Ski and Snowboard Mountaineering

Ski & Snowboard Mountaineering Course (SSM) 2022

This course is designed for those skiers and boarders who are proficient on Alpine, Telemark, Randonee or Snowboard equipment, who are in good physical condition, and who want to improve their knowledge, skill and safety when entering the realm of the winter alpine. Completion of this course prepares you to safely ski and snowboard in most backcountry destinations and when coupled with our Glacier Travel Course gets you ready to, as an example, climb and snowboard off Mt. Baker.

The course consists of seven evening classroom sessions via Zoom and three field days.  Backcountry Equipment, Emergency Bivy and Equipment Repair ,Winter Mountain Weather,  Avalanche-Oriented Navigation, Winter Health and Safety,  Emergency Evacuation and Winter Camping. There is a one day Basic Maneuvers FT to get used to that new equipment  and a weekend Overnight FT at Mt. Rainier National Park, which includes building snow shelters and emphasis on safe route finding and touring. (schedule below).   

       To Participate in this course you must :

1. Have taken a Basic Navigation course or attend an evening lecture (date TBD) on basic navigation and complete an equivalency test prior to the Nav lecture.
2. Have taken or  be enrolled in an AIARE Level One avalanche course. Students must complete AIARE level-one to participate in the Overnight  FT in March.

      To graduate from this course you must :

1. Attend all lectures.
2. Complete  a Glacier Travel ,Crevasse Rescue Course or have had that training through basic climbing.
3. Complete a Wilderness First Aid Course.
4. Complete three M-level tours, one of which is an overnight (not the overnight field trip).

              Required Equipment :

              Required equipment includes metal edged skis and climbing skins or snowboard with workable uphill climbing system (skins or approach skis, no snowshoes), shovel, avalanche probe and 457 kHz avalanche transceiver.

                  Fees/Contact: 

 The course fee for members is $430...  $516 for non-members.  Enrollment is limited to 30 students. For more information email Kit Eiber at ssm@foothillswinter.org.

                                     SSM  schedule  2022

• Jan 19 - Intro/Backcountry Equipment    7 to 9pm 
• Jan 26 Emergency Bivy and Repairs     7 to 9pm
• Feb 2 - Winter Weather / Digital Trip Planning  7 to 9pm 
• Feb 9 -Winter Health and Safety 7 to 9pm 
• Feb 12 - Basic Maneuvers FT   8:00am to 4:00 pm
• Feb 16 – Snow Camping Lecture 7 to 9pm
• Mar 2 - Emergency Evacuation 7 to 9pm                      
• Mar 9 - Avalanche-Oriented Navigation Lecture  7 to 9pm
• Mar 12-13 - Overnight  FT Snow Camping / Touring  8AM Sat to 4PM Sun