Every skier who has traveled along Highway 395 has undoubtedly gazed in awe at the vast expanse of peaks stretching from Lone Pine to Tioga Pass, where countless opportunities await to explore the breathtaking ski descents from mountaintop to valley floor. This program includes two full days of ski descents with an experienced, local guide.

We maintain a flexible itinerary, allowing us to assess current conditions and the state of various aspects. Our final selection is based on this real-time information, as well as the collective experience and goals of the group. If you have a specific objective in mind, please let us know!

Springtime holds the Sierra’s prime skiing conditions. Our day begins early, embarking while the snow is still firm to ensure smoother travel. We strategically time our descent for optimal conditions, aiming for pristine corn snow. Our goal is to complete our adventure before the snow softens and becomes less ideal for skiing. We aim for about 4,000 feet of vertical feet but we are happy to do more or less based on your goals.

Prerequisites

You should be an intermediate to advanced resort skier to join this trip. If you do not have any prior backcountry experience, we recommend our Intro to Backcountry Skiing course. Participants should be in excellent physical condition to fully enjoy this program. We highly recommend that you spend at least one night at moderate altitude (higher than 8,000 feet) just prior to the trip. Spending a night or two in Mammoth is perfect. Please refer to our Fitness, Training and Acclimatization Tips on the “Resources Tab” for more information on preparing for your trip.

Gear

SMC can provide avalanche gear (beacon, shovel, probe). For ski rentals, we recommend Mammoth Mountaineering Supply in Mammoth Lakes.