This spring we ran two Ski Mountaineering Camps at the Williams Peak Hut. While snow was rapidly disappearing in the valley, we found excellent conditions up high – settled powder in the north couloirs and corn elsewhere.

These camps always provide a capstone to our winter season. While there is a significant emphasis on teaching important mountaineering skills, we never lose sight of the “ski” portion of ski mountaineering! There is no better way to learn than to put the skills to use climbing and skiing the vast array of lines in the northern Sawtooths. Learning to ascend steep snow, belay, or rappel is great – but equally important is learning to apply these skills in the context of achieving a ski mountaineering objective. [more...]