Intro to Ski Alpinism helps achieve dreams of riding off Baker, Rainier, Shuksan or just touring to Camp Muir. This popular course takes your touring into the high alpine; teaching the fundamental skills of snow, ice, glacier, climbing techniques for ascent and glisse-descent of glaciated mountains. You learn how to be safe, self-reliant ski-mountaineers ready to climb and ski locally or in the great ranges of the world.  This course is truly an excellent foundation for any rider seeking independence in the alpine arena. Spend three days in the Coast Range of BC or the North Cascades where active glaciers, volcanic peaks, and breathtaking views create the ideal learning environment. A summit attempt on the last day of the course gives you the chance to put your newly developed skills to the test.

• Dates: March 28-30 (Coast Range Hut) April 19-23 (Wapta Hut option), May 2-4 (Baker)
• Duration: 3 & 5 days
• Level: Intermediate
• Client Ratio: 5:1
• Cost:– 3 Day $795/Wapta 5 Day $1195
• Included: All camp meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services
• Not Included: Airfare, transportation to trailhead, transportation within Seattle, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals,snack/lunch on the mountain, gratuities for guides, and all personal items. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

BC Coast Range is home to legendary terrain that give Whistler the endless possibilities, extending from Squamish and Mt Garibaldi northward to the Duffy Lake road home to Mt. Joffre, Mt. Matier, and Vantage Peak and some of the finest hut based touring in the NW! Sea to Sky Highway starts our BC adventure at Elfin Lakes, the beginning of the Garibaldi Neve Traverse and a first timer’s dream trip. Next we arrive in Whistler the oftpiste mecca of North America and home to the Classic Spearhead Traverse, aka the “Haute Route of the Americas,” connecting Blackcomb to Whistler! Another hour north a network of huts (Phelix, Wendy Thompson and Keith’s Hut) which rest under many amazing peaks with tours of all levels for the skier or splitboarder who wants the ride of a lifetime!

• Dates: Spearhead*-March 28-30 & Custom
• Duration: 3 Days
• Level: Advanced
• Client Ratio: 4:1
• Cost:–Spearhead -$895
• Included: All meals while on the mountain, tents(if hut is full), stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services
• Not Included: Airfare, transportation to trailhead(one way lift ticket), transportation within Seattle, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals,snack/lunch on the mountain, gratuities for guides, and all personal items. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

Please call for custom trips if your preferred date is not shown. 206-799-4092

The Legendary Boulder Hut was built in the late 60’s by Art Twomey and Margie Jamieson, who pioneered one of the first commercial backcountry lodges. Fast forward to 2005 when my friends Mark and Sarah Yancey bought it and committed their family to the backcountry lifestyle. Their lodge reflects this commitment to authenticity dedicated to enhancing the human experience in remote outdoor adventure.Mark and Sarah’s hospitality means nutritious, delicious home cooked meals in a comfortable lodge with great company and a long standing history of guided epic adventure. The Boulder Hut provide you everything you need for a comfortable stay and nothing that you don’t.

• March 1-8, 2020
• Duration: 7 Days
• Level: Expert
• Client Ratio: 6:1
• Cost: $2150

• Included:
  • Helicopter access from Kimberley, with return flight
  • 7 nights accommodations at Boulder Hut
  • Orientation with companion rescue refresher and gear familiarization
  • 7 days of guided ski touring (including the first exchange day) by certified AMGA/IFMGA guides
  • Three healthy meals per day prepared by our professional cooking staff
  • Full use of the lodge facility with sauna, drying room, repair shop, duvets and sleeping linens
• Not Included: Transportation to Kimberly, personal equipment, alcohol(you may bring your own), gratuities

The Alps have the Haute Route, the Cascades have the Forbidden Tour. Starting in Boston Basin, we traverse some of the largest glaciers in the Cascades. We circumnavigate Forbidden, Klawatti and Eldorado Peaks crossing 3 passes enjoying several 3-4,000 foot descents along the way. This tour takes you far away from the crowds of Whistler and Chamonix while offering up some of the most rugged terrain in the Lower forty-eight.

By adding an extra day you can add a few more summits and descents such as Klawatti South Face, Eldorado Northeast Face, Dorado Needle and the Torment Couloir.

