If you're ready to take your backcountry skiing or splitboarding to the next level, this intermediate women's course is for you! Not only will we focus on improving our movement and backcountry skills, we will also focus on leadership and decision making. Get confident moving through the mountains, as well as taking the lead and communicating with your group!
You'll learn:
- Understanding and communicating the Avalanche Advisory and making moving observations throughout the day
- More advanced techniques for efficient skinning and track setting, whether you're using alpine touring skis or a split board. These might include kick turns, side hilling, and using ski crampons.
- Navigation - You will plan a tour and practice navigating throughout the day
- Take the lead - If you've never been the leader of your touring group, you're in for a treat! It's a whole new world when you're out front.
- Communication - Practice speaking up when you might not be the most dominant person in your group or feel uncomfortable.
Requisite Experience
The Intermediate Backcountry program is for ladies who have been backcountry skiing or splitboarding at least ten times, or have taken our Intro to Backcountry course and have gotten out at least five additional times since. Advanced resort riding skills are also required. An AIARE 1 Avalanche course is recommended, but not required. We want everyone to have a great experience on our programs, so we kindly request your riding skills meet the demands of the snow. Contact us if you're unsure and we can help you figure it out!
Blackbird Mountain Guides has partnered with Weston to host unique courses taught by our Weston affiliated guides! These course include free Weston ski & splitboard demos, swag, and a discount code for Weston products.
Here are the Blackbird x Weston Women's Intermediate Course Dates:
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2/4/2023
Dates
Contact Us Here to Schedule Custom Dates for your group on an Intermediate Backcountry Course today!
Available Dates
Prices
See sidebar for current pricing.Itinerary
DAY 1:
8:00am Meet your guide in the field at the designated trailhead.
The trailhead will be communicated prior to meeting in the field so you can have a chance to practice tour planning and navigation.
Throughout the day you will practice:
- Avalanche Observations
- Techniques for more efficient skinning and track setting
- Efficient transitions
- Navigation
- Taking the lead
- Communicating
3:30 Wrap up the tour at the trailhead.
Equipment
Gear Guide / Packing List
Backcountry Touring Gear
❏ Alpine Touring Skis or Splitboard - Light to Midweight Setup with “Tech Bindings”
❏ Alpine Touring Boots or Splitboard Compatible Boots; Scarpa F1
❏ Climbing Skins - Mohair Mix is Best; Black Diamond GlideLite Mohair Mix,
❏ Touring Backpack - A Pack with Avalanche Tools Pocket; BD Cirque 35
❏ Ski Poles - Lightweight, Adjustable Poles with Baskets; BD Expedition 3 Poles
❏ Ski Helmet - Lightweight S
Avalanche Gear
RENT a the full Avalanche Gear Kit from Blackbird
❏ Avalanche Beacon - Digital Avalanche Transceiver; Black Diamond Guide Recon BT
❏ Avalanche Shovel - Collapsible, Aluminum Shovel; Backcountry Access BT2 Shovel
❏ Avalanche Probe - Quickdraw Style Probe; Backcountry Access Stealth 300
Head and Neck Layers
❏ Sun Hat - A Baseball Hat; Blackbird Mountain Guides Logo Hat
❏ Sunglasses - Dark Lens Glasses with Side Coverage; Julbo Shield
❏ Goggles - Ski Goggles with a Storm Lens; Julbo Aerospace Reactive
❏ Warm Hat - Lightweight Warm Hat that Fits Under Your Helmet;
❏ Neck Gaiters - Light to Midweight Neck Gaiters; Buff or your favorite Face Masks
Upper Body and Hand Layers
❏ Long Sleeve Base Layer - Lightweight, Synthetic/Wool; Patagonia SunHoody
❏ 2 Insulating Top Layers - Light to Midweight Insulation Layers; Patagonia R1 & Nano Air
❏ Puffy - Midweight Down or Synthetic with Hood; Patagonia Fitzroy or similar
❏ Hardshell Jacket, Hooded - Waterproof, Gore-Tex, NOT insulated; Arc’Teryx Alpha FL
❏ Light Gloves - Light to Mid Weight for Warm Temps; Flylow John Henry Gloves, BD Tour
❏ Midweight Gloves - Mid to Heavy Weight for Cold Conditions; BD Legend
❏ Sports Bra - Wool/Synthetic;
Lower Body and Foot Layers
❏ Socks - Midweight Wool/Synthetic; Darn Tough Via Ferrata
❏ Underwear - Wool/Synthetic
❏ Long Underwear - Wool/Synthetic “Long Johns”; Patagonia Capilene Air
❏ Softshell Ski Pants - Breathable, Weather Resistant for Fair Weather; OR Trailbreaker II
❏ Vented Hardshell Ski Pants - Waterproof Pants for Extreme Weather; Flylow Compound
Food and Water
❏ Nalgene Water Bottle - Hard Sided Bottle; Nalgene 16oz-32oz Wide Mouth Bottle
❏ Soft Water Bottle 1.5L - Flexible Water Bladder; Hydrapak Flux 1.5L
***Please bring at least one hard sided water bottle.
❏ Snacks - Enough Snacks for the Day. There will be no lunch break so snacks must be
convenient and easy to eat.
Other Essentials
❏ Sun Screen (SPF 30 minimum)
❏ Lip Balm (with SPF)
❏ Hand Sanitizer
❏ Toilet Paper
Optional
❏ First Aid/blister Kit
❏ Chemical Hand Warmers
❏ Hydration System - Flexible Water Bladder with Hose; Hydrapak, Camelback, Platypus
Group Gear
Blackbird Mountain Guides will supply all of the group gear for the trip, including:
✓ Guide’s First Aid Kits
✓ Wag Bags (Solid Human Waste Disposal Bags)
✓ Snow Observation Equipment (Snowsaws, Loops, Crystal Cards, Etc)