BAckcountry Skiing

Hey Colorado, I'm living and working in Breckenridge for the season and looking to get into some backcountry skiing. Nothing crazy, I'm a competent skier but no experience in the backcountry. Basically just looking for a partner who knows the area and is psyched to get out! Let me know if you're interested.

I'll sum the advice I got when I asked this earlier in the year about getting into backcountry Skiing

Take some avy classes. Get a guide. Take more avy classes. Get a beacon.

Did I mention the avalanche safety classes?

Avy One cert or you're in for a world of hurt. Probably end up under 6 feet of dirt.

My $ .02:

Get out with a competent partner for some conservative tours, learn your equipment, practice with your beacon probe and shovel, read the discussion and field observations on CAIC DAILY, and read Snow Sense or Staying Alive-mostly types of avys, weather patterns, and red flags/safe travel sections. Don't worry too much about the snow science right away.

Do this THEN take Avy 1. You'll get much more out of it. The class room sessions will be more review with additional info and easier to put it all together rather than going in blind. During the field days it will be easier to make observations and listen to the guide if you're not learning/messing with equipment and clothing the whole day.

Be safe, learn, and enjoy the process.

You can also get an uphill parking pass then skin the resort before 8:30am or after the last sweep in the afternoon once the days get longer. Low avy danger hut trips could also be a fun start.

Thanks for all the advice folks! I've been looking into classes with Colorado Mountain School and others. I'll probably go for it!

I'm in the same boat as you, looking to get into the backcountry. I'm signed up for the CMS weekend aiare 1 class at the end of the month. I'll let you know how it goes, but I'd second taking some form of avy course. Literally everyone I've talked to (and other responders here) say it's a basic requirement.

hey man, the excitement at getting out into the backcountry is well warranted. I must however echo what others have said. The need for education is enormous. Past Avy 1. Avy 2 is super helpful. practice frequently. I have had at least 10 people that I am ether acquainted with or good friends die in the backcountry due to burial. 3 of whom died this year. its not something to be taken lightly.

berthoudpass.org
14ers.com

wildernessexchangeunlimited…

Free awareness seminar in Denver next week.

Take a class for sure. Don'd go out without proper gear. If you get your own setup, I am always looking for more partners to ski with. If you're newer, we'd prob do more burial/search practice, but I always like to get out and practice too. Send me a PM if you want to get out sometime.....

x2 for reading snow sense. great book with great information about the evolution of avi forecasting.

also, i find reading the CAIC accident and field reports are a great way to start to get more familiar with avi lingo and such.

lastly, check out The Human Factor from BD/powder.com. great article on the psychology of choices in the back country.

its all great...

Hey there, right on, hope you're enjoying it up there!

Here's a great online primer to get you going:

avalanche.net.nz/education/…

That covers a bunch of good material. Get Bruce Tremper's book "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain"--great read and hammers a bunch of good information into your brain.

Your best friend right now is learning to recognize avalanche terrain. If you're not in avalanche terrain, then you're safe...slope angles and reading a map are key. Practice!

Once you've skied some conservative terrain with folks, read up, taken an AIARE 1, then hiring a guide for a day can be really helpful. S/he can get into some complicated terrain with you and really apply what you've learned.

Read the CAIC bulletin every day--even when you're not touring--and familiarize yourself with the avalanche problem of the day.

When in doubt--dial it back. And have a blast, dude!

RC
VettaMountainGuides.com

Hey there, right on, hope you're enjoying it up there!

Here's a great online primer to get you going:

avalanche.net.nz/education/…

That covers a bunch of good material. Get Bruce Tremper's book "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain"--great read and hammers a bunch of good information into your brain.

Your best friend right now is learning to recognize avalanche terrain. If you're not in avalanche terrain, then you're safe...slope angles and reading a map are key. Practice!

Once you've skied some conservative terrain with folks, read up, taken an AIARE 1, then hiring a guide for a day can be really helpful. S/he can get into some complicated terrain with you and really apply what you've learned.

Read the CAIC bulletin every day--even when you're not touring--and familiarize yourself with the avalanche problem of the day.

When in doubt--dial it back. And have a blast, dude!

RC
VettaMountainGuides.com

Step one, spend money. Get your gear, don't skimp. Take at LEAST one avy class that teaches and has a practical of beacon use, assessment etc. Also learn mountaineering skills, skinning, etc. These are vital for a fun and safe trip out. Once you get some basic skills under your belt, learn some snow sense, then practice all of it. I completely disagree on the snow science mentioned above. While you don't need to know every type of snow metamorphosis you do need to know how to properly dig a pit, assess the safety of a given area, know what, and why, the layers are and what they mean. Also how to travel, and make good decisions in avy terrain. Avy knowledge is no joke in Colorado, and right now, we are in a very nasty cycle, with a particularly dangerous snow pack.

Check out Hoosier Pass. That's just south of you.

Pick up a copy of "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain" and read it twice cover to cover. Then purchase your beacon, probe, shovel and pack and sign up for an Avy I class.

Side country is a good way to start gaining back country skills and you can usually hire an instructor to join you for a half day or so after you have taken your Avy I course.

When you are ready to venture out for some moderate BC days buy a copy of "Powder Ghost Towns" it's a guidebook to all the old and now closed down ski areas where you can find great runs in lower (not low) risk areas.

Edit- I just realized a backcountry ski post about CO from a guy in Oklahoma probably seems ridiculous but I did backcountry ski patrol in Wyoming for 5ish years and spent off days BC skiing in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho.

Hey jcrigler,

I lived in the Breck area for about ten years and know it pretty well. I live in Glenwood Springs now. Loveland pass is a great place to get your feet wet. It has easy access, lots of terrian choice and avalanche hazard to keep you on your toes.

You have to get your avy gear and learn how to use it. Abasin has a great beacon park to pratice your new skills. Also Abasin has great BC acess as well.

I cant agree more with what the poster before said about avy classes and such. But the gear is a MUST. And know how to use it.

Hit me up if you want to chat. I might have some more ideas for you. gusamorrison@gmail.com

BTW, I'm from NC too. Statesville!

angus wrote:Loveland pass is a great place to get your feet wet. It has easy access, lots of terrian choice and avalanche hazard to keep you on your toes. You have to get your avy gear and learn how to use it.

Yup...FYI you are going to see alot of people in Loveland and Berthoud without avy gear. You can get away with that on alot of the slopes due to angle and sheer traffic, but don't be that guy. They call them accidents for a reason.

I just assume the snowpack always sucks in CO, and am careful until July when I put my board away. Be safe!

angus wrote:Abasin has a great beacon park to pratice your new skills.

Abasin used to have a great beacon park. It's not open anymore. They are trying to raise money to replace it.

Scott McMahon wrote: Yup...FYI you are going to see alot of people in Loveland and Berthoud without avy gear. You can get away with that on alot of the slopes due to angle and sheer traffic, but don't be that guy. They call them accidents for a reason. I just assume the snowpack always sucks in CO, and am careful until July when I put my board away. Be safe!

Hmm...at the risk of diverting the thread and starting a long debate, I'll point out that it seems like with many of the recent avalanche fatalities, the victim(s) were in fact carrying gear and knew how to use it. This is not to say that one shouldn't carry gear, but to emphasize that "don't be that guy" should mean first and foremost to stay out of avy terrain in the first place.