BACKCOUNTRY SEMESTER

With special guests CODY TOWNSEND and MICHELLE PARKER
Cody Townsend Michelle Parker
Understand Stability I Make Better Decisions I Develop Rope Skills
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4.5 stars from Fall 2025 participants
"...the instructors and their overarching framework for moving through the mountains has caused a radical shift in my mindset. This is coming from someone who's exhausted the traditional avalanche education program for recreationists... If you've been left with more questions than answers after your avalanche education, I suggest you check this course out."
– Lenny Truong
"When initially signing up for Backcountry Semester I was hesitant. By the end of the first call, I knew I had made the right decision in joining the group... Backcountry Semester not only expanded my knowledge, but it also made me more confident with my decision-making process."
– Bill Ciccotti
"Z and the rest of the instructors are beyond knowledgeable and they will help you learn from their years of experience as well as their mistakes. They are approachable, informative, and relatable. Absolutely fantastic course!"
– Mara Rendi
"Whether topics are review, or entirely new, the Backcountry Semester is a fresh course that will get the mental cogs turning while also stoking the psych-fire with other like-minded backcountry enthusiasts. This online and community driven approach to learning is a great resource and should be a prerequisite to getting back out on snow."
– Matt Kennedy
"Backcountry Semester has been a great way to get re-engaged in snow safety and the decision making mindset prior to the ski season... Combined with the BMSS course this will set you up well for a long safe career in the mountains. Highly recommend it!"
– Ranbir Lally
"Backcountry Semester was a great collection of relevant and insightful talks across the spectrum of backcountry skiing. I really enjoyed the focus on more than just snow science - the mixture of snow science, decision making, and technical skill discussions really provided a comprehensive educational experience."
– Clayton Sugg
"What I think the best part about this course has been is keeping avalanche safety in my head through the fall season, so I can turn on ski mode easier. The depth of knowledge that is available from the presenters in this class is really great!"
– Devin Olson
"This was a well thought out curriculum... I particularly liked the presenters' stance - of caution, not overly aggressive and mindful of risks. Weaving personal stories and learnings with the technical aspects of the program is unique and valuable."
– Adriana Vermut
"Backcountry Semester was a great opportunity to receive an education in backcountry topics while filling the void of Fall when we're waiting for the season to start. The online sessions and weekly homework assignments allowed for discussions that helped me to learn and realize gaps in my thinking."
– Ryan Leemon
"The speakers were awesome. Incredible mix of ppt content + great speaking alongside."
– Andrew Fish

SUPPORTED BY

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A 3 MONTH IMMERSION INTO LEVELING UP YOUR BACKCOUNTRY EDUCATION:

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 UNDERSTAND STABILITY
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 MAKE BETTER DECISIONS
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DEVELOP ROPE SKILLS

Backcountry semester is a season-long education and mentorship program for human-powered skiers and riders, taught by the Big Mountain Snow Safety Team. Our goal is to help you better understand stability, process risk and make decisions. Weekly live calls on 11 separate modules, followed by engaging assignments to deepen your understanding with an instructor-led chat. 

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REVIEWS FROM BIG MOUNTAIN SNOW SAFETY (BMSS), OUR 4 DAY IN-PERSON COURSE
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 A PERSONAL LETTER

Hi my name is Z,

I’m an IFMGA guide, a Patagonia ski ambassador and a passionate backcountry adventurer. In 2010 I was teaching a level 2 course, and I noticed that some students were learning to put skins on, and others wanted to know how to assess stability in Teton couloirs. The class was helpful for some students. It built an important awareness of risk, and the complexity of snow. But when it comes to the art of making high-consequence decisions surrounded by risk, some students needed more.

 

The 2 things that have taught me the most about decision-making are my mistakes and my partners. In the Backcountry Semester, I will share them both with you.

 

Personally, I have made more mistakes than I deserve to have gotten away with.  But so much of what I do now is because of the hard lessons that those mistakes have taught me. Backcountry Semester is where we share our mistakes, so that you get the lessons, without the scars.

