Tips & tricks for backcountry travel.

Welcome to Ski Touring 101 with James Gibson! This inbounds clinic is the perfect learning environment for trying out ski touring to see if you like it, picking up some helpful techniques to make you more efficient on the skin track, and meeting some fellow touring partners. Whether you are curious about ski touring and want to give it a go or want to dial in your skills, this is the clinic for you!

Note, this clinic is NOT an Avalanche Safety Training (AST) course. Content covered is for tips and tricks for travel, not decision making in avalanche terrain. Please take an official AST course before entering the backcountry.

What to Bring: Skis with touring bindings, helmet, skins, warm layers, snacks, and a notebook. Avalanche gear (shovel, probe, transceiver) is not required, as the entire clinic will take place within Whitewater's controlled boundary. However, if you have these items, you may bring them for the bag packing discussion. Touring skis and skins are available to rent for those without gear. Email rental.whitewater@skiwhitewater.com to rent touring gear for the clinic.

Prerequesites: Intermediate to advanced skier / rider, with little to no prior ski touring experience.

What you will learn:
• Uptrack Tips & Tricks: Master the art of a perfect kick turn, steep sidehilling, bootpacking, and keeping your grip on slippery skin tracks.
• Transitions: Step-by-step process for nailing an efficient transition on varied slope angles and snow textures.
• Gear: Discussion about touring gear (benefits of different types of skis, bindings, and avy gear).
• Packing: Essentials for what to pack in your bag for a day of ski touring.

Meeting Place: Hummingbird Lodge Café.

A Season Pass or Lift Ticket is required. Clinic participants who do not have a Season Pass are eligible for 25% off All Mountain Full-Day Lift Tickets at Guest Services. Any participants under 19 years of age will need a parent or guardian to sign their Special Events Waiver in order to compete. There will be no refunds for this event.