7:30 a.m. Course Location
We will meet at 7:30AM the morning of Day 1 at or near the course venue. Your guide will be in touch a week prior with specific meeting time and location details.
Please be aware that the course venue may be forced to change due to weather, conditions, or mountain pass closures.
Transportation
Transportation is not provided. If you are renting a car, please be aware that most car rental agencies do not permit you to use chains with their vehicles. However, you can try to rent a car from Turo and select “all-wheel drive, ski rack, and snow tires / chains,” to find a vehicle that is already winter-ready. If you are in this situation, we recommend checking Turo well in advance to try and secure an appropriate vehicle to drive to your course.
Parking
Participants are responsible for any parking fees at trailheads. Many ski areas now charge a parking fee per vehicle if you do not have a season pass. We recommend checking the venue for your course to confirm any parking fees that may apply.
Snoqualmie Pass requires paid parking by vehicle, with exceptions made for passholders and 3+ person carpools. You can find the full parking guide here.
Winter Travel Advisory
Mountain road and mountain pass conditions can change dramatically over the course of a day. Please check the WSDOT website for conditions reports. Participants are responsible to ensure their vehicle meets WSDOT travel standards which could include required snow tires, chains, and/or AWD or 4WD. We strongly encourage participants to carpool when possible.
Snoqualmie Pass Courses
For courses at Snoqualmie Pass, chains/all weather tires are encouraged but not typically required unless mandated by the Washington Department of Transportation. Please be sure to check the WSDOT Twitter feed for the latest information.
Please be aware that the course venue may be forced to change due to weather, conditions, or mountain pass closures.
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass, is located less than an hour from Seattle and offers a convenient escape from the city. A combination of high snowfall, easy accessibility, and desirable slopes and epic couloirs make Snoqualmie Pass one of the best zones in Washington and exceedingly popular with backcountry travelers of all experience levels.
- The roadside ski tours around Snoqualmie Pass and beyond are unusually steep and access excellent terrain. Plus, there are a lot of them! Some have called Snoqualmie Pass one of the densest ski touring areas in the country by pure volume of runs.
Required Gear
Having the proper equipment is essential for backcountry travel. Link back to your gear list:
Many of these items are available to rent through Alpine Ascents’ Gear Department. If you plan to rent from us, you can pick up gear during business hours (9am-4:30pm) on Thursday or Friday before your course.
Food
Students need to bring their own lunches for the two field training days. These are long days, so please plan to bring about 1,000 calories of food. Here’s a sample lunch pack:
• Cold pizza, fresh sandwich, or burrito
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• Piece of fresh fruit
• Trail mix
• A bakery cookie
• Small bag of chips or similar salty snack
• Cold drink mix for your water
A training course such as this requires a much higher energy expenditure on a daily basis than what you may be used to. Eating well and frequently not only sustains energy levels but also keeps positive morale and attitude. By nature, mountains have periods of inclement weather and it is important that caloric intake be high and regular to help avoid hypothermia and other cold weather or altitude-related problems.
Gear Tips
Check out these blog posts with gear tips:
What’s Weighing You Down? – Tips to Keep Your Ski / Splitboard Pack Light
To Buy an Avi Airbag or Not?
This video walks through how to pack for a day of ski touring:
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is about 55 miles east of Seattle. There are many rental options on AirBNB in the general vicinity as well as the hotel listed below. Otherwise, it is a very reasonable drive from Seattle which has many lodging options at all price points.
Summit Inn
Phone: (425) 434-6300
Website
LNT
Alpine Ascents International practices Leave No Trace principles on all expeditions. We believe that given the proper information most people will do all they can to help protect and maintain the environment. Please Visit:
7 Principles of Leave No Trace
As guides, we spend time teaching the environmentally appropriate Leave No Trace principals and practices. There is nothing more beautiful than working hard to get high into the mountains, come upon a pristine campsite, witness incredible views and have the feeling that no one has been there before.
Conversely, there is nothing more disheartening than working hard to climb a mountain, reaching a site and encountering trash, food waste and toilet paper. Please read the seven LNT principles, and call the office if you have any questions about what you can do to plan ahead.
Tipping
Guides are permitted to accept and greatly appreciate tips. An average tip for the guide team is $50-100.
Please be aware that we are unable to process tips by card. You are welcome to tip your guides with cash or via mobile payment such as Venmo or PayPal.
When my friends and I started planning this trip, they initially discussed other providers. I said I would not go with anyone but Alpine Ascents. During the climb, one of my friends said she was glad I had said this. Now, after two trips Alpine Ascents, I am certain no other outfitter could match the quality of the experience.
