When it comes to adrenaline sports in the mountains, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of safety and situational awareness. Any experienced outdoorsman will tell you that you should always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Avalanche awareness is a fundamental part of a backcountry adventurer’s toolkit and the Jackson Hole AIARE Avalanche Level 1 class will provide you with the foundations for safe travel. Jackson Hole’s harsh and unforgiving slopes and icy streams make it the ideal setting for this educational experience. It’s better to know it and not need it, than to need it and not have it, wouldn’t you agree? Find out more about Jackson Hole Backcountry Skiing from Lily Krass.

  • Overcome dozens of world class skiing and snowboarding tracks

  • Take in Grand Teton National Park’s grand vistas and colorful fauna

  • Test the ice and your ski touring prowess in the magnificent Teton Glacier

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AIARE Level 1 Course
Available upon request
Early Bird: AIARE Level 1 Course
Jan 2024|Feb 2024|Mar 2024

Meet your guide

The Mountain Guides
5.00
The Mountain Guides
The Mountain Guides have been leading mountain adventurers in the Western US since 1968. With some of the most experienced mountain guides in the country, TMG leads hundreds of people every year in the mountain ranges of Wyoming and Montana, the canyons and towers of Utah, on Cody’s South Fork ice falls, the cliffs and crags of Boulder, Colorado, in Red Rock, Nevada, and City of Rocks, Idaho.
5.00 (3 reviews)
Paul O. about Jackson Hole Mountain Guides

The Mountain Guides are the best. It is not just the reputation of TMG as an elite group of experts in the field, it is the level of professionalism, their relating to clients in an individual manner, and safety. So glad we picked TMG as I’ve seen other climbing instructors and frankly they don’t have the same attention to details and professionalism as TMG. Our instructor, Randy Hohf, was very thorough and patient. It is great to have local instructors like Randy who is highly respected in the area for mountaineering, as is Tim Shaw for both mountaineering and alpine ski patrol.

Jordyn N. about Jackson Hole Mountain Guides

What an awesome experience. Days later, I still find myself thinking about the climb and what an incredible journey it was. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable and not once did I feel unsafe or as if I wasn’t in good hands. It was a great two days of climbing, laughing, sharing and enjoying breathtaking views.

Victoria K. A.

Professional, expert guides that were patient teaching basics to us in our attempt to summit the Grand in a fun, hands-on experience. Corbett High Camp is definitely high altitude glam-camping in comparison and JHMG are able to accommodate meals for gluten-intolerant clients as well. Had a wonderful experience with Joel, Mike & Keith as our guides for the 9 member group and all I can highly recommend. From inquiry to booking, preparation and starting our adventure, JHMG office staff & guides were there and answered all questions fully, staying engaged to ensure a smooth progression with our trip. I highly recommend JHMG for any outdoor wilderness experience and I look forward to future adventures with JHMG!

Things to know

  • 57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

    We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, please refer to the Wyoming Department of Health’s official website.

    Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

  • What you get in this adventure:

      • An experienced, certified guide with extensive knowledge of the area
      • A virtual check-in and introduction into the course
      • A full 2 days in the field

    What’s not included:

      • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
      • Accommodation
      • Food and snacks
      • A 35$ vehicle fee at the Grand Teton National Park entrance
  • In order to get the most of this adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

    Prerequisites:
    These courses are for downhill skiers and boarders. All participants must travel on touring skis or splitboard during the course and be comfortable riding black diamond terrain at the resort or ungroomed backcountry snow on slopes up to 30 degrees (blue square).

  • For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

      • Alpine touring, telemark, or snowboarding boots (can be rented)
      • Skis or splitboard with compatible binding for boots (can be rented)
      • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented)
      • Climbing skins (can be rented)
      • Ski poles (can be rented)
      • Basic avalanche safety gear (can be rented)
        • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
        • Lightweight snow shovel
        • Avalanche probe

    For personal items, we recommend bringing:

      • Long sleeve synthetic — medium to expedition weight long underwear
      • Soft shell or fleece jacket
      • Shell jacket with a hood
      • Puffy jacket with a hood
      • Synthetic or wool long underwear bottoms
      • Shell pants — full side zips and built-in gaiters
      • Socks — synthetic or wool, sized for your boots and blister protection
      • Liners — optional, but recommended
      • Gloves – 3 pairs: 1 light, 1 medium, 1 heavy pair
      • Medium weight ski hat
      • Baseball hat or visor for sun
      • Buff or a neck gaiter
      • Backpack (30-40 liter ski pack)
      • Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
      • Food you can eat-on-the-go
      • Sunglasses
      • Ski goggles
      • Sunscreen
      • Headlamp and extra batteries
      • Laptop computer
      • Camera — optional
  • All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:

    Ski rental locations are in Jackson, WY and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

      • These courses are not private. For the group courses, the usual guest to guide ratio is 6:1.
      • Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.

    AIARE Level 1 courses in Jackson Hole can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

    Min. age requirements:
    You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

  • The simplest way to reach Jackson Hole is by taking a flight to the Salt Lake City International Airport. From there, you are a 4-5 hour drive away to Jackson, WY, depending on the weather conditions. Renting a car is recommended, but air travel options to the Jackson Hole Airport are also available. Grand Teton National Park is located roughly 10 minutes from Jackson, WY.

    You will usually meet your guides at their Jackson, WY headquarters, after which you will take off for the trailhead in the Grand Teton National Park.

Have more questions? Read our FAQ,
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