Ski Bag
We recommend traveling with a ski bag large enough to accommodate skis, poles, and extra gear that might not fit in your duffel.

2 Days
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Skiing
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$495
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Pay in Full
Deposit
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Novice
Foundational backcountry touring systems, group travel techniques, and applied decision-making.
Day-by-day program overview.
Fitness, experience, and preparation.
Gear requirements for this program.
Meals and nutrition on the mountain.
Getting there and local logistics.
Booking, cancellations, and requirements.
Common questions, direct answers.
What climbers are saying.
A clear, supportive entry point for strong skiers and riders ready to leave the resort and explore beyond the ropes.
Learn how to plan tours, move efficiently, and make decisions so you can safely lead your own backcountry days.
Plenty of time spent skiing and riding real terrain, with instruction designed to build confidence without pushing comfort.
The Mount Baker Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Course is a two-day introduction to traveling, skiing, and riding in the backcountry. Set in one of the world’s premier snow climates, the course focuses on building the practical skills needed to plan and execute tours beyond ski area boundaries while maintaining appropriate margins.
Throughout the program, participants work on foundational touring systems such as skin track setting, line selection, partner communication, and group movement. Time is also spent refreshing avalanche rescue skills and discussing how weather, terrain, and conditions influence decisions in the backcountry. Instruction is hands-on and iterative, with frequent opportunities to apply concepts directly on snow.
Designed for advanced skiers and riders with strong downhill ability, this course does not require prior touring experience. The terrain and pacing are intentionally matched to participant comfort levels, allowing learning to take priority over difficulty. While often paired with a recreational Level 1 Avalanche Course, this program focuses on touring fundamentals and is not a replacement for avalanche certification.
Learning to tour in the backcountry is as much about judgment and habits as it is about equipment and technique. RMI has spent decades teaching people how to move responsibly through mountain terrain, and that experience shapes how this course is taught. The emphasis is on clear decision-making, efficient systems, and understanding why choices matter once you leave the resort boundary.
RMI guides bring deep experience from alpine climbing, ski mountaineering, and expedition environments, but they are equally skilled at meeting skiers and riders where they are. On this course, that means teaching in plain language, giving direct feedback, and creating a learning environment where questions are encouraged and mistakes become useful lessons rather than stress points.
Security and risk management are foundational to how RMI operates. Every guide holds Wilderness First Responder and technical rescue certification; lead guides hold U.S. Level 2 avalanche certification. Our guides approach backcountry education with the same discipline used on larger alpine objectives. Tour planning, terrain selection, and group management are taught with real-world context, not shortcuts.
The result is an introduction to backcountry skiing and riding that feels supportive, practical, and confidence-building. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of how to plan tours, communicate with partners, and make decisions that lead to safer and more enjoyable days in the mountains, guided by the long-standing instructional approach of RMI Expeditions.





Spend two days touring and skiing or riding in Mount Baker’s backcountry while learning how to plan routes, manage transitions, and move efficiently as a group. This itinerary emphasizes repeated laps, real-time decision-making, and practical skill application rather than chasing a single objective.
Glacier, WA
2 Days
2
1
6–8 Hours
Avalanche Rescue & Backcountry Ski Touring Skills
The Baker Ski and Ride Course focuses on building safe, effective backcountry travel habits through hands-on avalanche rescue practice and guided ski touring. Instruction emphasizes decision-making, group management, and practical movement skills that translate directly to independent touring and future ski mountaineering objectives.
By the end of the course, participants will have practical experience with:
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier, WA. After group introductions and a gear check, we review the tour plan for the day. We then head up to the mountain and step into our skis. The group tours out to a suitable location and works on avalanche rescue skills. Afterwards, we learn about and practice the fundamentals of good ski touring. On our return, we get some good ski turns on the way back to the trailhead.
Please make your own lodging arrangements in Bellingham, WA or Glacier, WA for the night.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier, WA. Looking at the weather forecast, avalanche forecast, and the group’s needs, participants make a tour plan. We then head up to the mountain and execute the tour, stopping to talk about teachable moments along the way. Upon finishing our day skiing, we return to Glacier and debrief our course.
You should arrive in good physical condition and be prepared for full days of uphill travel, transitions, and skiing or riding in variable snow conditions.
This course is designed for advanced skiers and riders with strong in-bounds skills. No prior backcountry touring experience is required.
No acclimatization is necessary for this program.
The Mount Baker Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Course is intended for skiers and riders who already possess confident downhill skills and want to apply them beyond resort boundaries. While the terrain used during the course is selected to support learning rather than push limits, participants must be able to control their speed, adapt to variable snow, and ski or ride with consistency and composure.
