Intro to Backcountry Skiing - Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School

Introduction to Backcountry Skiing – Backcountry Basics

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Backcountry Basics is directly aimed at providing skilled and qualified instruction on the fundamental skills of backcountry skiing and riding. This course is not exclusively for inexperienced backcountry users and we actually encourage more experienced skiers and riders to take this course as well. We here at Acadia Mountain Guides strongly believe that by improving upon and streamlining our basic fundamental skills that we can in turn gain more enjoyment from our times in the mountains as well as improve our margin of safety!

Date & Location

Tuition

Inclusions

Exclusions

Length & Difficulty

Inclusions

Exclusions

Length & Difficulty

Specific Info

General Info

Itinerary

This course typically starts at 8:00 – 8:30 with introductions followed by a quick overview.

· Next will be a gear an inventory of gear and further gear preparation if needed. Instructors will show you what is in their pack and why as well as assist anyone who needs help dialing in their equipment. This could be anything from; skin cutting, to binding adjustment, or just understanding how to operate the basic functions of the equipment.

Next is setting up your ski pack. Where do you put your avy gear, how do you attach skis for efficiency, what goes where. Packing and Layering it is at this point which instructors will begin to prepare the group to head outside for an afternoon of touring. Before departing your instructors will briefly cover that fundamental skills of layering and bestow some wisdom upon you about how to manage your personal comfort. Moving from layering right into packing, at this time your instructors will demonstrate what is that they pack into their pack for the day as well as how they utilize pockets amongst their layers. (Geeky stuff) Assistance and advice on packing and layering will be ample and experienced members of the group are asked to offer insight and input.

· Afternoon Field Session, (woooo getting outside!) following the morning inside our class will move outside and begin to work on skills which require us to put the equipment to use. The tour will most likely be a short tour at one of the GBA glades local to our classroom which we will practice many different skills ranging from; setting a skin track, pacing, skin management, body heat management, terrain management, kick turns, and a lot more backcountry specific skills. This is an opportunity for the inexperienced to learn and ask questions to the instructors as well as for the instructors to provide small tips and tricks to personally assist you.

Curriculum

Learning the art of backcountry skiing is about combining small nuances, tips, and techniques that will make a good day into a great day.

Here is a sampling of some of the topics covered.

      • Dialing in your set up
      • Choosing optimal clothing layering and techniques
      • Gear to bring – repair kit, skin care, emergency gear
      • Reading an avalanche bulletin
      • Use of beacon, probe and shovel
      • Skin it to win it! Uphill travel techniques, working
         terrain, track setting, making turns, nailing kick
         turns, transitioning to down.
   • Getting more out of your poles
       • Avalanche hazard recognition and avoidance
       • Controlled skiing / downhill travel techniques and
          group management and communication

Pre-requisites

Strong intermediate to expert skiing level required.

When & Where to Meet