Washington Ski/Splitboard Mentorship Program

• Great for skiers/split boarders 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/snowboard
• Great for winter enthusiasts interested in meeting like-minded people who share a similar mindset all while under the supervision of a trained professional

Our mentorship program offers 24 days of training in the winter months (December – March). You will self-select up to 12 dates to work with an AMGA-trained ski guide + AIARE Course Leader or Instructor in a small group (up to 6 people max).  Mentorship includes topics like; Reading forecasts, route planning, mindset, avalanche checklists, and practical applications of backcountry travel, all while under supervision.

This is a leadership course, and a professional guide will not only teach you but also let you make decisions in real time while the guide is available to you for questions and feedback.

The group enrollment period is limited, and only available for up to 24 people.  After the enrollment period has closed, the group participants will then sign up for individual mentorship days (limited to a group size of 6). Each mentee will have ample opportunity to lead while on their mentee days.

Requirements for Participation

• This program is designed for intermediate to advanced skiers. The ability to ski black and double black diamond terrain in a various (all) 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.

The Backcountry Ski/Splitboard 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 a handful of days in a series throughout the season.

• The enrollment period closes on December 15th, 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.
• If high demand exists, Kaf will consider adding an additional guide to the program.
• 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.

• Ways to track the season’s conditions
• Learning how to follow the weather
• Building route plans
• Learning how to organize and work with people
• Ski/snowboard movement
• Up-hill and downhill group management
• Learning regional variances
• Learning how to pick tours based on weather and snow conditions

December

17, 30/31

January

6/7, 13/14, 20/21, 27/28

February

3/4, 10/11, 17/18, 24/25

March

2/3, 9/10, 17

• Mt. Rainier Paradise
• Crystal Mountain Backcountry
• Snoqualmie Pass
• Blewett Pass
• Mt. Baker Artist Point