Intro to Backcountry Skiing

Location

Pinkham's Grant, New Hampshire

Group Size

Max 6 people

Duration

8 hours

COVID-19 policy

Interested in backcountry skiing? Have you been touring at the resort and its time to get out on some wild snow? Learn to tour and ski in the backcountry in New Hampshire this winter. 

The backcountry is a dynamic environment with multiple hazards to mangage simutaniously. This is on top of staying warm and comfortable, fed, navigating and trying to ski. Hiring a guide can help you get the most out of your trip. 

Meet your guide at Pinkham Notch Visitors Center in the morning for gear check and safty breifing. Then head up one of the ski trails for some touring and skinning practice. Work on efficient transitions, and enjoy some turns in the beautiful white mountains. Weather and timing permiting multiple runs on multiple lines is possible.  

A few items to consider:

Although this is an intro course, participants must be able to comfortably ski in bounds black diamond terrain at most resorts in the area. If participants have not skied in a while or are still learning to ski this course is not for them. Much of your time in this course will be spent learning skills other than skiing down hill. This is not a learn to ski course. Participants must be able to skin uphill (with skis on and pack on) for 2+hours. 

 Topics include:

- equipment

- packing

- tour planning

- avalanche awareness

- skinning 

- transitions from up to down

- effective communication

- a 3+ hour tour