Ski/Splitboard Mountaineering Camp

Our spring ski mountaineering camp provides the aspiring steep skier/rider with the tools to access terrain they would have otherwise left untouched.

Working in low ratio groups, our guides will cover skills such as; snow anchors, belaying/rappelling, steep snow climbing, and crevasse rescue. We will review and teach these skills in a safe setting, before applying them in bigger terrain features.  For this course we will spend three nights in the field, winter camping, with great skiing objectives nearby. If you’ve dreamed of organizing a ski descent of Mt. Rainier, or traveling to AK to hit the dream lines, this course will get you prepared.

Trip Details

We will meet at a predetermined location in either La Grande or Union at 7:30 am to have breakfast and review our plan for Day 1.  The drive to one of our chosen trailheads is only 30 minutes from La Grande.  Once at the trailhead we begin a snowmobile tow for roughly 4-6 miles.  From the end of the snowmobile tow we will shoulder our overnight loads and head into the Eagle Cap Wilderness to set up camp for 3 nights.  We will skin for 3-4 hours before setting up our backcountry tent village.

We require that all guests have an avalanche beacon, shovel & probe for our outings. 

Day 1:  

  • Skin for up to 4 hours to our backcountry camp
  • Winter camping, tent setup and maintenance
  • Using a backcountry stove to cook and make water
  • Staying warm and comfortable in the mountains
  • Prepping camp for severe weather
  • Snowpack assessment for steep skiing

Day 2: 

  • Snow school–ice axe and crampon use and self arrest
  • Rope work, knots, belaying and rappelling
  • Anchors
  • Travel a short distance to some nearby steep terrain to work on skills covered in morning
  • End of the day wrap up, crevasse rescue demo

Day 3:  

  • Entire day out skiing steep lines, assessing terrain for risk and proper technical application
  • Rope work for accessing steep lines on belay or rappel
  • Steep skiing techniques to stay in control and maintain adequate safety margin

Day 4: 

  • ½ day ski mountaineering objective
  • Start skiing back towards snowmobile
  • Ski/snowmobile back to trailhead

Difficulty: Good fitness, advanced downhill ski skills, and previous ski touring experience required:

Meeting Time: 7:30am local cafe

Requirements:

  • Approximately 20 days of previous ski touring experience
  • Able to ski tour at least 3000 vertical feet per day
  • Ability to ski slopes 35 degrees in steepness in difficult snow conditions

What we Provide:

  • Professional trained mountain guide
  • Mega Mids for sleeping
  • Ropes
  • Snowmobile tow

What You Need:

  • Food for 4 days total, 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners (see meal planning guide)
  • Ski crampons and boot crampons, ice axe, harness, belay device, helmet, carabiners
  • Alpine touring equipment – rubber-soled AT boots with walk mode required, Dynafit-style bindings strongly encouraged
  • Splitboarding equipment – hard boot, “Dyna-split” style set up strongly encouraged
  • Backcountry skiing clothing and equipment
  • Down booties
  • Sleeping bag
  • Review the full equipment list

March 23-26, 2023

$1350

Minimum 2 guests, max 6

Select persons, options, and pick a date

From: $1,350.00

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CONTACT US

503-329-6603

info@eaglecapmountainguides.com

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What our clients say about our trips

“The Wallowa Traverse was a life-changing trip for me. A big reason is that I have 100% trust in Victor and Kelly to maximize adventure while constantly assessing risk and keeping us safe. It was truly a transformational experience!”

This traverse was a big step for me and my crew as it relates to winter camping, skiing under the weight of a heavier pack and moving through truly remote wilderness terrain over a period of days.  Victor and Kelly did an amazing job of making this magical wilderness experience accessible for us.  Can’t wait to expand upon our new skills in the winters ahead with Eagle Cap Mountain Guides.

Victor and Kelly organized and guided our April 2021 Editor’s Choice trip for Backpacker Magazine. Their logistics, story-telling entertainment and professionalism exceeded our expectations. A trip with Eagle Cap Mountain Guides is sure to be a seasonal highlight for anyone!

Victor and his wife Kelly were the perfect guides for our four-day trip in the Wallowas. Victor knows these mountains inside and out, and he chose routes each day that maximized fun skiing, beautiful views, and safety. Both Victor and Kelly were quick to offer information about the range and what we would be skiing, and gave our group of five plenty of tips on how to ascend and descend terrain safely. They were also both incredibly fun to ski with, and gave us an incredible bonus by bringing their dogs Luna and Sadie along. I can’t think of a better, more well-rounded guiding experience.

I’m not the world’s strongest skier, but Victor and Kelly made me feel like I was capable of trying any line we came across. Out in the field, they answered any and all of my questions—beyond their superb back-country skills, they were super knowledgeable about the region’s terrain, wildlife, and history. Their support and encouragement left me with a lot of confidence that I’ve brought home with me. Would recommend 10/10! I can’t wait to head back to the Wallowas!

Victor has guided many group dynamics over 8 yrs of my trips to the Wallowas. He’s cool, calm, and most capable. His cliffside manner is impressive both in helping manage the over-stokers’ desire to send and encouraging those that need a little confidence boost. All the while he’s sharing knowledge and epic adventure tales.

I have been on several trips with Victor and what stands out most about his trips is his demeanor and leadership in a mountain setting. He pays exceptional attention to detail and is very attentive to all clients needs and to safety. I have never been in the mountains with anyone more knowledgable. His expeditions are always well planned and you are sure to have an amazing alpine experience with Victor and his team. I could not recommend him more strongly to guide a fun and safe trip.

Victor has an amazing talent for unassumingly putting together huge tours, confidently and safely guiding through complicated terrain.

My wife and I have had the opportunity to join Victor on 2 ski trips in the Wallowas and a climbing adventure on Mt. Goode. Whether it be hero powder skiing, graybird rain skiing, standing on a remote summit, or slogging out endless miles on the trail, our adventures with Victor has always been epic! He is organized and thorough in his trip planning and logistics. He has a high level of fitness, and he’s an incredibly capable skier, snowboarder, and climber. Victor’s professionalism, sense of humor, and character all amount to someone that you want to spend time with both on the mountain and in the hut/camp! We highly recommend Victor as a guide on your next adventure!