Backcountry Skiing Home | Typical Trip Schedule | Rating System | Leaders | Cool Ski Links
What to Expect
Backcountry trips vary in duration and difficulty from introductory day trips to multi-day backcountry expeditions. Many trips involve climbing 2,000 to 8,000 feet per day and then skiing the return route to the starting point or to camp.
Where We Ski
Ski Touring members organize numerous trips each year into the Sierra Nevada, Mt. Shasta, and Mt. Lassen. Typical trips include:
Lake Tahoe
Adv. Beginner and Intermediate tours (Backcountry Huts, Castle Peak)
Adv. Intermediate and Advanced tours (Freel Peak, Mt. Tallac, North Tahoe Traverse, Sierra Buttes)
Eastside Sierra Nevada
Mammoth Crest, Virginia Lakes, Matterhorn Peak, Dana Couloir, Mt Tom
Northern Volcanoes
Mt. Shasta, Lassen Peak
Trans-Sierra
The High Route, Kearsarge Pass to Pear Lake, Mammoth to Yosemite
For a typical full-year schedule, click here.
Are You Qualified?
The trip leader determines who is qualified for each trip. Call the leader for advice if you are not sure.
- ADV. BEGINNER skiers with several days of both downhill and cross-country experience should be able to enjoy our introductory trips.
- INTERMEDIATE skiers should be able to ski moderately hilly terrain, use climbing skins, and descend moderate slopes with Telemark or Christie turns.
- ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED skiers capable of linked Telemark or parallel turns in a variety of snow conditions should be able to handle tours in steeper terrain. Make sure you have practiced in ungroomed snow. Telemarkers and Randonee skiers are welcome.