Ski Touring & Splitboarding
Learn to tour, sharpen your skills, and ride bigger terrain — guided backcountry ski and splitboard courses, tours, and descents across Washington and beyond.
Ski touring and splitboarding is how you leave the lifts behind — climbing under your own power with skins or a splitboard, then riding untracked snow in real mountain terrain. The Cascades' deep maritime snowpack and short approaches make Washington one of the best places in the country to learn and progress.
We guide the whole arc: from your very first day on skins to glaciated ski mountaineering and classic descents. Small groups, local guides, and real teaching — so you come away able to travel safely on your own.
How to progress
Start here — learn to tour
Never toured before? Start with a beginner-friendly intro day that covers skinning, transitions, and basic terrain sense — no experience required.
Build your skills — courses
Ready to go further? Multi-day courses and progression series that build efficient travel, terrain assessment, and confidence on steeper, bigger lines.
Ski & splitboard mountaineering
Add glacier travel, rope skills, and summit objectives to your touring toolkit with our multi-day mountaineering courses and camps.
Guided tours & ski descents
Want to be guided on a specific objective? Classic Cascade descents, traverses, and a season pass for regulars.
Where we tour
We run ski-touring programs across Washington and overseas. Our home zone is Mount Baker (deep snow, world-class terrain); Snoqualmie Pass is the closest to Seattle; and each winter we run international ski trips to Japan, Norway, Greenland, and beyond.
Before you go — training & gear
Traveling in the backcountry means avalanche terrain. Pair your touring with an AIARE avalanche course, and use our gear lists to dial in exactly what to bring. Rentals are available — just ask when you book.
When to go
Early season
Intro courses and first turns as the snowpack builds — a great time to learn.
Deep winter
Peak powder touring and the heart of course season.
Spring
Stable snow, longer days, and bigger objectives — ski mountaineering ramps up.
Corn season
Classic summit ski descents and glaciated lines on the volcanoes.
Why tour with us
Low ratios, local guides, and a real teaching focus. We're based in Glacier, Washington and ride this terrain all winter — so whether it's your first tour or your fiftieth, you'll learn something and ride great snow.
Ski touring FAQ
What is ski touring?
Ski touring (or splitboard touring) is backcountry skiing where you climb uphill under your own power using climbing skins — or a splitboard for snowboarders — then ride down ungroomed, un-patrolled terrain. It's skiing without lifts, in real mountains.
How do I start ski touring? Which course should I take first?
Start with an Intro to Splitboard & Ski Touring day — it covers skinning, transitions, and basic terrain sense with no experience required. From there, add an AIARE 1 avalanche course and build into multi-day progression courses.
Do I need avalanche training to ski tour?
Yes. Any terrain outside the ski-area boundary is uncontrolled avalanche terrain. At minimum you want an AIARE 1, rescue gear you can use, and partners with the same — or go with a guide while you build those skills. See our avalanche courses.
What gear do I need for ski touring?
A touring setup (skis with touring bindings and skins, or a splitboard), plus a transceiver, shovel, and probe, and appropriate layers. Our gear lists cover everything, and rentals are available on most courses — just ask when you book.
Can I ski tour on a snowboard?
Yes — on a splitboard, which separates into two skis for climbing and reassembles into a snowboard for the descent. All of our touring programs welcome splitboarders, and we run splitboard-specific courses too.
Where can I ski tour near Seattle?
Snoqualmie Pass is the closest zone to Seattle and where we run many intro courses. Mount Baker, about two hours north, offers deeper snow and more varied terrain for progression and bigger objectives.
Let's get you touring
Tell us your experience and goals and we'll build you a path — from your first day on skins to the descents you're dreaming about.