Alaska
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Supporting Documents
"I had a great experience on our Backcountry Skiing trip with Eli and Adam. They were both extremely safety conscious for the entire time. Spectacular scenery, great guides, friendly support staff, good snow, fine weather, all combined for a very memorable experience. You guys ROCK (and ICE)!"
Best Regards,Tim D.
More Student Comments |
-Enjoying the early season powder, Southeast Alaska.
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Alaska Ski & Snowboard Mountaineering; Leadership & Guide Training Course
(12 & 24 days)
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The mountains of Alaska have captivated the imagination of the world’s skiers and climbers for decades. The extensive glaciation, vast wilderness setting, and extreme rugged nature of Alaskan peaks, are unmatched anywhere in the world. This area receives the most snowfall of anywhere in North America. Our expedition center in Haines, Alaska is the perfect gateway to access these unparalleled peaks.
Picture yourself leading your group through a crevassed icefall, skiing steep couloirs, or digging a snow pit to assess the avalanche danger in the heavily glaciated peaks of Alaska. The variety of terrain and substantial snow coverage make this course ideal for people looking to develop their backcountry skills.
This comprehensive ski & snowboard mountaineering course is the perfect setting to achieve your goals whether you are looking to become a professional guide, hone your technical abilities for personal adventures, or expand your leadership skills. It focuses on teaching students to be safe, efficient, knowledgeable and confident outdoor leaders in a glaciated mountain environment.
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Course Location The vast expanse of wilderness, mighty mountain ranges, and abundant wildlife give credence to Alaska’s nickname as ‘The Last Frontier’. It is a land of towering peaks, massive glaciers, extensive boreal forests, and rich marine ecosystems. Alaska is the epitome of the term ‘wilderness’.
IWLS is based in Haines, Alaska, a small town located near the top of the Inside Passage. Haines borders Glacier Bay National Park. The park and the adjacent 27 million acres, including Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, comprise the largest protected wilderness area in the world. It is an extremely jagged and glaciated mountain landscape that includes the world's largest non-polar ice caps, pristine fjords, and wilderness rivers. Peak elevations in this region range up to 20,000 feet.
These mountains get the greatest annual snowfall on the planet; neighboring Mt. Fairweather receives over 1,000 inches of snow annually. The terrain surrounding Haines, Alaska is unique in North America, and offers world class climbing and skiing.
The Instructors and Guides of IWLS are widely recognized as some of the very best in their field and have practical leadership experience from around the globe. They are well trained and have an uncommon enthusiasm for sharing their skill and knowledge, borne out of a passion for outdoor exploration.
The International Wilderness Leadership Schools' educational model nurtures leadership development and creates an awareness of the guiding mentality that is essential for leading safe, fun adventures in the mountains. The combination of technical skills training, experiential education and practical leadership experience make the IWLS curriculum world class.
The IWLS General Curriculum outlines the essential components for effective outdoor leadership. Here are a few points that the course will focus on.
Decision Making and Problem Solving: Over the course of 12 or 24 days, we’ll discover ways to assess problems, explore solutions and evaluate options in order to make effective and safe decisions in the field.
Navigation: Learn how to take a bearing, read a topographical map, triangulate your position, or navigate in a whiteout.
Safety and Risk Management: Safety is always the #1 consideration. As the course progresses, you’ll develop an awareness to appropriately asses risk and make safe decisions.
Trip Planning: The first day of the 24-day course is devoted to planning, packing, and organizing the logistics, food, and equipment for the expedition.
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Photo: Brian Hinderberger |
IWLS Mountaineering Curriculum is built from countless expeditions in Alaska and around the world. You’ll learn how to be a competent and proficient mountaineer in a variety of different environments. Below are some topics we’ll cover.
Belaying: Should we use a fixed belay or a running belay? Our team will learn and practice the finer points of different belay techniques such as the hip belay, running belay, boot axe belay, fixed belay, and more!
Ascending: Fixed lines are an important tool for large groups and guiding applications. We’ll learn how to efficiently use, build and maintain them.
Rope Teams: Rope team travel is a complicated endeavor that requires skill, technique and teamwork. We’ll cover everything from prussic arrangement to team management.
Objective Hazards: Rock fall, river crossings, and avalanches are examples of objective hazards. Learn how to identify such hazards and minimize group exposure.
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Photo: Ben Williams |
IWLS Skiing Curriculum is developed for riders at or above the advanced intermediate level. Here are some points that will be covered during your course:
Site Selection: Learn how to choose the appropriate terrain and identify hazards to facilitate a safe, fun time in the mountains.
Snow Conditions: Whether skiing deep powder, spring corn, or breakable crust, learn how to identify variable conditions and employ different techniques to enjoy them safely.
Glacier Travel on Skis: When to rope up? How to read crevasse danger? How to ski safely on a rope team? All of these questions will be answered as we travel, ski, and board across icefields.
Routefinding: Both descents and ascents demand good routefinding skills. You’ll develop your hazard assessment and navigation skills to be able to find the safest, most efficient route.
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Photo: Eli Fierer |
IWLS Avalanche Curriculum is a nationally recognized progression of material that prepares students to be safe backcountry travelers.
Avalanche Characteristics: We’ll examine loose snow, wet snow, soft slab, and hard slab avalanches along with some potential triggers. You’ll learn the definition of terms such as stauchwall, alpha angle, and bed surface.
Snow Stability Evaluation: Is this snow capable of avalanching? Learn tests such as compression test and rutschblock test that will help you evaluate layers within the snowpack. Develop your documentation skills for accurate recording and analysis of information.
Safe Winter Travel: As a group, we will travel safely through avalanche terrain. Considerations will include cornices, equipment selection, route finding, campsite selection, and effective communication.
Avalanche Rescue: Someone buried in an avalanche has an 87% chance of survival if found within the first fifteen minutes. We’ll practice using probes, beacons, and effective search patterns in order to quickly and efficiently find a buried person.
Experience Level: No previous experience is necessary for this course. However, with a desire to learn and an enthusiasm for adventure, you'll develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of wilderness exploration.
Certifications upon completion of the 24-day course participants may qualify for the following certifications:
 Certified Outdoor Leader
Wilderness Education Association
Level 1 Avalanche Certification*
International Wilderness Leadership School
24 Day Guide Training Certificate of Completion
International Wilderness Leadership School
*Dependent on weather and season
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Click Here for all available certifications.
University credit is available for this and other IWLS courses.
Consider combining three 24-day courses for an IWLS semester!
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