Backcountry
For more than a decade, SheJumps’ Alpine School has been helping women and non-binary skiers build technical backcountry skills and confidence in serious terrain. Now, the nonprofit is expanding its flagship program with a new “Deep Winter Edition” of the Alpine Finishing School, set for January 17-24, 2026, at Selkirk Lodge in British Columbia.
The Alpine Finishing School, founded in 2012, has become one of the most respected women’s ski mountaineering programs in North America. Past participants include professional athletes such as Mali Noyes, Sandra Lahnsteiner, McKenna Peterson, Nat Segal, Lynsey Dyer, and Olympian Faye Gulini, many of whom credit the course as a stepping stone in their careers.
Claire Smallwood, SheJumps’ executive director, said the new Deep Winter Edition was designed to fill a gap in backcountry education. “Spring skiing is great because the snowpack can be predictable and the terrain is filled in, but skiing in true deep winter requires a sharper skill set,” Smallwood explained. “We created Deep Winter Edition to give expert skiers and riders the tools to make sound decisions in the most dynamic conditions.”
The weeklong course will focus on advanced avalanche forecasting, snowpack analysis, hazard recognition, and leadership frameworks while touring in stormy mid-winter conditions. Participants are expected to arrive with a solid backcountry background of at least 50 days of experience and prior avalanche training. Upon completing the course, they will leave with a professional-level process for navigating high-risk terrain.
Alongside the new Deep Winter course, SheJumps is continuing two other programs in 2026:
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Alpine Development School (April 5-12, 2026, Valhalla Mountain Touring): Aimed at intermediate-to-advanced backcountry travelers ready to begin leading their own trips, covering route planning, terrain choice, digital navigation, and group leadership.
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Alpine Finishing School (classic) (April 25-May 2, 2026, Selkirk Lodge): A technical ski mountaineering progression that emphasizes glacier travel, roped movement, crevasse rescue, and advanced route finding.
Together, the three courses create a clear progression from intermediate leadership through advanced ski mountaineering and deep-winter decision making.
Since 2007, SheJumps has introduced more than 10,000 women and girls to skiing, climbing, and other outdoor pursuits. The Alpine School remains one of its cornerstone programs, providing an intentional space for women and non-binary participants to step to the front of the skin track.
“Too often, we hear from women who say they’ve been backcountry skiing for years, but they’re almost always following,” Smallwood said. “These courses give them the skills and confidence to lead.”
Registration for the 2026 Alpine School series is now open. More details, including course prerequisites, can be found at shejumps.org/alpineschool or directly through SheJumps’ Eventbrite page.
