Wasatch Mavens - Women’s Backcountry Mentorship Series

The Mavens Backcountry Series is focused on the women’s experience in the backcountry. We encourage women-identifying individuals, non-binary and gender non-conforming people to come together and learn in this season-long series.

Our goal is to inspire and motivate skiers and riders in the community to get outside the confines of the resort, explore boundless terrain, gain new perspectives and bond with like-minded individuals.

AMGA/IFMGA and/or broadly experienced backcountry guides and avalanche professionals will be your mountain mentors and companions throughout the season. They are personable, relatable backcountry experts and are committed to meeting each individual at their current backcountry level and helping them progress from there.

Who should join the Wasatch Mavens Women’s Backcountry Series?

Those who…

• Are comfortable with a women-centered space and who are women-identifying individuals, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming
• Love to ski and ride and are prone to adventure
• Regularly ski off-piste at resorts and/or have some backcountry experience
• Are comfortable and in control linking turns in soft snow/powder
• Love solitude in the mountains
• Seek untracked snow
• Want to go downhill but also stay aerobically fit
• Want to connect with new partners
• Like to explore the beauty and meditative value of skiing uphill
• Would like to practice and develop their decision-making skills in and around avalanche terrain

Are you interested in a non-women-centered program, but want to connect with other like-minded touring folks? Check out our Backcountry Mentorship series.

What is the Assessment Tour?

To get the most out of the winter-long series, we will start with an evaluation tour to properly place participants within the program.

The Assessment Tour is the first field day (6-8 hours) where participants and guides will tour in the backcountry. It is required that all participants attend this tour, and it will provide guides and participants with the opportunity to meet each other. It will consist of an uphill tour (~1500′-2000′) and skiing downhill in backcountry (variable) snow conditions. Guides will also learn about students’ backcountry goals and education level.

The assessment is not meant to deter anyone. It is meant to enhance participants’ experience by creating compatible tour groups for everyone.

Series Objectives

• Dial in your backcountry setup and review what to bring a what not to
• Learn how to stay warm, yet not overheat on the skin track
• Learn how to be a leader and a solid backcountry companion
• Get feedback, practice and hone your avalanche rescue skills
• Methodize your tour planning: use systems to help formulate options and select appropriate tour plans (avi and weather forecasts, red light/green light terrain, etc.)
• Set realistic goals per tour with guides and the group
• Avalanche skills, as appropriate (snowpits, on-the-go tests)
• Evolve your avalanche risk and terrain decision-making skills in relation to the changing snowpack
• Dial in skinning technique: kickturns, pressure breathing, etc.
• Learn to set an efficient, low-risk skin track
• Develop your downhill movement skills in various snow types
• Test your limits: steeps, trees, couloirs, distance and vertical
• Work as a team, build each other up, be your best self, get fit, explore new terrain and celebrate being out in nature

Note: Guides plan to cover the skills and objectives listed above as indicated by current weather, avalanche and snow conditions. For example, we don’t want to waste a low-hazard powder day on rescue drills. Primary objectives will be announced a day or 2 before each tour.

Course dates don’t fit your schedule?

Any of our pre-scheduled courses can be run as custom outings. If you’re interested in a course but the dates don’t fit your schedule, please check out our private guiding options.

Mentorship Series Prerequisites

• Must be capable of ascending 2000’+ at a steady pace in a day.
• You should be comfortable and in control linking turns in varied ungroomed snow (light and dense powder, crusts, firm snow, etc.) and terrain (trees, gullies, steeps, narrow exit trails).
• Attending the December Assessment is required to participate in the series.

Please give a thorough and honest description, when you register for the program, of your skill and experience, to help ensure it is a safe and good series for all.

After the required assessment tour, our guides will create compatible groups. You will be invited to join a group of 4 participants with similar goals and comparable uphill and downhill ability. The program includes the assessment day plus 5 of the 6 days listed below, giving you the option to miss a day should you have a conflict or be sick. If you choose not to join the program after the assessment, you will only be charged $239 plus tax for the assessment. If you join the program, you will be invoiced 50% of the full rate minus the cost of the prepaid assessment. The balance is due upon completion of the program.

2025-26 Mavens Backcountry Series TOUR DATES

Friday Series

Mandatory Assessment Backcountry Tour:
Friday, December 12, 2025

Choose 5 of 6 Dates Below:
Friday, January 9, 2026
Friday, January 23, 2026
Friday, February 6, 2026
Friday, February 20, 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026
Friday, March 20, 2026

Sunday Series
Mandatory Assessment Backcountry Tour:
Sunday, December 14, 2025

Choose 5 of 6 dates below:
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Sunday, March 22, 2026

If you attend the first 6 days and would like to attend the 7th, you are welcome for an additional $239 plus tax.

This 6 full-day field series takes place in the canyons of the central Wasatch east of Salt Lake City. Expect to be touring for about 8 hours. Participants will need to bring their own snacks, lunch and water (2 liters).

Meeting Place

The usual meeting time and place are 7:30 am at the Big Cottonwood Park & Ride lot, but these are subject to change. Exact meeting times and locations will be provided to enrolled participants before each tour.

GUIDE

Our top female guides lead this program. You will receive a reminder with the contact information for your guide. They will contact you ahead of each tour to confirm meeting time and location, as well as weather considerations and equipment needs.

TRANSPORTATION & PARKING

Transportation will not be provided. We encourage carpooling to help mitigate traffic in the canyons and crowded parking areas. Most canyon parking lots require a parking fee.

HOW TO REGISTER

• Register Online
• Call us at (801) 550-3986
• Email us at [email protected]

UMA reserves the right to cancel or shorten the course if fewer than 2 participants register.

BACKCOUNTRY TOURING EQUIPMENT LIST

• Non-cotton top and bottom base layer
• Puffy overcoat and/or other insulation layer (fleece, synthetic or down)
• Waterproof/windproof outer shell jacket and pants (or bibs)
• Wool socks
• Waterproof snow gloves and mittens (or a second pair of gloves)
• Lightweight gloves for uphill travel
• Warm hat and baseball cap
• Helmet (recommended)
• Sunglasses and goggles
• Sunscreen
• 1-2 liters of water (water bladders not recommended for winter use)
• Thermos of hot drink (optional)
• Sack lunch and snacks
• Ski touring or snowboard boots
• Alpine touring or telemark skis, or splitboard
• Skins
• Ski poles with powder baskets
• Beacon
• Shovel
• Probe
• Backpack (20-45 liters)

Please see our Backcountry Touring Gear List & Rentals page for information on the items UMA provides and local shops where you can rent or purchase gear.

Please see the Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding section on our main FAQ page for common course questions.