Level Up Avalanche Clinic in the Tetons

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, certified AMGA avalanche educator with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 1 day of avalanche education in the field 
  • A 2-hour Zoom call the evening before the field-day

What’s not included:

• • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  • Transportation to Grand Teton National Park
  • Food and snacks
  • Accommodations
  • Parking fees at the park entrance (unless you have a Golden Eagle Pass or equivalent)
  • Guide gratuities — optional

In order to take the avalanche clinic in the Tetons, you have to be in excellent physical shape. You’ll be on your feet for a full day and you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants must be comfortable riding black diamond terrain at the resort or ungroomed backcountry snow on slopes up to 30 degrees. You should also be able to hike uphill for 3,000 vertical feet (915 m).

This avalanche clinic in the Tetons is not suitable for beginners. You should be a confident skier, who’s comfortable riding black diamond terrain at the resort or ungroomed backcountry snow on slopes up to 30-degree angles. Other than that, in order to join this clinic, all participants are expected to have taken a level 1 avalanche course.

If you’re interested in taking the AIARE level 1 avalanche course, we recommend joining the 2-day clinic in Jackson Hole.

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 clothing and shoes, we recommend brining:

• • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Soft shell or fleece jacket
  • Top long sleeve synthetic
  • Puffy jacket
  • Bottom synthetic or wool long underwear bottoms
  • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Synthetic or wool layers, underwear, and socks

For personal items, we recommend bringing:

• • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
  • Helmet
  • Sunglasses or ski goggles
  • Gloves, hat, and neck gaiter
  • 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
  • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
  • Food you can eat on-the-go
  • First aid kit
  • Sunscreen and lip balm
  • Laptop computer
  • Camera — optional

All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. Your guides offer rentals of everything you need for this avalanche clinic:

• • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles
  • Splitboards

There are also numerous ski rentals in Jackson Hole. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

Group sizes and prices:

• • This avalanche clinic is not a private course. The max. client-to-guide ratio is 6:1.
  • The cost is per person and doesn’t decrease as the group grows. 

Level up avalanche clinic in the Tetons can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.

To get to Grand Teton National Park, most people fly into Salt Lake City International Airport 5.5 hours away. From there, you can rent a car, take a bus, or take a local flight to Jackson, WY. Grand Teton NP is a 10-minute drive from Jackson.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the guide shop or a predetermined location. Keep in mind that prior to your day in the field, you’ll have a Zoom session in the evening. You don’t need to be physically present near the Grand Teton NP for the Zoom call, but make sure you’ve got your transportation logistics figured out for the day in the field.

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, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, please refer to Wyoming’s COVID-19 guidance.

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!