LGBTQ+ Backcountry Mentorship Series

Everything from start to finish with Utah Mountain Adventures went smoothly, thanks to our guide, Ben Farrar, who put together and executed our excellent adventure. Ben asked all the right questions to understand what we wanted from our backcountry trip, and made a plan that met our needs and was adaptive to the conditions. He kept us moving at a pace to achieve our objectives and had backup plans to do more if there was time and desire, or make changes if the conditions or terrain were not favorable. He provided just the right amount of support and tips along the way. And it was just such a pleasure to hang out with Ben! We were grateful that somehow he managed to take photos and videos along the way and shared them with us at the end of the day. 10 out of 10! (and that is saying something in a very low snow year)

Everything about our experience with UMA was fantastic! We arranged a back country ski/snowboarding day for my son and husband during our vacation. Their guide, Cody, was extremely knowledgable and safe, yet very fun. He provided all the necessary equipment so we never needed to make an extra trip to pick up gear. The office staff was friendly and responsive and made everything easy for us. It was an unforgettable experience and one I'd highly recommend.

My husband and I did a ski mountaineering clinic and a private trad climbing course through UMA. Both experiences were outstanding. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and personable. We learned tons of information on safe ski/climbing techniques and are now able to venture into steeper terrain with confidence. I would highly recommend investing in a clinic through UMA if you are wanting to up your outdoor adventure game.

Tyson runs a tight ship that ensure safety, efficiency and the maximum amount of fun for everyone. We did backcountry ski touring with him and his team and it was a spectacular experience. I've been doing in the backcountry for years, but when going someplace new and not being familiar with the terrain and avalanche aspects, you need someone like Tyson to help make the limited amount of time you have while on holiday the most enjoyable it can be. I would highly recommend Utah Mountain Adventures!

Had some of my best days skiing ever with UMA!

UMA is the best in the WASATCH!! The Guides find the goods and are so professional! HIGHLY recommend for a experience that will last a life time!

Two colleagues and I went with Tyson to Valdez, AK. It was the trip of a lifetime. Tyson was such a pro. He paid very close attention to the risk tolerance of each of us, which varied from day to day, and led each day to be as close to perfect as perfect gets. We also had a blast just hanging out together. I'm going back next year.

My backcountry ski trip with Utah Mountain Adventures was awesome! The guide, Mark, was extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the terrain and surrounding area. UMA helped suggest and create a backcountry ski day that catered towards my goals and hopes. We hit all kinds of great skiing. I would highly recommend the UMA team to others and look forward to having the opportunity to joining them again in the future.

Perfect days in the backcountry with Chris and Colby. I was able to satisfy my inner powder pig with 9 untracked runs over 2 days touring in Little Cottonwood and Millcreek canyons. Always have a great time every season, and I'll be back again next year. Thanks much to the entire UMA crew for making it happen!

I had an awesome day with Utah Mountain Adventures in the Intro to Backcountry class! The guide was very knowledgeable and answered a ton of questions I had about getting into touring. I learned alot and got some nice turns in! Highly recommended. I will plan to go back on a private tour.

Got me pow while I was hearing the heli people scrape down the mountain :)

Tyson is literally the guide who wrote the book on backcountry skiing in Utah. Super knowledgeable, safe, and amazing to have as a guide in the great Utah outdoors. Highly recommended!

Our backcountry safety course was exactly what I was looking for. 50% skiing, 50% safety skills training. Our instructor, Sam, was great too.

If you’re thinking about getting stepping foot into the backcountry this is definitely the outfit to go with. Took the two day touring and avalanche skills course and felt it was the perfect intro. Our guide Nick is the man and created a great environment to both learn in and have fun.

A friend of mine along with our two 17-year-old boys did a two day introduction of backcountry skiing and avalanche awareness course. The experience with our instructor Calvin Jiricko Was exceptional. Great teacher, who can distill complicated information in a simple manner plus he brings great energy In addition, he inspired the 17-year-old boys to want to spend more time in the outdoors safely which is what I hoped for.

