What is backcountry skiing? Backcountry skiing is difficult to define because every outing is different. The infinite variations come from snow conditions, weather conditions, equipment, duration of trips, time of year, and type of terrain. Much of the fun is evaluating each of these factors and coming up with the perfect destination and slope aspect for a ski tour. Knowing the terrain and how the snowpack is changing is critical to a safe and fun trip.

During every tour with me as your guide, the day will include avalanche training, rescue practice, route finding practice, ski technique for current snow conditions, and personal comfort techniques.

In Jackson Hole, it is fun to plot a tour route that allows a scenic ascent, a contemplative summit visit, lots of skiing in cold powder or perfect corn, and egress by a route other than the approach route. Some trips can be made in a short day, while others may take three days or longer.

I also enjoy single- or multi-day ski traverses across mountainous terrain. These tours usually involve tent camps and car shuttles to remote trailheads on the opposite side of a ridge or range. Rendezvous Ski Tours' yurts make multi-day trips a bit less rugged. We use the yurts as base camps to access remote peaks and incredible ski terrain, but also we can traverse the country between two of the yurts.

Other fun trip variations include base camping from a tent in a high cirque and skiing different peaks each day. And for the less adventurous, Teton Pass provides easy terrain, relatively short approaches, and copious amounts of powder.

To discuss the perfect trip for your party, please contact me by phone or email.

• Ski and Snowboard Mountaineering
  
• Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding
  
• Ice Climbing
  
• Rock and Alpine Climbing
  
• Wilderness Trips
  
• Non-technical Summits