Steeps and Peaks
Skills to Get up Big Mountains and down Steep Faces
Our 3 day Ski Mountaineering course is the complete program to take backcountry skiing to the next level. This course will focus on skills for safe skiing in remote heavily glaciated terrain, route planning, glacier travel, steep mountain faces, technical ascents/descents, advanced avalanche training and whiteout navigation.
Our courses run at a maximum of 6:1 Student to Guide Ratio to ensure participants gain as much as possible from the course.
Course dates: December 13 - 15, January 3 - 5, February 14 - 16, March 6 - 8 and March 27 - 29
The Goods
Length: 3 Days
Locations: Whistler, BC.
Prerequisites: AST 1 (or equivalent), alpine ski touring experience and strong ski ability (double black diamond runs).
Highlight Skills: Training on glaciated terrain, accessing steep ski lines and navigation.
Season: Scheduled Dates All Winter
Max. Guest to Guide Ratio: 6:1
Price: $440
What You Will Learn
Our Steeps and Peaks course focuses on travelling in alpine terrain and skiing interesting lines safely. This course focuses on glaciology, steep snow faces, avalanche assessment and group dynamics.
Day 1
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Understanding required gear
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Understanding glacier, alpine environment, crevasse formation, bergschrund formation.
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Roping up for glacier travel, up/down
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White out navigation
Day 2 & 3 – Alpine objectives
- Route planning
- Snow stability forecasting
- Steep snow climbing/descending
- Steep ski techniques
I want to say a big thank you to the Altus team for enabling my future multi-pitch adventures, I feel really good about how today's course has prepared me for the big leagues 🙂
- Mark T
It doesn't get any better than this! Can't wait to get back out there with the Altus guides - don't leave home without 'em!
- Nigel B
Is This for You
This 3 day action packed course is geared for skiers and riders who already have a strong understanding of ski touring techniques. The ideal participant is motivated to learn safe and efficient ski mountaineering techniques as well as have an understanding on how they wish to apply these skills in the future.
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Ski Touring Experience
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Understanding with Climbing Knots and Gear
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Understanding of Alpine Ski Routes they would like to accomplish
- Strong Ski Ability
Scheduled Courses 2019 / 2020
December 13 - 15 $440 / person
January 3 - 5 $440 / person
February 14 - 16 $440 / person
March 6 - 8 $440 / person
March 27 - 29 $440 / person
Add-Ons
8:00am- Meet & Greet at the base of Whistler Blackcomb
9:00-4:00pm- Backcountry skiing/ riding
4pm- Back to the cars for debriefing & high fives
- 3 Full days of Instruction with ACMG Guide
- All Technical Equipment (harness, crevasse rescue and group gear)
- Avalanche Rescue Equipment
- Whistler Blackcomb Backcountry Lift Ticket
- Lunch
- Transportation
Avalanche Gear
- Avalanche beacon
- Probe
- Shovel
Hardware
- Backcountry skis or split-board (skis, skins, poles)
- General mountaineering axe (steel) I will have a couple on hand as well
- Harness
- 30 litre backpack or large enough to carry personal and some group gear
- Rope - We will provide but feel free to bring what ever rope you would be using personally, so you can practice with it.
Crevasse rescue kit
- 1 x 1.5m 7mm cord
- 2 x 5m 7mm cord
- 2 x should length sling
- 4 locking carabiners
- 2 non-looking carabiner
- Belay device
- Pulley (optional)
- Ice screw (16cm min)
- Ski strap
We have lots of extra gear so don’t feel you need to bring all the crevasse gear.
Clothing
- Waterproof/breathable jacket and pants
- Lightweight breathable jacket and pants (for uphill skinning/climbing)
- Insulated jacket (synthetic insulated jacket is strongly recommended)
- Lightweight gloves for climbing/skinning
- Warm gloves
- Warm hats
- Balaclava or other types of neck warmer
Miscellaneous
- Sunglasses
- Goggles
- Sun screen
- Sun hat
- Ski strap
- Small personal ski repair kit
- Personal first aid, medication
- Camera
Lunch/Water
Please arrive in the morning with food and drink for the day.
Please take a moment to read and understand our policies before booking! Booking, payment, cancelation and weather policies, as well as FAQ may be found here.
Still Have Questions or Concerns?
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns or requests on how we can make this the best trip ever!!!
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Popular Trips
Altus mountain guides is a group of motivated professionals dedicated to providing our clients with outstanding quality in the mountains with safe adventurous trips. From our base in Squamish and Whistler BC we provide you access to the most amazing mountain experiences the West Coast has to offer. Our exciting itineraries showcase the Coast Range but reach beyond to the interior ranges of the Selkirkʼs and Purcellʼs and onto the Rockies. We also offer trips internationally from the historic and classic European Alps to the windswept wilds of Patagonia.