Mt Shasta Skills & Ski Weekend
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- The Rest Step: the Foundation of Mountaineering and Ski Mountaineering.
- Crampons:
- Types and pros and cons of each
- How to put them on
- Techniques: flat footing, duck step, pied a troisieme, front pointing, plunge stepping
- Ice Axes:
- Types of axes and pros and cons of each
- Anatomy of the axe and how to hold it
- Ice Axe Arrest:
- Rope Team Arrest (to stop a partner who has fallen into a crevasse in glaciated terrain)
- Self Arrest (to stop yourself from falling)
- Rope Travel:
- For glaciated terrain
- For steep technical terrain with a guide
- Transitions:
- Skinning to Ski Crampons
- Ski Crampons or skinning to Boot Crampons
- Climbing/Cramponing to Skiing on steep terrain
Day 1
8:00 am Meet your guide at the trailhead
We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. The guide will discuss where we'll travel and provide an overview of the skills to be covered for the day. The guide will conduct a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check.
8:30 am Travel to a suitable area to practice the skills we need for the day
The purpose of the day is building skills, so we'll focus on that, rather than travelling long distances.
9:00 am Skills
- We'll begin our skills session, covering basic efficiency, footwork and body position, including the rest step.
- Crampon techniques for various types of terrain
- Ski Crampons, how and when to use them
- All about Ice Axes
- Anatomy of an ice axe
- Various grips and applications
- Team arrest (when travelling on a rope team)
- Self arrest
- Rope Travel
- Short roping with a guide
- Glacier travel
- Transitions
- From skinning to cramponing
- Cramponing to skiing in steep terrain
3:30 pm Close out the day and return to town.
After we finish skills for the day and establish a plan for the following day, we'll go our separate ways for the evening.
Day 2
6:00-9:00 am Meet to discuss the plan for the day.
We'll base this meeting time on the snow conditions and objective hazards for the day. After meeting up we'll discuss the plan for the day and conduct a trailhead departure check.
Ski Tour
We'll ski tour to find the best turns of the day, putting the skills we learned the previous day to use on the natural features of the mountain. Our tour will be based on the desires of the group and will focus on skills development and finding the best quality snow!
3:30 pm Trailhead debrief and program close
We'll wrap up the course with daylight left to spare, debriefing the skills learned and the next steps for skills development and ski mountaineering opportunities.
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.
- Ski/Split Touring, Avalanche, & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
- Tent
- Stove & Fuel
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Ski/Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear
- Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
- Guide Gratuities
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
- Ice Axe
- Crampons
- Ski/Split Crampons
- Climbing Harness
- Headlamp
- Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad
Know Before you go
Blackbird Mountain Guides offers both scheduled group programs and private programs.
Private programs are simply above and beyond what Blackbird Mountain Guides currently has scheduled. Scheduled courses are not always less expensive. Before booking a trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides, clients are encouraged to review the differences between these types of programs, and to decide what works best for them.
SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
Scheduled Programs have fixed dates, itineraries, objectives, curriculum, and costs. They typically appeal to solo individuals or small groups or who are looking to share the cost of their program with a larger group. Correspondingly, scheduled programs are less expensive for smaller groups (1-2), and they provide the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. If you have a large group (3+), Scheduled programs will often be more expensive. They can fill up quickly, and scheduling flexibility is obviously limited.
Scheduled programs will have advertised dates. All scheduled programs can be run as private programs with private dates/rates as well.
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
Private programs have scheduling freedom. They typically appeal to those who would like some flexibility in planning their own trip or course. In this regard, Itineraries and objectives can be tailored to suit current conditions as well as client goals. Private programs are normally less expensive for larger groups (3+). If you have a small group (1-2) private programs will be more expensive.
Day 1
8:00 am Meet your guide at the trailhead
We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. The guide will discuss where we'll travel and provide an overview of the skills to be covered for the day. The guide will conduct a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check.
8:30 am Travel to a suitable area to practice the skills we need for the day
The purpose of the day is building skills, so we'll focus on that, rather than travelling long distances.
9:00 am Skills
- We'll begin our skills session, covering basic efficiency, footwork and body position, including the rest step.
