COLD WEATHER SNOW CAMPING IN WINTER

GALLERY

DETAILS

Join Us on a Winter Camping Trip

Winter in the Pacific Northwest can be challenging. Coupled with the extremes of mountain weather it can be life threatening. Learn what knowledge, skills, and gear are needed to keep you safe and comfortable on a winter trip in the nearby mountains or on an extended expedition in the greater ranges.

Previous backpacking experience is required. We will avoid avalanche terrain during this course. If you do not yet have backpacking experience, consider joining our Introduction to Backpacking seminar or going on one of our guided backpacking trips.

For those interested in also learning mountaineering skills, this course can be combined with our Intro to Snow Climbing Course or our Mountaineering Skills Course.

Skills Covered in Winter Camping Trip:

Clothing layering systems
Gear selection, strengths, and weaknesses
How to read an avalanche forecast
Avalanche terrain recognition and avoidance
Winter navigation
Campsite selection and set-up
Campsite fortification
Winter cooking systems
Winter food planning
Methods of staying warm

Duration

2 Days 1 Night Camping

Gear check

Required

Passport

Not Required for Americans

Minimum Age

13 years old

Activity

Backpacking, Snow Camping

Accommodation

Tents

Please note: Gear checks are required and available the day before your trip start date. They are available weekly at Ascent Outdoors in Ballard from 6:30pm-8pm on Thursdays. If your trip does not start on a Friday we will schedule a custom gear check at Ascent Outdoors the day before your trip start date.

PRICE BASIS

PRICE INCLUDES

Stoves/Cook Kits
Tents
Guide Services
Backpacking and general outdoor safety skills
Gear Check

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Transportation
Personal clothing and equipment
Parking or entry fees
Meals/Snacks/Drinks
Gratuities for Guides

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Winter Camping:

Meet at a convenient Park and Ride in the Seattle Area. Our course location is dependent upon weather and avalanche danger. We will let you know the meeting time and location before the start of your trip. Carpool to the trailhead. Go over the route plan, identifying avalanche terrain and how to avoid it. Travel to camp, marking the route with a GPS or wands if there is off-trail travel or travel in fresh snow. Once at camp learn how to work-harden snow for camp set-up. Learn how to set-up camp in the event of high winds and blowing snow. Learn how to fortify camp with snow walls. Receive a class in how to collect snow for melting water, how to position stoves for oxygen intake, and how to efficiently utilize fuel.

Day 2 - Winter Camping:

Day hike to a destination chosen by students. Students plan the route and assist in navigating. Discuss winter ecology and snowpack formation. Return to camp. Pack-up and head back to Seattle in cars.

FAQs

General FAQ's

Testimonials

Sandeep is possibly the best person (Miyar and guides) in the business to take you on the mountains. Anyone who has trained with him to summit Rainier over the years can tell you how much he cares about his peeps. Talk to him and he can always find a way to make it happen. I have been trying to climb Rainier for few years with personal constraints (need to be always available, can return anytime, 24*7 sat phone access etc) and many times I had to return mid climb from big ones like Baker and Rainier. It was really easy to talk to the guides about this situation. I never once felt unsafe on the mountains. This is a big deal given how much we learnt when it comes to snow skills and glacier training. Be safe and go with Miyar!
Vivek Garg
What an awesome experience to go on climbing Mt. Rainier with Miyar Adventures. Sandeep and his team of guides ( Kirk, Alexis, Joe, Ben, Chris, Jasmin ) did an awesome job to lead the multiple rope teams trough snow skill preparations and guiding through safely on glacier journey. The amount of efforts put into multi-month preparation, pre-trip meetings, accessibility to gears for rent and attention to details with food/weight/personal gears were all instrumental in almost all of us (in a group of 24) able to summit Mt. Rainier and have wonderful memories. We knew we were in best company and safe hands with prior experience with Miyar Adventures led climb to Mt. Baker and few other preparation trips. And guides calibrated their approach from novice climbers to experienced climbers to push enough to have an enjoyable experience. I highly recommend to go with Miyar Adventures on amazing trips they have lined up around the Puget Sound Area and internationally.
Harshit Shah
If you are interested in doing any climbing or hiking but need a guide , I highly recommend Miyar Adventures...Sandeep is a wonderful person and you will actually learn (and practice ) climbing and crevasse rescue techniques in addition to the trip/climb ...it is definitely beyond a just a "get you to the summit" experience. He genuinely cares and brings in other excellent guides for bigger groups. My husband and I recently successfully made it to the summit of Mount Baker with Sandeep, two other guides and a group of friends and we had a fantastic experience. He and the guides he works with are very knowledgeable so I had confidence in their abilities to lead us but they are also very friendly and fun so that overall trip was enjoyable. I will definitely climb with Miyar Adventures again!
Monica Henry