We love skiing. It’s that simple. If you can relate, the Backcountry Season Pass is for you. This is our way of rewarding your love of skiing and providing what we think is the best deal going to get you out there! Whether you are looking to develop your backcountry skills, or just want to get the powder goods when it's going off, this program gives you the flexibility you need to make the most of your winter. The BC Season Pass is valid in both our Washington Pass and Steven's Pass programs, and most weekends are now available for BC Season Pass holders!   

Stevens Pass is home to some of the deepest snow and best tree skiing in the Pacific Northwest and is located only one and a half hours from downtown Seattle.  North Cascades Mountain Guides offers traditional backcountry skiing trips, “Out-of-Bounds” skiing at Stevens Pass Mountain Resort and Snowmobile-Accessed backcountry trips out of Stevens Pass, Lake Wenatchee, Leavenworth and Blewett Pass.   

A short and fun snowmobile ride up the spectacular North Cascades Highway provides access to the best backcountry ski and splitboarding terrain in the state. With the annual closure of the North Cascades Highway in the late fall thanks to heavy snowfalls, the season for backcountry skiing adventure starts lasts well into April. The touring opportunities in this zone are plentiful, and superb by any measure.

NCMG Owners Jeff Ward, Larry Goldie, and Josh Colle are instructors and examiners for the American Mountain Guides Association guide training and certification programs.  

We often get requests from guides going through the AMGA training program for either additional training for advanced courses or structured preparation for an exam.  If you would like to prepare for an upcoming course or exam please get in touch with us as soon as possible.  Their schedules fill up quickly, especially right before the alpine and ski exams (late summer and late winter).

The Southwest Rib of South Early Winter Spire (SEWS) is one of the best 5.8 routes in the state.  It contains a variety of climbing from chimneys to slabs and everything in between.  It is one of our favorite climbs at Washington Pass and many guests come back to climb this route year after year.

Rescue skills are perishable, and like first aid skills, they should be refreshed every few years. This program is designed for graduates of an AIARE Level 1 course who want to ensure that the rescue skills learned during their course are still fresh in their minds. This is also a great way to keep abreast of best practices in the rescue world, new gear on the market, and insuring that you and your partners on on the same page with this life saving skill set.