Wasatch Mavens - Women’s Backcountry Mentorship Series
Tour for an entire winter season alongside professionals and mountain mavens for a fun, unique experience that will take you above and beyond your winter goals in great company. Spend the season studying the changing snowpack and dial in your decision-making skills in the backcountry with professional female guides and athletes. The Women’s Backcountry Series meets twice a month (Fridays or Sundays), December through March. This season-long series will help you gain the confidence, skills and knowledge to become a connoisseur of the backcountry.
NOTE: The program includes the required assessment days plus four of the five dates listed, giving you the option to miss a day should you have a conflict or be sick. If you attend the assessment tours and the following four tours, and would like to attend the fifth, you are welcome to for an additional $269 plus tax.
Program dates
Friday Program:
Starting Friday, December 11 – Ending Friday, March 19, 2027
Sunday Program:
Starting Sunday, December 13 – Ending Sunday, March 21, 2027
See the Schedule and Logistics tab below for tour dates.
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 are the Meet + Greet and Assessment Tour?
To get the most out of the winter-long series, we will start with a Meet + Greet, Season Setup, Tour-planning Practice, Gear Assessment and Avalanche Rescue Review to make sure everyone is properly set up for a safe first tour and ready to plan tours.
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 are 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 Meet & Greet and first January Tour is required to participate in the series.
When you register for the program, please give a thorough and honest description of your skill and experience to help ensure a satisfactory experience for all.
2026-27 Mavens Backcountry Series Tour Dates
The program includes the assessment day plus 4 of the 5 days listed below, giving you the option to miss a day should you have a conflict or be sick.
Friday Series
Mandatory Full-day Meet + Greet, Season Setup, Tour-planning Practice, Gear Assessment and Avalanche Rescue Review:
Friday, December 11, 2026
Mandatory First Tour (to confirm group compatibility; some groups may be adjusted after this tour):
Friday, January 8, 2027
Choose 4 of 5 tour dates below:
Friday, January 22, 2027
Friday, February 5, 2027
Friday, February 19, 2027
Friday, March 5, 2027
Friday, March 19, 2027
Sunday Series
Mandatory Full-day Meet + Greet, Season Setup, Tour-planning Practice, Gear Assessment and Avalanche Rescue Review:
Sunday, December 13, 2026
Mandatory First Tour (to confirm group compatibility; some groups may be adjusted after this tour):
Sunday, January 10, 2027
Choose 4 of 5 tour dates below:
Sunday, January 24, 2027
Sunday, February 7, 2027
Sunday, February 21, 2027
Sunday, March 7, 2027
Sunday, March 21, 2027
Expect to be touring 6-8 hours each day.
If you attend the first 5 tours and would like to attend the 6th, you are welcome to join for an additional $269 plus tax.
Logistics
After the mandatory meet & greet day, you will be invited to join a group of 4 participants with similar goals and comparable experience. The first January tour is mandatory to allow group compatibility to be further assessed; some groups may be adjusted after this tour.
Tours take place in the canyons of the central Wasatch east of Salt Lake City.
To join the Mavens Program submit a request by clicking the register button. Please describe your experience and goals in the fields available once you have created or accessed your account. If you meet the prerequisites you will be sent an invoice for $599+tax to attend the mandatory meet & greet day and the first tour. Following the first tour, if you would like to continue with the program, you will be sent an invoice for the balance of the program.
Meeting Time & Location
The usual meeting time is 7:30 am but is subject to change based on the planned tour. Meeting location will be discussed during a planning meeting before each tour.
GUIDE
Our top female guides lead this program. They will contact you and your partners ahead of each tour to decide on a tour plan taking into account snow and weather conditions.
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 uma@utahmountainadventures.com
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.
