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Course

3-Day Ski Touring Course - Snoqualmie Pass

Overview

Have you been longing to take your skiing and riding skills into the backcountry but don’t know where to start? The goal of our three day course is to give people a foundation in the use of the gear and the skills to plan and execute a simple tour.

We also offer this ski touring course at Crystal Mountain.

 

$700 Per Person
3 Days
Difficulty
Ratio:
4:1, 8:2

Trip Information

$700
Price based on 3-4 skiers. Please contact us directly for private trips. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com

This 3-Day Ski Touring course is an excellent way to gain the skills you need to become a proficient backcountry skier or splitboarder.  If you are skilled at skiing or snowboarding off-piste in ski resorts and have been longing to get out of bounds, this course is for you! Please note that this course is for proficient downhill skiers/riders who can ski/ride proficiently off-piste, and safely get down black diamond runs in any conditions.

Our 3-Day Ski Touring course and our AIARE 1 avalanche course will teach you equally important yet very different skill sets. This ski touring course is a movement-based course designed to introduce you to the gear, skills, and knowledge necessary to move proficiently through the backcountry.  Our avalanche courses are designed to teach you to identify avalanche hazards and manage risk in the backcountry.  In order to become a well-rounded backcountry traveler, we encourage you to take both the ski touring course and an AIARE 1 course.  If you take the 3-Day Ski Touring Course and an AIARE 1 Avalanche Course in the same season, you will receive a 10% discount on each.

Note the course is 3 consecutive days, but only the first day will appear after clicking the red "View Dates & Availability" button.

Duration: 3
Ratio: 4:1, 8:2
Difficulty Level:
Click here to learn more about difficulty ratings.

Overall Difficulty Level:  ◾◾◽◽◽

Skiing Skills Required:◾◾◽◽◽ (31 to 38 Degrees)

The minimum requirement for all ski touring courses is a strong upper intermediate skiing or snowboarding ability in all types of terrain and conditions. The backcountry terrain on Snoqualmie Pass is challenging for splitboarders and the skill level has to be a bit higher still than for skiers. This means you are comfortable in ungroomed conditions in all types of snow (heavy, wet snow, powder, ice, breakable crust, etc). You should be able to make controlled turns in difficult, steep and tight terrain with any of the above mentioned snow conditions. It doesn't have to be pretty, but it should not cause stress. Again, this is not for the new or novice downhill skier or snowboarder; you should feel pretty dialed to ride anything downhill.

Fitness Level◾◾◾◽◽ (2500 to 3500 feet of vertical gain; 12 kilometers of distance) We'll keep individual day moderate but this is a three day course with the consecutive days taking their toll.

Technical Skills: ◾◽◽◽◽ (You show up with the appropriate gear and we'll teach you how to use it.)

Sounds too Difficult? Check out our 1-Day Touring Course.

Sounds too Easy? Check out our Advnaced Touring Course.

 


Private Trips Available

Don't see a date that works for you? Pro Guiding Service offers any trip or courses on a private basis. We are flexible! Call or email to inquire.
Learn MoreView Dates & Availability

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary. Be aware that the order may change based on snow and weather conditions.

Day 1: We will execute a simple ski tour with the emphasis on learning how to use new gear.

  • Daily risk management
  • Introduction to tour planning
  • Appropriate gear, its management and its use. Including: beacon trailhead checks, uphill and downhill transitions, the backcountry boot and binding, and the use of skins
  • Uphill movement efficiency and skills. Including: skinning, AVA turns and uphill kick turns.
  • Downhill movement and group management
  • Introduction to terrain management and track setting
  • Daily debrief

Day 2: A second ski tour with:

  • Daily risk management
  • In-depth tour planning with options, time calculations and goals
  • More practice with uphill and downhill movement
  • A short companion rescue scenario
  • Daily debrief

Day 3: For parts of our final tour the guides will move from instructors to facilitators with the students carrying us through some of the skills we've learned so far.

