Ski & Splitboard Mountaineering Progression Camp

7 Day Ski & Splitboard Mountaineering Course

Sierra Nevada Backcountry Guides offers an immersive seven-day ski mountaineering course on two of North America’s most iconic volcanoes.

Designed for ambitious skiers and splitboarders seeking to expand their skills beyond the backcountry, this program blends technical instruction with real alpine objectives.

Over the course of a week, we’ll have lots of time to progress and dial in tons of skills including the art of living in a winter basecamp, multiple forms of movement, glacier travel, crevasse rescue, rope team travel, and steep snow climbing techniques while building an eye for the best lines, awareness, a mountain sense, and decision-making required for bigger mountain objectives.

Each course culminates in a challenging objective that puts all these skills together providing a high value educational climax to our time on Mt. Baker or Mt. Shasta.

Price: $2,250.00

Dates:

Book Now

  • Goals:

    1. Skills development: Hone in on key ski & splitboarding techniques for climbing, navigation, and downhill riding, focus on efficient transitions to maximize travel potential.

    2. Winter Basecamp Management: Learn how to build a comfortable, robust & livable basecamps.

    3. Safety Understanding: Recognize objective hazards, assess snow conditions, and learn techniques for reducing risks as well as group management and decision-making in the mountains.

    4. Navigation Skills: Gain proficiency in using maps and GPS for planning and navigating in backcountry areas.

    5. Environmental Knowledge: Understand environmental care and leave-no-trace practices to reduce impact to nature.

    Outcomes:

    1. Technical Skills: Participants will be able to navigate different terrain, including uphill travel and controlled descents.

    2. Safety Skills: Learn how to evaluate risks associated with moving trough dynamic alpine environments.

    3. Trip Planning: Learn how to plan and execute backcountry trips, using navigation tools, assessing weather and snow conditions.

    4. A Big Confidence Boost: Gain confidence exploring backcountry areas, develop necessary skills and knowledge through hands-on practice.

  • Day 1: Pre-Trip Preparation, Hike In, Set Up Camp

    Day 2: Snow Climbing, Crampons, Ice Axe

    Day 3: Intro to use of ropes in skiing

    Day 4: Intro to Glacier Travel

    Day 5: Full Day Ski Objective

    Day 6: Summit Push

    Day 7: Pack Camp → Back to Trailhead

    1. Backcountry Touring Experience:

      • Participants should have prior experience with backcountry skiing & splitboarding.

      • Proficiency with skinning, uphill travel, transitions and clean movement in variable terrain.

      • Ability to ride confidently in variable snow conditions on ungroomed terrain.

    2. Physical Fitness:

      • A high level of fitness is required to endure sustained physical effort, including multiple days of uphill travel, carrying a heavy packs in challenging terrain.

      • Participants should be capable of 6–8 hours of continuous activity per day with elevation gains of 3,000–5,000 feet.

    3. Essential Gear and Skills:

      • Participants should bring appropriate backcountry equipment, including alpine touring ski or splitboard, bindings, skins, boots, poles, and avalanche safety gear.

      • Ability to efficiently manage gear transitions.

    4. Comfort in Cold and Remote Environments:

      • Willingness to spend consecutive nights in the backcountry potentially in harsh weather conditions, with the bare alpine necessities of life.

    5. Solid Teamwork & Communication Skills:

      • A collaborative mindset, adaptability, and a willingness to work as part of a group are essential for a successful expedition experience.

  • Included:

    • Friendly AMGA trained ski & splitboard guides.

    • Applicable recreation and/or forest service permits.

    • Group rescue gear, first aid, rescue sled, GPS/Satellite phone.

    • Waste Disposal Bags in compliance with “Leave No Trace” principles.

    • 4 season tents

    • Ropes

    • Stoves

    • Fuel

    • Pots & pans

    • Water storage & treatment

    Not Included:

    • Ski/splitboard touring equipment.

    • Avalanche equipment, ice axe, crampons, harness, carabiners.

    • Food/Snacks/Meals

    • Transportation

    • Guide Gratuities

Person in blue jacket and beanie sitting nearby a green tent on rocky ground with snow-capped mountain in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Day 1 – Arrival, Gear Prep, Set Up Base Camp

  • Morning meet-up at designated location

  • Trip Orientation

  • Formal gear & equipment check

  • Time to rent/purchase extra items or food

  • Drive to our designated trailhead

  • Ski tour/hike up to establish basecamp

  • Camp setup instruction: efficient, clean, robust base camping strategies

  • Evening discussion of trip objectives, hazard awareness, and pacing strategies

Day 4 – Glacier Travel & Advanced Terrain

  • Travel onto upper mountain terrain/glacier zone (depending on conditions)

  • Skills focus: glacier travel, rope spacing, crevasse hazard awareness

  • Practice snow anchors, belays, and transitions between climbing and skiing

  • Evening camp workshop: emergency shelters, advanced expedition cooking

Day 7 – Camp Breakdown & Exit

  • Morning: camp breakdown & clean up

  • Back to Trail head

  • Final group debrief, skills recap, and feedback session

  • Course concludes by early afternoon

  • Burgers & Pizza at local restaurant in Mt. Shasta (optional)

A group of climbers on a snow-covered mountain with cloudy skies and rocky outcroppings in the background.

Day 2 – Snow Climbing & Crampon-Ice Axe Skills

  • Movement instruction: crampon techniques, ice axe use, & self-arrest

  • Movement skills on progressively steeper slopes near camp

  • Kick turns on steeper slopes, edge control, arrest with skis or splitboard

  • Evening camp workshop: emergency shelters & expedition cooking

Day 5 – Creative Tour to the Mid-Upper Mountain

  • Skills integration day, preparing for summit attempt

  • Practice & Refine Skills: real life choices, efficient climbing/ski movement and hazard recognition.

  • Shorter objectives above camp to practice pacing and transitions

  • Early dinner and rest for alpine start

Four people dressed in winter gear, standing in snow on a mountain slope with snow-covered peaks and a clear blue sky in the background, taking a break from skiing.

Pre-Trip Zoom Meeting

  • Course introduction, team introductions, and guide expectations

  • Overview of venues terrain and objectives

  • General flow of the program

  • Review weather & avalanche conditions

  • Detailed gear list review (personal + group gear)

  • Food/Nutrition

  • Review logistics, travel & any hotel accommodations

  • Q&A session

Day 3 – Rope Skills & Steep Skiing Intro

  • Ski tour up to mid-mountain for a applicable learning venue

  • Practice & review knots & hitches

  • Rappeling

  • Simple belays

  • Intro to snow anchors

Day 6 – Summit Attempt & Descent

  • Early alpine start around ~1–3 am for summit push

  • Apply full skill set: snow climbing with crampons/ice axe, rope travel, hazard management, and efficient transitions

  • Summit Push

  • Ski descent from high on the route, practicing steep skiing and safe line choice

  • Return to camp for celebration, food & hydration

Three people in winter gear standing on snow with skis, in front of an orange tent, mountain landscape in the background.