WOMEN’S SPECIFIC COURSES

Beartooth Powder Guides is fortunate to employ the best and most qualified female guides in Montana. These courses will be instructed and hosted by women guides, and course enrollment will be limited to ladies only, creating a comfortable and relaxing learning environment for women who want to take their backcountry skiing safety and skills to the next level. Below are more details on the women’s specific Avalanche Level 1 and 2 Courses & the Ladies Ski Mountaineering Camp.

 

Three ski tracks through trees

 

Ladies Only Avalanche Level 1 Course

 

*All Level 1 Courses will offer the same curriculum, which exceeds the requirements by the American Avalanche Association.   BPG will be limiting class sizes to a maximum of 10 and your group will be instructed by 2 lead guides.

 

Ladies Hut Based Level 1 Overview

This hut based course is open for public enrollment A. It will be based out of  The Woody Creek Cabin  above Cooke City, MT. The cabin is a 2.5 mile skin from Cooke City, and is situated within 1/4 mile of the Wyoming border and the North Absaroka Wilderness. This venue offer easy access to high elevation glades and alpine terrain alike, making this a great venue to learn about terrain and the snowpack while being fully immersed in the mountains for the duration of the course. This course is limited to groups of 10 for the Woody Creek Cabin. This course does not include food. Your guides will not be staying with you and will be traveling back to town in the evenings.

During the 3 days, participants will be exposed to techniques and skills required to be a competent backcountry partner. This will include a combination of lectures and field sessions, where students will get hands on experience in learning about snowpack layering, terrain management, weather elements, decision making, and rescue skills.

  • Cost: $679 per person
  • Location: Woody Creek Cabin 
  • Price includes 2 nights lodging. You will be responsible for your own food and cooking.
  • Course Limited to 10 students

Ladies Only Level 1 + POWDER Course

The biggest complaint about Level 1 Avalanche Courses is we never get to ski enough Powder 🙂 This is a 4 day Level 1 course. By adding a 4th day to the trip, we can cover all the necessary Level 1 topics and spend one day dedicated to POWDER skiing. * We pick the day with the most optimal conditions to go POWDER skiing!

During the 4 days, participants will be exposed to techniques and skills required to be a competent backcountry partner. This will include a combination of lectures and field sessions, where students will get hands on experience in learning about snowpack layering, terrain management, weather elements, decision making, and rescue skills. PLUS a day of dedicated POWDER skiing!

  • Cost: No Current Offerings
  • Location: Cooke City
  • Course limited to 8 Students.

Download Syllabus

  • Snowpack Layering and formation
  • Snowpack tests and other observations as they relate to the avalanche forecast
  • Terrain Identification (avalanche paths, slope shape, aspect, slope angle)
  • Terrain management (uphill & downhill travel)
  • Mountain Weather Concepts (wind, precipitation, temperatures)
  • Snow climates
  • Avalanche types and concepts
  • Decision making skills
  • Interpreting the Avalanche Bulletin (Hazard rating and type)
  • Beacon use and rescue training
  • Skiing powder!

This course is based on guidelines established by the American Avalanche Association

Ladies Level 1

There are currently no courses scheduled. Check back next year!

 

Ladies Level 1 +Powder

There are currently no courses scheduled. Check back next year!

 

Don’t see a date that works for you? Inquire at info@beartoothpowder.com for private courses

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

Deposits/payments are non refundable. If your reservation or your position in the class can be filled, a refund will be issued minus an $80 administrative fee. Alternatively, if we fill your position in the class or are able to rebook your reservation, you can receive a 100% credit toward future course enrollment, guiding or lodging fees. Please protect your investment and purchase travel insurance at the following links;

https://www.travelexinsurance.com or  https://www.travelguard.com/

 

Ladies Only Avalanche Level 2

 

*Beartooth Powder Guides Recreational Level 2 Avalanche Course is a 4 day course that was created for advanced backcountry skiers and riders that want to go deeper into the backcountry and take their backcountry avalanche knowledge and companion rescue skills to the next level. Prior avalanche training and experience required. (Completed Level 1 or experienced backcountry travelers that have attended a basic avalanche course).

**This course includes an 8 Hour Avalanche Rescue Course for students planning on continuing on the AAA Pro Avalanche Education track. (Pro 1)

Course Overview

Experience our unique venue and learn from our experienced instructors by attending our 4-day Recreational Level 2 Avalanche course based out of Cooke City. Nestled in the middle of the Beartooth Mountains and Absaroka Range, Cooke City is just a 3-hour drive from Bozeman through the north end of Yellowstone Park. With great access to glades and alpine terrain alike, Cooke City makes a great venue to learn about terrain and the snowpack.