Physical fitness supports both learning and enjoyment. Touring days involve repeated transitions, sustained movement uphill, and time on your feet while managing equipment and group systems. Participants who arrive prepared are better able to focus on decision-making, communication, and skill development rather than fatigue.
This course is appropriate for strong resort skiers and riders who are new to backcountry travel and want a structured, guided introduction to touring systems and group movement. If you are unsure whether your downhill ability aligns with these expectations, a conversation with an RMI guide can help clarify fit.
Recommended climbing experiences include:
Your climbing resumé should include:
Items marked with an Asterix (*) are considered mandatory prerequisites for this program.
Our guides have decades of experience training for alpine objectives, and we've done our best to put together relevant resources to help you with your expedition preparation.
Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team endeavor. Before any program begins, RMI works directly with prospective climbers to confirm that everyone joining a team is genuinely prepared for the demands ahead. Depending on the program, this may involve conversations with our office staff, a review of your climbing history, or feedback from guides and other climbers who know your abilities. The goal is straightforward: to ensure that every person on the rope belongs there. We ask that each climber hold themselves to the same standard:
The standards we set exist to protect everyone on the team. RMI holds all climbers accountable to them, and we take seriously our responsibility to build teams of people who are ready to be in the mountains together. RMI reserves the right to remove a participant from a program or send them to a lower altitude if our guide staff determines, in their sole discretion, that the participant is not physically, technically, or psychologically prepared or capable of participating, or for any other reason that may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the participant or the group. In such cases, no refunds or credits will be issued, and the participant will be financially responsible for any additional costs associated with an early departure, including evacuation, transportation, lodging, and meals.
The Mount Baker Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Course takes place in variable winter and spring conditions, with changing snow, weather, and terrain throughout each day. Participants should expect cold temperatures, wind, sun exposure, and time spent both traveling uphill and skiing or riding in unmanaged terrain. Equipment choices directly affect comfort, efficiency, and how much you are able to focus on learning.
This equipment list is designed to support safe and efficient backcountry travel rather than maximize performance or speed. All required items must be brought to the gear check so guides can confirm compatibility and readiness for the course. Guides may recommend adjustments based on conditions and group needs, but arriving fully equipped ensures appropriate margins and a smoother learning experience for everyone.
Each RMI program includes a required personal equipment list built around the specific terrain, conditions, and objectives of the climb. Every item serves a purpose and supports safety, efficiency, and comfort in the mountains.
Guide Picks™ are examples that meet our performance standards and illustrate the type of gear we recommend. Each year, our partners at Whittaker Mountaineering survey our staff of 70+ guides to get a consensus on the best gear for the job. You do not need to purchase the exact item shown, but any alternative must offer comparable function and durability.
All listed items are required for the gear check. Final adjustments may be recommended by your guide based on conditions and team needs once the expedition begins.
Most of the required equipment is available for rent or purchase from our affiliate Whittaker Mountaineering. RMI climbers receive a 10% discount on new clothing and equipment items ordered from Whittaker Mountaineering.
We recommend traveling with a ski bag large enough to accommodate skis, poles, and extra gear that might not fit in your duffel.
All skis and boards need to have brakes or retention straps. We strongly recommend having a tech binding on your skis. Not a 50/50 binding.
Adhesive or strap-on coverings that attach to the base of skis or a splitboard to provide traction during uphill travel. Essential for efficient ascents in ski mountaineering programs.
A crampon specific to your ski binding which is used for ascending firm slopes with skis on.
A UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme) or CE (European Committee for Standardization) certified climbing helmet or a ski mountaineering helmet rated from both rock fall and skiing falls. Standard ski helmets are not acceptable. They are not rated for rockfall and are too warm to be worn during ascents.
Glacier glasses are protective sunglasses that provide close to 100% frame coverage (wrap-around frames and side shields ensure no light can enter from the top, bottom, and sides of the glasses) and transmit less than 10% of visual light.
A lightweight, breathable long-sleeve shirt in synthetic or merino wool for sun protection and moisture management during active climbing.
One step up in warmth and bulk from a baselayer. A technical fleece makes an ideal light weight insulating layer.
An insulated jacket or softshell for warmth during low-output activity and extended rest breaks. Should fit over baselayers and midlayers, and under a shell.
We recommend a system of four layers, all of which can be used in conjunction with each other. Products which combine several layers into one garment, such as traditional ski pants, don’t work well as they don’t offer the versatility of a layering system.
