San Francisco Bay Backcountry Skiing Section
SF Bay Chapter, Sierra Club
If you love winter outdoors, skiing Tahoe, Yosemite, Sequoia, and the Eastside of the Sierra, come with our group and explore the mountains.
Ronnie Strom, Bob Tripp, Bob Frommer, and Jim Miller head for adventure on Mt. Lincoln
Where We Ski
Ski Touring members organize numerous trips each year into the Sierra Nevada, Mt. Shasta, and Mt. Lassen. Typical trips include:
Lake Tahoe
One day introductory tours (Clair Tappan, Royal Gorge)
Intermediate and Advanced tours (Freel Peak, Mt. Tallac, North Tahoe Traverse, Sierra Buttes)
Eastside Sierra Nevada
Mammoth Crest, Virginia Lakes, Matterhorn Peak, Dana Couloir, Mt Tom
Northern Volcanoes
Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen
Trans-Sierra
The High Route, Kearsarge Pass to Pear Lake, Mammoth to Yosemite
What to Expect
Backcountry trips vary in duration and difficulty from introductory day trips to multi-day backcountry expeditions. Many trips involve climbing 2000 to 4000 feet per day and then skiing the return route to the starting point or to camp.
Are You Qualified?
The trip leader determines who is qualified for each trip. Call the leader for advice if you are not sure.
- BEGINNER and ADV. BEGINNER skiers with a few days of downhill or cross-country experience should be able to enjoy our introductory trips.
- INTERMEDIATE skiers should be able to ski moderately hilly terrain, use climbing skins, and descend moderate slopes with telemark or christie turns.
- ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED skiers capable of linked telemark or parallel turns in a variety of snow conditions should be able to handle tours in steeper terrain. Make sure you have practiced in ungroomed snow. Telemarkers and Randonee skiers are welcome.