Backcountry Tours/Clinics

Crystal Mountain Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding with International Mountain Guides (IMG)

International Mountain Guides and Crystal Mountain have teamed up to offer guided backcountry ski and snowboard tours. Crystal Mountain offers some of the best and most easily accessed backcountry skiing in the Northwest. This is your opportunity to experience this phenomenal terrain with the added security and safety of an AMGA accredited guide service.

One Day IMG Tours
Forget lift lines and crowds and join IMG for a spectacular day of powder skiing in the backcountry of Crystal Mountain. The Crystal Mountain backcountry offers something for everyone: wide open bowls, steep chutes, and amazing glades. An experienced guide will help you optimize your vertical and find the best snow.

You will meet your guide at the ski patrol room in the main lodge where you will discuss the day’s tour plan. After a review of basic transceiver skills and backcountry travel, you will either hop on the lifts and begin your tour from the bottom of Silver Basin or head out into the amazing wilderness of the Bullion Basin area. From here, your local guides will help you find the best powder stashes in the area. The amazingly diverse and varied terrain of the Crystal backcountry ensures that there will be something for everyone; from the strong intermediate to the eager expert. Client/Guide Ratio: Maximum 6:1
Over the course of the day, we will review the following skills:

• Use of skins and touring ski/board set-ups; AT, telemark, or splitboard * Transceiver function and use * Route finding and terrain assessment * Skiing variable snow conditions * Intro to avalanche safety * Environmental awareness and LNT principles
  Prerequisites: Ability to comfortably ski intermediate runs in a variety of conditions and motivation to “earn your turns.”

Overnight IMG Backcountry Tours
For those looking to venture a little deeper into the backcountry, our overnight backcountry tours are the perfect option. This program will provide more solitude and more skiing! With so much terrain to offer, an overnight trip is the ideal way to experience the Crystal Mountain backcountry. Client/Guide Ratio: Maximum 4:1 (minimum two guides).
In addition to all of the skills covered in the one day tour, participants will also learn winter camping techniques and more in depth avalanche hazard assessment.

For more information and to reserve your Backcountry Tour,
please visit the IMG website

IMG Level 1 Avalanche Hazard Evaluation

This intensive course focuses on the principles of stability evaluation,
route selection, safe travel and rescue. The first 2 days includes a
combination of classroom and fieldwork. The final day includes application
of skills on backcountry tour.

At the end of the program, students should be able to:

* Understand how victims get caught and why * Identify avalanche terrain * Understand basic avalanche mechanics * Recognize weather and snowpack conditions contributing to instability * Understand principals of route selection based on stability evaluation * Apply safe travel techniques * Understand basic self and partner rescue including efficient transceiver use

Visit the IMG website for more info. mountainguides.com

IMG Level 2 Avalanche Forecasting Workshop

This is the premier advanced course in the Northwest. The course features
instructors that are professional avalanche forecasters, with over 90 years
of combined experience.
The format of field and classroom allows the participants to focus on
forecasting problems specific to the Northwest. With more than 50% of the
instruction in the field, an emphasis is placed on skill development and
practice. Classroom workshops will contain some problem solving. This course
provides the greatest benefit to participants that have completed Level I
training and are familiar with avalanche fundamentals.

At the end of the program, students should be able to:

* Identify grain types and processes leading to them * Identify the weather patterns that develop weak layers * Understand the importance and dynamics of spatial variability * Identify complex avalanche terrain and select appropriate routes * Perform and interpret common stability tests * Understand the basic elements of field weather forecasting * Understand the role of human factors in accidents * Apply objective decision making methods in avalanche terrain * Perform efficient group rescue

Visit the IMG website for more info.

Ridge Explorations Sidecountry Safety and Avalanche Education

Presents: Sidecountry Safety Class
Sidecountry skiing = lift accessed, remote resort area skiing and lift accessed backcountry skiing with little or no patrolling by Ski Patrollers.

With the advent of wide, shaped, skis, many more skiers feel capable of tackling the difficult snow conditions found beyond the groomed runs. Away from the crowds and lift lines, you can experience fine powder snow, and the beauty and isolation of remote snowy mountains.
But there is risk involved in accessing the sidecountry and it is important to take mountain knowledge with you when you go. The Sidecountry Safety Class is for people who are ready to venture farther out but have little awareness of the hazards to be confronted such as cliffs, tree wells, avalanches and the risk of getting lost. The class begins with a two-hour slide presentation and discussion followed by an on-snow training session. During this workshop students will learn transceiver use and avalanche rescue leadership through hands-on practice and realistic scenarios.
Remember: Never cross rope lines, obey Ski Patrol signs and get training.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

Ridge Explorations Sidecountry Safety class (SCS) goals: • To introduce the concepts of avalanche safety in sidecountry (similar to backcountry) i.e. situational awareness and safe decision making. • To introduce basic avalanche safety practices common to backcountry travelers (observation of terrain, snowpack and weather). • To introduce and teach tree-well awareness and safety • To introduce human factors and their importance in backcountry accidents. • To train participants in “companion rescue” with on-snow rescue transceiver training scenarios.

Purchase a Tree Well Rescue Strap through Ridge Explorations

Visit www.ridgeexplorations.com for more details, pictures and video