Ski and Snowboard Mountaineering

      Ski & Snowboard Mountaineering Course (SSM) 2017/2018

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 lectures on Mercer Island  and three field days.  Backcountry Equipment, Emergency Bivy and Equipment Repair ,Winter Mountain Weather,  Intermediate Winter 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 On Rainier 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 on Jan.5
2. Have taken or  be enrolled in an AIARE Level One avalanche course.  Students who enroll in the Foothills offering will receive a fifty dollar discount for bundling the two courses together, Please email me at if you want this discount and I will send you a code to use at registration. 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 ft)   

              Required Equipment :

              Required equipment includes metal edged skis and climbing skins or snowboard with workable uphill climbing system (skins, approach skis or snowshoes), shovel, avalanche probe and 457 kHz avalanche transceiver.

                  Fees/Contact: 

 The course fee for members is $250...  $300 for non-members.  Enrollment is limited to 35 students. For more information visit : www.FoothillsWinter.org or call Jerry White (206) 769-5319 or e-mail him at ssm@foothillswinter.org 

                                     SSM  schedule  2017/2018

• Nov 28 - Intro/Backcountry Equipment    7 to 9pm 
• Dec 5 Emergency Bivy and Repairs     7 to 9pm
• Dec 12 - Winter Weather / Digital Trip Planning 7 to 9pm 
• Jan 2 -Winter Health and Safety 7 to 9pm 
• Jan 14 - Basic Maneuvers FT   8:00am to 4:00 pm
• Jan 23 – Intermediate Navigation Lecture 7 to 9pm
• Feb 6- Emergency Evacuation 7 to 9pm                      
• Feb 13 - Snow Camping lecture  7 to 9pm 
• Mar 3 , 4  - Overnight  FT Snow Camping / Touring  8am Sat to 4PmSun