April 4-7, 2024--$1,675 total: $200 deposit due at sign-up; Remainder due on November 1st
 
Offered in partnership with Cascade Mountain Ascents
 
Looking to step your backcountry skiing or riding up a notch? Cascade Mountain Ascents’ steep ski and snowboard mountaineering course is the perfect introduction to secure, efficient, and fun travel in high angle terrain. This immersive four-day program introduces advanced students to the gear, technical skills and travel practices needed to push into consequential terrain with confidence. Students should be advanced skiers or riders with at least a Level 1 avalanche course certification.
 
Itinerary
Day 1 Approach and Tech Skills:
We will meet at the 29 Pines Sno-Park about 30 min north of Cle Elum, WA. From there we will pack up our gear on the snowmobiles and begin moving up the valley. Our gear will go all the way to the hut and we will finish the commute to camp with a 4-mile/600’vert skin. Once moved in, we’ll head out for a short tour to go over some technical skills and gear -  ropework, knots/hitches, anchor systems, and travel techniques used in the steeps.
 
Day 2 Model Tour Day:
Instructors will build on the base knowledge of the day prior and lead students on a model tour to practice steep ski techniques in lower consequence terrain.  Students will get to practice jump turns, building snow anchors, belayed skiing, rappelling, and lowering with mentorship and guidance from their instructor.
 
Day 3 Objective Based Tour:
Students help choose one of the many steep ski/ride objective in the zone where they can apply their new skills.  Emphasis will be on implementation of the prior day’s learning and solidifying travel techniques in steep terrain.
 
Day 4 Objective Based Tour/Exit Field:
After moving out of the hut and stashing the overnight gear, students will seek out one more steep line and focus on student leadership and decision making with instructor oversight. Instructors will provide feedback and resources that students can use to continue learning after the course.
 
What is included:
3 night hut stay
3:1 max guide to client ratio
Meals for the duration of the trip, excluding 1st breakfast and last day dinner
Gear portering in and out of camp
4-mile snowmobile shuttle, shortening the approach/exit
Evening saunas
Hut keeper
 
What is not included:
Snacks
Gear rentals (Cascade Mountain Ascents rents harnesses, helmets, ice axes, crampons, avalanche safety equipment, and personal climbing kits.  These must be coordinated through CMA).
Alcoholic beverages
Bedding(bring a warm sleeping bag)
 
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be submitted to Cascade Mountain Ascents in writing. Email counts! The effective cancellation date is the date upon which Cascade Mountain Ascents receives written notice. If written notice is not received, amounts paid will be forfeited. Cancellations will be refunded based on the following schedule:
Within 24 hours of booking – full refund
More than 60 days before departure – full refund minus deposit
30 – 60 days before departure – 25% refund
Less than 30 days before departure – no refund will be issued
 
Travel insurance is highly recommended. Most insurance policies are required to be purchased within 21 days of your program deposit.