Mountain Addicts - Guiding and Instruction

Booked a day of touring and had an amazing day with Steve. I am relatively new to splitboarding and noted as much when I signed up. Steve was super patient, safety focused, and was always happy to answer questions I had throughout the day. I have my own avalanche gear, and we started the day with going to the test site on the mountain to practice using my beacon and probe to find a simulated buried skier, and then after that we were off to Mongolia Bowl. It had been a few days since it snowed, but there was still lots out of bounds. We saw about a dozen people throughout the day, and it seemed like Steve knew most of them which was very reassuring. I'm not the fastest when it comes to skinning, but Steve didn't seem to care which was another thing that made my day stress free. He was more focused on us being safe, and that I was having a good time. He gave me tips on how to be more efficient on my feet, things to look out for in terms of avalanche safety, and waited patiently when I stopped to take pictures to mask the fact that I needed to catch my breath from time to time lol. Given the conditions where changing to spring skiing, Steve knew exactly where to go to avoid crusty and soupy snow, and I still got to experience some knee deep, dry snow. He always gave clear and easy instructions so that I felt comfortable, and never took off on me. On the second run, he even snapped some pictures and video so I had some media to remember the day! If you're thinking of going, I can't recommend Steve enough. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. Things to note, the day I had was not for beginners. While I'm new to splitboarding, I am not new to snowboarding out of bounds and in the trees. We spent the entire day in the glades, and the pitch was sometimes in the 35° range. If you plan to sign up, be sure to be honest with your riding ability, and ask lots of questions to ensure you aren't getting in over your head. Again, very stoked with Steve and would definitely sign up again the next time I'm in town!

It's amazing how much we learned in the AST 1 course. I definitely feel much more prepared and confident to go ski touring. Mel is an outstanding guide and presenter. Her professionalism, in-depth knowledge and experience, and super personable nature all make the course a great learning experience. 10 out of 10 Mountain Addicts.