This pack is a stout 55 liters, large enough to carry enough gear for 5 or more days into Boston Basin in the North Cascades. But when it’s time to climb the West Ridge of Forbidden the Black Ice rolls down small. Even though there aren’t any integrated compression straps the pack rolls down tight enough to climb like a small summit pack while still maintaining space for a days worth of climbing gear.  

​   Snow is still piling up above treeline depositing the deepest snowpack of the season. We have become intimate with an entire winters worth of layering and welcome the commonly stable spring skiing conditions. Our legs are strong and our endurance is high from miles of track setting up thousands of feet through the thigh deep.
   AMGA advanced ski guide courses and exams are wrapping up winter programs while summer programs such as rock guide courses, advanced rock and guide exams start to swing. Many of us are making our annual migration north towards the arctic circle to chase deep cold snow at the same time a long cold wet winter drives others to escape to drier climates like the Colorado Plateau. In the coming weeks we will strengthen our fingers on sandstone varnish plates and granite chicken heads, pump our guns on run out pitches up fountain sandstone, and remind ourselves that 5.9 was a hard rating in the 60’s and sure feels hard this early in the spring. After the first day of rock work for the season I am reminded of the skills we as a result of the American Mountain Guide Association Rock Guide Course.
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   The American Mountain Guide Association rock guide course increases a guides confidence and abilities in multi pitch rock climbing terrain. A wide range of technical skills will align guides and instructors with preferred practices of the trade that will leave onlookers bewildered and in awe. Tacoma based guide Andrew Powell said, 

​   Since the course last year I have progressed through other baseline guide track courses and along the way I gained professional and personal climbing experience. These experiences have developed a foundation in the fine art of mountain guiding. The AMGA instructor team members deliver their art in a professional structured manner that enhance professional guides. Often times we learn something that wasn’t in the course description or handbook. ​Bozeman and Jackson Hole based guide Cat Coe says the best thing she learned on course was, 

   
   Year after year the world of american mountain guiding continues it's upward progression with a commitment to professionalism. Employers play an important role in this upward progression by encouraging guides to train and certify through the American Mountain Guide Association. For many, applying for and participating in a course for the first time can seem intimidating. 
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​   Whether or not you believe in the AMGA or plan to certify as a rock guide, the rock guide course will develop technical, personal, or instructional skills. If nothing else you get to climb with exceptional people at some of the best climbing venues in the country. Who knows you may even get to ride in a new friends hot boxed Subaru on your way to a stare down with an overprotective turf defending goose. 
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​   The Wind River Range was shrouded in clouds and the sun cast a rosy evening hue against the sky. Passing by Rock Springs, Pine Dale and Bondurant dusk drew darker and the road gradually became wet, drifted, then snow packed. I was greeted in Jackson Hole for the American Mountain Guide Association Ski Guide Course with the wrath of inversion and negative 25 degree temps but the cold quickly faded. After meeting Tom at the Stagecoach we drove up the winding road, skinned out the sunny south side of the parking lot and  shredded some of the great linkups that are possible through out the Teton Pass zone. The inversion kept the south aspect snow in great shape and after a few laps we discussed the next day objective with a couple cold ones at the Stagecoach.

​   The following morning started with an ambitious alpine start of 8 a.m. and before I knew it we were in Grand Teton National Park packed, skinned, and caffeinated, charging uphill across the frozen Bradley Lake under Tepee Pillar, into the meadow, below Nez Perce and the east and west hourglass, looking up at the east face of the Middle Teton, in the iconic Garnet Canyon. Our long haul among spectacular scenery was rewarded with wind blown recycled powder on a moderate line called the cave. In the high-handed winter alpine, among mountains that make legends or break wannabes, shredding down a cliff lined chute, traversing high across snow covered crumbling canyon walls, jibbing rock skipping fall lines, back to the toe of the canyon, slashing steep open powder cloaked cliffs dripping in ice we exited the mountains. Groups of shredders trickled, rolled, bounded, onto the frozen stage of Bradley Lake chatting about our lines, our stories, and shared our laughter, smiles, and excitement after a day of skiing.

   A rest day and systems check followed before we went to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for our first day of the Ski Guide Course. On the first day after the group delivered introductions and received a briefing on the coming 12 days we enthusiastically loaded onto Big Red and shuttled up nearly 4200’ to the top of Rendevouz bowl to warm up for our movement skill evaluation. So we bombed down the mountain trying to keep up with Course Leader Rob Hess. Our next couple laps included bumped out bowl skiing through mountain top fog, ski school style groomed slide turns, and tight, steep, chute shredding all with a video recording of our every turn. We reconvened at the base area and reviewed the video of our runs, discussed coaching methods for our clients, and called it a day. ​

​   The following days we filled Big Red to access steep powder slopes, bowls, and chutes plummeting  4,200’ while learning the finer points of the invisible rope. It was easy to keep rewards high and white rooms freshly painted among the rock lined chutes, faces, and forests we guided. 
   To conclude our mechanized backcountry down guiding days we stayed inbounds and built snow anchors and managed lowers with Mike Poborsky. This was a great day since we tried a variety of lowering techniques using us snowboarders as guinea pigs. Since we are turned sideways the pull of the rope on the harness can be awkward, it torsionally rotates the riders at the tie in. So we rigged an equalized tether to the uphill side of the rider, then we practiced being lowered regular or switch in other words tip up hill or tip downhill. Even though we were lowering on a rutted and difficult slope ​the 3 splitters (Tom , Frank, and Jere) had the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of each technique. While it's still debatable I believe an equalized tether with the splitboard tip uphill, switch lower, worked the best.  

