Mark Smiley teaches ski mountaineering skills in new online course

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#Skimountaineering is by far the best way to turn the worst of mountaineering into the best … downhill. Interest in the sport is exploding, for good reason, but for those new to it, what’s the best way to learn? Especially if you don’t know someone who can mentor you, or if you don’t have the financial means to hire a guide whenever you want? I’ve created a flagship online ski touring and ski mountaineering course designed to solve this problem. It’s for anyone with an internet connection, a thirst for learning, and a non-squirrel attention span. The course will go live in a few weeks. Scroll through the other images to see the table of contents. Something missing? Special Offer: If you’re the first to comment on a topic I haven’t yet, and include it, I’ll give you a free lesson. Have a good brainstorming! Photo by: @andy_bardon #mtnsense #mountainsense #backcountryskiing #skimountaineering #optoutside #neverstoplearning #arcteryx #atomicski # camp1889 #kaenon #sterlingrope #gobiggohome #picoftheday #instagood

A publication shared by Smiley brand (@smileysproject) on October 25, 2019 at 2:01 p.m. PDT

We understand that ski mountaineering can be a confusing subjectt: There are ropes, there are sharp metal objects, and there are a host of new dangers included in having a special day in the mountains. If you want to get started on the safe side, you’re better off finding a patient friend who’s willing to show you how things are done, or better yet, you can check out the Jackson Hole-based IFMGA Guide’s brand new online course, Mark Smiley. Direction MTN which covers pretty much everything you need to know to get really gnarly on skis.

RELATED: Mark Smiley Discusses His 36-Day Alpine Crossing

Of course, that’s not the sort of thing Youtube University can fully explain, but it’s a good start for anyone looking to get deeper into the mountains. It’s an even better resource for those with some experience looking for a point of reference for any questions. Practice makes perfect, so be sure to take this course with some real-world practice time.

Countless hours have been invested in making it a unique resource for beginners, intermediate users who want to improve their game, and even professionals who want to hone their existing skills and techniques. Really, I did it for my 26 year old self. If I had had this useful resource 12 years ago, I would have been skiing bigger, safer, in a fraction of the time. Now this resource is online and available to you! From the comfort of your own screen.

-Mark Smiley

Smiley’s course focuses on real-world skills to help you travel safely and efficiently over complicated mountain terrain. Photo by Mark Smiley / MTN Sense.

We took a deep dive into the online course which consists of 10 sections including such things as avalanche safety, skimo gear selection, ice climbing and rope skills, as well as knowledge of shipping and navigation. skills. Smiley does a great job of explaining very complicated things in very simple terms. There are even guest cameos of familiar faces like Cody Townsend explaining how they use these skills and apply them in their own activities like Project Fifty.

Register for the MTN Sense course here

The course is available now, with a 40% early bird discount until November 25. Check it out if you are looking for some additional knowledge on how to traverse big mountains this winter.