Quick Details
Oregon Backcountry Mentorship
Traveling in the backcountry is a lifelong pursuit. While access to the wilderness can be incredibly liberating, a myriad of factors can inhibit personal confidence and leadership. Learning the hazards and complexities of avalanches, and reading terrain, and finding good snow in a given location, and understanding weather and its effect on snow conditions; one can be left feeling incredibly overwhelmed. Even after learning how to ski inbounds and taking the prerequisite avalanche level 1 and rescue courses, the learning curve to gain confidence is slow. Often our students and clients feel timid to make decisions even after a few years in the backcountry.
The Backcountry Mentorship Program is designed to support you as a backcountry traveler. You’ll be working directly with a trained professional ski and avalanche educator. Spend 3 months this winter (mid December – mid March) traveling in backcountry terrain all over the Cascades. You’ll practice skills like decision-making, conditions and safety evaluation, and skiing/riding technique; all with a professional guiding you along the way. Learn how to assess new areas and pick the best locations in any given condition. You might even find secret areas to shred some untracked powder! Feel confident knowing you have a pro by your side, and take that newfound confidence with you when the program is over. As a bonus, you’ll gain a community of new touring partners along the way! It’s a win, win, win!
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- Great for skiers/splitboarders who ski in bounds and are ready to get further into the backcountry.
- Designed to help participants take an avalanche forecast and carefully plan and execute a backcountry tour
- Learn new areas to ski/ride
- Great for winter enthusiasts interested in meeting like-minded people who share similar passions all while under the supervision of a trained professional
- Because individual days are limited to 6 participants, each mentee will have ample opportunity to lead while in the backcountry
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Requirements for Participation
- This program is designed for intermediate to advanced skiers. The ability to ski black and double black diamond terrain in a variety (all) of conditions is critical.
- Graduation from an American Avalanche Association-approved Level 1 Avalanche Course is required. You can be enrolled in the course at the time of sign-up, as long as it is in December.
- Graduation from an American Avalanche Association-approved Avalanche Rescue Course is required. You can be enrolled in the course at the time of sign-up, as long as it is in December.
This course is a great fit for you if you can easily work in a team with others. You should be able to ski/splitboard 3,000 to 5,000ft of terrain in a single day.
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The Backcountry Mentorship Program will last between mid-December and mid-March, and have 24 total days to choose from. Mentees will be given a code to register for up t0 12 days in a series throughout the season.
- The enrollment period closes on December 10th, and registration is limited to 24 participants. Once registration is closed, Kaf Adventures will release a custom calendar for each participant to register for the dates of their choosing.
- Participants will be eligible to enroll for up to 12 outdoor excursions. Trip sizes will be limited to 6 people. To keep things equitable and for participants to have a similar amount of time in the program, Kaf reserves the ability to adjust mentee participation.
- Participants in the program can expect to work with a mentor for 10 – 14 days total in the program.
- A fee structure and last-minute cancellation/rebooking will be enforced once in the program to ensure we maximize spaces filled for each program day.
- Kaf Adventures reserves the right to alter the scheduling process in the event of low enrollment. However, all participants will be well informed of any changes being made.
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- How to create and execute a proper tour plan
- How to track the season’s conditions
- How to follow the weather
- How to build route plans
- How to organize and work with people
- Ski/snowboard movement
- Up-hill and downhill group management
- Learn regional variances
- Learn how to pick tours based on weather and snow conditions
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December
14th, 15th, 21st, 29thJanuary
4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25thFebruary
1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 16th, 17th (President’s day Monday), 22nd, 23rdMarch
1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 15th** Kaf Adventures reserves the right to alter the scheduling process in the event of low enrollment. However, all participants will be well informed of any changes being made.
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Mt. Hood National Forest
Mt Hood, Oregon
All aspects of the mountain and forest
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Payment plans are available for the Backcountry Mentorship Program! Details and fine print below.
To register for the program, a down payment of $450 is due. This is 1/3 of the total program cost if opting for the payment plan. Additional payment installments of $450 will be assessed to the payment method on file on January 10th and February 10th.
By opting for the payment plan, the participant agrees to the following:
- Payment installments of $450 will be charged to the payment method on file on 1/10/25 and 2/10/25.
- Payment can be made early by the participant if they choose to do so via their confirmation email.
- All installments are due to Kaf Adventures. The participant is subject to payment completion, regardless of program completion.
- The participant may not participate in any program dates if they are not up to date with payment.
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- Payment plans are available for the Backcountry Mentorship Program! Details and fine print below.To register for the program, a down payment of $450 is due. This is 1/3 of the total program cost if opting for the payment plan. Additional payment installments of $450 will be assessed to the payment method on file on January 10th and February 10th.
By opting for the payment plan, the participant agrees to the following:
- Payment installments of $450 will be charged to the payment method on file on 1/10/25 and 2/10/25.
- Payment can be made early by the participant if they choose to do so via their confirmation email.
- All installments are due to Kaf Adventures. The participant is subject to payment completion, regardless of program completion.
- The participant may not participate in any program dates if they are not up to date with payment.
- Payment plans are available for the Backcountry Mentorship Program! Details and fine print below.To register for the program, a down payment of $450 is due. This is 1/3 of the total program cost if opting for the payment plan. Additional payment installments of $450 will be assessed to the payment method on file on January 10th and February 10th.
- Payment plans are available for the Backcountry Mentorship Program! Details and fine print below.To register for the program, a down payment of $450 is due. This is 1/3 of the total program cost if opting for the payment plan. Additional payment installments of $450 will be assessed to the payment method on file on January 10th and February 10th.
By opting for the payment plan, the participant agrees to the following:
- Payment installments of $450 will be charged to the payment method on file on 1/10/25 and 2/10/25.
- Payment can be made early by the participant if they choose to do so via their confirmation email.
- All installments are due to Kaf Adventures. The participant is subject to payment completion, regardless of program completion.
- The participant may not participate in any program dates if they are not up to date with payment.