About Field Experience During Winter
Exploring the Sierra Nevada in winter is challenging, exhilarating, and full of learning opportunities. In this course, you’ll spend time outdoors practicing hands-on skills across multiple activities, from winter backpacking and mountaineering to skiing, snowboarding, and avalanche awareness.
This Field Experience is part of the WEOL program and is designed for anyone who wants to get outside, build practical winter wilderness skills, and develop leadership in snowy backcountry settings. Whether it’s your first winter expedition or you’re looking to expand your cold-weather expertise, this course will give you the experience and confidence to thrive in the field.
Students begin by learning foundational skills in leadership, communication, and winter backcountry travel, then progressively build competency across multiple cold-weather activities. Each component, from winter backpacking and survival to mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, and avalanche awareness, introduces new challenges while reinforcing core wilderness skills. By the end of the course, students have a well-rounded understanding of the technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills needed for extended winter field experiences in the Sierra Nevada.
We meet students where they are. Each level builds on the last.
Course Format & Time Commitment
The Field Experience: Winter course combines classroom and field-based instruction with hands-on skill development across a variety of winter outdoor activities. Students build practical systems for cold-weather travel, leadership, and teamwork through guided experiences, reflection, and progressively challenging snowy, mountainous, and backcountry environments.
Course length: 12 days
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Backpacking Section: 5 days
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Rock Climbing Section: 3 days
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Whitewater Section: 3 days
* Each course includes a required one-hour Zoom session.
What to Expect
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A mix of classroom preparation and hands-on winter field activities
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Progressive skill development across winter backpacking, mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, avalanche awareness, and survival scenarios
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Practice with leadership, communication, and group dynamics in cold-weather outdoor settings
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Opportunities to plan and execute multi-day winter trips while applying Leave No Trace principles
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Full participation in all scheduled field days, including the culminating multi-day winter expedition
Daily schedules, meeting locations, total instructional hours, and trip-specific details are provided with each course offering.
These courses are built around real-world experience, where learning happens through doing. Instead of just discussing skills, you’ll be actively practicing and applying them in the field.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll build practical backcountry skills including:
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Planning safe and efficient routes for winter backpacking, mountaineering, and skiing/snowboarding
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Navigating confidently with map, compass, and terrain assessment in snowy environments
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Organizing and leading multi-day winter trips and group activities
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Packing and managing gear efficiently for cold-weather conditions
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Cooking and managing food systems in winter backcountry settings
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Finding, treating, and managing water sources in snow and ice environments
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Applying Leave No Trace principles in snowy and alpine settings
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Selecting safe and sustainable winter campsites
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Assessing weather, snow, avalanche, and terrain conditions
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Communicating effectively and leading within a team
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Making sound decisions in dynamic winter backcountry environments
Course Fees & What You'll Get
Approximate Costs:
CA Residents = $93.00
Non-CA Residents = $921.00
Additional Course Fees: TBA
When you enroll in a Field Experience: Winter, you’re getting more than instruction time.
Materials You'll Receive:
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WEOL Ski Strap
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WEOL Chapstick
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WEOL Mini Sunscreen
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Mini Hand Sanitizer
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Rite in the Rain Notebook
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Mini Pencil
Transportation & Logistics
When the course leaves campus for winter field activities, WEOL provides transportation to trailheads, ski areas, and backcountry sites whenever possible. Our vehicles safely shuttle students and gear, reducing congestion and minimizing impact on winter recreation areas.
This lets you focus on learning, practicing skills, and enjoying the snowy outdoors while we handle logistics responsibly. Whether it’s a day activity or the culminating multi-day winter expedition, transportation is included to make your experience safe, efficient, and environmentally conscious.
Nature
Lovers
Who it’s for
Outdoor Enthusiasts
Outdoor Educators
Mountain Climbers
Weekend Adventurers
You & Your Backcountry Partner
Meet Your Instructor
Name & preferred pronouns: Nate Smith (he/him)
Favorite outdoor activities: Most mountain sports - climbing (rock, alpine, ice, mountaineering), trail running, mountain biking, skiing, ski touring.
Favorite outdoor piece of gear: Multi-tool......the most consistently used piece of my kit which goes on most outdoor experiences and every expedition! Two most used pieces of my multi-tool at the pliers and scissors.
Favorite outdoor meal: Cheesy pasta with vegetables and protein. My go to is a mac-n-cheese with broccoli and chicken
Name & preferred pronouns: Kendall Madsen (she/her)
Favorite outdoor activities: I don't think I have a favorite; I love them all. Backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, wake surfing.
Favorite outdoor piece of gear: My pillow
Favorite outdoor meal: As of last year, it's backcountry cake that a fellow instructor Freeman made.
Advisory
This is a physically demanding course. Students should be prepared to travel 3-5 miles a day in the winter backcountry, over varying terrain, with at least a 40-pound pack. Students may use their personal equipment if it meets industry standards and is in good working condition, program equipment will be provided. However, students must provide their own backcountry ski/splitboard equipment.
Prerequisites
& Advisories
FAQ
1. Do I need prior outdoor experience to take this course?
No prior experience is required. The course is designed to introduce students to a wide range of winter activities and leadership skills in cold-weather environments.
2. What activities are included in the winter field experience?
Students gain experience in winter backpacking, mountaineering, skiing (on-piste, cross-country, backcountry), snowboarding, avalanche awareness, and winter survival.
3. How long is the field experience component?
The course culminates in a multi-day winter expedition where students apply skills learned throughout the course.
4. What should I bring for the winter field portion?
Students should bring appropriate cold-weather clothing, personal gear, and any required safety equipment. Detailed packing lists will be provided before field activities.
5. How does this course help with leadership and professional development?
Students practice leadership, communication, decision-making, and teamwork in real winter backcountry settings, preparing them for advanced courses or careers in outdoor leadership.
Embrace the Winter Outdoors!
Take your first step into snowy backcountry adventures. Build leadership, winter travel skills, and confidence across multiple cold-weather activities, enroll in Field Experience: Winter today and experience the Sierra Nevada like never before.