Backcountry Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains

What you get in this adventure:

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

What’s not included:

• Technical backcountry ski touring equipment (can be rented)
• Lift tickets for you and your guide (your guide will advise you on the best options)
• Transportation to the trailhead
• Meals and snacks
• Accommodations
• Trip insurance

In order to enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to have a moderate to high level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. While there is terrain for all skill levels in the Wasatch Mountains, you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on blue level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.

Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner friendly, meaning anyone with a moderate fitness level and 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.

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

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
• 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 30-40L bag)
• Camera — optional

All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:

• Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe can usually be rented from your guides
• Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from Wasatch Touring and Outdoor Adventures
• Splitboards can be rented from Outdoor Adventures and Wasatch Touring

Ski rental locations are in Salt Lake City 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.

Groups and pricing:

• For these tours the max client-to-guide ratio is 4:1.
• For the advanced tours and ski mountaineering, the client-to-guide ratio is 2:1.
• 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 Utah’s Wasatch Range 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.

To get to the Wasatch Range, most people fly into Salt Lake City International Airport. From there, you can rent a car or hire a shuttle.

Expect to drive about 45 minutes to get to Park City, if you choose to stay in the mountain resort area. Skiing destinations are bordering the edge of SLC and located in the mountains on the way toward the resort area.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. You’ll meet your guide at the Little Cottonwood Park and Ride lot, Big Cottonwood Park and Ride lot, Alta or Brighton—depending on your destination. To get to Little Cottonwood Park and Ride lot, take UT-209/Little Cottonwood Road to the parking lot. Big Cottonwood Park and Ride lot is easily located off UT-190 E by taking FR021 before reaching Park City resort.

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 Utah, please refer to Utah.gov 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!