Rope Skills for Skiers & Riders
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.
- Ski/Split Touring, Avalanche, & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
Here's what's included with your course:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Ropes and Gear for training
- 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
- 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
- Climbing Harness
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.
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.
- Ski/Split Touring, Avalanche, & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
Here's what's included with your course:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Ropes and Gear for training
- 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
- 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
- Climbing Harness
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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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