Course

Ski touring foundations

Ski Touring Foundations Course
Ski touring foundations course
Ski touring foundations course
Ski touring foundations course
Ski touring foundations course

Overview

Itinerary

Skills

Gear

Based in the Heather Meadows area adjacent to Mount Baker Ski Area, this course builds skills for safe, efficient recreational touring. You'll develop terrain selection abilities, pacing techniques, and comprehensive tour planning skills. Maximum 3:1 student-to-instructor ratio ensures personalized feedback.

  • 3 days course
  • Dates: January 17-19, 2026
  • Price: $500 per person
Difficulty:
Easy

Day 01

7:30

Meet at the Heather Meadows Parking Lot, gear check, permits + waivers, and Leave No Trace briefing

7:45

Group introductions

8:00

Companion avalanche rescue and transceiver theory

10:00

Organized avalanche rescue

11:00

Shoveling techniques

12:30

Lunch

13:00

Introduction to efficient uphill ski touring

14:30

Ski descent

15:30

Debrief and planning session at Heather Meadows Parking Lot

Day 02

7:30

Meet at the Heather Meadows Parking Lot

7:45

Introduction to ski tour route planning

8:00

Ski touring track setting and cornering workshop

10:00

First ski descent

11:00

Lunch

11:30

Ski tour

13:00

Downhill group management workshop

14:00

Ski tour

15:00

Ski descent

15:30

Debrief and planning session at Heather Meadows Parking Lot

Day 03

7:30

Meet at the Heather Meadows Parking Lot

7:45

Review tour plan for Table Mountain circumnavigation

8:00

Ski tour

9:30

Ski descent

10:00

Ski tour

11:30

Lunch on southside of Table Mountain

12:00

Ski tour

13:00

Ski descent to Iceberg Lake

13:30

Ski tour

15:00

Ski descent

15:30

Arrive at the Heather Meadows Parking Lot

What you'll learn:

  • Overview of and techniques for uphill ski touring. Learn about grade management, terrain selection, efficient turns and transitions.
  • Avalanche exposure management. Learn about pacing, spacing, safe regrouping, and snowpack red flags.
  • Ski tour planning. Learn about using digital aids for route planning, whiteout navigation, rescue protocols, and group heuristics.
  • Avalanche rescue. Learn about companion vs. organized rescue, command and control, multiple excavation techniques, and post-burial first aid.

What we provide:

  • All ropes and isostatic glacier cords
  • All alpine ice climbing protection
  • All anchoring equipment such as snow pickets
  • Descent control devices and backups for our ropes
  • Progress capturing devices for crevasse rescue training
  • A triple-action captive-eye carabiner and an ice screw, if you're traveling with us on a glacier
  • Wag Bags for travel in wilderness areas
  • Sno-Park and NW Forest Permits for your vehicle

What you need besides your skis and splitboards:

  • A tested and trusted three-antenna avalanche transceiver
  • An avalanche probe and aluminum shovel
  • Climbing skins and ski crampons
  • 30-40 liter day pack, capable of carrying both skis and ice axes securely
  • A UIAA-rated ski or climbing helmet. Should be lightweight and stowable

What we rent:

  • Ice axes and technical ice tools
  • Lightweight harnesses
  • Classic and technical crampons
  • Four-season tents

*We can also source almost any other rental equipment needs, just let us know in advance.

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