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Build Your Winter Backcountry Skills With evoTrip!

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Unlock the wilderness with evo’s Backcountry Ski Classes. From Washington to Colorado, master the art of skiing untouched powder. Elevate your adventure with expert guidance on safety, technique, and exploration.


backcountry ski class in Utah


Know Before You Go

There’s nothing more rewarding than venturing into the mountains on your own two feet, but before you can earn your turns, you have to earn your stripes. Our friends at evo have partnered with certified mountain guides to help you build the knowledge and skills required to travel with confidence in the backcountry.

Evo offers courses for riders of all abilities and experience levels, with great options for newbies and veterans alike. Check out the courses below and join evo on the skin track this winter.

Ready to begin your backcountry journey? Here’s where to start.

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Washington AIARE 1 Courses At Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, or Mt Rainier

backcountry ski class in Washington

Are you a ski­er, snow­board­er, climber or snow­shoer that trav­els in avalanche ter­rain? Avalanche Insti­tute of Research and Edu­ca­tion (AIARE) Recre­ation­al I is an intro­duc­to­ry class with lec­tures and two field days that cov­ers the phe­nom­e­non of avalanche, avalanche ter­rain, deci­sion mak­ing, trav­el tech­niques, human fac­tors, and com­pan­ion res­cue. These cours­es are designed for recre­ation­al­ists look­ing to get out and have the nec­es­sary tools to make informed deci­sions about risk fac­tors, and to be able to ask the right ques­tions before head­ing out. And for those look­ing to up their game, it meets the require­ment for our more advanced back­coun­try ski tours.

Ready to begin your backcountry journey? Here’s where to start.

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Global Rescue is there whether you’re hiking, kayaking, snowmobiling, fishing or simply enjoying the outdoors and get ill or injured and you’re unable to get to safety on your own. Global Rescue is the red button you push in an emergency. Their team of medical and security experts come through for you when it matters most.


Washington AIARE 2 Courses At Stevens Pass, or Mt Rainier

backcountry ski class in Washington

Are you look­ing to devel­op pro­fes­sion­al lev­el skills that enable you to con­fi­dent­ly make deci­sions that impact your guest, or recre­ation part­ners in avalanche ter­rain? AIARE Recre­ation­al II takes you beyond the base­line skills intro­duced in the AIARE Recre­ation­al I cur­ricu­lum to both expand your knowl­edge as a recre­ation­al­ist and pro­vide pro­fes­sion­al lev­el train­ing for job-relat­ed demands of ski patrollers, guides, out­door pro­gram lead­ers, and oth­ers in the industry.

Time to go pro and learn advanced skills in WA’s best terrain.

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Washington Introduction To Backcountry Skiing at Steven’s/Blewett Pass, Mt Rainier, and Sno­qualmie Pass

backcountry ski class in Washington

This 2‑day course is designed to be a com­pre­hen­sive intro­duc­tion to back­coun­try ski­ing and splitboarding. We will com­bine fun­da­men­tal skills instruc­tion with great mod­er­ate pow­der ski­ing at areas around Steven’s/Blewett Pass, Mt Rainier, and Sno­qualmie Pass, hope­ful­ly cre­at­ing an expe­ri­ence that has you yearn­ing for more.

Your comprehensive intro to backcountry skiing & splitboarding.

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Guide To Planning A Backcountry Ski Adventure

In a season as extreme as winter, where weather forecasts are often wrong and ground conditions change by the hour, how do you even plan a backcountry ski adventure?


Utah AVY 1 Course In The Wasatch Mountains

backcountry ski class in Utah

Avalanche Level 1 provides students with a solid foundation of skills which enables them to travel more safely and make informed decisions in the backcountry. SIET Avalanche programs are unique in that the class size is capped at 12 students (6 per instructor), which allows the instructor to customize the course to specific student goals and provide more one-on-one coaching.

Explore the backcountry and get certified in the Wasatch.

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Guide To Backcountry Skiing Near Vail Pass East, Colorado

Let the majority of crowds hit the West side of Vail Pass while you play in a series of friendly bowls or take your craft down some of the couloirs and seldom explored faces to the North and the East.


