Backcountry Skiing with Kling Mountain Guides
and the
Durango Mountain Resort Adventure Program
If you are looking to expand your backcountry skiing knowledge and venture outside of the typical, then spend your day with Kling Mountain Guides at Durango Mountain Resort! No waiting in lift lines, no waiting for other people in your group, you go where you want and at your pace. Kling Mountain Guides is the official mountain guide service for Purgatory and Durango Mountain Resort.
This program is perfect if you have never been to Purgatory before. It is a guaranteed way to explore all the best spots (which are NOT on the trail map). The demand for KMG’s expert guides is at an all time high and guides are limited, so please try to make reservations in advance. This is NOT a ski school lesson. This is your private Kling Mountain Guide to take you to all the great places on the mountain. Each participant will be outfitted with a backcountry equipment. This will include; an avalanche shovel, avalanche probe, and the fastest beacon on the market, the DTS Tracker by Backcountry Access. While out skiing we will cover basic backcountry skiing techniques. If you are interested in actual ski lessons, please get in touch with the Purgatory Ski School. Prices are in addition to lift tickets which must be purchased separately.
Private Guide 2 hours-Trips begin at
- First Person $150 per person
- Additional People $150 per person
Private Guide 3 hours
Beacon Basin Clinics and Programs at Purgatory
In partnership with Backcountry Access, the leader in transceiver technology, Purgatory is pleased to offer a Beacon Basin. This is a state-of-the-art avalanche transceiver training site that features 8 permanently buried transmitters wired to a central control panel; users can control the number of transmitters that are activated. Beacon Basin is open to guests every day, free of charge. Guests must have their own transceivers which are available at the Kling Mountain Guides desk inside of Backcountry Experience in the plaza. Stop by Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp for details, located on the Village Plaza at Durango Mountain Resort. Beacon basin is located at the Base of Lift 3, the Hermosa Park Lift.
Free Beacon Clinics!
On the first Sunday of every month beginning in December, KMG will offer free one and half hour beacon clinics and training sessions at the DMR Beacon Basin. Guests should pre sign up but are not required to. Our guides will have BCA Tracker beacons with them for demos and practice. Clinics will start at 11:00 am at the top of top of lift 1. A lift ticket is required for guests to access the mountain. Advance sign up recommended. Contact us for details. All clinics are also availabel on a private ba
Dates
- January 2, 2010
- January 13, 2010
- February 6, 2010
- February 17, 2010
- March 6, 2010
- March 17, 2010
Introduction to Avalanche Saftey
This is a BRAND NEW AIARE COURSE!
TARGET PARTICIPANT:
- This course is meant to target riders frequenting avalanche terrain via lift access from ski areas and easily accessible backcountry trail heads and highway passes. This terrain is also known as “near county,” “slack country” or terrain that sees high local use. These users are typically young, relatively inexperienced and their travel is limited to day trips.
GOAlS
- Introduce riders to the risks associated with backcountry travel accessed via lift service and easily accessible roadside trailheads.
- Review the history of avalanche activity in terrain the participant is likely to travel through.
- Introduce and learn basic avalanche safety practices common to backcountry travelers.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Introduce riders to the risks associated with backcountry travel accessed via lift service and easily accessible roadside trailheads.
- Participants are made aware of local information resources including avalanche bulletins, avalanche , ski area closure signs, and local experts.
- Participants are introduced to the importance of a trip plan when mitigating the risks associated with travel in avalanche terrain. Participants are informed where to take a formal avalanche course that can increase their levels of preparation, planning, and mitigation of the risks associated with avalanches in their local terrain.
- Participants are introduced to “red flags” and “obvious clues” in identifying conditions that contribute to the formation of avalanches.
- Participants are given a demonstration of companion rescue techniques and an introduction to companion rescue equipment.
DATES
- January 27
- February 3
- February 12
- February 27
- March 10
COST
- $40 (must have lift ticket or pass to access the mountain)
Backcountry Ski and Avalanche Programs at Purgatory
Snow Analysis and Observation Clinic
- Cost: $50 for four hour clinic
- Standardized bonding tests including: rutschblock, compression test, extended column test.
This clinic will introduce participants to the proper techniques used in snow stability evaluation. Being competent in companion rescue techniques is not the only component of being avi savy. Students of this four hour clinic will begin to master the basics of snow analysis and field observation techniques.
