Skiing and riding in the backcountry is safer and more fun when you understand avalanches, knowing when you can go big and when to dial it back. Nobody wants to be that partner that can’t make informed decisions or be counted on in a rescue. Spend an evening in a classroom and a day on the snow with the pros to learn how to get out in the backcountry, have fun and come home ready to do it again.
Thursday January 22nd at Red Butte and Saturday January 24th at Brighton, $145.00
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Thursday February 26th at Red Butte and Saturday February 28th at Brighton, $145.00, (this is no longer a women’s only course)
REGISTRATION FOR THE JANUARY COURSE IS NOW CLOSED, This course is full, please email devin@utahavalanchecenter.org to be added to the waitlist.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for February’s Course (this is no longer a women’s only course)
Theory
The Utah Avalanche Center has teamed up with SheJumps to bring you this women’s only course. On Thursday night, a forecaster will use videos, slides, stories and class exercises to explain avalanche characteristics, snowpack fundamentals, clues to instability, terrain assessment, safe travel techniques, rescue techniques and decision-making. This course is designed accommodate both women who are beginners and those who have taken a class or spend a decent amount of time in the backcountry and would like to brush up on their skills. For the field day, we will be dividing up into groups by experience, ability and interest, with a ratio of 6 students with one instructor.
Practice
On Saturday, we will meet and break into groups of about 6 and make travel plans based on current conditions. We will take one ride up a lift and then leave the resort via access gate and spend the rest of the day touring the backcountry surrounding Brighton.
Requirements & Logistics
Skills: You need to be at least an intermediate level skier, capable of skiing uphill with skins and descending intermediate level slopes in ungroomed, challenging conditions.
Gear: You will need skis (or splitboard), boots, bindings and skins capable of uphill and downhill travel (no snowshoes or hiking). You must be familiar with your equipment and ready to use it. You will need a pack (we have some loaners).
And:
Food
Water
Warm clothes (we will be out in the backcountry all day in winter conditions)
Beacon (we have some loaners)
Shovel (we have some loaners)
Probe (we have some loaners)
First aid and repair kit
Thursday: 6 to 9pm at Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, SLC
Saturday: 8am to 4pm at Brighton. Meet on the 3rd floor of the Alpine Rose, with all you rbear and boots on, ready to go. We suggest arranging to carpool on Thursday night.
Recommended reading: We recommend that you read Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain (Tremper) and Snow Sense (Fredston) prior to class.
Instructors
Evelyn Lees
Anna Keeling
Winslow Passey
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