Mount Baker Glaciated Skiing Seminar
5 Days of Glacier Travel and Ski Mountaineering Training
Develop the skills to essential skills required to move efficiently and responsibly through glaciated terrain on skis, both uphill and downhill, on our 5 day Glaciated Skiing Seminar on Mount Baker. Designed for intermediate to advanced backcountry skiers, the course combines field-based technical ski mountaineering instruction with decision-making frameworks, culminating in a summit attempt and ski descent of Mount Baker.
Mount Baker, also known as Kulshan, is one of the best venues in the Cascades for learning the systems required for glacier travel and ski mountaineering. Over five days, our guides cover uphill and downhill glacier travel strategies and decision-making, crevasse rescue, steep snow climbing, avalanche assessment, route finding, and steep skiing techniques in complex alpine terrain. The goals of the course is to develop the knowledge, skills, and judgment required to become a more capable ski mountaineer in glaciated terrain.
Schedule: 5 full days of instruction and skiing with overnight camping on the mountain. Open enrollment course dates below with custom dates available upon request for private instruction.
Group Size: Maximum of 4 skiers per instructor.
Location: The Glaciated Skiing Seminar is based on Mount Baker.
Elevation: 10,781ft / 3,286m
Pricing: $3,115 per skier.
Prerequisites: Previous backcountry skiing/snowboarding experience required. Skiers must be proficient descending black diamond terrain in the resort.
Course Description: Introductory glacier travel and ski mountaineering course for advanced backcountry skiers and snowboarders.
Learn How To Ski On A glacier
Skiing in the high alpine requires a different set of skills than backcountry skiing. Once you move onto a glacier and into technical alpine terrain, you need to understand how to identify and travel safely across crevasses, manage a rope team, respond to a crevasse fall, evaluate snow conditions, and transition efficiently between skiing and climbing.
Our Glaciated Skiing Seminar provides an intensive introduction to these systems while allowing participants to put them into practice in real mountain terrain. Instruction is integrated throughout the five day program rather than limited to isolated skills sessions. Each day builds on the previous day's material, allowing you to develop increasingly sophisticated systems as you move into more challenging terrain.
Plan Your Glaciated Skiing Seminar
What You'll Learn On The Glaciated Skiing Seminar
The course focuses on the skills required to travel efficiently and responsibly through glaciated ski terrain. The itinerary is flexible based on conditions, but includes instructional topics outlined below and a summit attempt and ski descent from Mount Baker (conditions permitting).
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Navigating glaciated terrain on skis requires balancing speed, terrain choice, and rope systems. You will learn individual and team travel techniques tailored specifically for ski movement. Topics on the course include:
Fundamentals of glaciology and identifying hidden crevasse hazards.
Assessing snow bridge stability and selecting optimal ski routes.
Managing rope systems while on skis: when to rope up vs. ski unroped.
Harness integration, rope choices, knots, and hitches for ski mountaineering.
Efficient and safe transitions from unroped to rope skiing.
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Hands-on application is central to this course. Every participant will practice arresting falls, constructing snow anchors, and building rescue systems in actual glaciated terrain. Topics on the course include:
Arresting crevasse falls on skis and on foot.
Building reliable snow and ski anchors in a variable snowpack.
Mechanical advantage hauling systems (Drop-loop 2:1, 3:1, and 6:1).
Unroped crevasse fall response and team rescue protocols.
Self-rescue considerations and ascending fixed lines.
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Ski mountaineering often requires technical climbing to reach skiable lines. We will cover efficient movement on steep snow and icy surfaces. Instructional topics include:
Ice axe positioning: self-belay, self-arrest, and piolet techniques.
Crampon techniques for snow and alpine ice (flat-footing and front-pointing).
Efficient use of ski crampons (harschisen).
Running belays, snow anchors, and shortrope considerations on steep ascents.
Transitioning safely from climbing mode to ski descent mode on steep slopes.
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Technical skills are only as good as the decisions driving them. Throughout the Glaciated Skiing Seminar, guides will demonstrate real-time assessment and planning techniques in a dynamic mountain environment. Instructional topics include:
Evaluating avalanche hazards and glaciated terrain features simultaneously.
Mountain weather forecasting and field observations.
Route selection, terrain margins, and group risk management.
Developing a tour plan, setting turn-around times, and adjusting strategy in the field.
Who Is This Course For?
The Glaciated Skiing Seminar is designed for experienced backcountry skiers who want to progress into glacier travel and ski mountaineering. Participants should be:
Strong and confident backcountry skiers
Comfortable skiing variable snow and off-piste terrain
Prepared for long days in the mountains
Interested in learning glacier travel and ski mountaineering systems
Comfortable carrying a mountaineering pack
Prepared to travel efficiently in a team environment
Previous ski mountaineering experience is helpful but is not necessarily required. Participants should have a solid foundation in backcountry skiing before taking the course. If you're unsure whether your experience is appropriate, contact us before registering.
Why Learn Ski Mountaineering With Skyward Mountaineering On Mount Baker?
Mount Baker is a significantly glaciated mountain, providing unique challenges and a dynamic alpine environment. The mountain's glaciers are constantly changing. Crevasses open and close between seasons, snow bridges weaken, and the best route can change year to year. For that reason, the exact itinerary and objectives are determined by current conditions rather than fixed in advance.
Skyward Mountaineering has guided climbers and skiers in complex mountain environments since 1996. Our guides emphasize technical competence, thoughtful risk management, efficient systems, and sound decision making formed from decades of experience and professional guide training. As an AMGA Accredited Business we adhere to the highest industry standards and all Glaciated Ski Seminars are taught exclusively by AMGA certified Ski Guides.
We believe the best mountain education goes beyond teaching individual techniques. Our goal is to help you understand how the pieces fit together so you can make better decisions when you're eventually traveling without a guide. The result is a course designed not just to get you up and down Mount Baker, but to make you a more capable ski mountaineer moving forward.