Trip
Backcountry Skiing/Splitboarding – Old Monarch Pass
Spend some time shaking off the rust (or learning how to use) your avalanche safety kit. The focus of this trip will be beacon, shovel and probe practice. We will get a light tour in to start of the season, but skiing will not be the focus. Beginner backcountry skiers/snowboarders/snowshoers welcome.
Contacts
- Sun, Dec 15, 2024
- Pikes Peak
- Backcountry Skiing/Splitboarding
- Adults
- Easy
- Easy
- Mileage: 4.0 mi
- Elevation Gain: 350 ft
- FULL, 1 on waitlist (8 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
We will meet at Old Monarch Pass at 9:00am and will plan to be skinning by 9:30.
Carpool from Colorado Springs will be organized as the trip gets closer if participants are interested.
During this outing, we will do a light tour to a flat, open area. Here, we will go over conducting beacon searches. Each participant will have the chance to work in a group to find a buried beacon and conduct a "rescue." We will also go over shoveling technique and best practices for avalanche rescue. If there is time, we will practice a multi-burial scenario. Depending on the amount of registrants, we may split up into multiple groups for practice scenarios.
As a disclaimer: the trip leader is NOT an avalanche professional, and this trip is NOT a substitute for an AIARE I Course or Companion Rescue Course. This trip is simply an opportunity to shake out the legs and get ready for the backcountry skiing season, as well as mentally prepare for prevention of avalanche incidents and responding in a worst-case scenario.
Required Equipment
Must have or rent a backcountry skiing/splitboard/snowshoe setup, including touring bindings/boots and skins. Beginners are welcome.
Must have or rent/borrow a beacon, shovel, and probe. Some gear shops rent avalanche equipment. The beacon must be a three-antenna beacon (less than a decade old).
AIARE 1 or Companion Rescue is not required.