Lightweight synthetic or merino wool baselayer bottoms for moisture management and temperature regulation during active climbing.
A lightweight, well ventilated soft-shell or hard-shell ski or climbing pant that fits over the cuff of your ski boots.
Whether used for Alpine Touring, Telemark, or Snowboard, your boots should be of a design that allows climbing crampons, and is sturdy enough for variable snow conditions. Please call our office to speak with a guide about ski and snowboard boot recommendations.
Either wool or synthetic. Whatever sock combination you are accustomed to wearing during your training or previous adventures (whether single medium weight socks, a medium weight with a liner sock, two medium weight socks together, etc.), should work just fine for this climb.
Our guides carry comprehensive medical kits, so keep yours small and light. We recommend a selection of adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, Moleskin and blister care, medical tape and/or duct tape, basic pain reliever, and personal medications.
You are responsible for providing your own meals and snack food in town and while on your program. See the Food tab for suggestions and quantities.
High quality, durable vacuum bottle with a volume of 1/2 liter or 1 liter.
Many smartphones have excellent cameras. Action cameras, small point-and-shoots, and compact dSLRs are lightweight and work well at altitude.
Bring a small repair kit with parts specific to your ski or snowboard boots and bindings.
Voile style ski straps for you carrying your skis and poles, and longer straps for lashing foam pads and tents to the outside of your pack.
We recommend bringing a selection of clothing to wear while traveling, sightseeing and dining.
Purchase travel insurance.
Purchase airplane tickets.
Arrange transportation and lodging - see more on the Travel tab.
Reserve rental equipment.
A technical climbing pack large enough to carry personal gear, layers, food, water, and a share of group equipment including tent portions. You will not need a separate summit pack.
On this course you will need 2 mountain lunches.
Mountain lunches are eaten during short breaks throughout the day. We continually snack to keep our energy levels up while we climb - lunch begins just after breakfast and ends just before dinner! Avoid packing any items that require preparation or hot water.
The importance of having foods that are genuinely enjoyed cannot be overstated. Eating properly is the key to maintaining strength while in the mountains.
Recommended mountain lunch items: dry salami, smoked salmon, jerky (turkey, beef, fish), small cans of tuna fish, individually wrapped cheeses such as Laughing Cow or Baby Bell, crackers, bagels, candy bars, hard candies (Jolly Ranchers, toffees, Life Savers), gummy bears, sour candies (Sweet Tarts), cookies, dried fruit, nuts, energy bars, GORP mixes, and drink mixes (Gatorade/Kool-Aid).
This page covers the practical details you’ll want to review before your trip, including travel logistics, entry requirements, local considerations, and required policies. Taking time to understand these details ahead of departure helps ensure a smoother experience once you’re on the ground and focused on the climb.
Our meeting place is the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier, WA. You are responsible for your own transportation to the program's trailhead. Most participants will fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) the evening before the program and rent a car for the 2 1/2 hour drive. This course runs in winter and spring conditions: the Mt. Baker Highway is plowed but can be snow-covered, so carry chains and allow extra driving time. Please click here for driving directions.
Note: Every air traveler 18 years of age and older needs a REAL ID compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.
After a team meeting we drive to the day's trailhead. You will need a Northwest Forest Service parking pass to leave your car at the trailhead. Passes are $30 and valid for one year. There may be an opportunity to leave some vehicles at the Ranger Station and carpool with other team members. Northwest Forest Service parking passes are available for sale at the ranger station.
Ride Share: If you are participating in a climb and are interested in sharing a ride, please post your information in the "Ride Share" forum of your North Cascades Discussion Board by logging into your RMI Account.
Bellingham is 36 miles (about an hour drive) from Glacier Ranger Station.
Your travel insurance policy should include trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delay, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses, and evacuation.
Navigating through the different options for travel insurance can be challenging. When purchasing Travel Insurance, here are a few items to consider:

In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we offer Travelex Insurance protection plans to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected.
For more information on the available plans visit Travelex Insurance Services or contact Travelex Insurance (800) 228-9792 and reference location number 47-0370.
The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535, state of domicile: New York). RETWEB

Harbor Travel Insurance covers the following critical benefits:
Harbor Travel Insurance is powered by Redpoint Resolutions, a medical and travel security risk company. Their team is comprised of special operations veterans, paramedics, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, former intelligence officers, insurance actuaries, and global security experts with dozens of years of experience in theaters around the world. The Redpoint network covers the globe, making them uniquely equipped to provide elite rescue travel insurance – in every sense of the word.
