Applications open Oct 20 for Backcountry Semester students, and Nov 6 to the public.
Teton Range. February 25 to March 1, 2027.
Hungry to ride the big lines but hesitant to take the next step? Welcome to Big Mountain Snow Safety 2027. For over a decade Samsara has helped skiers and riders develop a systematic approach to climbing & riding in the high alpine.
From expedition leaders to film crews, professional athletes, to everyday adventurers – Big Mountain Snow Safety is designed to help you develop an intimate understanding of snow, and a toolbox of technical skills to navigate the mountains.
Backcountry Semester is required before Big Mountain Snow Safety. See who needs it.
This is not a ‘stand-around and talk about snow’ course! Expect a ‘go-shred big lines with your crew’ kind of course! We look forward to long days in the Tetons, on the move, learning from every moment. You and the other participants will be in the lead, assessing the mountains, and implementing strategies to manage the hazards. Your instructor will be right behind you, helping you to evolve as a high mountain traveler.
Your Instructors are some of the most accomplished ski and snowboard adventurers, having pioneered first descents from the Himalaya, to the Andes and the Alaska Range. We are a group of passionate big mountain riders.
Big Mountain Snow Safety prepares skiers and riders for the high alpine. We take a practical, team-driven approach to gathering snow data and making stability decisions, with a heavy focus on group management, communication, and our 4-step decision-making framework. We also implement systems to manage steep entrances, mandatory rappels, and top-down and onsight descents, using a ride-specific rope system developed over decades in the Tetons and tested in the world’s great ranges. While technical systems are important, the study of snow is paramount, and the curriculum reflects that belief.
Beyond the snow and technical skills, the course is a gathering of the mountain community. We create space to explore through story-telling the often-hidden aspects of the big mountain experience; grief, loss and how to navigate risk through the changing chapters of life.
Samsara course fee: $995, non-refundable, paid on the Samsara site after you’re accepted.
Exum guide fee: paid directly to Exum Mountain Guides. The 2026 fee was $1,130. Exum sets its own 2027 price, which may change slightly.
Backcountry Semester, self-paced: $479 for accepted applicants who aren’t already covered (normally $599); see Pre-Course Requirements. Non-refundable, and you keep course access for life.
Total if you’re already covered: about $2,125 ($995 Samsara plus about $1,130 Exum).
Total with self-paced Backcountry Semester: about $2,604 ($995 Samsara, about $1,130 Exum, and $479 for the course).
We have room for up to 16 students, with 4 instructors (4:1 ratios).
We will be all together for the clinic sessions, and skiing in the mountains in small groups according to level.
Pre-course Zoom (mandatory): Tuesday, January 26, 5:30 to 6:30 pm MST. Introductions and what to expect.
Kickoff dinner: Thursday, February 25.
Day 1, Friday, February 26: Backcountry: learn to lead.
Day 2, Saturday, February 27: Small-group (4:1) ski mountaineering mission. Intro to technical systems.
Day 3, Sunday, February 28: Dryland Skills Day: avalanche science, slideshows, stories from the field, and rope systems.
Day 4, Monday, March 1: Small-group (4:1) steep ski mission.
Awards dinner: Monday, March 1.
All schedules are weather dependent.
You’re already covered if any of these is true:
If none of these apply, you’ll add the self-paced Backcountry Semester when you’re accepted. It’s normally $599, discounted to $479 for BMSS students. Built from the 11 modules of our live course and taught by the Big Mountain Snow Safety team, it covers how to understand stability, make better decisions, and develop big mountain rope skills, so you arrive ready to put that framework to work in the field. It opens December 14.
“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 student)
We’ll confirm your spot as soon as both payments are in.
Your Samsara course fee is non-refundable from the time of payment. If you add the self-paced Backcountry Semester, it’s also non-refundable, and you keep course access for life. Exum’s guide fee may be refundable at Exum’s discretion. Some students choose to buy travel insurance to cover cancellations.
Aaron is a big mountain snowboarder, an avalanche educator, 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. “The Big Mountain Snow Safety Course is a chance for me to impart what I have learned to a new generation of adventurers,” he says. “I draw from my personal experience of remote expeditions and first descents, combined with my ongoing study of snow—these are the ingredients I rely on, and am passionate to share with high-level skiers and riders.”
In his constant pursuit of learning and personal growth, Adam has clocked an absurd amount of time in the alpine environment while climbing and skiing the world’s greatest mountain ranges. Based in the Tetons, he is an IFMGA-certified guide and professional avalanche forecaster. “Skiing in the high peaks involves a high level of uncertainty. Over the years I’ve made mistakes and seen firsthand the consequences of poor decision making,” he says. “By sharing what I’ve learned from my own failures and successes in the mountains I hope to impart the nuances of decision making and ultimately give you the tools to navigate a lifetime of adventures in the wildest of places.”
Zahan is a passionate big mountain skier based in Jackson, Wyoming and the owner of Samsara Experience. He has spent his life in constant pursuit of a deeper understanding of how to survive the dangerous game of high-alpine skiing and riding. Z is also an IFMGA-certified mountain guide. “I started the Big Mountain Snow Safety Program in 2013 to train high-level independent skiers and riders on their path to adventure in the greater ranges of the world,” he says. “This program is where we share everything we’ve learned. We teach from the heart, we share from our mistakes, and we do our absolute best to prepare you to make your own decisions in the uncertain world of big mountain riding.”
A lifelong Teton resident and skier, Morgan is a passionate teacher, mountain guide, and steward of the Tetons. Morgan has completed ski mountaineering descents and human powered adventures around the world that have helped build a niche skillset for moving through terrain and skiing in wild places. “I love spending my time in the snow with others and hope to instill confidence and competence in anyone who wishes to be there," she says. "The Big Mountain Snow Safety Course is an incredible venue to share stories and lessons learned from a life in the mountains.”
