How do the BC classes at the U of U rate?

[sunnygirluvspow]

Fairly new to BC touring. I was looking at some classes the U offers in the spring: winter backpacking, ski mountaineering, avi safety (I've got my Level I). They're all one weekend trip a piece. I think they're 1.5 credits plus $20 for each class. I want to check them out, but don't know if they're worth the dough. Has anyone taken any of the U's "adventures trip"?

[XtrPickels]

I'm going to bump this although I have no clue what the classes are like.
I can tell you for certain that I am not sure if they offer those at MSU

[pechelman]

Theyre 20$, seems pretty hard to pass up.

[powstash]

I know a single UofU grad (GRAMPS) who could save you some loot and take you on some backcountry tours, ski mountaineering and perhaps out to dinner afterwards. Save your loot and find a maggot.

[babel]

At $20 I don't see how it can hurt to check it out.

[sunnygirluvspow]

I know a single UofU grad (GRAMPS) who could save you some loot and take you on some backcountry tours, ski mountaineering and perhaps out to dinner afterwards. Save your loot and find a maggot.

Gramps is a great guy, but APD is taking care of that department. I figured a class from the U would be a different learning environment, new people, different points of view, etc.

[sunnygirluvspow]

Theyre 20$, seems pretty hard to pass up.

At 1.5 credits plus the $20, I'm looking at about $140 per class.

[splat]

Get the U to pay APD and Gramps to give a presentation.
Maybe they'll let you audit the class.

[gramps]

hah, this thread made me laugh. Good effort powstash and splat. I don't tour with nearly enough girls. As for the classes, I didn't take ski mountaineering (really ski touring), but it's usually taught by Drew Hardesty and is probably the best of the lot. If you want to see a very conservative outlook, go with the Backcountry ski guide class. I had Bruce Christensen as the instructor. The avalanche class is always a good idea. I took the 2 credit hour class, it has a lot of classroom time, a lot of snowscience, and you get a real letter grade (I think I got dished a B+ actually, there were actually tests and assignments...). Go with the 1.5 hr class if you want more of a field based thing. Winter backpacking? I hate winter camping, but if you dig slogging around with a heavy ass pack and no skis, and then freezing your ass off, go for it...

[Trackhead]

I don't tour with nearly enough girls.

I skied with girls all last winter.

[CommanderBaker]

Are they teaching heli-tactics? I might sign up.

[Sutter]

I skied with girls all last winter.

Awesome, TH. Touche!

[Tri-Ungulate]

Are they teaching heli-tactics? I might sign up.

I think pistol shooting is offered, but not Surface-To-Air Missle training.

Anyway, as one of the gurly-men struggling behind the Trackhead-inator on the ascent, here's my take:

The month-long (or was it even the whole spring semester, I can’t remember) class is the way to go, providing curriculum equal or better to Level II or even some Level III classes. On top of the snow science lectures, there's plenty of field testing, as the class goes out regularly over the course of the early season (unless they’ve changed the format). That way you'll get a good feel for the snowpack and how it develops, etc, rather than a "snapshot" of conditions you'd get from a snow safety course that spans only a weekend or so. This (IMO) is one of the most important backcountry winter skills, one I need to keep working on myself. Perhaps this class is the one gramps refers to, I'm not certain if it's still offered in the same form. Overall, the instructors, while not a steezy as gramps or Trackhead, are great folks with top notch skills and knowledge, and are good teachers, especially Drew. The short-form 1-day classes are more intro-like, and if you've already taken your Level I, they're prolly only good for review at best.

[~mikey b]

I've heard many good things about those classes. Talk to The Token Fat Guy on teletips - I think he took some courses there a couple years ago.

[sunnygirluvspow]

I'm sold and equally excited. I'll be posting my full report. Now.....where's the snow?

[DocChronic]

I skied with girls all last winter.

how much for the poligamy class??

[wra]

If the interest is snow, then you want the class mentioned by tri-u and it is not an easy grade or a credit. I think it's five credits, begins in January and is called Snow Dynamics, last time I checked. Beats the hell outta any other offering.