Colorado Hut Based AIARE 1 Course

backcountry ski class in Colorado

Imagine spending the weekend with avalanche professionals in the backcountry, learning about snow safety while sipping tea in front of a crackling wood stove, and skiing or snowboarding right to the hut and debriefing after the day outside. This Hut-Based AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course, offered by evo’s local partners at Colorado Adventure Guides, is a 3-day experience that combines E-Learning, classroom, and field instruction to introduce participants to the hazards of traveling in avalanche terrain. Traveling in the backcountry requires a solid understanding of avalanche risk and knowledge to mitigate these risks through appropriate terrain assessment and decision making. Evo’s AIARE certified leaders and instructors teach you how to recognize, manage, and minimize these hazards, and reduce risks.

What sets evo’s courses apart from the others? By choosing the hut-based setting, you’ll have the opportunity to pick your instructor’s brain during fireside chats in the evening. So all you need to bring are your meals, your favorite snacks, and a great attitude. They’ll take care of the rest!

Take your avalanche education to the next level with this immersive, hut based course.

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Colorado AIARE 1 Course

backcountry ski class in Colorado

Traveling in the backcountry requires a solid understanding of avalanche risk and the knowledge to mitigate these risks through appropriate terrain assessment and decision-making. Our AIARE certified leaders and instructors will teach you how to recognize, manage, and minimize these hazards, and reduce risks. For 2021/2022 the standard AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course 3-Day course offers the option for Day 1 in either a virtual learning (Zoom) format or a physical classroom, along with two days of field instruction to introduce participants to the hazards of traveling in avalanche terrain.

This course can be taken on alpine touring skis or splitboard. No prior backcountry experience is required but it is highly recommended that participants with touring gear have experience on their setup prior to taking this course and be comfortable in steep blue to black terrain at the ski resort.

Earn your essential avalanche training

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Meet The Dogs, Trained To Save Lives In An Avalanche

Working with their nose in the air, avalanche rescue dogs can pick up human scent in the avalanche field.


Colorado AIARE Rescue Course

backcountry ski class in Colorado

AIARE Avalanche Rescue is a one-day, stand-alone course, offered by evo’s partners at Colorado Adventure Guides, that is intended to be retaken on a regular basis in order to keep abreast of best practices in rescue techniques and gear. New participants will learn the basics of companion rescue, while returning participants will expand their skill set with advanced topics and realistic scenario practice to help improve their skills after the course. AIARE Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2 and Pro 1 courses. AIARE recommends that all backcountry travelers keep their skills current with a Rescue course at least every other year.

Hone in on companion rescue and sharpen your skills with realistic practice scenarios.

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Colorado Introduction To Backcountry Ski and Splitboard Course

backcountry ski class in Colorado

Colorado’s pristine backcountry has been calling but you, but you still haven’t taken that first step? This is it. This is the winter. Let’s go!

This adventure is the perfect introduction to the skills necessary to  confidently take those first steps and venture into the backcountry. This class is a stepping stone to get out of the resort and explore the backcountry. Not only is it an excellent one-day adventure for those new to backcountry skiing, but it is also a great way to gather experience prior to taking an AIARE Level 1 Avalanche course. The AIARE Level 1 course curriculum does not include the use of touring equipment or touring technique, but this trip does. This one-day adventure is customized for both skiers and splitboarders. Both co-ed and women’s only trips are options. Grab some friends, pick a date, and our guides will handle everything else!

Hitting the skin track for the first time?

This one’s for you.

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Backcountry skiing and snowboarding are a learning journey that never stops. Looking at avalanche and backcountry education as a process rather than a checkbox will help you to hone your skills every day you spend in the field. Follow along with us as we lay out this learning process. This can be a helpful tool for figuring out what might come next on your journey.

 

About evo

evo explores the collaboration between culture and sport by seamlessly joining art, music, streetwear, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking and wakeboarding. Evo’s aim is to bring all things relevant to the urban, action sports lifestyle into one creative space. Whether it is on the website, on the phone or in their stores, evo’s aim is to make all who come into contact with evo feel welcome and excited about their experience.

Evo’s website launched in 2001, after lots of coffee, countless late nights, 100’s of powder days, and early morning sessions on the lake, they are still focused on being a great retailer and asset to the community. evo’s retail locations in Seattle, Portland, and Denver are more than just stores – evo is passionate about creating community anchors in urban settings with diverse groups of people who share common interests. Music events, movie premiers, art exhibitions, benefits to help children in need, partnerships and simply providing a great place in a central location are all ways that they work to build and strengthen community. It is no mistake that evo’s locations are venues, art galleries, and retail spaces all wrapped into one.


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