RMI has partnered with Erin Rountree to provide travel planning support. Erin is an independent agent with extensive experience booking travel for adventure programs worldwide and understands the specific needs of RMI expeditions.
Phone: (208) 788-2870
Email: [email protected]
It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel insurance policy provides appropriate coverage for your specific program and activities. Review policy details carefully before purchasing, and confirm coverage well in advance of your departure.
For updated North Cascades weather forecasts, click here.
Our guides put considerable effort into ensuring your safety and success on the mountain. If you had a positive experience, leaving a gratuity is a wonderful gesture to show your appreciation. The amount is up to you and should reflect how much you enjoyed the service. Typically, tips for excellent service range from 10% to 15% of the program cost. Guides can accept gratuities in cash, Venmo, or by check. If you prefer, you can also pay tips using a credit card through the RMI Office.
Mt. Baker holds the record for the most recorded snowfall in a single season at 1,140 inches.
Mt. Baker was volcanically active as recently as 1891.
For more facts click here, and for even more click here.
General Information on Mt. Baker.
Mt. Baker map.
Communities & Activities outside Mt. Baker, click here.
The following policies are applicable for this expedition.
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. reserves the right to modify the land cost of a trip at any time before departure.
Payment in full is due at time of reservation.
*Note: A 3% surcharge applies to all credit/debit card transactions.
**Wire transfers must include all fees charged by your bank. The amount received by our bank must match the deposit amount.
Of your program fee, $150 is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Due to the time-sensitive nature of these programs, and the amount of preparation time required for this program, we strictly adhere to our policy and cannot make exceptions for any reason.
We highly recommend travel insurance for this trip. Please see our Travel Tab for details.
Date changes are subject to availability and apply only to the current climbing season. Date changes may be requested at anytime up to 60 days prior to your departure date for a $50 fee per person. No date changes allowed less than 60 days before departure.
Please clearly understand that mountaineering is inherently hazardous. Managing risk is RMI’s number one priority. Our guides manage significant hazards inherent in mountaineering, but they cannot eliminate them. Objective hazards include rockfall, icefall, avalanches, slides or falls by individuals and rope teams on steeper slopes, weather-related problems including cold, heat, high winds, and other unnamed dangers that can occur while climbing.
You are choosing to engage in an activity in which guided and non-guided climbers have been injured or killed. While those accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge the risks and hazards of mountaineering and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity.
Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team endeavor. Each Participant is required to share in the responsibility of the safety and success of the team. For this reason, we ask that each Participant:
RMI reserves the right to dismiss the Participant from a program or to send the Participant to a lower altitude at any time if the RMI Guide Staff determines, in its sole discretion, that the Participant is not physically, technically, or psychologically prepared for, or capable of participating in the program, or for any other reason that may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the Participant or the entire group. If this decision is made, the Participant will not receive any refunds or credits and will be financially responsible for all additional costs associated with an early departure, including but not limited to, evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, meals, etc.
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) does not tolerate harassment or mistreatment of our participants or employees. Inappropriate conduct under this policy may include conduct that creates a disrespectful, intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for a participant or employee. Engaging in such conduct is a violation of this policy.
RMI may consider conduct to violate the policy even if it falls short of unlawful harassment under applicable law. When determining whether conduct violates this policy, we will consider whether a reasonable person could conclude that the conduct created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or demeaning environment.
Violation of this policy may result in removal from a program, as well as refusal to provide services indefinitely. We place the utmost value on the safety of our participants and employees. Please report any incidents to RMI management.
All participants must be 18 years old at the time of registration.
RMI’s Photo Release outlines the terms and conditions for using your likeness in photographs, videos, or other digital media.
I hereby grant Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) or its affiliates permission to use my likeness in a photograph, video, or other digital media (“photo”) in any and all of its publications, including web-based publications. By granting permission, you allow RMI to utilize these media for lawful purposes.
Here are the key points:
RMI’s program schedule and itineraries are subject to change or adjustment based on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, route conditions, weather, group strength, terrain, or other environmental factors, and many other factors. RMI has complete discretion to change plans to accommodate any of these or other factors, including but not limited to, increases in program fees, changes to program schedule or itinerary, and changes to guides or staff, as necessary for the proper and safe conduct of the program. Once the program has started, the Lead Guide will decide on any changes to the itinerary, including ending the program early if the continuation of the program may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the group.
We reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather, route conditions, or for any other reason. In such a case, we will make every effort to reschedule the Participant on a different program date. If rescheduling is not possible, we will issue the Participant a refund for all program fees paid to RMI, less any non-refundable payments made on behalf of the Participant to secure any of the included land costs provided for this program, including but not limited to, hotel accommodations, transportation, transfers, tours, group equipment and food, permits, and local outfitter services, prior to the cancellation of the program. Additionally, RMI cannot be responsible for any non-refundable expenses the Participant incurred in preparation for the program (i.e., airline tickets, hotel reservations, rental cars, equipment purchases or rentals, etc.).
Once a program begins, there are no refunds or credits for weather-related cancellations or for a program that may end early due to weather, route conditions, or any other circumstances that may compromise the health, safety, or well-being of the group. Furthermore, if the Participant decides for any reason not to begin a program or discontinue a program at any time, no refunds or credits will be issued. The Participant will be responsible for all additional costs associated with an early departure, including but not limited to evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, meals, etc.
Land Costs are provided as a package, and refunds or credits will not be issued for any unused meals, accommodations, group transportation, or other unused costs. Accommodations are based on double occupancy. A Single Supplement Fee will be charged to those Participants occupying single accommodations either by choice or circumstance. If you are willing to share a room, we will make every effort to pair you with another same-gender team member. We will match willing same-gender team members based on the order of registration date. If we are unable to match you with another same- gender team member, a single supplement fee will be charged. The availability of single accommodations is limited in most of the hotels where we stay, and single accommodations are not available while in the mountains.
The Participant understands and agrees that RMI assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with any travel and hospitality services provided to the Participant by other companies in connection with the program, including but not limited to, the services provided by airlines, hotels, rental cars, and transportation companies. In addition, RMI is not responsible for any act, error, omission, or any injury, loss, accident, delay, irregularity, or danger by a supplier of travel or hospitality services to the Participant in connection with the RMI program. The Participant will be responsible for all costs associated with any travel delays, missed connections, or missing baggage that requires additional arrangements (separate transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, etc.) to be made on your behalf for you or your baggage to rejoin the program.
The Mount Baker Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Course often raises different questions than avalanche courses or guided ski objectives. The answers below focus on who this course is for, how it fits into a broader backcountry education path, and what to expect from a two-day, skills-focused introduction to touring beyond the resort.
Most participants stay in or around Bellingham, which offers easy access to lodging, food, and the Mount Baker area.
Most participants fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and rent a car for the drive north.
The course begins with a group meeting in the Mount Baker area. Participants should plan to arrive the evening before the first day to allow time for rest and preparation.
You are responsible for your own transportation to the meeting location. From there, the group travels to the day’s touring zones. Carpooling with other participants is often possible.
Guide ratios are kept small to support hands-on instruction, close observation, and meaningful feedback throughout the course.
You should be comfortable spending full days on your feet, skinning uphill, transitioning equipment, and skiing or riding multiple runs in variable snow. Strong fitness allows you to focus on learning rather than fatigue.
The days are active but intentionally paced for learning. Expect multiple uphill laps, transitions, and plenty of skiing or riding rather than a single long push.
Pack weights are moderate and focused on safety and touring essentials rather than overnight gear.
No. This course is not an avalanche certification and does not replace a Recreational Level 1 Avalanche Course. It is designed to complement avalanche education by focusing on touring systems, movement, and group travel.
This is a skills-focused instructional course. The emphasis is on building confidence, refining fundamentals, and understanding how to travel efficiently and responsibly in the backcountry.
Terrain is selected to support learning rather than challenge limits. You will ski and ride real backcountry terrain, but slopes are matched to participant ability and comfort.
Unlike a guided ski objective, this course prioritizes teaching you how to plan tours, communicate with partners, and make decisions so you can lead your own backcountry days in the future.
Conditions can vary widely and may include cold temperatures, wind, sun exposure, and changing snow quality. These variables are used as teaching opportunities throughout the course.
Guides continuously assess weather, snow conditions, terrain, and group dynamics. Decisions are explained openly so participants understand not just what choices are made, but why.
If conditions are poor, instruction shifts toward terrain assessment, tour planning, transitions, and decision-making. Learning remains the priority even if skiing objectives change.
Guides carry medical kits and communication equipment to support coordination and respond to emergencies if needed.
Climbers rated RMI with an average of 5 stars across 0 ratings
Participant reviews of the Mount Baker Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Course often highlight the clarity of instruction, supportive learning environment, and confidence gained over the two days. Many participants note how the course helped them better understand touring systems, group travel, and decision-making, leaving them more prepared to plan and lead their own backcountry days beyond the resort.
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