WE HAVE RUN COURSES FOR:

BACKCOUNTRY SEMESTER

$990
  • 11 WEEKS OF BACKCOUNTRY EDUCATION
  • ACCESS TO A TEAM OF ELITE BACKCOUNTRY INSTRUCTORS
  • ENGAGING ASSESSMENTS TO DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING
  • JOIN A COMMUNITY OF BACKCOUNTRY ATHLETES
  • LIFETIME ACCESS TO CALL RECORDINGS
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Meet the Backcountry Semester Instructors

Aaron Diamond

is a big mountain snowboarder, an avalanche educator, forecaster and an AMGA splitboard and rock guide based in Jackson, Wyoming. He has made numerous first descents in the Tetons, Alaska Range, and the Andes. Aaron is one of the most highly respected avalanche educators having taught professional avalanche education at the highest level.

Adam Fabrikant

 is one of the most prolific big mountain skiers alive today, and the most prolific Teton ski mountaineer of all time. In 2024, he skied Buck Mountain, Wister, the South, Middle and Grand Tetons, Mt. Owen and Teewinot in 20 hours, mostly by headlamp. Adam is also an IFMGA guide, forecaster and educator.

Billy Haas

is a legendary ski guide and an elite big mountain skier. His passion for snow-covered mountains has taken him to all the major ranges, and with Adam he completed an alpine-style descent of Gasherbrum I and II without oxygen last summer. Billy is longtime avalanche educator and IFMGA guide.

Morgan McGlashon

is the best skier of the bunch! After years of professional freeski competition, she turned her attention to adventure skiing in her home range of the Tetons. She is the youngest woman to ski the Grand Teton. She is a seasoned ski guide with Exum Mountain Guides, and an excellent educator.

Zahan Billimoria

a lifelong skier, climber and mountain guide. Z was the Lead TGR Guide in the Tetons, and guided Jeremy Jones on the Otterbody Face of the Grand Teton. His personal ski adventures have taken him to Bolivia, British Columbia and the Alps. His intimate relationship with risk is captured in a 2020 documentary Solving for Z. He is an IFMGA guide, and the founder of Big Mountain Snow Safety program.

WHAT YOU GET WITH BACKCOUNTRY SEMESTER

  • 13 part Pre-Course Video Series
  • 11 Live Instructor Led Sessions, followed by Q&A
  • Engaging weekly assignments to deepen your understanding
  • Access to students & instructors in our online classroom
  • 4 online spaces to connect, engage & build new partners
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COURSE SCHEDULE:

Backcountry Semester course schedule, eleven Tuesday sessions from September 29 to December 8, 2026.
Session Topic Date Day
Session 1Learn the Stability Framework9/29/2026Tues
Session 2Making better backcountry decisions: Observe, interpret, decide10/6/2026Tues
Session 3Know your dragon: Identify avalanche problems10/13/2026Tues
Session 4Fundamentals of Big Mountain rope systems10/20/2026Tues
Session 5Advanced Big Mountain rope systems10/27/2026Tues
Session 6Understanding metamorphism: How snow changes over time11/3/2026Tues
Session 7The Evolution of Stability After a Storm: Understanding Settlement11/10/2026Tues
Session 8Dealing with deep slabs11/17/2026Tues
Session 9How to choose the right window to ride the big lines11/24/2026Tues
Session 10Deciding how to take risk: The terrain between my ears12/1/2026Tues
Session 11How to survive an avalanche12/8/2026Tues
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FAQ

Answers to our Most Common Questions

 You will have a 1 hour call per week. Assignments are estimated to take another hour. However students who have the capacity to go deeper will have ample opportunities to do so.

The calls are 5:30-6:30pm MT every Tuesday from Sep 29- Dec 8. Three Special Deep Dives/Q&As will be held on Wednesdays at 5:30p MT.

Yes! We will send you the recordings to download and keep.

This is a live course, not a series of recordings, so attending the calls is important, if you want the full experience. We also understand that you lead busy lives, and we will make sure you have the recordings to catch up soon after each call.

OUR GUARANTEE

If you are not happy, we are not happy.

Simple as that. We want to deliver an insanely good educational experience. If you attend at least 9 of the calls and you are not satisfied, just email us, and we will give you your money back.

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