Knowledgeable and friendly guide, communicative staff, great day in the backcountry. Awesome experience, highly recommended!

This is by far the best way to find out about the REAL mountains in SLC's backyard. I've worked with them frequently for five years on backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, rock climbing, mountaineering, and avalanche education. They are safety-minded, highly skilled, and greatly attentive to personal goals. Truly a top-notch group of guides!

We would highly recommend Utah Mountain Adventures and guide Winslow Passey. We have been back-country skiing for many years and love going with guides who not only know the ranges, but understand the importance of safety and our risk tolerances. We spent time up front discussing what we were looking for, especially since this was my 15 year old daughter's first time alpine touring. During the tour, Winslow continued to teach us avalanche clues and safe travel (you can never learn enough) and specifically spent time with my daughter so she understood what was necessary. But just as importantly, Winslow hunted and found, good, untracked powder which was not easy given the lack of a lot of new snow and a busy back-country. Looking forward to the next tour!

Had a great two days of backcountry skiing with excellent guide Kiira Antenucci. She is knowledgeable and highly skilled. Kept me safe and found great tours that fit my abilities, despite some challenging weather and snow conditions. Would recommend UMA and Kiira to anyone looking to explore the Wasatch.

Ideal private guided "Intro to Backcountry" tour for some never-evers by Will McKay of Utah Mountain Adventures. Will is down to earth, humble, super knowledgeable and perfectly blended territory access, instruction and stoke to hook us on AT. Will use again.

Had a great tour and skied exactly the kind of awesome, open terrain that got me into backcountry skiing. My guide, Billy, set a great track and pace to help me handily beat my previous vert record. The office had clear, prompt communication -- really a great experience through and through.

My wife and I took a 2 day intro to split boarding and backcountry safety course with Sam. He was very professional, friendly and super knowledgeable. The course was packed with information and the two days flew by. We will definitely be taking more courses with Utah mountain adventure.

I had a fantastic experience with my guide Tyson. He was very informative and a pleasure to spend the day with. We did some great skiing and I felt very safe despite the avalanche danger. I would absolutely recommend Utah Mountain Adventures to a friend and plan to adventure with them again in the future!!

Loved the intro to backcountry class; I just wish I had taken it sooner!

Incredible experiences here splitboarding with Cody Hughes. His knowledge of the snowpack, terrain and history of the Wasatch is invaluable. Look forward to doing it again.

I took an Avalanche Level 1 course through UMA in April 2026. The course structure was outstanding with each aspect (self-paced online educational modules, Zoom session, skills day on snow, and full touring day) building on each other. CJ was a great instructor - he is clearly super knowledgeable and experienced, but he also did a great job seeking input from all the course participants, allowing us to take the lead in some aspects, and making sure that everyone had a great time while learning the important skills essential to safe backcountry skiing. I highly recommend both UMA and CJ for anyone seeking avalanche education or backcountry guiding services in the Wasatch.

We went on a 1 night, 2 day overnight camping tour in the Wasatch with UMA. It was an amazing experience for all of us. We had limited backcountry and snow camping experience and we felt extremely safe and learned a lot from our incredibly knowledgable guide, Brian. We were very well taken care of!! There was limited gear rentals in the area due to COVID and the team went over and above to find us all the gear we needed. Would highly recommend UMA :)

Sam Marjerison is the most skilled, professional, and knowledgeable guide out there! I’ve had the priveledge of being guided by him on multiple occasions and every experience was exceptional! No detail is overlooked and he works tirelessly to find the best terrain available for your goals. Through Sam’s guidance, I was able to step out of my comfort zone and ski objectives that I previously thought were out of my reach. His calm demeanor and step wise decision making can make difficult tasks appear approachable. I can’t recommend Sam enough for your next adventure!!