Backcountry Ski Classes: Learn and Explore in the Mountains

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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.

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

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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Enroll With Global Rescue Prior To Embarking On Your Next Adventure

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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The Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding Learning Journey

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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