Backcountry Skiing & Ski Mountaineering

We offer backcountry ski touring and ski mountaineering throughout California, Europe and Alaska:

• Sierra Nevada backcountry ski touring and ski mountaineering
• Mount Shasta ski descents
• The Alps - Chamonix & The Haute Route ski tour of France and Switzerland
• Alaska Ski Mountaineering

We utilize AMGA and IFMGA/UIAGM Certified Ski Mountaineering Guides

California has some of the finest backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering in the United States. Between the Sierra Nevada and the Southern Cascade mountain ranges, California has world-class ski mountaineering terrain. We are experts in California backcountry skiing and are based in the amazing Eastern Sierra. Let us show you all that California and the Sierra Nevada have to offer.

Our worldwide ski moutaineering trips include the famous Haute Route ski tour of the French and Swiss Alps, The Ortler Ski Tour and off-piste skiing in Chamonix and Zermatt. We also offer glaciated Valdez ski mountaineering in Alaska. These trips are personally guided by IAG owner and IFMGA ski mountaineering guide Dave Miller.

Our guided backcountry skiing tours and ski mountaineering instruction is for everyone from the backcountry skiing novice to the experienced ski mountaineer. Our American Mountain Guides (AMGA) and IFMGA internationally certified backcountry ski mountaineering guides are experienced avalanche professionals with many years of ski mountaineering and ski guiding experience around the world as well as the Sierra Nevada and Cascades of California.

For international guided ski tours and ski mountaineering check out or international division: Interntional Alpine Guides Skiing

Guided Backcountry Yurt Skiing

Backcountry Yurt Skiing
Eastern Sierra Nevada
Enjoy the full-service comforts of a heated backcountry yurt while enjoying some of California's finest backcountry ski terrain. For both individuals and custom groups, we are offering yurt-based ski touring in Hoover Wilderness of the Eastern Sierra Nevada in a large, comfortable yurt complete with gourmet meals. A first for California. Backcountry skiing at it's finest!.
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AIARE Avalanche Courses

AIARE Level One Avalanche Course
Yurt-based, Eastern Sierra Nevada
This course is and important step in learning how to make decisions in avalanche terrain. An excellent introductory course for any winter backcountry traveler, this thorough stand-alone course introduces avalanches, hazard mitigation, rescue techniques and much more. It is taught by AIARE qualified course leaders in the backcountry at a backcountry yurt with lodging and some meals provided.
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Introductory Backcountry Ski Courses and Tours:

Intro to Backcountry Ski Touring - Yurt Based
Eastern Sierra Nevada
Hoover Wilderness - 3 days
A yurt-based backcountry ski course in the Eastern Sierra about 45 minutes North of the ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes. Leave the crowded ski resorts behind and receive professional instruction in all the aspects of backcountry ski touring while spending evenings in the warm comfort of a backcountry yurt.
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Overnight Backcountry Ski Touring - Lassen NP
Lassen National Park - 3 days
A snow camping based backcountry ski tour in the Southern Cascades of California. Ski the volcano Lassen Peak and other great ski descents in the area. Leave the crowded ski resorts behind & receive professional instruction all the aspects of backcountry skiing on either telemark or randonee skis.
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Intermediate/Advanced California Ski Tours:

Ski Mountaineering Course
Eastern Sierra Nevada - 4 days
Ski & snowboard mountaineering course in the Northern High Sierra. Receive professional instruction & training in all the aspects of ski mountaineering and take your backcountry skiing to the next level with our professional ski mountaineering guides, based from the comforts of a backcountry yurt.
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Mount Shasta Ski and board Descent
Mt Shasta - 3 days
Skiing Mt Shasta can be the ski & snowboard experience of a lifetime. Mount Shasta is considered by many to be North America's premier ski mountaineering peak. Join us this spring on a ski or snowboard descent of the famed West Face of Mount Shasta
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Mt Shasta skiing trips are operated by Shasta Mountain Guides, a company permitted by the Shasta/Trinity National Forest

Sawtooth Ridge Ski Tour - Sierra Nevada
Sawtooth Range and Yosemite National Park - 4 days
A classic backcountry ski tour through the spectacular alpine terrain of the Sawtooth Range and Northern Yosemite region. A must for the Sierra Nevada ski mountaineer.
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International/Alaska Ski Mountaineering:

Valdez Ski Mountaineering - The Chugach Range, Alaska
Valdez, Alaska- 6 days
Valdez has some of the most amazing ski mountaineering terrain in North America with us this spring. Couloirs, dry powder & wide open glaciers await us in The Chugach Range of Alaska. Includes a combo of ski touring & heli skiing. A trip of a lifetime for any ski mountaineer.
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The Ortler Ski Tour - The Alps
South Tirol, Italy - 7 days
The Ortler ski tour is for skiing, period. The emphasis on the loop trip, also known as the Ortler circuit, is to find as many great ski descents and ski mountaineering objectives as possible. Comfortable Italian mountain huts with private rooms and showers and great food add to the experience. The ski mountaineering terrain on the Ortler ski tour is simply amazing. Come join CAG owner and IFMGA/UIAGM certifed ski mountaineering guide, Dave Miller, on his new favorite Alps ski tour.
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The Haute Route Ski Tour - The Alps
Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland - 8 days
Verbier variation
The Haute Route ski is one of the most amazing and famous ski tours in the world, period. This Haute Route ski tour takes us from the Mont Blanc massif in France to the famed Matterhorn in Switzerland. On this tour we use the version of the Haute Route via verbier. Perfect for those on their first Alps ski tour. Come join CAG owner and IFMGA/UIAGM certifed ski mountaineering guide, Dave Miller, on this years Haute Route ski tour.
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Chamonix Off-Piste Skiing - The Alps
Chamonix, France
Chamonix is one of the world's major ski mountaineering destinations. IAG owner and IFMGA ski guide Dave Miller leads custom off-piste skiing trips in Chamonix from March through April. There is something in Chamonix for everybody from mellow glaciated ski tours like the Vallee Blanche to steep couloirs.
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Custom Backcountry Ski & snowboard Tours
We specialize in designing custom guided backcountry ski and snowboard tours & instruction throughout the European Alps, Chamonix, Alaska and California for you and your group. We can happily arrange your own dates and your own itinerary.