Who’s ready for some backcountry skiing and riding? Whether you are a backcountry skier or rider, you’ll love our camps and tours in the Tetons, Rocky Mountain National Park, Whitefish, and the Wasatch. Backcountry touring is an incredible alternative to riding lifts. This human-powered experience is a unique way to explore the mountains while earning your fresh powder turns.
Excited to get fresh tracks? Want to explore your own backyard? Looking to climb and ski from a classic summit? Interested in developing your skills with a backcountry camp? Our winter programs have something for everyone.
For recreational avalanche training, check out our avalanche education courses.
Basic ski tours 2500 ft - 4,000 ft of vertical gain with a range of blue square to black diamond terrain some of our classic backcountry tours include 25 Short, Mavericks, Wimpy’s and Shadow peak Advanced tours 3,000- 6,000ft of elevation gain An objective that may include skiing as well as boot packing to reach your objective. With a descent that ranges from black diamond to double black diamond terrain. The use of ropes, ice axes, crampons may be needed to complete a technical object. A few of these classic ski/plit mountaineering tours are the Sliver, South Teton, East face Teewinot, Apocalypse couloir
At our company, we often receive inquiries about tipping our guides. We take pride in delivering outstanding experiences, and our guides are committed to providing you with exceptional customer service during your mountain adventures. We want you to know that mountain guiding is a service industry, and if you had a great time with us, we suggest considering a gratuity of 15-20% of the total cost of your trip. Tipping is a way to acknowledge the effort and dedication our guides put into ensuring your trip is memorable and enjoyable. It's an excellent way to show your appreciation and is always welcomed.
You will be responsible for your own transportation to and from our office or the trailhead. Transportation options : Rentals, Uber, Lyft or a taxi service. There are a couple trailheads we use in GTNP such as Taggart lake Trailhead or Death Canyon Trailhead which are 30 minutes from downtown Jackson. The town of Jackson has public bus system the START bus that does not go to the park or pass but can assist in traveling around town or near our office.
Exploring Grand Teton National Park via a skis or splitboard is an incredible experience. Part of what makes Grand Teton national Park so special is the remote nature. A typical day may include 5 to 8 miles round trip and 2,500-6,000 ft in elevation gain. Of course this all varies by how far you choose to tour on your day out.
Food for backcountry touring: variety of snacks, salty, sweet and high in calories. For example a sandwich, bars, candy, chocolate, cheese, salami, pastries etc Think of easy to eat snacks for a on the go day. There will not be a specific lunch time, we believe lunch starts after breakfast! Liquids: About 1.5 to 2 liters of liquid Consider hot drinks like decaffeinated teas, electrolytes etc in addition to your liter of water. On cold days a nice trick is to fill your water bottle with warm water so it won’t freeze throughout the day. Hydration packs are not recommended as the tube can freeze or the hydration bladder can burst. A lightweight thermos and and water bottle are a great combo
Backcountry touring is a human powered activity that can include the use of skis or a splitboard. You will use climbing skins and bindings with a free-heel feature to skin uphill and then ski back down. Backcountry skiing takes place outside of ski resorts, where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy untracked snow. During a backcountry tour you will be moving uphill for approximately 60% of your day and moving down hill about 40% of the day.
DPS Pagoda Tour skis with ATK bindings Pagoa tours range 153 - 189 in length with 100 and 112 underfoot options Pomoca skins Scarpa maestrale boots DPS adjustable poles Mammut Beacon Shovel Probe Touring specific Pack
Plan to be moving uphill for a large portion of the day. Backcountry skiing is an amazing way to explore the mountains while earning each of your turns.
Skiing and riding in the backcountry presents different challenges such as variable snow surfaces and skiing terrain that ranges from open slopes to tree skiing. A typical backcountry tour will have slopes comparable to a range of blue square to black diamond terrain. If you're looking for consistently steeper slopes or a more adventurous ski, we have many options for terrain across Grand Teton National Park.
48 hours prior to the trip your guide will reach to discuss conditions and make the best plan for the day before your tour. This is a great chance to share your goals for the day and establish a plan. Your guide will then meet you at the established trailhead the morning of your tour. A typical day backcountry skiing starts at approximately 8:30 and ends at 3:00, this timing is subject to change based on the conditions, needs of the group or objective. If you have questions before the tour please give the office a call at 307.733.4979 Or send us an email at winter@jhmg.com.
To sign up for a trip, or if you have any questions, please call us.
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