Winter Backcountry Touring - Adult

Start exploring wilderness in winter

Breathe in cold air as you ski down fresh snow. Feel your muscles burn as you top a ridge showing you a view of the next snow-covered valley. Enjoy the quiet of a winter night after a good, hard day of work. On this course, you’ll join a group of motivated adults to learn to ski or splitboard in the backcountry.

You’ll start with ski or snowboarding lessons at the Grand Targhee Ski Resort, then head to the mountains. During the day you’ll work on your touring skills, spending some nights in yurts and others in snow shelters you’ll build yourself. You’ll find fresh powder for skiing or snowboarding and start learning snow science. In addition to these technical skills, this course will focus on leadership. Every day will give you new challenges to meet and practice growing skills in risk management, communication, and decision making. Leadership on this course is about doing and practicing as much as possible. With this combination of outdoor and leadership skills, you’ll go home prepared for a lifetime of enjoying the wilderness in the winter.

NOLS adult courses are designed for both beginners and experienced individuals. Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of skill level!

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Duration

12 days

Age

23+ yrs

Tuition

$3,850 to $3,970

Skill Options
Academic Credit

2 College Credits

  • 2 Skills Practicum

Certifications

  • NOLS Level I Avalanche Training

Equipment Deposit

$400

Start/End

Driggs, Idaho

Fly In/Out

Jackson, Wyoming

Course Session Dates

Feb 1, 2026 - Feb 12, 2026

Driggs, ID

$3,850 View Session

Feb 15, 2026 - Feb 26, 2026

Driggs, ID

$3,850 View Session

Jan 31, 2027 - Feb 11, 2027

Driggs, ID

$3,970 View Session

Feb 14, 2027 - Feb 25, 2027

Driggs, ID

$3,970 View Session

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“I really enjoyed learning about the native plants, animals and ecology of the mountains in winter. I have been interested in scientific research for a while and this course helped to focus my desired areas of study.”

— Laruel M., NOLS Backcountry Skiing grad

Financial aid & Scholarships

NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:

  • AmeriCorps
  • 529 College Savings Plans
  • Veteran's Benefits (In Wyoming only)

If you are fluent in American Sign Language or Signed Exact English, you may be eligible to receive a full scholarship to your wilderness medicine course.