Rope Skills for Skiers & Riders in Tahoe

Looking to step up your game to access iconic lines that only a select few will ever ride, like the Grand Teton or Cosmiques Couloir? This course will teach you fundamental skills for technical ski mountaineering, including how to build a snow anchor, rappel into a line and travel on a glacier.
Overview
Itinerary
Prerequisites
Inclusions
Gear

We'll cover the following topics and skills:

  • Gear Choices - choices for ropes, harnesses, slings and cordelettes, micro traxion pulleys; all the tools you need to get into serious terrain.

  • Gear Basics - racking gear on your harness, strategies for managing rope, tying knots and understanding the applications for the knots we use most commonly in skiing.

  • Rappelling. With skis on our feet and with skis on our backs. We’ll learn the reasons to choose each and how to deal with the transition of getting off rappel.

  • Belaying. We'll cover when belays are practical and how to do it effectively.

  • Glacier Travel. How to rig a rope for rope team travel.

  • Snow Anchors. How to build basic snow anchors using the gear we typically carry on ski mountaineering routes.

  • Lowering. How to use a rope to get a non-ambulatory, injured person down a slope.

Here's the schedule for your course:

  • 8:00 am - Meet your guide at the trailhead

  • 9:30 am - We'll spend the day demonstrating and coaching while you practice rope skills

  • 12:00pm - Lunch on the go

  • 3:00pm - Course ends

Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:

  • Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Experience with ice axe and crampons

  • Advanced Resort Riding skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions

  • Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.

Here's what's included with your course:

  • Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
  • Tahoe National Forest Permit
  • Ropes & Group Gear for Training
  • Group Safety Gear - Snow Science, First Aid Kits
  • Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
Not Included
  • Ski & Splitboard Touring Gear
  • Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - beacon, shovel, probe, ice axe, crampons, climbing harness
  • Transportation
  • Meals
  • Guide Gratuities

Rope Skills for Skiers & Riders Gear List

  • Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird

  • Ski & Splitboard Touring Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Tahoe Sports Hub - use code BLACKBIRD10 for 10% off at checkout.


Know Before you go

SKILL LEVELIntermediate Advanced
ELEVATION6,000’-9,000’
LocationTahoe

Price $250.00
Private Programs
Duration: 1 Day
View Full Itinerary
Private Programs

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.

Contact us
Full Itinerary

8:00 am  Meet your guide at the trailhead.  Your guide will conduct a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check then we’ll tour to an appropriate venue with terrain that provides excellent learning opportunities.

9:30 am  We’ll begin the skills portion of the program here, covering the materials we use and discussing their applications.  We’ll tie knots, build anchors, practice rappelling and set up ropes for glacier travel. 

3:30 pm We will close the program with a margin of daylight remaining when we hit the trailhead.  At the trailhead, we’ll review the skills we learned and discuss any questions the group may still have regarding all things ski mountaineering.

We'll cover the following topics and skills:

  • Gear Choices - choices for ropes, harnesses, slings and cordelettes, micro traxion pulleys; all the tools you need to get into serious terrain.

  • Gear Basics - racking gear on your harness, strategies for managing rope, tying knots and understanding the applications for the knots we use most commonly in skiing.

  • Rappelling. With skis on our feet and with skis on our backs. We’ll learn the reasons to choose each and how to deal with the transition of getting off rappel.

  • Belaying. We'll cover when belays are practical and how to do it effectively.

  • Glacier Travel. How to rig a rope for rope team travel.

  • Snow Anchors. How to build basic snow anchors using the gear we typically carry on ski mountaineering routes.

  • Lowering. How to use a rope to get a non-ambulatory, injured person down a slope.

Here's the schedule for your course:

  • 8:00 am - Meet your guide at the trailhead

  • 9:30 am - We'll spend the day demonstrating and coaching while you practice rope skills

  • 12:00pm - Lunch on the go

  • 3:00pm - Course ends

Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:

  • Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Experience with ice axe and crampons

  • Advanced Resort Riding skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions

  • Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.

Here's what's included with your course:

  • Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
  • Tahoe National Forest Permit
  • Ropes & Group Gear for Training
  • Group Safety Gear - Snow Science, First Aid Kits
  • Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
Not Included
  • Ski & Splitboard Touring Gear
  • Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - beacon, shovel, probe, ice axe, crampons, climbing harness
  • Transportation
  • Meals
  • Guide Gratuities

Rope Skills for Skiers & Riders Gear List

  • Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird

  • Ski & Splitboard Touring Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Tahoe Sports Hub - use code BLACKBIRD10 for 10% off at checkout.

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Participants:

Epic Reviews From Adventurers

2 reviews
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    A great addition to any BC skier's skills!

    I've had an amazing winter with Blackbird. Their admin is top notch and their guides are highly knowledgeable. I've always felt safe out in the backcountry with blackbird and at the same time I've found the best powder riding of my life and sunmited peaks I never though I could. 5 stars all the way.

    Laurie O S.
    Flag of United States
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Thorough and fun!

    I took the rope skills for skiing and riding with Zeb and it was great! The course was very thorough and fun. Zeb did a great job covering all aspects from essential gear, gear set up, proper gear use and maintenance, anchor set up a-z, repelling, roping-up for glacier travel, etc. Zeb's teaching was very organized and the full day of training went by fast! Participants had to do everything covered in the course to show competence. All my questions and concerns were addressed and the course was capped off with a fun repel and a few fun ski turns! I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning first-hand how to use ropes in a ski and snowboard setting (repelling and basic glacier travel). Although not required, this course would be most suitable for individuals with a reasonable amount of ski tour experience, as well as a basic understanding of sport climbing.

    Alex C.
    Flag of United States
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