E-mail this pageBackcountry Skiing
Being a backcountry skier means being able to ski efficiently...uphill and downhill. It also means being able to travel safely in winter environments. So our ski courses cover the range of free-heel ski technique, as well as winter route selection, weather, thermo-regulation, snow science and avalanche assessment, group dynamics and leadership skills as they are germane to the backcountry experience.
Learning to Ski, Learning to Think About Skiing
The ability to deal with "tout neige" (all snow) is part of backcountry skiing. That's why our classes take you to packed trails, backcountry powder and trees, and local ski areas, such as Whiteface Mountain, where you can practice, practice, practice
Assignments for these classes may include readings from books such as The Physics of Skiing, Downhill Slide, Falling for Snow, In the Path of an Avalanche or Deep Powder Snow.
As you advance in the backcountry curriculum, you'll be challenging yourself with preparations for safe, extended travel, possibly a week-long stay in The Chic Chocs or a summer trip to The Cascades. These trips will bring together all your skiing skills and also all you've learned about preparing yourself and others for more remote environments.
The Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival
The Adirondack Experience is proud to be a sponsor of and participant in The Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival. Our faculty are instructors in this annual event and along with the rest of the festival staff offer you more ways for you to expand your backcountry ski experiences.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about Expeditionary Studies classes, please feel free to contact us:
Larry Soroka, Director and Chair
Phone: (518) 564-5292
E-mail: laurence.soroka@plattsburgh.edu