During the 4 days, participants will elevate their techniques and skills to become an advanced backcountry traveler and partner. This will include a combination of lectures and field sessions, where students will get hands on experience in learning about snowpack layering, terrain management, weather elements, decision making, and rescue skills.

This 4 day (32+ hour) course  will be 40% classroom based and 60% field based and includes an entire day dedicated to an objective based ski tour.

 

  • Location: Cooke City
  • Cost: $850
  • Prerequisites: Completed a Level 1 Course. Students must be fit enough to travel a minimum of 6 miles per day, climbing as much as 2500 vertical feet per day. Students must have Alpine Touring skis, Telemark skis or Splitboard with skins for travel. Minimum one season between Level 1 and taking Level 2.
  • Food not included.

RECOMMENDED READING

  • Snow Sense, Jill Fredston & Doug Fesler
  • Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Bruce Tremper
  • Avalanche Essentials, Bruce Tremper
  • SWAG- Snow, Weather and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States (SWAG)

 

Level 2 Syllabus

  • The course will include 8 hours spent on advanced avalanche rescue and accident mitigation
  • Concepts in avalanche hazard and basic avalanche terminology
  • Trailhead checks and travel protocol
  • Formation of persistent weak layers
  • Understanding avalanche release
  • Recognizing avalanche terrain
  • Travel procedures in avalanche terrain
  • Understanding avalanche release-initiation, fracture and propagation
  • How weather changes the snowpack
  • Wet snow metamorphism
  • Deeper understanding of human factors and how they can influence decision making
  • Making and interpreting the avalanche forecast bulletin
  • Applied information gathering and tour planning
  • SWAG documentation
  • Tracking season snowpack history
  • Target observations and snowpack tests to fill knowledge gaps and address current/suspected avalanche character
  • Use of an avalanche checklist in the field to provide a system for prioritizing information
  • Discussion and working as a team focusing on minimizing possible human factor traps
  • Discussion of accident case studies and decision-making scenarios

This course is based on guidelines established by the American Avalanche Association

There are currently no courses scheduled. Check back next year!

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

Deposits/payments are non refundable. If your reservation or your position in the class can be filled, a refund will be issued minus an $80 administrative fee. Alternatively, if we fill your position in the class or are able to rebook your reservation, you can receive a 100% credit toward future course enrollment, guiding or lodging fees. Please protect your investment and purchase travel insurance at the following links;

https://www.travelexinsurance.com or  https://www.travelguard.com/

 

Ladies Only Ski Mountaineering Camp

 

Beartooth Powder Guides is changing how we host our programs to adapt to the “New Normal”. See Covid-19 tab for more info.

Course Overview

This 4 Day course will take place in the heart of the Beartooth Mountains and will be staged from Cooke City at our Mount Zimmer Yurt. The alpine routes and ski mountaineering objectives in this area are the perfect place to develop the skills necessary to safely climb and ski classic ski mountaineering routes throughout the world. Weather/Conditions permitting, the objective of the course is to also climb and ski some of the classic ski mountaineering lines in the Beartooths.

This Ski Mountaineering Camp will be hosted by lead guide and Certified AMGA Ski Guide, Nina Hance. Late March and April is our favorite time in Cooke City, with a deep and generally stable snowpack along with warmer and longer days, it makes for the best conditions to get into big alpine ski routes in the Cooke City region.

**The Camp is guided at a 3:1, students:guide ratio 

  • Cost: No Current Offerings
  • Location: Mount Zimmer Yurt Cooke City, Montana
  • Camp Limited to 6 Students

Download the course information and syllabus

  • Proper use of ice axe and crampons
  • Rope Skills
  • Spring weather and snowpack assessment
  • Route finding/safe uphill and downhill travel
  • Steep skiing techniques
  • Couloir Climbing
  • Setting realistic goals and planning
  • Evaluating Avalanche Hazards and terrain risks

Ladies Only Ski Mountaineering Camp

There are currently no courses scheduled. Check back next year!

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

Deposits/payments are non refundable. If your reservation or your position in the class can be filled, a refund will be issued minus an $80 administrative fee. Alternatively, if we fill your position in the class or are able to rebook your reservation, you can receive a 100% credit toward future course enrollment, guiding or lodging fees. Please protect your investment and purchase travel insurance at the following links;

https://www.travelexinsurance.com or  https://www.travelguard.com/