Privately guided days consist of just you, your hand picked group, and your guide. With this arrangement, you’re able to call the shots helping to shape your trip with your guide as you see fit. We can mold the trip to accomplish your goals:
- Want to rip as many laps as you can? We can put the learning aside and get right to it.
- Want to find the rarely skied nooks and crannies with the best cold pow? Our guides know the area better than anyone, and Alpenglow’s exclusive lift access at Squaw Valley gives us the ability to find the best conditions out there.
- Want to build your backcountry skills? Our guides love to teach, and can focus your day on uphill skills, avalanche safety skills and more, all while skiing and riding in the backcountry.
You must be an advanced intermediate skier/rider for this course and be competent on and off-piste in a variety of conditions. Skiers/riders should be comfortable on all blue runs and most black diamond runs at a ski resort. Here is a good example of advanced intermediate skiers and riders.
Who Can Participate
Advanced intermediate skiers or riders who have taken our Backcountry 1.0 and have spent 5-10 days out touring since, OR those who have 10+ tours under their belt. Participants must be competent on and off-piste in a variety of terrain and snow conditions. This is comparable be being confident on all blue runs and most black diamond runs in the resort (including ungroomed terrain). This video gives a good example of intermediate to advanced skiers and riders.
The Terrain
Frog Lake is situated on the east side of Castle Peak and sits in a glacial cirque that has formed a beautiful hanging valley with the 1,000 foot tall Frog Lake Cliffs perched at it’s head. You can ski all day on anything from the steep Frog Lake chutes to wide open bowls, and beautiful couloirs to epic tree skiing. There are awesome lines on all aspects, and with multiple days to explore and base out of Frog Lake’s new huts, you’re bound to find tons of great turns. Additionally, our guides know where to find the best snow on any given day, and will make sure to put you in the right place at the right time!
The Huts
The brand new backcountry huts that our friends at Truckee Donner Land Trust have just built at Frog Lake are a big step up from most other huts in the west, with great amenities and a warm, homey feel. They have hot and cold running water, flush toilets, propane heat, lights and a commercial grade kitchen, as well as a hutmaster on site. In addition, the nearly 100 year old Eschenbach Stone House has been renovated as a lively gathering spot for guests to meet and socialize.
Breakfasts, dinners, and a few appetizers will be provided and prepared by your guide. You should plan to provide your own lunches that will fuel you to perform while out skiing. You may alternatively bring your own food to prepare in the very nice kitchen on site.
Porters are included for each group and can carry a max of 44lbs/20kg. Gear must be ready with you on the morning of your trip. We will help organize the splitting of porters for an open enrollment group.
Snowmobile portering may be possible for $300 per load into hut. Snowmobiles must be arranged long in advance, and are not always available. This option allows a much larger capacity (100+lbs), and gear must be ready the afternoon before departure.
What to Expect
Depending on fitness level, technical ability and daily conditions skiers and riders can expect to get multiple laps of fresh tracks in the backcountry. Terrain varies from wide open bowls and widely spaced trees to steep, technical lines that will challenge even the most seasoned skier.
Each morning starts off with a safety meeting with your guide and a gear check to make sure everyone has what they need for the day. Depending on the day’s conditions and weather, your guide will make the decision on what terrain you will head toward.
You should expect to hike through beautiful terrain for a couple hours at a time. During downhill portions you’ll be greeted with the conditions of the day and should be prepared to ski or ride in variable snow conditions ranging from cold powder to firm but carveable chalk snow.
Rentals
A complete backcountry touring setup is required, and we can rent it all to you for a small cost. We rent beacons, probes, shovels, touring skis, touring boots and splitboards.
