Policies & FAQ

As all activities we perform in the mountains carry a degree of risk, each participant must complete a liability waiver. This waiver is sent to participants upon booking and must be completed online or in paper form before the trip date.  

Read the waiver

Altus Mountain Guides reserves the right to adjust or cancel the itinerary to any trip due to poor conditions, inadequate participant enrolment, loss of guide, or other reasons without penalty to Altus Mountain Guides. For this reason, we highly recommend appropriate insurance (See Trip Cancellation Insurance).

Altus Mountain Guides does not accept responsibility for costs incurred by persons or entities associated with the change or prolongation of any trips.

Unless otherwise indicated, all prices listed on our website are in Canadian Dollars. All prices are subject to an additional 5% Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST), which will be applied to your booking at checkout. We accept cash, email transfer and credit card for payment. Cheques are only accepted 30 days before trip commencement.

When making a booking

Greater than 30 days from the start date

• A 20% deposit is required to secure your guides and/or trip. The remaining trip cost is due 30 days prior to the trip/course start date

Less than 30 days from the start date

• The trip cost must be paid in full

Certain trips have unique payment policies; unique policy details of individual trips may be found at each trip page's foot under the “Booking Policy” section.

Longer and more involved trips may involve additional fees. Transportation, accommodation, ski passes, and food are not included in the trip cost unless specifically stated on the trip page. Catering may be added upon request to any trip at additional cost.

Cancellations must be submitted in writing by email to info@altusmoutainguides.com and will only be recognized once received by Altus Mountain Guides. Cancellation requests sent directly to guides instead of the office will not be recognized as guides are often in the field and unable to relay messages.

Cancellations

Greater than 30 days from the start date

• The deposit will be refunded in full

Less than 30 days

• The full trip amount will be forfeited

When a trip is booked, Altus Mountain Guides immediately begins incurring expenses, including deposits for guides, huts, and transportation. Third-party expenses will be subject to their own cancellation policies.

Under the extenuating circumstance, if Altus Mountain Guides is forced to cancel a trip for reasons beyond its control, credit or refund will be issued - to be determined by AMG on a case-by-case basis. In any case, Altus's non-refundable expenses on behalf of a client will not be refunded due to cancellation. 

We strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance for your trip or course. Learn more.

Weather and conditions are unpredictable year-round and constantly affect the decisions we make in planning and executing each trip. If conditions do not prove adequate to complete a specific objective in your trip plan, we will have a contingency plan for an alternative objective. If your trip is affected by the weather, you will be contacted as soon as possible.

We do our best to provide the best experience possible under every circumstance. It is not practical for us to issue refunds whenever a client is unsatisfied with the weather. If you have a specific objective in mind, you should understand that while we will do everything in our power to make this happen, your safety will be our priority. An alternate route/plan may be necessary. Exceptions may be made for certain rock climbing and alpine climbing trips on a case-by-case basis; please contact us directly to discuss.

Upon confirmation of your trip, Altus Mountain Guides enters into financial obligation and cannot refund payment or release you from your contractual obligation except for the condition stated above in “Cancellations.” To avoid unnecessary cancellation penalties, cancellation insurance is strongly recommended in the event you cannot participate or if your trip is interrupted “for any reason.” We recommend TuGo for trip cancellation and medical insurance while traveling within Canada.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding our policy or obtaining insurance.

Flexible trip cancelation insurance

Altus provides flexible trip cancellation insurance to most of its products. This insurance costs 12% of the pre-tax course amount and allows the customer to cancel or reschedule 1 time at no penalty.  Customers must inform Altus of change or cancelation requests 24 hours prior to course/trip start. Rescheduling must be completed within 12 months of original courses days and subject availability.

Altus flexible trip cancelation insurance is not applicable to 3rd party expenses that are non-refundable including but not limited to.

• Hut fees
• Transportation
• Food

All participants must have personal internationally accepted medical insurance for all activities pertaining to your trip, including emergency rescue and evacuation. With your insurance, please ensure you will be covered for “roped travel” if booking a technical trip.

Canada - Rescue insurance is not required

The USA - Required

France - Not required

Switzerland/Italy – Required

All minors (under 18 years of age) participating in courses and trips must have a waiver signed by a legal parent or guardian. Minors who wish to participate in backcountry courses/trips may only do so while accompanied by a legal parent or guardian.

Altus Mountain Guides is happy to offer gift vouchers for specific courses or monetary values. Gift certificates are transferrable but are not refundable or redeemable for cash. The redeemer must pay any additional cost when a voucher is less than the value of the trip. Any remaining balance will be held as a credit. 

Upon booking your trip, you will receive an email confirmation with a Participant Information Form, including a pre-trip checklist. The checklist includes important information about your trip, a gear list, meeting time and location, pre-trip homework, and forms. The Participation Form may be used to share information about yourself and to submit any requests for gear. Both the Participation Form and Waiver forms should be completed as soon as possible, as these enable us to finalize the details of your trip.

Please do not hesitate to email us with specific questions about your trip.

Altus is happy to provide what gear we have for rent free of charge. For gear, we cannot offer ourselves; we can provide recommendations for rentals. Ski touring/split board and avalanche safety gear can be rented through our rental partners, with which Altus clients receive a discount.

Altus may provide the following gear for most courses and trips:

• Harnesses
• Helmets (rock only)
• Ice axes
• Crampons
• Glacier/crevasse rescue kits
• Rope
• Camping pots
• Stoves
• Fuel

Clients are expected to provide or rent the following gear:

• Mountaineering boots
• Ski or split board touring gear (including boots, poles, and skins)
• Avalanche safety gear
• Sleeping bags
• Mats
• Tents

For trips and courses travelling to the Whistler or Blackcomb Backcountry, participants will need to purchase a Whistler Backcountry pass if they do not already have a Season’s Pass or Epic Pass. An Edge Card may also be used for a Backcountry day; however, you may wish to save these days for the resort as the Backcountry Pass rate is cheaper than the resort rate. If you purchase a Backcountry Pass ($59/day*) through Altus, your guide will bring this to you the morning of your trip. 

*This is a third party cost that may change. Altus will match the resort cost of the Backcountry Pass as it changes. 

Tipping is a North American custom and a great way to show your guide your appreciation. Our guides keep 100% of the tips they receive.