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Backcountry Touring and Avalanche Skills

Provided by Utah Mountain Adventures
Salt Lake
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Sat, Dec 13 & Sun, Dec 14, 2025: 7:30am-3:30pm. This course is a thorough introduction to backcountry skiing & split-boarding paired with in-depth avalanche skills for the perfect pre-requisite to your Level 1 Avi Training. Cost: $459 plus tax
Find out more in our website or sign-in and select your course and dates here.
Backcountry & Avalanche Skills Course (2-Day)
With a low ratio (1:4), instructors will initially focus on equipment and procedures for travel in avalanche terrain. They will discuss choice of tours based on present conditions and projected weather as well as current avalanche hazard. Techniques for maximizing efficiency on skins and trail setting will be reviewed. Special attention will be given to kick turning skills and tricks. The guides will address route selection as the party ascends to appropriate runs.
Guides will coach participants in transitions to downhill mode and proper procedures for descent in avalanche-prone terrain. Techniques for skiing and boarding in untracked snow will be demonstrated. Each participant will be given individual tips on how to improve downhill skills. Time will be allowed for lunch, snacks, water breaks and enjoyment of the winter Wasatch environment. Guides may demonstrate and give students a chance to do practice beacon searches.
The second day will be a longer tour, usually reaching a classic Wasatch bowl or skiable peak. Participants will apply skinning, downhill, and avalanche procedures while enjoying the best terrain and snow conditions available. Skiers and riders will participate in digging a snowpit with their guide and perform snow pack analysis and highlight a few standard snow pit test. Guides will demonstrate other snow stability assessment techniques as the party travels.
Instructor will suggest good tours for students to do on their own, and offer insights into a progression of tours to enable goals to be achieved.
2025-26 Dates
  • Dec 13-14, 2025 (Saturday-Sunday)
  • Dec 29-30, 2025 (Monday-Tuesday)
  • Jan 10-11, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
  • Jan 24-25, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
  • Feb 2-3, 2026 (Monday-Tuesday)
  • Feb 21-22, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
  • Mar 21-22, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
Cost: $459 plus tax
*Ask UMA about adding on a 3-hour Avalanche Fundamentals Evening Lecture for $39 from the dates below:
Fri 6-9pm, December 5, 2025
Fri 6-9pm, Dec 19, 2025
Fri 6-9pm, Jan 9, 2026
Fri 6-9pm, Feb 13, 2026
Fri 6-9pm, Mar 27, 2026
Register here or contact Utah Mountain Adventures:
phone: 801-550-3986