​   Meandering through the moraine and snow covered willows, ascending through old growth forest among braided skin tracks, skinning through boot deep blower in alpine meadows, onto near tree line ridges looking up at the Grandest of Tetons and down to the elk refuge thousands of feet below we ascended to our first touring objective in Grand Teton National Park, namely 25 short. Mike Poborsky explained and demonstrated, then we practiced the finer points of track setting and turning techniques. A quick but thorough snowpack evaluation along the way led us to the top of this classic "low hanging fruit." Long, open, evergreen lined, powder filled slopes descends into the deciduous and bare treed meadows to the valley. At the bottom a little one foot skating with poles, through frozen wetlands led to split mode  skating back across the groomed skate ski track and the trailhead.

   ​On our seventh day we headed back into the park and skied Albright Mountain, another Grand Teton National Park classic. This more committing objective gave everyone a chance to refine up and down guiding skills. This grand outing above timber line, plunged down through stiff wind slab and the summit chute, onto Albright's shoulders and slalom pine groves and meadows, we ripped fall lines that left us with huge smiles filled with light dry Teton blower.
   After recuperating with a day working on technical skills, including sled construction, lowers and load transfers we finished early to take care of any last minute details before the long awaited multi-day yurt based tour. The course itinerary and progression worked great as we transitioned from mechanized guiding, then touring, and eventually multi-day hut based access. The next day we met in Victor Idaho, drove up to the trailhead, and headed up to the Baldy Mountain Yurt.

   ​At this point in the course everyone has been applying new skills, developing old ones, and generally feeding off of each other and our instructors. After reaching the yurt we settled in, began working on beacon search skills and building snow shelters. This quickly led to evening when we found ourselves in the toasty wood stove warmed yurt, wearing comfy down booties, preparing fresh stir fry, while Ullr provided peppermint and cinnamon refills. Nearly a week into the course  good conversation and networking, satisfied appetites and thirst, were accompanied with a healthy dose of the winter pattern, El Gordo.
   The next morning Gordo and Ullr kept spirits high with powder stoke and delivered a fresh foot of snow. The two groups set off up the wandering ridge line, peering for positive visibility and condition assessments. After traveling through snow blowing meadows near tree line we descended back to the yurt, snacked, then headed off to some low angle hot lap glory. The remainder of the day consisted of storm snow analysis, collecting data, gaining feedback, and the occasional hoot and holler that echoed off trees as ear to ear grins blasted through repeated face shots.

​   Our last night at the yurt and a sense of conclusion set in as hot drinks and conversation complimented a hearty dinner.  Then finally it was our turn to dig, build and sleep in our snow shelter. Through trial and error Brendan and I  attempted to replicate Rob Hess's shelter. We constructed a large snow shelter with an all important wind blocking door that proved to be cozy. Morning greeted us with a warm hearty breakfast and loads of coffee and tea. We vacated the yurt then Mike thoroughly covered mechanical advantage raising systems. The time finally came for our final descent of the trip. Hauling overnight packs up through ridge line glades and meadows, we transition to dreamy powder fields and onto the meandering skin track, eventually we reached the weir and crossed the shallow stream back to the road. This long descent provided great snow, a bit of on sight route finding, and a variety of split board techniques to manage the variable terrain and slope angle. Once back on the snow covered and packed road we skinned and skated back to the cars where we unloaded packs, changed clothes, and headed to the nearest watering hole, to feed, refresh, and generally relax after 11 days of knowledge, experience, networking, and fun hog having good times. 

   ​Our last day was brief but perhaps the most influential. As part of being stewards of the national forest, national parks, and public lands, we had a Leave no Trace discussion. But this wasn’t a lesson on the 7 LNT guidelines, as guides we should already be implementing this with clients. Rob led the discussion on what this means in regards to the direction of the American Mountain Guides Association and the perception of the organization in the eyes of the public, the land managers, and the international community.
   As stewards it is our responsibility to demonstrate what sustainability, conservation, and land use is. It is up to us to exemplify this message to our clients, to other groups, and to land managers so that we express the absolute value of hiring an AMGA trained and certified mountain guide. Of course as AMGA trained guides and instructors we have technical skills and interpersonal skills, some better than others. But we also have a responsibility to positively influence the public about the impact and value of our actions while connecting with the landscape we travel through.