- Crampon techniques for various types of terrain
- Ski Crampons, how and when to use them
- All about Ice Axes
- Anatomy of an ice axe
- Various grips and applications
- Team arrest (when travelling on a rope team)
- Self arrest
- Rope Travel
- Short roping with a guide
- Glacier travel
- Transitions
- From skinning to cramponing
- Cramponing to skiing in steep terrain
3:30 pm Close out the day and return to town.
After we finish skills for the day and establish a plan for the following day, we'll go our separate ways for the evening.
Day 2
6:00-9:00 am Meet to discuss the plan for the day.
We'll base this meeting time on the snow conditions and objective hazards for the day. After meeting up we'll discuss the plan for the day and conduct a trailhead departure check.
Ski Tour
We'll ski tour to find the best turns of the day, putting the skills we learned the previous day to use on the natural features of the mountain. Our tour will be based on the desires of the group and will focus on skills development and finding the best quality snow!
3:30 pm Trailhead debrief and program close
We'll wrap up the course with daylight left to spare, debriefing the skills learned and the next steps for skills development and ski mountaineering opportunities.
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- The Rest Step: the Foundation of Mountaineering and Ski Mountaineering.
- Crampons:
- Types and pros and cons of each
- How to put them on
- Techniques: flat footing, duck step, pied a troisieme, front pointing, plunge stepping
- Ice Axes:
- Types of axes and pros and cons of each
- Anatomy of the axe and how to hold it
- Ice Axe Arrest:
- Rope Team Arrest (to stop a partner who has fallen into a crevasse in glaciated terrain)
- Self Arrest (to stop yourself from falling)
- Rope Travel:
- For glaciated terrain
- For steep technical terrain with a guide
- Transitions:
- Skinning to Ski Crampons
- Ski Crampons or skinning to Boot Crampons
- Climbing/Cramponing to Skiing on steep terrain
Day 1
8:00 am Meet your guide at the trailhead
We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. The guide will discuss where we'll travel and provide an overview of the skills to be covered for the day. The guide will conduct a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check.
8:30 am Travel to a suitable area to practice the skills we need for the day
The purpose of the day is building skills, so we'll focus on that, rather than travelling long distances.
9:00 am Skills
- We'll begin our skills session, covering basic efficiency, footwork and body position, including the rest step.
- Crampon techniques for various types of terrain
- Ski Crampons, how and when to use them
- All about Ice Axes
- Anatomy of an ice axe
- Various grips and applications
- Team arrest (when travelling on a rope team)
- Self arrest
- Rope Travel
- Short roping with a guide
- Glacier travel
- Transitions
- From skinning to cramponing
- Cramponing to skiing in steep terrain
3:30 pm Close out the day and return to town.
After we finish skills for the day and establish a plan for the following day, we'll go our separate ways for the evening.
Day 2
6:00-9:00 am Meet to discuss the plan for the day.
We'll base this meeting time on the snow conditions and objective hazards for the day. After meeting up we'll discuss the plan for the day and conduct a trailhead departure check.
Ski Tour
We'll ski tour to find the best turns of the day, putting the skills we learned the previous day to use on the natural features of the mountain. Our tour will be based on the desires of the group and will focus on skills development and finding the best quality snow!
3:30 pm Trailhead debrief and program close
We'll wrap up the course with daylight left to spare, debriefing the skills learned and the next steps for skills development and ski mountaineering opportunities.
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.
- Ski/Split Touring, Avalanche, & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
- Tent
- Stove & Fuel
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Ski/Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear
- Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
- Guide Gratuities
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
- Ice Axe
- Crampons
- Ski/Split Crampons
- Climbing Harness
- Headlamp
- Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad
the blackbird difference
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epic reviews from adventurers
View Reviews
Awesome Experience
“Taking this course with Zeb was the best decision! He was extremely friendly, relaxed and knowledgeable and answered all our questions with great patience.
An Exceptional Course
“I took an AIARE 1 with Blackbird and couldn't recommend it more. The knowledge gained was well-worth every penny, and then some."
Too Good For Words
Just took the "lift-assisted" Avalanche Rescue course, and it was a fantastic opportunity to act out more realistic rescue scenarios. It was a great refresher and learning experience. Our instructor Evan was knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Highly recommended!
An Incredible Weekend!
Completed AIARE 1 w/ Blackbird. Instructors were very knowledgeable, experienced, patient, attentive, and down-to-earth in relating to clients across a wide spectrum of ability. Highly recommended. Great group of people!
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