- How to dig a proper test pit
- Standardized bonding tests including: rutschblock, compression test, extended column test
- Non-standardized bonding test including; hand shear, ski-pole penetrometer, measuring snow depth with probe, and more
- Observation Checklists
- Avalanche Danger Factors; “Red Flags.”
Start time is 8:30 am. Clinics meet at the Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp inside of Backcountry Experience in the Purgatry Plaza. These Clinics fill up quickly; advanced reservations are recommended. For this introduction course, backpack, shovel, probe and transceiver are not required; however, if you have your own gear please bring it with you. Guests will be outfitted with the latest avalanche safety equipment free of charge for the duration of the clinic. For more details or information on this course or any of our other backcountry programs, please contact Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp at 970-903-8349 or email us at info@klingmountainguides.com. Prices are in addition to lift tickets which must be purchased separately.
Dates
- January 4, 2010
- January 20, 2010
- February 23, 2010
Backcountry Trip Planning and Preparation Clinic:
- Cost: $50 for four hour clinic
This clinic will teach participants how to properly prepare for a trip in the backcountry. A true backcountry begins well before getting out of the car at the trailhead. A well prepared backcountry traveler puts a significant amount of thought in trip planning and preparation prior to ever hitting the snow. This four hour clinic will cover the following topics and include classroom time complete with Power Points. Topics to be covered include:
- Trip Planning and Preparation- What goes into proper pre-trip planning and preparation?
- Avalanche terrain recognition, assessment, and selection- The “where we travel.” This can be the most crucial part in being avi savy. A snow scientist that has studied avalanches for 30 + years will likely tell you they still don’t completely understand avalanches. Becoming comfortable with terrain recognition is the easiest and fastest way to becoming more avi savy.
- Route finding and travel techniques- The “how we travel.” We have chosen the terrain that we wish to travel through. Now we need to figure out how to travel through it safely. This topic will cover basic travel techniques in regards to avalanche terrain.
- Decision making and Human Factors: Over 90% of avalanche accidents can be contributed to human factors. Learn how to work at avoiding what ends up getting most people caught!
Start time is 8:30 am. Clinics meet at the Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp inside of Backcountry Experience in the Purgatry Plaza. These Clinics fill up quickly; advanced reservations recommended. For this introduction course, backpack, shovel, probe and transceiver are not required; however, if you have your own gear please bring it with you. Guests will be outfitted with the latest avalanche safety equipment free of charge for the duration of the clinic. For more details or information on this course or any of our other backcountry programs, please contact Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp at 970-903-8349 or email us at info@klingmountainguides.com. Prices are in addition to lift tickets which must be purchased separately.
Introduction to Backcountry Awareness Clinic
- Cost: $50 for four hour clinic
Learn the basic skills needed to venture into the backcountry while staying safely inside resort boundaries in this 4 hour course! This course includes avalanche awareness and avoidance, the latest in backcountry equipment usage, snow observations and safe terrain travel techniques. Clinics are lead by Kling Mountain Guides and are limited to 6 participants. Skiers should be able to ski blue runs with a 25 lb pack.
Start time is 8:30 am. Clinics fill up quickly; advanced reservations recommended. This course is a great prep for those looking to take an Avalanche Level 1 course. For this introduction course, backpack, shovel, probe and transceiver are not required; however, if you have your own gear please bring it with you. Guests will be outfitted with the latest avalanche safety equipment free of charge for the duration of the clinic. For more details or information on this course or any of our other backcountry programs, please contact Kling Mountain Guides Advanced Base Camp at 970-903-8349 or email us at info@klingmountainguides.com. Prices are in addition to lift tickets which must be purchased separately.
Dates
- January 2, 2010
- January 6, 2010
*Kling Mountain Guides operates under special use permits in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park , Moab BLM, Indian Creek BLM, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Cedar Mesa Grand Gulch BLM, and Dalla Mountain Park areas. Kling Mountain Guides operates under the Durango Mountain Resort operating plan in the San Juan National Forest. Kling Mountain Guides LLC provides services and employment regardless of ethnic or cultural heritage, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or physical handicap. Josh Kling operates as an employee of Mountain Trip, San Juan College, Fort Lewis College, and the Silverton Avalanche School.. Mountain Trip, San Juan College, Fort Lewis College, and the Silverton Avalanche School all operate under special use permits from the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in their respective operating districts.**
