Ski

Every skier has stood at the top of a ski area, looked across at a neighboring wild peak, and wondered aloud what it would be like to ski that.  Chairlifts only access a tiny fraction of the mountain terrain.  You can call it backcountry skiing, randonnee, alpine touring, or ski mountaineering but it all adds up to the same thing:  combining some specialized ski equipment, techniques, and your own strength to enter the mountains on your own terms and travel through them freely.  With the added bonus of getting to make turns on the way!



Scheduled Trips with Pro Guiding Service
Instructional | Domestic | International
Scheduled dates don't work?  Any of these itineraries can also be booked as a private trip.  Private trips can also have itineraries modified to fit your unique needs and wants.  Contact me for details.


Ski Expeditions
I'm excited to be offering the best ski lines on all 7 continents.  Click over to the Expeditions page to learn more about:
North America - Mt Logan
Asia - Mustagh Ata
Europe - Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa
Africa - Atlas Mountains
Antarctica - TBD
South America - TBD
Australia - TBD

Intro to Alpental Side Country | Snoqualmie Pass
Call it front-country or side-country, the terrain accessed by utilizing the resort chairs is still as wild as any backcountry.  The Denny Mountain side-country, accessed by taking advantage of Alpental Ski Area's chair lifts, is a maze of tight chutes, old-growth woods, and a wild traverse track back to the ski area.  It often holds the best snow long after the ski area has been tracked out.  This day can be customized to give you a familiarity with the terrain or just show you where the best snow is.  Alpine touring equipment not necessary, but avalanche rescue equipment is - if you're not familiar with the equipment we'll spend a little extra time sorting that out.
Lift tickets not included.  For best use of the chairs, a maximum ratio of 3:1 is recommended.

Intermediate and Advanced Backcountry Skiing
Snoqualmie Pass | Mt Baker
You know the gear.  You know the techniques.  You've dialed your system, and you're ready for more.  I've lived in Jackson Hole, Bozeman, and Mammoth:   the mountains north of Snoqualmie Pass and in between Mt Baker and Mt Shuksan have some of the best ski touring terrain in the country.  Tours can last from one to five days, and are fully customized to meet your skiing experience.
Private ski tours are available from a 1:1 to a 4:1 ratio.

Intro to Ski Mountaineering | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt Baker
Ready to take it to the next level?  Ski mountaineering means to access summits and ski slopes that require more than just rando gear and avie equipment.  Start pushing your idea of what's possible with ski descents of technical summits and and glaciers utilizing harnesses, ropes, and climbing equipment.  Tours can last from one to five days, and are fully customized to meet your skiing experience.  Intermediate skiing skills and prior backcountry skiing experience is required.
Private ski tours are available.  Ratios of 1:1 to 4:1 are possible, but depend on the objective.

Intermediate and Advanced Ski Mountaineering
North Cascades | Mt Shuksan | Mt Baker
The Forbidden Tour.  The Northwest Couloir on Mt Shuksan.  The Coleman Headwall on Mt Baker.  These require a high level of skiing, commitment,  and a use of technical rope skills.  The North Cascades may have the highest concentration of descents in the lower 48 that possess this combination. Almost every objective in this category requires at least one night out, many require more.  Advanced ski skills, comfort skiing with a pack up to 40L, and a strong fitness level is required.
Private ski tours are available.  Ratios of 1:1 to 4:1 are possible, but depend on the objective.

Snoqualmie Haute Route | Snoqualmie Pass
Another Pro Guiding Service original, this tour lasts five days, four nights, 40 miles, 20,000' of elevation, and four summits.  Its big in a way you'd never guess is possible from the parking lot.
Private dates available up to 4:1 ratio.

Mt Baker | Mt Baker Express | Mt Baker Circumnavigation
Mt Baker is a ski mountaineer's dream come true.  Big glaciers, big runs, big days.  The standard ski is a two day event from either the south or the northwest.  In May the road is melted out enough that it can be done in one very, very big day (get ready to leave the car at 11pm at not be back till 5pm).  The circumnavigation is a monster - 5 days, 4 nights, and includes a summit attempt and ski descent.

Mt Baker Coleman-Deming
Any two days, starting in May.

Mt Baker Circumnavigation
Any five days, starting in May.

Skiing Skills | Snoqualmie Pass
The groomers don't get to the backcountry, which is a double-edged sword:  most of the time you get to ski untracked snow, but that means you have to be able to make turns in every kind of untracked snow.  On a spring day conditions will vary widely between the icy summit and slushy valley on a 2000' descent.
This means that a competent backcountry skier needs to be a confident intermediate skier at the resort, capable of making parallel turns on any blue run in any snow condition, and able to survive down any black run.
Skiing Skill days are for those who are interested in going into the backcountry, but concerned that their skiing isn't ready for it.  We'll spend a day at the Alpental or Snoqualmie Ski Areas reviewing parallel turns and off-groomed skiing, utilizing video and realistic terrain.  Expect to meet for first chair, take an 30-60 minute working lunch break, and finish at last chair (usually around 3:30pm).  I am a certified PSIA Level 2 Alpine ski instructor.
Lift ticket not included.  For best results, a low ratio of 1:1 or 2:1 is preferred.

Favorite Big Tours and Unique Trips
Intermediate Backcountry Skiing | The Snoqualmie Haute Route
Intermediate Ski Mountaineering | Mt Shuksan via White Salmon Glacier | The Spearhead Traverse
Advanced Ski Mountaineering:  The Forbidden Tour | Mt Logan | Mustagh Ata