  • Daily risk management
  • Execution of tour incorporating everything we've learned so far
  • Introduction to map and compass us in the field
  • Introduction to snow stability
  • Course debrief

 

Private Trips

Pro Guiding Service proudly offers the most diverse ski touring and ski mountaineering programs of any guiding service in the Northwest. Smaller, more intimate custom itineraries or instructional tours are available for any of our destinations. Tell us what you want to do, and we can create a customized plan for you.
View Private Trips

Pricing

$700
per person
Price based on 3-4 skiers. Please contact us directly for private trips. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com
View Dates & Availability
Payment Policy
If booking a domestic trip that is over 60 days away or an international trip that is over 90 days away, you can book your trip by paying a 20% deposit.  View Full Policy
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel for any reason 60 or more days before domestic trips or 90 or more days before international and Alaska trips, we will refund everything you have paid minus half of your deposit. No refunds will be provided if you cancel your trip for ANY REASON (this includes but is not limited to illness including CoVid-19, injury, or work-related issues) within 60 days of the start of domestic trips or 90 days of international and Alaska based trips.  View Full Policy

Equipment List

Clothing
Base Layer
  • Lightweight or midweight top (avoid cotton)
  • Lightweight or midweight long underwear bottoms, may omit depending on the warmth of your pants
  • Warm ski socks
Mid Layer
  • Fleece or wool or similar warmth layer
  • Wind shirt or soft shell jacket - wind & water resistant, breathable
Outerwear
  • Waterproof/breathable jacket with hood
  • Ski/snowboard pants - either softshell or waterproof/breathable pants depending on weather)
  • Down or synthetic puffy-type jacket
  • Warm hat - should cover ears
  • Sun hat - baseball type or visor
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Ski gloves or mittens
  • A 3rd pair of gloves - recommended for temps above freezing in case your gloves get wet (lightweight or midweight)
Personal Gear
  • Day pack – large enough to fit everything inside (around 30 liters) - dedicated shovel pocket preferred
  • Water bottles - enough for a full day - wide mouth best to prevent freezing shut, hydration systems are okay if the temps are going to be above freezing
  • Lunch and snacks - enough for a full day
  • Sunglasses - adequate for snow travel
  • Goggles
  • Sunscreen - SPF 25+, waterproof
  • Lip Balm - SPF 15+
  • Headlamp - lightweight LED recommended
  • Face mask/covering - for when close contact is unavoidable
Technical Gear

Snow Travel Gear

  • Snow travel equipment - alpine touring or telemark skis or splitboard
  • Boots - touring ski boots or snowboard boots
  • Poles - adjustable poles are ideal so you can adjust the length when going uphill/downhill
  • Climbing skins
  • Ski brakes or removable ski leashes
  • Ski or splitboard crampons - ensure they are compatible with your bindings and ski/board width

Safety Gear

  • Avalanche Beacon
  • Shovel - compact, lightweight, metal blade preferred
  • Probe - dedicated probe only (240cm or longer strongly recommended)

 

Optional Items
  • Basic snow study kit - dial stem thermometer(s), crystal card, magnifying loupe, ruler
  • Notebook and writing utensil
  • Thermos - with a hot drink
  • Compass - adjustable declination a must
  • Altimeter watch
  • Maps - contact guiding office for appropriate quadrangles
  • Map case - large Ziploc bags work well
  • Camera
  • Hand sanitizer
Equipment Sales & Rental

Gearing Up Adventurers Since 1999 

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10% Off purchases and 20% Off rentals for Pro Guiding Service guests
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FAQs

I am an intermediate skier, but I would love to get into backcountry skiing. Can I take this course?

You should be a strong, upper intermediate skier. Snow conditions may vary, ski touring equipment feels different than standard alpine gear, backcountry terrain is often more challenging, and the course is physically demanding.

What is the general character of the course?

The course is movement based.  Ski touring principles are explained on the go and practical application is instant.

What about the avalanche courses you offer...do you prefer one over the other?

Well, ideally you take both an AIARE 1 course AND a 3-Day Ski Touring Course. The designs of these two courses are very complementary and that is why we offer a 10% discount to anyone who decides to sign-up for both of them within the same season.  If possible, we recommend taking the touring course before the AIARE course.  Please send us an email (info@proguiding.com) if you sign up for both courses so that we can apply the 10% discount to both.

Should I tip my guides?

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 a trip cost or a flat amount that you are comfortable with.

Why Book With Us? 

Certified Professional Guides & All Access
All of our guides have the highest quality training and certification in the industry, and you can be sure that we have the permits, licenses and insurance in every location we operate.
Safe, Well-Planned Tour Design
Every tour has a carefully thought-out guide-to-customer ratio. You always get a safe, high-quality trip or learning environment with us.
Pioneers In The Industry
You will travel and learn from experts. We've pioneered several alpine climbing routes, ski descents, and traverses and we've written books on skills and routes in the industry. 
Read Our story
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