Introduction to Ski Mountainering (SM1)

Introduction to Ski Mountaineering (SM1) establishes foundational techniques for efficient alpine travel on skis in technical mountain terrain. This comprehensive course integrates essential ski touring skills with fundamental mountaineering principles, covering optimal skinning techniques, effective kick-turn execution, strategic route selection, and basic rope systems for glacier travel. Participants develop critical transition management between skiing and climbing modes while learning specialized equipment applications. SM1 methodically builds the technical competencies required for accessing remote alpine objectives and navigating varied snow conditions in complex mountain environments.