper map and compass theory
  • weather and snow

  PM

  • Field session
    • Movement
      • Using ski crampons
      • kick turns
      • Walking with crampons and an ice axe
      • Carrying skis (A-frame and Euro carry)
      • Snow anchor basics
      • Extended rappel
      • Steep skiing techniques

    Day Two: Alpine start

    Student planned and executed ski mountaineering experience.

    Other Possible topics

    • How to select the correct Ski Mountaineering gear for your objective
    • How to plan for a ski mountaineering objective
    • Using crampons and an ice axe for mountain travel, including instruction and practice with performing self arrest
    • Ski mountaineering anchor techniques for rock, ice and snow
    • Uphill and downhill movement refinement
    • Terrain management techniques to limit exposure to avalanches
    • Advanced rappelling techniques (optional)

    All ages 12 and up (contact us in advance if there are minors in your party), fitness levels, and abilities are welcome.

    Participants should be prepared to travel in the backcountry by either ski or splitboard.

    All outings take place at altitude in mountainous terrain. We encourage clients to come prepared for all mountain weather conditions.

    Booking & Availability
    Ready to embark on your winter adventure? We’re excited to guide you on your Ski Mountaineering journey. Reserve your spot through the calendar below, or for more information, call us at (970) 949-9111 or visit our contact page.

    If you don’t see enough availability for your group, give us a call—our team can often accommodate larger groups or special requests with flexibility. Let’s get you out in the snow!