Intro to Backcountry Skiing
Open your door to the Alaska Winter Backcountry!
This course is designed for those who want to transfer their alpine skiing background to the backcountry. I will give you the knowledge to backcountry ski at Turnagain Pass, Summit Pass or Hatcher Pass on your own. The skills I teach are set at an international standard by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE).
Return to Skiing Overview.
Skill Level
Intermediate to advanced alpine (ski area) ability, no backcountry experience necessary
Dates
November through April, one to three days,
Topics Covered
- Trip planning
- The right backcountry gear
- Avalanche assessment
- Decision making
- Skinning technique
- Sking track setting
- Avalanche terrain management
- Defensive downhill technique
- Strategies for Light and Fast
Includes
- Instructor/Guide (4:1 max ratio)
- Navigation, first aid and repair kits
- Emergency communication
Does Not Include
- Travel to Anchorage and trailhead
- Food
- Personal ski gear (see Backcountry Skiing Gear)
- Available for rent: beacon, shovel, probe, pack
Cost
- 1 customer: $400 per person per day
- 2 customers: $275 per person per day
- 3+ customers: $200 per person per day
The golden rules of safe travel in avalanche terrain: spot your partner, stop in a safe zone and ski one at a time.
Calibrating your eye to slope angle is the most effective way to recognize avalanche terrain. We will carry inclinometers and use them often to measure slope angle and avalanche runnout angle.
Conducting a compression snow stability test to examine the snowpack strength, energy and structure. Stability tests are an important piece of information that goes into our stability analysis for the day and determines what terrain we ski.