There is snow in the mountains and AIARE courses are filling up! Book now for the best selection!
Are you curious about backcountry touring? Have you tried it, but want a more structured introduction? This course is designed for competent inbound skiers or riders with little or no backcountry experience. You'll learn about the gear, its use and the basics of touring while actually moving through the landscapes of Snoqualmie Pass. This course is also offered at Crystal Mountain.
This 1-day Ski Touring course is designed to give you an introduction to the fundamentals of backcountry skiing. Getting familiar with the equipment specific to touring, uphill and downhill transitions, uphill movement skills including kick turns, and traveling with a group will be among the topics covered. While there will be some discussion about using your beacon, shovel, and probe, the focus of this course is on touring. We recommend taking an avalanche safety course (e.g., an AIARE 1 Avalanche course) as a good compliment to any ski touring course.
The course takes place at Snoqualmie Pass. It is open to skiers (AT and Telemark) and Splitboarders.
Courses typically run from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
Overall Difficulty Level:  ◾◾◽◽◽
Skiing Skills Required:◾◾◽◽◽ (31 to 38 Degrees)
It is important that you're able to ski advanced runs in the ski area in variable conditions.Â
Fitness Level:◾◾◽◽◽ (2500 to 3500 feet of vertical gain; 12 kilometers of distance)
Technical Skills: ◾◽◽◽◽ (You show up with the appropriate gear and we'll teach you how to use it.)
Sounds too Difficult? Call to ask about our private 1 -day ski coaching.
Sounds too Easy? Check out our 3-Day Ski Touring Course.
While completing a moderate ski tour in the Snoqualmie Pass backcountry participants will work on:
Snow Travel Gear
Safety Gear
Although tipping is not a requirement it is considered standard practice in the guiding industry and is appreciated by our guides. We generally recommend roughly 10%-15% of your course or trip cost or a flat amount that you are comfortable with.