MounTain Ops

Meet at Sun Valley Guides Headquarters

401 Lewis Street, Ketchum, ID 83340

Contact Us

Description

Mountain Ops builds upon the foundation of a Level 1 avalanche course to become a self-sufficient member of a touring group and learn practical skills to increase your mountain sense. We will sprinkle in backcountry ethics throughout the season, so we can work together to preserve our local resources. Each week, Mountain Ops will offer an evening classroom session followed by a field day. We will focus on various subjects including touring gear, self rescue, teamwork, digital navigation, route planning, mountain weather, decision-making, and semi-technical applications for safe backcountry travel.

Participants will practice navigating through terrain and managing risk in a group setting on each field session. Every tour will conclude with a debrief of the day and ways to improve your decision making processes. Each evening session will begin with a discussion on the current state of the snowpack and avalanche conditions. We will continue to form a mental map of the snowpack and avalanche problems throughout the course. The goal is for you to leave at the end of the season with the skills to track and monitor avalanche problems on your own.

This course will be led by certified an AMGA or IOGLB Ski Guide who will aim to transfer their local knowledge and experience to empower our community of backcountry travelers. There is an optional three day overnight trip into the Sawtooth mountains, where we will set up a base camp and embark on day tours. Never has there been a more important time to become a responsible steward of our treasured National Forest.

Dates

Evening Sessions
5:30-6:30pm

Field Sessions
Full Day, 8:30am-4pm

(Optional) 3-Day Sawtooth Haute Route overnight trip in March or April ***not included in pricing***

Guest to Guide ratio is 5:1 | Min. 4 | Max. 5

WHAT IS Included:

  • Experienced AMGA guides

  • Guest lecturers

  • Six 8-hour field sessions

  • Six 1-hour evening classroom sessions at SVG HQ with food and beverage

  • Snowmobile assistance as desired

  • Recreational Level 2 and Avalanche Rescue Certificate of completion

PRICING

$1650

*Includes all field and classroom sessions. Optional overnight trip not included.

Equipment List
Gear Rental

Additional Services

Snowmobile Assist: Allows us to bump your group out further into more remote areas, avoiding higher use areas, finding fresh tracks and better conditions. This is an infill to a remote location from where the group embarks on your day our ski mountaineering and then we bring you back out at the end of the day via snowmobile.

Defender/Side-by-Side: $100/PERSON (MAX 5, $400 MIN.)

Snowmobile: $50/PERSON ($200 MIN.)

  • Yes! Sun Valley Guides does not provide safety gear for its guests.To ensure the safety of both guests and guides, we require that all guests to carry reliable avalanche gear that meets our criteria. This includes an 3 antenna avalanche transceiver, a metal avalanche shovel, and a click-lock mechanism avalanche probe.

    For more details, please see our equipment list.

  • All of our guides are licensed by the IOGLB and are highly-trained avalanche professionals and/or AMGA trained or certified. Our guides have an intimate knowledge of the vast mountains surrounding Sun Valley as well as the current snow and avalanche conditions.

    IOGLB stands for Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board. Guides that have been certified by IOGLB are licensed and held to standards set in place by  the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, recognized as one of the most comprehensive licensing programs in the nation. For more information, please visit IOGLB’s website.

    AMGA stands for American Mountain Guides Association, an internationally recognized organization that offers rigorous training courses for guides in the alpine, rock, and ski mountaineering industry. Guides endorsed by AMGA are verified to operate at a high level of professionalism and with a deep knowledge of their sport. Learn more about AMGA here.

  • Yes, your safety is always our top priority. Our highly trained guides closely monitor avalanche conditions and warnings, adjusting routes or plans as necessary to ensure the safest possible experience. While it’s important to understand that backcountry skiing carries inherent risks, we take every precaution to manage these. We’re committed to making your trip as safe and enjoyable as possible.

  • Yes. Sun Valley Guides is committed to providing safe and enjoyable adventures in the backcountry. All guests must read and sign a Release of Liability and Waiver of Claims Agreement prior to embarking on any guided trip. Be sure to read and sign the waiver prior to joining us in the mountains.  You can find your waiver in your reservation confirmation.  If you did not make the reservation, please ask whoever did to invite you to sign through their reservation confirmation email they received or email us at info@svguides.com 

Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? Visit our FAQ page.