We also offer a 6-Day Ski Mountaineering Clinic, which takes place on Mt. Baker. This course is for intermediate and advanced skiers who want to learn the skills necessary for traveling on more technical and glaciated mountainous terrain.

In this course, we begin with the fundamentals of backcountry skiing, such as the use and function of touring equipment, terrain selection, track setting, route finding, and traveling safely as a group. We then set up camp at the base of Mount Baker and step it up with winter camping, glacier travel for skiers, and traveling on steep terrain with an ice axe and crampons. If the weather and the conditions allow, this sets us up for a possible descent of Mt. Baker’s Coleman Glacier.

Itinerary:

Day 1 - We begin at Heather Meadow Lodge at the Mt. Baker ski area. Our first step is introducing avalanche beacons, shovels and probes by practicing their proper storage, function and use. We will also learn about basic backcountry equipment such as skins, bindings, etc. With this knowledge we begin our first tour moving slowly as to introduce many of the big concepts such as terrain selection and evaluation, track setting, route finding, proper use of ski touring equipment and safety.

Day 2 - We will meet in the ski lodge and introduce navigational equipment covering the skills required for a tour plan. We then head to the backcountry where we will cover more terrain and have the opportunity for down hill track setting and safe efficient group movement. We will introduce navigational skills and continue to review and fine-tune all of the skills up to this point.

Day 3 - : On this day we head onto the north side of Mt. Baker and set up camp at around 5,200’ near the lower Coleman Glacier. We will practice track setting with bigger loads, we will also learn winter camping techniques and give an introduction to mountain weather. There is also the possibility to go on short ski runs right out of camp.

Day 4 -From camp we descend onto the Coleman Glacier. We cover glaciology, and movement on a glacier as a team of skiers. The Coleman has excellent terrain to practice cramponing and ice axe technique on steep snow and ice, the use of prusiks and basic low angle ice climbing and rappelling with skis.

Day 5 -We use day five to go over glacier travel and crevasse rescue for ski mountaineers. This includes one-on-one crevasse rescue with skis on, and multi-team crevasse rescue. We then go on a tour of the glacier. That evening we prepare for the ascent the following day.

Day 6 - On this day we climb Mount Baker and ski it! This may be an opportunity to ski from the top although that requires many things to work in our favor. The best way to approach this day is to know that how ever high we get on the mountain we are sure to have great skiing on the way down and learn a ton about ski mountaineering. Once we are back at camp we pack up and head out.

Course Objectives

• an introduction to glaciology: ice movement & crevasse & serac formation;
• route selection & hazard assessment;
• glacier travel & crevasse recognition; team & individual crevasse rescue;
• an introduction to snowpack formation, metamorphosis, & stability assessment;
• avalanche awareness & rescue procedures;
• cross country & downhill skiing skills: methods of ascent & descent; adjustment in technique for challenging snow conditions; skiing for survival vs. style;
• roped skiing & travel skills;
• self-arrest;
• constructing snow anchors & operating belays;
• design concept & selection of equipment;
• basic skills for cramponing & ice axe usage;
• Leave No Trace travel, climbing, & camping skills;
• use of electronic transceivers; avalanche rescue procedures.

Mt. Shuksan, as viewed from the Mt. Baker Ski Area. The ski ascent of Shuksan takes place on the other side
of the peak, on the much more gentle Sulphide Glacier. Photo by Shawn Olson