Help prospective thru-hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts learn the skills necessary to have confidence in dealing with three of their biggest on-snow concerns, navigation, balance control, and snow safety. We provide this training to teach you the realities of the snow-covered trail, to help you stay safe.

Provide a weekend trip that also serves as a "test-run" so hikers can test all their "systems," menu, clothing, equipment, and skills knowledge, before they actually head out and have to trust their choices.*

*(Certain items, however, must be excluded from this testing opportunity via the Course: Tents, because of high winds and heavy snow fall if there is bad weather, Boots, because you can not have wet or cold feet, so they must be waterproof and above the ankle so gaitors will keep out the snow, Pads & Bags, because you can not get cold at night, and Stoves, because, should the weather turn nasty, you'll have to cook inside your tent, so alcohol stoves are not permitted. "Basic" Courses in April allow thru hikers to use their Desert gear (with a few additions for powder, storms, and the self-arrest clinic) since they usually head straight from the weekend's training to the Border).

Cost: Suggested Donation, $400
Time: Three (3) days moving, one base day
Distance Travelled: Approximately 19 miles, plus instructional hikes.
Elevations: This special, Oregon Intermediate-level Snow Skills Training Course starts at Upper Three Creeks Snow Park (5200), climbs 1800 feet in 8.5 miles to crest a ridge, then descends 400 feet to Green Lakes basin on the ESE side of South Sister.
Rating: Moderately strenuous
Topo: USGS, "Broken Top"

To teach students with a "Basic" understanding of snow-hiking skills how to apply them through a daily moving schedule (as in traditional backpacking) and over more challenging terrain. This course would be good for all those who want to learn how to snow-hike over multiple days, over varied terrain, and accomplish a distance goal (rather than base camp and play).

• Navigation above and below timberline (VRR & GPS)
• creek crossing techniques
• self-arrest and belay skills
• survival shelters
• balance and traction techniques to prevent falls on snow
• ascending and descending techniques to maintain safety
• water collection methods
• LNT (Leave No Trace)
• sanitation guidelines
• snow-caving
• and more!

Cost: Suggested Donation, $400 (TRTA Guides excepted)
Time: Four (4) days moving
Distance Travelled: Approximately 35.4 miles (less when route-finding over snow).
Elevations: This Intermediate-level Snow Skills Training Course starts out from Echo Lake Chalet, elevation 7,414 and climbs almost 2,000 feet over the next 12 miles to Dick's Pass, elevation 9,380. For the remaining 23 miles, the route undulates past picturesque lakes and through forest while dropping 1730 feet to Barker Pass Trailhead at 7,650.
Rating: Moderately strenuous

Teach students with "Basic" understandings and practice of snow-hiking skills how to apply those in more challenging terrain and in a daily-moving schedule as in traditional backpacking.

Skill subjects covered: Navigation above and below timberline, balance and traction techniques to prevent falls on snow, ascending and descending techniques to maintain safety, creek crossing skills, water collection methods, LNT sanitation suggestions, and more!

Cost:
Suggested Contribution: $400 per person with registration

Time:
Ten (10) days moving, One day off: 11 day course.

Distance Travelled:
Approxumately 92 dry trail miles (realistically less when route-selecting over snow).

Elevations:
The Course begins at 6150 feet at the trailhead in Kennedy Meadows Campground, spends two days climbing to 11,000, then stays near there for six more days, only to make the ascent to 13,000 (Forester Pass) on day 9. Over the last two days, we drop to 9,500, then climb out over Kearsarge Pass (11,300) to drop into the Onion Valley trailhead (9,200).

Rating:
Moderate to Strenuous

- To give SIC (Snow Intermediate Course) students an opportunity to apply their snow skills in more challenging terrain, on steeper slopes, and in more exposed and open topography, all along some of the most challenging sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in California.

- For Planning purposes, to show PCT thru hikers the reality of what the High Sierra will look like when they leave Kennedy Meadows and head up in altitude into the high country on their future PCT expedition.

- To reinforce in PCT hikers the necessary skills to safely travel over snow on angles up to 50 degrees, cross swollen, flooded creeks, and learn how to follow snow-buried trail above and below timberline.

The Mountain Basics Course (MBC) is where you start if you have never backpacked before or have car-camped and want to begin exploring the mountians on your own!

If the wanderlust is strong in you for the mountains, if you'd like to learn how to get around safely in the wilderness for the weekend without concern or worry, or if you would just like to be able to leave the trailhead to go for a long day-hike with a better understanding of what it takes to have a good, safe, and fun time in the woods, then join us and learn about a whole new life in the mountains!

See full course description

These Courses extend the hiker's immersion into the wilderness, cover a length of trail by backpacking each day, and teach students more about:

...all while tasting more of what the mountains have to offer the soul and spirit.

This Course builds upon what was learned in our MICs, then takes students into more challenging environments, over greater elevation gains/losses per day, across gentle and challenging creek crossings, and up longer trails like the John Muir Trail in the Central Sierra.

There are two different versions of this Course:

Spring:
Conducted during the "thru-hiker season" while extensive snow may still be covering the trail and creeks are running high and turbulent, this adventure explores the grandure of the northern washboard of Yosemite National Park with all its granite canyons and high cathedral headwaters, then emerges to traverse the volcanic topography of Emigrant Wilderness to Sonora Pass. If it is your plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, it would be wise for you to attend this Course, primarily to learn about below timberline navigation and safe creek crossing techniques, secondarily to get to know the demands of the Sierra for your planning purposes, what we call, "the Reality of the Trail."

Summer:
With the snow gone and the creeks running gently, this Mountain Advanced Course is a good place to start if your desire is to have the skills and experience necessary to navigate the mountains with confidence while exploring daily or continuing on to a destination of choice in rugged, steep, and expansive terrain under all weather conditions.

This is our ultimate, Graduation Course!

So far, our instructional courses have been confined to trails. This adventure is designed to give you the skills and, therefore, freedom to go wherever you want in the mighty Sierra Nevada, on trail, off trail, across water, through forest, across granite, up and over peaks, and remain dry, warm, and safe, even through wind, rain, hail, lightning, snow, granite fields, scree and talus slopes, across glaciated canyons, and over and along knife-edged ridges!

After this, you're on your own! We only want to hear about your future adventures...unless you want to join us and become a volunteer instructor!