Avalanche Rescue in the San Juan Mountains

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 San Juan Mountains, Colorado, please refer to Colorado’s COVID-19 travel guidelines.

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 pre-course self-paced online study module
  • A full day in the field
  • A one-year Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) card upon completion of the course
  • Friends of Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CIAC) membership upon completion of the course

What’s not included:

• • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  • Transportation
  • Accommodation
  • Food and snacks

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:
Students must be able to travel in the snow and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow to class. Skiers must be able to hike for several hours at a time while carrying a small pack. All participants should be comfortable traveling in the snow while carrying touring gear. There are no other prerequisites.

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:

• • Ski helmet
  • Sun hat
  • Buff or neck gaiter
  • Heavyweight, medium weight, and lightweight gloves
  • Hand warmers
  • Sunglasses
  • Ski goggles
  • Light fleece hoody
  • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Puffy jacket
  • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Down jacket or vest
  • Synthetic or wool base layers and underwear
  • Ski socks
  • Water bottles and 2L of water
  • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
  • Food you can eat on-the-go
  • First-aid kit
  • Sunscreen and lip balm
  • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
  • 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 from your guide
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from your guide
  • Splitboards can be rented in Telluride

Ski rental locations are in Telluride 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.

Group sizes and pricing:

• • For the standard courses, the max guest-to-guide ratio is 6:1. Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows. A minimum of 4 people is required for a standard course to run.
  • For the private course, the max client to guide ratio is 6:1. The costs per person decrease as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to take a course with friends and family.

Courses in the San Juan Mountains 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.
  • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.

If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Telluride, CO, in the San Juan Mountains, most people fly into Denver International Airport 6 hours away. From there, you can rent a car and drive to Telluride, take a direct flight to Telluride, or fly to Monrose and take a shuttle there.

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 in Telluride or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.