backcountry skiing

courses

Five people ski Touring on Red Mountain Pass near Telluride

Red Mountain Pass Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding: 2-Day Development Course

Ready to move beyond the resort? Learn to travel efficiently in the backcountry with phenomenal women guides in a kind, pro, and fun environment.

FOR: Everyone Welcome- No Jerks Allowed
LOCATION: Red Mountain Pass, Colorado
COURSE DATE: 25/26 Winter Dates- TBA Soon

  • $790 pp

    Mountain adventures for all isn’t just a tagline—it’s our commitment. Moxie offers scholarships to help make guiding and instruction more accessible.

  • Beginner to Expert Backcountry Skiers and Riders

    Riders and skiers should be able to link turns on blue resort runs both in the trees and in a variety of snow conditions.

  • 2 Days

  • Backcountry skiing and splitboarding can feel intimidating—but with the right tools, it’s incredibly rewarding. This 2-day course in the San Juan Mountains is designed to build your skills and support your growth as a skier or rider so that you can enjoy future powder days!

    New to Touring?
    We’ll start with the essentials: gear selection and use, strategies for staying warm, and uphill/downhill movement. You’ll also develop techniques for building backcountry partnerships and managing avalanche terrain.

    Have Experience?
    We’ll tailor the course to your goals and cover topics such as refining your travel techniques, deepening avalanche terrain recognition, finding the best powder, and building skills for bigger objectives.

    Why Moxie?
    Moxie guides are world-class skiers and expert educators who break down complex topics into digestible bites in a productive learning environment. We’ll provide you with tools to make educated decisions in the backcountry. Come make turns in the Ouray area backcountry!

    All identities, body sizes, and experience levels are welcome. NJA (No Jerks Allowed). (Min 3, Max 10 skiers/splitboarders)

  • Included

    Not Included

    • Personal snacks/food

    • Personal skiing/splitboarding clothing and backcountry touring equipment per the equipment list (touring set ups and avalanche rescue equipment are available to rent locally at Ridgway Adventure Sports)

    • Travel and rescue insurance (highly recommended!)

    • Lodging in Colorado

    • Transportation to/from/in Colorado

    • Customary guide gratuity

    • Incurred costs by leaving a trip early

    • Incurred costs as a result of force majeure

Person backcountry skiing fresh powder in a red ski jacket in the Silverton area

San Juan Skiing & Splitboarding: 3-Day Development Course

Ready to dive into the world of backcountry skiing and splitboarding? Build skills over 3 days of comprehensive instruction and riding.

FOR: Everyone Welcome- No Jerks Allowed
LOCATION: Red Mountain Pass, Colorado
COURSE DATE: 25/26 Winter Dates- TBA Soon

  • $1075 pp

    Mountain adventures for all isn’t just a tagline—it’s our commitment. Moxie offers scholarships to help make guiding and instruction more accessible.

  • Beginner to Expert Backcountry Skiers and Riders

    Riders and skiers should be able to link turns on blue resort runs both in the trees and in a variety of snow conditions.

  • 3 Days

  • Backcountry skiing and splitboarding can feel intimidating, and, with the right instruction, it’s incredibly rewarding. This 3-day course in the San Juan Mountains surrounding Ouray gives you more time to build competence, refine your skills, and make informed decisions in the backcountry.

    New to Touring?
    We’ll cover the essentials—gear selection and use, staying warm, uphill/downhill travel, and strategies for communication and group management. You’ll also begin to develop avalanche awareness and practice terrain assessment in real-time.

    Backcountry Savvy?
    With more time in the field, we can dig deeper into advanced topics like track setting, route planning, terrain recognition, snowpack observations, and bigger-picture travel strategies. We’ll tailor the course to your pace and personal goals.

    Why Moxie?
    Moxie guides are world-class skiers and expert educators. We break down complex concepts into digestible bits. You'll leave with more tools to ski and ride more powder in the backcountry.

    All identities, body sizes, and experience levels are welcome. NJA (No Jerks Allowed). (Min 3, Max 10 skiers/splitboarders)

  • Included

    Not Included

    • Personal snacks/food

    • Personal skiing/splitboarding clothing and backcountry touring equipment per the equipment list (touring set ups and avalanche rescue equipment are available to rent locally at Ridgway Adventure Sports)

    • Travel and rescue insurance (highly recommended!)

    • Lodging in Colorado

    • Transportation to/from/in Colorado

    • Customary guide gratuity

    • Incurred costs by leaving a trip early

    • Incurred costs as a result of force majeure

Two women setting a skin track on a glacier in the Alaska Range on a basecamp ski expedition

Alaska Range Ski Basecamp Expedition

Join a crew of women, non-binary, trans skiers, and allies for a true Alaskan ski adventure in the heart of the Alaska Range—led by two women IFMGA Mountain Guides with 50+ Alaska expeditions.