• Dates: April 4-7 & Custom Dates
• Duration: 4 Days
• Level: Expert to Advanced
• Client Ratio: 4:1
• Cost: $895
• Included: All meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services
• Not Included: Ground transportation, airfare, transportation within Seattle, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, gratuities for guides, and all personal items. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

Intro to Ski Touring & Split Boarding Course will teach you to avoid another day stuck in long lift lines, paying for expensive tickets and no fresh tracks. We understand why you want and need these new skills because, years ago we too felt the pull of the mountains and powder stashes beyond the boundaries of resorts. You will learn the basics of skinning technique, care and use of skins, transceiver check (group/independent), kick turns, terrain management uphill & downhill, simple & in depth transceiver search, and how to find beautiful uncrowded terrain away from the resorts!

• Dates:

• Intro to Touring - 2019:

  • Evening Lectures 7:30 @ Ascent Outdoors: Dec 19 // Field Days: Dec 21-22, 2019

• Intro to Touring - 2020:

  • Evening Lectures 7:30 @ Ascent Outdoors: Jan 16 // Field Days: Jan 18-19, 2020
  • Evening Lectures 7:30 @ Ascent Outdoors: Feb 12 // Field Days: Feb 15-16, 2020
  • (Women’s) Evening Lectures 7:30 @ Amer Sports: Jan 30 // Field Days: Feb 1-2, 2020
  • Evening Lectures 7:30 @ Ascent Outdoors: March 11 // Field Days: Mar 14-15, 2020
• Duration: 3 Days
• Level: Beginner
• Client Ratio: 5:1
• Cost:
  • $325; $350 with Snoqualmie Pass Guidebook and Tour Map
  • With AIARE Level 1 – $595
  • 1 Day – $200
• Included: 1 evening lecture and field instruction and fresh tracks! (@$350-Snoqualmie Pass Guide Book & Map.)
• Not Included: Transportation to field location, transceivers, shovels, probes or touring equipment. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

Japan sits in our minds with images of sushi, samurais, zen, Toyotas and Sony. Now deep, powder skiing joins the list! Pacific storms mixed with Siberian cold makes deep, cold smoke a daily reality for the Land of the Rising Sun. We make our way to Hokkaido to the ski region of Niseko and Furano for 6 days of exploration and skiing the many ski areas, enjoying as many fresh track we can find! We have explored Hokkaido and agree Niseko and Furano need a visit, the pow is too deep to ignore.

Dates: Jan 13-20
Duration: 7 Days
Level: Intermediate
Client Ratio: 5:1
Cost: $2995
Included:

• Certified ski guides
• Avalanche safety introduction/refresher
• Off piste and Backcountry guiding
• Comfortable 4 star lodging, private bath with delicious breakfasts and dinners
• Choice of beer, sake at dinner
• Private transportation in our 4×4 van
• Round trip chartered shuttle Airport-Furano Hotel-Airport

Not Included:

• Airfare,
• gratuities for guides
• Personal insurance
• Individual transfers
• All personal items
• Meals away from lodges, breakfast in Chitose
• Lift tickets if used
• Drink purchases, equipment rental, lunches.

Mount Baker Ski Descent offers one of the best ski descents in North America with 7,000′ of glaciated riding! Mount Baker’s native name is Komo Kulshan-The White Watcher, who watched over the Salish Sea. Mount Baker’s fame stems from its accessible, enormous glaciers that skiers and snowboarders gravitate to learn on and challenge themselves whether on the gentle Easton Glacier to the steep Park Headwall. For the Mount Baker Ski Descent We may approach via the Schrieber’s Meadow or Heliotrope Ridge, riders have ample opportunity to practice their glacial riding skills from the comfort of the 6,000′ base camp with views of the Twin Sisters Range, Mount Rainier, Mt. Shuksan, and the crest of the North Cascades. The reward of a 7,000′ descent after a long climb with plenty of corn for everyone!

• Dates: 2020 – May 2-3, 23-25; June 6-8
• Duration: 2 Days Express or 3 Days for more touring and Crevasse Rescue
• Level: Intermediate
• Client Ratio: 5:1
• Cost:
  • 2 Days – $695
  • 3 Days – $795
• Included: Tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services.
• Not Included: All meals while on the mountain, airfare, transportation within Seattle, ground transportation hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, gratuities for guides, and all personal items.

North Cascades offer best the alpine ski tours in the US with legendary descents of :

• Ruth-Icy;
• Snow King;
• Eldorado;
• Sahale
• Shuksan
• Logan
• Buckner
• Rainy Pass
• Nooksack Traverse
• Isolation Traverse

• Dates: Custom and 2020 – April  11-12, 18-19, 25-26; May 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31
• Duration: 2 Days
• Level: Advanced
• Client Ratio: 4:1
• Cost:
  • 2 Days– $695
• Included: All meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services.
• Not Included: Airfare, transportation within Seattle, ground transportation hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, gratuities for guides, and all personal items.

