This 4-day yurt based course out of Pioneer Yurt, teaches you the skills to evaluate steep terrain and the tools to manage it. Learn steep skiing/riding techniques to approach various snow conditions that the mountains give us. We will use our snow school to teach you how to use boot crampons, ice axes, knots, ropes, belaying, and various anchors. Then we will use those techniques in smaller objectives and finish the course with larger objectives (if conditions and stability allow for it).

Springtime in the mountains is a complex being. There are a lot of factors that need to fall into place for us to be able to get up high in the mountains. Overnight freezes, no persistent weak layers, and having enough snow are all pieces to the puzzle. If the weather and snowpack don’t align, we will cover more technical components of ground school and head to safer zones to make your experience a healthy one. The Pioneer Mountains host a great venue for this course.

Dates:

TBD


Prerequisites:

Backcountry touring experience (comfortable doing kick turns in steeper terrain), Level 1 Avalanche Course, fitness to skin ascend and descend 3000-4000’ vertical in a day and ability to ski/ride variable snow conditions in terrain at least 40°.


Topics covered:

  • Risk management

  • Snow/natural anchors

  • Knots, ropes, harnesses

  • Belayed skiing

  • Rappelling 

  • Steep uphill travel

  • Ice axe and boot/ski crampon use

  • Self-arrest

  • Steep skiing/riding technique

  • Evaluating stability

  • Route planning

Recommended Reading:

The Ski Guide Manual: Advanced Techniques for the Backcountry by Rob Coppolillo

Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering by Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler


What is provided:

  • AMGA certified and/or trained guide

  • Guides will be carrying a first aid kit, navigation equipment, skin wax/scraper, inReach satellite device, repair kit, bivy/rescue sled and survival supplies 

  • Snowmobile tow with 0.5 miles of the Pioneer Yurt, Porter (12.5lbs per person), Food, and Cook


What you need:

Ski/Snowboard Equipment:

  • Touring skis or splitboard setup

  • Touring ski/snowboard boots (walk mode on ski/hard boots)

  • Climbing skins (cut to skis/splitboard)

  • Adjustable poles (3 piece poles recommended for splitboards)


Avalanche Equipment:

  • Avalanche transceiver (must be a 3 antenna transceiver)

  • Avalanche Probe (click-lock mechanism)

  • Avalanche shovel (metal blade) 


Snow Study Kit:

  • Inclinometer (measuring slope angles - BCA app or Suunto MC-2 Compass)

  • Snow saw (for isolating columns for stability tests) (optional)

  • 6’ Parachute cord for isolating large columns (optional)


Clothing:

  • Long underwear bottoms (a polypropylene/wool or similar blend recommended) 

  • Sun hoodie (such as the North Face Wander Hoodie) is recommended

  • Mid layer such as fleece jacket or wool sweater

  • Shell Jacket, wind and water resistant (Hard or Soft Shell), and beneath which three layers may be worn.  

  • Insulated jacket (puffy coat, such as the North Face Thermoball Eco Hoodie)

  • Buff, neck gaiter, or facemask

  • Lightweight gloves (touring)

  • Warm Gloves or Mittens

  • Beanie or wool hat


Yurt Items:

  • 20℉ Sleeping Bag with compression sack

  • Down booties/slippers

  • Towel & Swim suit (optional for sauna)

  • Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)

  • Comfy apres clothes


Personal Equipment:

  • Ski goggles

  • Headlamp

  • Blister Kit (if prone, carry your own please)

  • Hand/Foot Warmers (if prone to cold)

  • 1-2 liters of water (hydration bladders tend to freeze up during winter)

  • Sun glasses, sunscreen, lip balm, and a hat 

  • Day Pack (~35 liters) that is big enough to carry all the above items, avalanche equipment MUST be stored inside the backpack


Mountaineering Specific:

  • Ice Axe (Petzl Gully or Black Diamond Venom Piolet or Raven 50-60cm)

  • Ski crampons (specific to your touring binding)

  • Boot crampons (Petzl Leopard or Black Diamond Neve)

  • Helmet (rated for touring and/or climbing)

  • Lightweight Harness (Petzl Tour, Altitude, or Fly OR Black Diamond Couloir)


Optional Gear: (not required by is helpful on the Snow School day)

  • 2 locking carabiners, non lockers

  • Rappel device (Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Alpine)

  • Prussik cord or Sterling hollow block

  • Sewn sling (120 cm)

  • Cordelette (~20’, 6mm min.)



Typical Meeting Times and Place:

Zoom Meeting (TBD week in advance)
Morning of Hut Trip: Meet at the Sun Valley Guides Headquarters at 7am

Tentative Schedule:

Pre-Meeting (Zoom): 
We will meet virtually ahead of time, to have a decision on mountaineering gear associated with riding in the big mountains. We will also cover the components of the course and answer any questions.

Day 1:
Meet at the Sun Valley Guides headquarters. We will double check gear and equipment before driving over to the Pioneer Yurt Trailhead. A snowmobile will tow the group within a ~1 mile of the yurt and we will skin the rest (~1 mile and 900’ gain). While our gear gets towed into the yurt. Then we will go out for an afternoon shakedown tour to assess the group’s ability, stability, and direction for the following days.

Day 2: 
Start out the day with snow school covering the following topics: snow/natural anchors, belaying, rappelling, boot crampon techniques, practicing various self arrest positions. Take a short tour that practices some of the newly learned skills.

Day 3:
Go on a bigger mountain objective, such as the Comma Couloir, North Couloir, Hyndman Peak, Paymaster Peak, Jacqueline Peak or the Dorsal Fin.

Day 4:
Do another objective that is not a full day, so there is time to exfil out of the yurt and back to the vehicles by 4pm. 


Rates:

TBD/Person

*Guest to Guide ratio is 4:1 | Min. 6 | Max. 8
**Sales Tax and Forest Service fees not included
***Guide gratuity not included. As part of the service industry, it is customary to tip your guide(s) if you are happy with their service and should reflect a level of excellence in the service. If you choose to tip, 10-20% of the total trip fee is standard and cash/Venmo is the preferred method.


RENTALS (SKIS, SPLITBOARDS, BOOTS, AVALANCHE EQUIPMENT, BACKPACKS, ETC.):

Sturtevants Rental & Cycle Haus (mention you are going out with Sun Valley Guides to receive a discount)
(208) 726-4501
340 N Main St, Ketchum, ID 83340

Backwoods Mountain Sports
(208) 726-8818
711 N Main St, Ketchum, ID 83340 

Elephant’s Perch
(208) 726-3497
280 N East Ave, Ketchum, ID 83340

Board Bin (carries Splitboard setups for rent)
(208) 726-1222
180 4th St E, Ketchum, ID 83340