FOR: Women, Non-binary, and Trans folks and Allies**
LOCATION: Denali National Park, Alaska
COURSE DATE: Mid- April 2026- Exact Dates TBA Soon

  • $8000pp

    Mountain adventures for all isn’t just a tagline—it’s our commitment. Moxie is working to secure scholarships for this program to help make it more accessible.

  • Intermediate to Expert

    No prior glacier travel experience is necessary- we’ll review this in the field

    Skiers and splitboarders should be able to ski/descend black ski resort terrain (open slopes, tight trees, etc.) in varied conditions and tour up to 5 miles and 2,000 vertical feet on consecutive days.

  • 7 Days, 6 Nights

    The above length denotes the length of the actual guided trip. Folks should plan to arrive at least one day prior to the trip start and arrange travel home 1-2 days after the trip end to account for weather and travel delays.

  • Join Moxie for a one-of-a-kind ski mountaineering trip designed for women, non-binary, and trans skiers/splitboarders and their allies. This glacier-based expedition, led by two IFMGA-certified women guides with over 50 Alaska Range expeditions between them, combines an epic adventure, Alask objectives, and a strong, supportive crew in one of the most stunning mountain environments on Earth.

    We’ll meet in Anchorage the day before the expedition begins. Plan to arrive by midday to allow for travel delays. That afternoon and evening, we’ll check gear and dial logistics. The next morning, we’ll drive two hours to Talkeetna, a quirky end-of-the-road town known for its strong coffee, crusty locals, and historic mountaineering culture. After checking in with the National Park Service, we’ll load up a ski plane and fly into the heart of the Alaska Range.

    By late afternoon, we’ll establish a glacier basecamp that includes a cozy hub of tents, hot meals, and shared stoke. You’ll likely share a tent with 1–2 other skiers/riders, and we’ll have a dedicated kitchen tent for cooking, hanging out, and weather-day storytelling. 

    For the next 6 days, we’ll tour from camp into a stunning variety of terrain: long glacier runs, couloirs, aesthetic ridge lines, and everything in between. Each day’s objective will be tailored to the group’s goals, fitness, conditions, and energy levels. You’ll have opportunities to sharpen your ski mountaineering systems, practice roped glacier travel, and learn the essentials of life on a glacier.

    Due to the remote setting, varied weather, and a reliance on weather-dependent flights, flexibility is key. We recommend booking flexible return flights and building in buffer days. If weather grounds us, Moxie will provide backup options.

    The Alaska Range is one of our favorite places on earth to spend time. Come join us!

    Itinerary

    • Day 0: Arrive in Anchorage by midday (incase of flight delays), group gear check, stay overnight in Anchorage

    • Day 1: Drive to Talkeetna, fly into Alaska Range, establish basecamp

    • Days 2-6: Ski touring and mountaineering objectives from basecamp pending conditions,  etc.

    • Day 7: Weather-dependent fly-out of the Alaska Range and spend a celebration night in Talkeetna 

    • Day 8-9: Travel back to Anchorage (we strongly recommend giving yourself an extra buffer day or two)

    Participation Requirements

    • No prior glacier travel experience is necessary- we’ll review this in the field.

    • Skiers should be able to ski/descend black ski resort terrain (open slopes, tight trees, etc.) in varied conditions and tour up to 5 miles and 2,000 vertical feet on consecutive days.

    • Ability to handle and roll with quickly changing plans.

    • This course is built specifically for women,non-binary, trans folks, and allies**.- NJA (No Jerks Allowed)

    • **Allies meaning people who have done their work work and can function in multi-gender, multi-racial, queer spaces without being a jerk.

  • Included

    • Guiding by two women IFMGA Mountain Guides 

    • One night of lodging pre-trip in a shared room: the night prior to flying onto the glacier

    • Group transport, round trip, from Anchorage to Talkeetna

    • Flights from Talkeetna to/from the glacier basecamp in the AK Range with Talkeetna Air Taxi

    • All food while on the glacier

    • All group equipment: tents, kitchen, ropes, snow pickets, group med kit, emergency communication tools, etc

    • Online crevasse rescue course (for pre and post trip learning)

    • Guiding fees and logistics

    Not Included

    • Flights to/from Anchorage

    • Airport/AirBNB shuttles: if we stay at a hotel it will likely have a shuttle

    • Additional lodging: pre/post trip

    • Personal clothing/equipment per our equipment list

    • Food while not on the glacier

    • Denali National Park entrance fee ($15) paid to the National Park Service at the time you register for your backcountry permit

    • Travel and/or rescue insurance: Options- Global Rescue, Travel Guard, Travelex (highly recommended!!!!)

    • Customary Guide Gratuity

    • Costs incurred due to early evacuation or unplanned departure from the basecamp due to illness or other problems

    • Costs incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of the guides

    • Costs incurred as a result of force majeure