Please call for custom trips if your preferred date is not shown. 206-799-4092

• Dates: Custom(Call to Schedule) Availability Dec 13-18, 2019; Feb 22-29; March 21-28
• Duration: 3
• Level: Advanced
• Client Ratio: 5:1
  • Cost:–$675 (3 day minimum)
• Included: Guide services, (Overnight- meals while on the mountain, tents(if hut is full), stoves, cook kits), and group climbing equipment,
• Not Included: Airfare, transportation to trailhead, transportation within Seattle, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals,snack/lunch on the mountain, gratuities for guides, and all personal items. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

Rogers Pass and the Selkirks are home to legendary terrain of ‘Powder Highway’ and some of the greatest roadside touring on the planet! The endless possibilities make choosing a tour difficult, day trips up Connaught or Balu Pass? A couple of nights at the Asulkan, Wheeler or Sapphire Col Huts.

The Wapta Traverse is the ‘Haute Route’ of the Rockies with big peaks, enormous glaciers and huts! Cliche and true with moderate terrain, spectacular mountain scenery and peaks begging for ski descents! Simply the best trip to experience your first overnight trip with great huts to keep your loads light and motivation high!

The Wapta Traverse serves as a great first Ski-Mountaineering trip and can be a great classroom by spending extra nights at the Peyto and Bow you can learn the skills to ride the volcanoes, try other tours such as the Forbidden, Spearhead and other famous multi day traverses. Many summit descents options exist along the tour with avalanche conditions and physical stamina determine what runs we can do. Summit options are listed under each day with some of the best skiing around both the Peyto and Bow huts.

• Dates: March 24-28; April 21-25(Women’s Group lead by Brenda Hollon!)
• Duration: 5 Days
• Level: Expert to Advanced
• Client Ratio: 4:1
• Cost:
  • 5 Day – $1195
• Included: All meals while on the mountain, hut fees, stoves, group climbing equipment, and guide services
• Not Included: Ground transportation, airfare, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, gratuities for guides, and all personal items. A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants.

• Dates:
  • August 22-29; Bariloche-Huts, Chutes, Steak & IPA
  • Aug 30-September 7; Andean(Maipo) Couloirs and Offpiste Adventures
  • September 5-15 Classic Volcanoes(Villarrica, Chillan, Lonquimay, Llaima….)
  • September 5-20 The Long Version Classic plus Southern Summits(Tack on Osorno, Puyehue and Casablanca..)
• Duration: 9-13 Days
• Level: Advanced
• Client Ratio: 5:1
• Cost:
  •   9 Days – $2,665
  • 13 Days – $3,595
• Included: Ground transportation, airport transfers, all meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, guide services, accommodations and breakfast
• Not Included: Airfare, gratuities for guides, hot springs fees, Lift Tickets, Ski touring gear, extra drinks, meals in cities, personal insurance and Individual transfers.

Dates: April Custom 2020 June 13-21
Duration: 9 Days
Level: Intermediate
Client Ratio: 5:1
Cost: $4,600 (Based on a minimum of 3 people)

• Included: Ground transportation, all meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services- Group transport; Food and accommodation; Russian entry visa support.
• Not Included: Airfare, transportation within Seattle, gratuities for guides, Personal insurance; Individual transfers; Visa consulate fees, all personal items International airport transfers, Russian entry visa fee.

• Dates: Nov 1-15
• Duration: 15 Days
• Level: Advanced
• Client Ratio: 4:1
• Cost:
  • 1-2 people – $4,500 Total
  • 3-6 people – $2,250 Per Person
• Included: Ground transportation, all meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, group climbing equipment, and guide services- Group transport; Food and accommodation, all airport transfers
• Not Included: Airfare, gratuities for guides, Personal insurance; Individual transfers.

• Duration:3 days
• Level: Intermediate
• Client Ratio: 3:1, 2:1 for the Fisher Chimneys
• Included:Park fees, group climbing equipment, and guide services. *(meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits and personal climbing equipment rentals available)
• Not Included:Ground transportation airfare, transportation within Seattle, hotel accommodations, restaurant meals, gratuities for guides, all meals while on the mountain, tents, stoves, cook kits, and all personal items.