Backcountry Skiing in Vail Pass

Things to know

• What’s included?

  Included:

  • • An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • A full day of backcountry ski touring

  Add-ons:

  • • Gear rental — possible to rent mandatory gear from your guides at discounted rates, leave a note at checkout if needed

  Not included:

  • • Transportation
    • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
    • Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above
    • Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout
    • Guide gratuities — optional, 15-20% customary
• How fit do I need to be?

  To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in very good physical shape. You will be on your feet for 8 hours for a full day covering several miles of terrain. 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.

• What if I’ve never backcountry skied before?

  Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner friendly, meaning anyone with blue level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.

• What about required equipment and rentals?

  All mandatory gear can be rented from your guides at discounted participants rates.

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

  • • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
    • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
    • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
      • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
      • Lightweight snow shovel
      • Avalanche probe
      • Harness for glacier travel

  For personal items, we recommend bringing:

  • • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-tex recommended)
    • Ski pants (Gore-tex recommended)
    • Helmet
    • Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear and socks
    • Down jacket or vest
    • Gloves and hat
    • One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
    • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
    • Water bottle and 1L of water
    • The food you can eat on-the-go
    • Sunglasses or ski goggles
    • First-aid kit
    • Sunscreen
    • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-45L bag)
    • Camera — optional
• Group sizes and age requirements

  Groups and pricing:

  For this adventure, the max client to guide ratio is 4:1. Advanced ski and mountaineering tours may run at reduced numbers depending on the skill level and objective of your group.

  • • The cost per person decreases as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to backcountry ski with friends and family.
    • Ski touring in Vail can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this backcountry skiing adventure.
    • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis. If you plan to ski with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements
• Getting there and meeting location

  To get directly to Vail, you can fly directly into Eagle County Regional Airport. From there, rent a car or take a Epic Mountain Express shuttle for around 30 minutes to Vail. Alternatively, you can fly into Denver International Airport. From there, it’s a four-hour drive by rental car or Epic Mountain Express shuttle to Vail.

  Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet in Vail.

• Safety measures and insurance

  We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

  Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

• Cancellation policy

  To secure your spot, you’ll be asked to pay the full amount upon checkout.

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued (unless the departure date is within 7 days at the time of booking).
    • If cancelled 7 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 7 days of departure, no refund will be issued.
    • Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period.