Winter 2024/25 Course Dates now available for registration.

Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding - Utah Mountain Adventures

Guiding & Instruction

Wasatch Ski Mountaineering Descents

Many Wasatch summits and couloirs provide world-class ski and snowboard mountaineering and exciting descents. UMA guides know when the conditions are right, and how to get in and out of steep and technical terrain while minimizing effort and risk. Ascents may require ice axe, crampons and rope, and a few descents include rappels or belayed skiing.

Generally a previous UMA skills class and / or tour is a prerequisite. Advanced objectives are recommended for experienced ski mountaineers only.

Wasatch Ski Mountaineering Objectives (subject to current conditions)

Popular descents include the following (many other descents are also available; call the office for options):

  • WOLVERINE CIRQUE COULOIRS

    Difficulty: Previous backcountry experience necessary; expert downhill ski ability and good fitness required

    Duration: 6-8 hours

    Max Ratio: 4:1

    Meeting Time: Generally 8 am; 8:30 if using lifts

    Meeting Location: Alta or Brighton

    Lift Accessed Tour: Price of single ride lift tickets is additional

    What We Provide: 

    • Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional ski and mountaineering guides
    • Avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and pack (if needed)

    What You Need: 

    How to Register: 

    1 person $450 / person
    2 people $300 / person
    3 people $250 / person
    4 people $225 / person

    State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.

  • MT. SUPERIOR'S SOUTHEAST FACE

    Difficulty: Previous backcountry experience necessary; expert downhill ski ability and excellent fitness required

    Duration: 6-8 hours

    Max Ratio: 2:1

    Meeting Time: 6 am

    Meeting Location: Alta

    What We Provide: 

    • Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional ski and mountaineering guides
    • Avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and pack (if needed)

    What You Need: 

    How to Register: 

    1 person $500 / person
    2 people $350 / person

    State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.

  • COALPIT HEADWALL

    Difficulty: Previous ski mountaineering experience necessary; expert downhill ski ability and excellent fitness required

    Duration: 8-12 hours

    Max Ratio: 2:1

    Meeting Time: 6 am

    Meeting Location: Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot

    What We Provide: 

    • Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional ski and mountaineering guides
    • Avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and pack (if needed)

    What You Need: 

    • Ice axe, crampons, helmet, harness and alpine touring, telemark ski or split-snowboard equipment
    • Lunch, water and snacks
    • Review the equipment list

    How to Register: 

    1 person $550 / person
    2 people $375 / person

    State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.

  • PFEIFFERHORN NW COULOIR

    Difficulty: Previous ski mountaineering experience necessary; expert downhill ski ability and excellent fitness required

    Duration: 8-12 hours

    Max Ratio: 2:1

    Meeting Time: 6 am

    Meeting Location: Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot

    What We Provide: 

    • Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional ski and mountaineering guides
    • Avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and pack (if needed)

    What You Need: 

    • Ice axe, crampons, helmet, harness and alpine touring, telemark ski or split-snowboard equipment
    • Lunch, water and snacks
    • Review the equipment list

    How to Register: 

    1 person $550 / person
    2 people $375 / person

    State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.

Wasatch Ski Mountaineering Descents

Classic Wasatch Line

Photo by Lee Cohen

Utah Mountain Adventures

P.O. Box 521809

Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-1809

Phone: (801) 550 3986

Fax: (801) 486 8505

Email: uma@utahmountainadventures.com

Utah Mountain Adventures | Patagonia Utah Mountain Adventures | Forest Service Backcountry Skiing Utah, by Tyson Bradley
Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding - Utah Mountain Adventures

Leave the crowds behind, and expand your skiing and snowboarding horizons! Traveling out-ofbounds, using climbing skins and alpine touring (AT) or telemark binding, or a split-board is becoming tremendously popular.

AT skis and splitboards are available for rent from UMA and local shops.

Touring is the perfect sport for those who hike or climb in summer and love to ski or snowboard in winter. Skinning facilitates approach and egress from peaks in winter and spring that would take far longer without. Solitude, cardio-vascular exercise, and adventurous runs are all part of the "off-piste" experience.

The Wasatch Range offers easy lift and trailhead access to deep, light snow in wide-open bowls, protected glades, and steep chutes.

Lift access is available from Alta, Brighton, The Canyons and Snowbird.

Trailhead access is available in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and Millcreek, etc.

A knowledgeable UMA guide will lead you into the finest snow and terrain. Our guides keep abreast of the avalanche, snow and weather conditions to choose the best tours. They take into consideration both your fitness level and downhill ability to select the appropriate routes for you.

UMA guides pace you and teach you how to travel uphill efficiently, working on rest-step and kick-turning techniques and progress only as fast as you feel comfortable. They give you plenty of time to rest, enjoy the view and take photos. UMA guides demonstrate how to transition between the uphill and downhill modes and teach as much about avalanche hazard evaluation, route finding and other skills as you want to learn.

Skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels improve techniques, discover new terrain, and build leadership skills.

For more information on backcountry skiing & snowboarding classes in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, please view our Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding Courses.

We also offer private Guided Backcountry Touring & Instruction in the Wasatch Range in and around the Salt Lake area.