Ski Mountaineering School

If you are interested in taking your downhill skiing skills and backcountry ski experience to the peaks and high mountains, the Ski Mountaineering School (SMS) offered by the Colorado Mountain Club may be for you. The Ski Mountaineering School is intended to develop the skills, attitudes, and awareness needed for ski mountaineering tours, such as 13′er and 14′er ski descents in Colorado and ski traverses and ski mountaineering routes in Europe and Canada. Some of the topics covered include planning and preparation, ski gear and equipment, ski techniques, route finding, and avalanche assessment.

Prerequisites

• Steep ski skills (black diamond) in varied terrain and snow conditions, including ascending and descending in controlled manner. No need to be a “ripper”, but skiing in full control in all snow conditions is important.
• Fitness and stamina to climb/travel at 1000’/ hr and 3 mph on skis for 3000+ foot, 3-5 mile ascents.
• Experience with traveling on skins (ski or splitboard) in mountain terrain for at least 1 full season including at least 1 CMC ski outing or the Boulder group ski touring seminar (cmcboulder.org/bms/backCountrySki.html).
• AIARE avy 1 in last 5 years; BMS snow travel class, or similar experience (crampon, axe and snow climbing skills/experience); 2 or more seasons of backcountry ski travel, or numerous current season outings plus concurrent enrollment in Boulder group CMC backcountry ski clinic (Feb/Mar, 2020),
• First aid or WFA. Modern AT or tele skiis or splitboard, with functional and comfortable boots and modern free pivot bindings, full width skins, and ski crampons. Some of these can be rented/demo-ed, but self- owned is expected before end of season for familiarity, efficiency, and safety in the later bigger outings, Modern 3-antenna beacon, shovel and probe, and know how to use them. Ice axe and boot and ski crampons, and the skills to use them properly.

Registration is by application only. Skiers without more than one full season of back country ski experience are required to be concurrently enrolled in the boulder group advanced ski touring course.

2020 Schedule:

All 3 evening lectures, as well as the first field outing are mandatory. At least 4 of the 8 one day field trips, and one of the 2 multi day field trips are also required for successful completion of this class.

April 2, Thursday, SMS Lecture #1, 6:00 – 9:00 pm—————————–American Mountaineering Center

April 4, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #1—————————–——––——––—Vasquez pk/ pk12,090

April 9, Thursday, SMS Lecture #2, 6:00 – 9:00 pm——————————American Mountaineering Center

April 11, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #2————————————————Location TBA

April 16, Thursday, SMS Lecture #3, 6:00 – 9:00 pm——————————American Mountaineering Center

April 18, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #3—————————————————Location TBA

April 25, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #4————————————————–Citadel/Pettingel peaks

May 2, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #5————————————————–––Location TBA

May 9, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #6————————————————–––Location TBA

May 16, Saturday, SMS Field Trip #7————————————————––Greys + Torries peaks

May 23-25, Friday PM through Sunday, SMS Multi-day Field Trip #1 –——Brainerd Lake cabin or Indy Pass

May 29-31, Friday PM through Monday SMS Multi-day Field Trip #2———San Juan 14ers

COST:

Registration is by application only. The cost of the school is $300.

For more information please contact this year’s Director John Morrone at: jmorrone57@gmail.com. For general information, please contact CMC Member Services at (303) 279-3080 x2 or office@cmc.org.

Application:  2020 Ski-Mountaineering-School-Student-Application Please fill out and email to jmorrone57@gmail.com, then click here to sign-up for CMC’s Ski Mountaineering School.

REFUND POLICY: Requests must be made in writing to school director. If received at least 7 days before a course begins: Full refund minus $10 processing, less cost of materials received, if any. If less than 7 days: 50 percent refund, or full refund minus $10 if replacement found, less cost of materials received. No refund on day course begins or after. (revised as of 10/2016).