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Photos: Beau Fredlund
Photos: Beau Fredlund
Hungry to ride the big lines but hesitant to take the next step? Welcome to the 2023 Big Mountain Snow Safety Event. 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 – the Big Mountain Snow Safety Event is designed to help you develop an intimate understanding of snow, and a toolbox of technical skills to navigate the mountains.
What’s the course like?
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.
What’s unique about the Big Mountain Event?
Beyond the snow and technical skills, the BMSS event 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.
Big Mountain or Backcountry?
There will be 2 levels available: Backcountry (L1) & Big Mountain (L2). Submit your resume and we will let you know where you will have the best experience. Skiers & riders will be grouped according to experience level when traveling in the mountains. We will all be together during the workshop sessions in town.
What’s the Difference?
The Backcountry Course takes a deep dive into the art of staying alive in avalanche terrain. We teach a very practical and team-driven approach to gathering snow data and making stability decisions. We focus heavily on group management, communication, and implementing our 4 step decision making framework.
The Big Mountain course is designed to prepare skiers & riders for high alpine. We implement systems to manage steep entrances, mandatory rappels, top down and onsight. We teach 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 – the Big Mountain curriculum reflects that belief.
Backcountry: $1585/person
Big Mountain: $1750/person
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 Session – Introductions, What to Expect
Day 1 – Backcountry Day 1: Learn to Lead
Day 2 – One-day Workshop: Avalanche Science, Slideshows, Stories from the Field, Rope Systems
Day 3 – Small Group (4:1) Ski Mountaineering Mission, Intro to Technical Systems
Day 4 – Small Group (4:1) Ski Mountaineering Mission, Steep Ski Mission
Pre-Course Requirements: Big Mountain
Pre-Course Requirements: Backcountry
Step 1: Complete Registration form with ski/ride resume
Step 2: We will recommend the right course level, and send you an invoice
Step 3: Your payment will be made in 2 parts: Non-refundable Samsara fee ($700) + Exum fee depending on level (Backcountry $885 / Big Mountain $1080)
Your Samsara fee of $700 is non-refundable from the time of deposit. The Exum fees can be refunded.
From ‘Being Home’
“Zahan is that rare breed of modest mountain expert; he has decades of experience navigating avalanche terrain, and yet no matter your skill level, your input is accepted without judgment. When in the field with Z, it is not just that all are welcome at the table—all are required. Unlike some of my past guided experiences, with him there was never any posturing or condescension.”
“The lessons from Z’s course have stuck with us, etched themselves into our decision-making models. We are on our own, decisions and consequences wholly ours to manage, and that space feels good.”
-Emilé Zynobia
“Zahan is a true Jedi Master when it comes to big mountain training. His passion and knowledge of the mountains is second to none. Zahan brings a modern approach to the evolution of big mountain travel.“
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.”
Billy was raised in the Northeast, but cut his teeth in the Tetons. He is an internationally-certified IFMGA mountain guide, and splits time between Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition to guiding, Billy is a professional avalanche instructor and forecaster. “Technical, human-powered climbing and skiing in big mountains is what I love,” he says. “I have been fortunate to experience some of the greatest mountain ranges in the world, which have been the forging ground for the mindset and skills that I share in the Big Mountain Snow Safety Course.”
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.”