In this course, learn backcountry skiing basics: snowpack assessment, efficient skiing, gear use, and route-finding for safe mountain travel.
Season
Winter
Skill Level
Beginner and Intermediate
Duration
8 hours
Group Size
up to six participants
Throughout this course, participants will exploration of the foundational principles of backcountry skiing. They will acquire indispensable knowledge and skills crucial for navigating with confidence through mountain terrain. They will refine their skiing prowess through hands-on experience in efficient uphill and downhill techniques tailored specifically for backcountry environments. Mastery of essential backcountry ski equipment, including the proper use of skins and bindings, will be emphasized, ensuring participants are equipped with the necessary tools to traverse challenging terrain with ease and precision.
Moreover, participants will hone their route-finding abilities, a critical skill for accessing untouched powder stashes while effectively mitigating avalanche risks. Through hands-on learning experiences in simulated backcountry scenarios, students will develop a solid foundation in decision-making and hazard management, instilling them with the confidence and competence to make informed choices when venturing beyond the boundaries of traditional resort skiing. By the culmination of the course, participants will emerge not only with enhanced technical proficiency but also with a newfound sense of empowerment, ready to embark on their own backcountry adventures with the assurance of having acquired essential skills under expert guidance.
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Max Lurie - Owner of Alpine to the Max
Max Lurie is an American Mountain Guides Association certified Rock and Alpine Guide, as well as an accomplished alpinist. Max has been climbing since 2004 and traveling to the greater ranges in pursuit of his passion.
As an independently certified climbing guide based in Boulder, CO, Max provides custom education and mountain experiences in the Colorado Front Range and beyond. All of the climbing instruction offered through Alpine to the Max is customized to your goals, objectives, and skill level.
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Sample Itinerary for One-Day Intro to Backcountry Skiing Course:
Morning:
8:00 AM - Meet and Greet:
8:30 AM - Classroom Session:
10:00 AM - On-Snow Session (Part 1):
Afternoon:
1:00 PM - On-Snow Session (Part 2):
3:00 PM - Scenario-based Exercises:
4:30 PM - Debrief and Wrap-Up:
5:00 PM - Conclusion:
(Note: The itinerary is subject to change based on weather conditions, group dynamics, and instructor discretion.)
While you don't need to own all your backcountry gear yet, we'll provide a detailed list to ensure you're properly equipped. This includes backcountry skis (lighter and sized for uphill travel), climbing skins for grip while ascending, and backcountry boots that offer both walking and skiing modes. Avalanche safety gear is mandatory and includes a beacon for locating buried victims, a shovel for digging them out, and a probe for pinpointing their exact location. We have avalanche safety equipment available for use in this course. A backpack designed for backcountry skiing will comfortably carry all your essentials, including water, food, extra clothes, and emergency supplies. As always if you have any further questions about equipment please let us know.
Yes and no, we offer a separate 3-day AIARE Level 1 course that is much more comprehensive. As it focuses on decision-making in avalanche terrain. However, our Intro to Backcountry Skiing course is a great primer for any avalanche education.
The Intro course is a stepping stone. Doing uphill laps at a ski resort is also a great way to gain familiarity with your equipment. Before venturing into the backcountry on your own we suggest some form of avalanche education such as our AIARE Level 1 course.
The weather does play a large role in our decision-making while backcountry skiing as it can drastically affect the avalanche conditions as well as the quality of the snow surface for skiing. However, it can be perfectly acceptable to ski during a storm. Please reference our cancelation and rescheduling policy for further details.
We choose beginner-friendly terrain with manageable slopes and very limited exposure to avalanche risk. If you are able to confidently and comfortably ski a variety of ungroomed blue runs at a resort you will be fine on this course.
Alpine to the Max is an independent certified guide with more than a decade of experience in a wide variety of terrain. No matter your current skill level, when you climb with us you get a top-notch experience that is fully customized to meet your exact desires.
