BIPOC Advanced Backcountry Course with MWBC Ski Festival
Description
This BIPOC Advanced Backcountry course offers a comprehensive backcountry learning experience in the White Mountains. This course is your gateway to a world where the mountains rise taller, the slopes grow steeper, and the challenges become more thrilling. It's tailored for the backcountry enthusiast with a taste for adventure and the desire to push their boundaries. To make this program possible we have partnered with the Mt. Washington Backcountry Ski Festival, who is aiming to create a positive experience for all involved and provide an advanced backcountry learning experience for our underrepresented BIPOC community. This program will intentionally focus on creating a space where the unique perspectives and narratives of BIPOC participants are not only acknowledged but celebrated.
As we embark on this thrilling adventure, the course location will be thoughtfully selected based on prevailing weather conditions, snow quality, avalanche risk, group proficiency, and guide insights. Potential destinations include Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, or other surrounding areas.
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Orientation and Gear Check: The day begins with an orientation and comprehensive gear check to ensure you're well-equipped for the challenges ahead.
Safety First: Safety is our utmost priority. To make informed decisions, we'll start by reviewing the latest updates from the Mount Washington Avalanche Center avalanche advisory and the Mount Washington Observatory forecast.
Skill Advancement: Throughout the course, our expert guides will delve into critical topics, including Precision in safe route finding, especially in steeper terrain; identifying avalanche-prone areas and other potential hazards; navigating varying snow stability in advanced environments; mastering skinning, skiing, and snowboarding techniques tailored for steep slopes; and possibly using crampons and an ice axe to travel through terrain safely.
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Advanced resort skier/rider, very comfortable on black diamonds in varying conditions. Minimum of one or two seasons of backcountry experience. Basic experience with an avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel. Participants looking to take this course should feel comfortable making controlled turns on steep and/or gladed terrain in variable conditions. You should feel comfortable being outside in the mountains for 6-8 hours with enough physical ability to travel uphill with a pack for 3+ miles (with enough energy leftover for downhill travel and possibly checking out multiple locations).
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Uphill Touring Equipment: Please bring touring skis or splitboard, boots, poles, and skins. If you need to rent, contact us and we can provide some vendor options.
Water/Snacks to stay fueled!
Backpack with the ability to carry skis or splitboard.
Clothing appropriate for winter weather and backcountry touring.
This course may travel in or approach avalanche terrain; avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, probe, shovel) is required for participation.
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This course will have the option for full or partial scholarships based on need. If you would like to apply you can email powder@skimtwashington.com with the subject scholarship, and Josh will contact you about application details. Submitted applications will be made anonymous and then reviewed by other directors of the festival and a third party.
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This event takes place on N’dakinna, which is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present.
We acknowledge and honor with gratitude the land, waterways, and people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.
We invite our participants to do the same by learning more and taking actionable steps:
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