Ski Mountaineering Skills | Washington

Love ski touring and ready to start tackling bigger objectives? Ski Mountaineering Skills provides the skills you need to tackle any ski mountaineering objective including classic lines like Mt Baker’s Roman Wall. The efficiency and safety techniques we teach on this course are the foundation for any big mountain summit and ski attempt.
Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier hiking on Mt Shasta during a Blackbird Guides Ski Mountaineering Skills course
Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier making a turn in corn snow on Mt Shasta
Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California

Want to summit and ski big, snowy mountains? This course is for backcountry skiers, like you, who are looking to gain the skills they need to climb and ski the great peaks of the world.  This course provides the baseline skillset you need to get started climbing and skiing mountains with exposure to steep, firm slopes.

Whether your goal is to ski Mt Baker, Mt Shuksan, the North Cascades or high peaks across the globe, the skills covered in this course are universally beneficial.  No matter where you go, these skills will be the foundation of efficient climbing and will help you manage the hazards of the mountains.

In this program we'll cover:

  • Ski Mountaineering Gear
    • Ice Axes 
    • Boot Crampons
    • Ski Crampons
    • Ropes
    • Carabiners
  • Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
  • Crampon Techniques
  • Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
  • Descending techniques for mountaineering
  • Basics of rope team travel

Requisite Experience

You should have a solid ski touring background and be proficient with your backcountry ski touring gear.  Beyond that, we will teach all of the skills you need for ski mountaineering on non-glaciated terrain without technical climbing (4th Class rock or ice) or rappelling.

    Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier hiking on Mt Shasta during a Blackbird Guides Ski Mountaineering Skills course
    Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier making a turn in corn snow on Mt Shasta
    Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
    Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
    Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking on Mt Shasta during a Blackbird Guides Ski Mountaineering Skills course
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn in corn snow on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Sunset on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier arcing a turn on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on corn snow on Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Two skiers hiking towards the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier camping at Helen Lake on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier hiking with ice ax on the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Two skiers hiking near the summit of Mt Shasta
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California
    • Load image into Gallery viewer, Skier making a turn on Mt Shasta in California

    Dates

    Available Dates

    March 3, 2023

    Prices

    See Sidebar for Pricing.

    Itinerary

    7:30 am  Meet your guide at the trailhead.  This early start time will allow us to take advantage of frozen surface conditions and will help with learning fundamental cramponing skills.

    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.

     

    8:00 am  From start to finish we’ll be explaining, demonstrating and coaching you while you practice the following 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
    • We’ll leave time to answer questions you may have about ski mountaineering and the various techniques at the end of the program

     

    3:00 pm  We will close the program after finishing the learning objectives of the course.

    Equipment

    Ski Mountaineering Skills 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,

    Ski Crampons - Specific to your Skis/Board; 

    Ski Strap - Voile Ski Strap or Similar

    Ski Touring Backpack - Lightweight pack that holds all your gear, ideally with an avalanche tools compartment

     

    Avalanche Gear

    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
     

    Technical Gear

    Climbing/Ski Helmet - Dual Rated Helmet; Petzl Sirocco or Black Diamond Vision

    Climbing Harness -  Light Alpine Harness; Petzl Altitude, Mammut Zephyr Altitude

    Two Locking Carabiners - Petzl Attache, etc

    Crampons, Steel OR Aluminum - make sure they are compatible with your boots!

    Ice Axe - Petzl Ride, BD Raven Ultra

    Ski Poles - Lightweight, Adjustable Poles with Baskets; BD Expedition 3 Poles


     

    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 

    ***These Are Required as Covid-19 Face Coverings

     

    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 (optional) - 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 Pants; OR Trailbreaker II

    Vented Hardshell Ski Pants - Waterproof Pants for Extreme Weather; Flylow Compound

     

    Food and Water

    Food - Bring enough snacks water for a full day in the field

    Water - Bring enough water for a full day in the field

    ***Please bring at least one hard sided water bottle.

     

    Other Essentials

    Sun Screen (SPF 30 minimum)

    Lip Balm (with SPF)

    Hand Sanitizer
     

    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:

    Ropes

    Guide’s First Aid Kits

    Wag Bags (Solid Human Waste Disposal Bags)

     

    Know Before You Go

    Location

    Snoqualmie Pass

    Mt Baker

    Elevation

    3,000-5,000'

    Technical Difficulty ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

    The skills we learn on this program require coordination and body awareness, but are not complicated

    Physical Difficulty ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

    This is a skills day that requires moderate physical output

    Trip Length

    1 Day

    Regular price
    $250.00
    Sale price
    $250.00
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