Winter Programs

We are now partnering with Cascade Mountain Ascents to provide Women’s Backcountry Programs in backcountry skiing and avalanche rescue.

Cascade Mountain Ascents is a worker-owned mountain guiding cooperative. They provide high-quality, customizable trips and industry-leading education in the North Cascades and beyond.

What

We are excited to offer Intro to Ski Touring, AIARE Avalanche Rescue courses, and NWAC Avalanche Awareness courses through CMA. These programs are designed to meet you where you’re at—and help you grow from there. Whether you’re going on your first ski tour or pursuing technical ski mountaineering objectives, there’s space for you within this supportive community.

Where

In town programs will be at Backcountry Essentials at 1417 N State St. Our field courses take place in the Baker Backcountry at the end of Highway 542.

Who

These programs are for women (queer, cis, and trans) and gender-expansive folks ages 18+. These programs are a space to find your voice, expand your comfort zone, and show up fully. Come build your skills and get after it with a crew that’s got your back.

Backcountry Skiing

Intro to Touring

The one-day Intro to Backcountry course teaches students how to choose and use their gear, travel up and downhill, and plan a day of backcountry skiing or riding. This course is an excellent way to prepare for your first avalanche course and will equip you with the foundational travel skills needed to begin your backcountry riding journey. Avalanche safety gear and touring equipment is available free of charge.

Avalanche Rescue Courses

AIARE 1 Avalanche Course

This three-day course meets the highest standards in avalanche education and provides students with a thorough introduction to avalanche hazard management. The AIARE 1 Avalanche Course curriculum equips students with tools for decision making, avalanche terrain recognition, snowpack and weather observation, and avalanche rescue.

AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course

This one-day course meets the highest standards in avalanche education and provides backcountry skiers and riders with skills to get out into the backcountry with respect and appropriate caution. The Avalanche Rescue Course teaches students to be leaders and participants in both basic and complex rescue scenarios. It is recommended (but not required) that students take the AIARE 1 Course prior to the AIARE Rescue Course.

AIARE 2 Avalanche Course

Deepen your understanding of the avalanche phenomenon and hone their skills in decision making, terrain management, and tour planning. AIARE 2 curriculum provides students with the tools and resources to become strong leaders within their touring groups. We’ll dive into facilitation of effective decision processes in the backcountry, up and downhill group travel techniques, and terrain management. Students will build upon the introductory hazard management tools used in their AIARE 1 course and expand their skill set around snowpack, weather, and avalanche processes.

FAQs

Backcountry Essentials and CMA have partnered to provide everything you need for our outings, particularly on our Intro to Touring courses. If you need winter gear, avalanche safety gear, or snow sports gear, we will make sure you have what you need for the course.
No prior experience is necessary for our Intro to Touring or AIARE 1 courses. Our avalanche courses are meant to be taken in succession so AIARE Avalanche Rescue and AIARE 2 require AIARE 1 as a prerequisite.
CMA and Shifting Gears are providing tiered pricing on each of these courses based around participant income. They are:
- Sponsored: participant pays 60% of program cost
- Supported: participant pays 80% of program cost
- Standard: program Cost as is
We understand that guided backcountry courses are expensive and that cost can be a major barrier to participants. If the cost of these programs is prohibitive for you, please reach out.
Sign up on Cascade Mountain Ascent’s website. There you will find detailed information about each program. Space is limited—sign up early to hold your spot!

How to Register

Sign up for each program on Cascade Mountain Ascent’s website. They provide tiered pricing for each program and backcountry gear to borrow. With an industry standard of participants to guides being 5:1, program space is limited—sign up to reserve your spot today.

Sign up