Whistler Backcountry Skiing
Whistler Backcountry Skiing. Let Altus Mountain Guides take you out and show you the goods!
AST Avalanche Course
AST Avalanche Course. Just wrapped up our 6th avlanache couse of the year!! This time on sleds. 40cm of blower powder and blue skies, looks like winter is getting back to normal!
Sea To Sky Ice Climbing
It’s been a great start to the Sea To Sky Ice Climbing season so far! We’ve been out ice climbing from the canyons of Vancouver to the big country of the Duffey Lake and everywhere in between. Sharpen up your tools or borrow a pair from us and come on down for some ice bashing fun! If the snow isn’t cooperating you can still get out and enjoy winter, just strap some crampons to your feet and start kickin’!
AST 2 Course Whistler / Duffy Lake Road
Avalanche Training Course. AST 2 Course Whistler / Duffy Lake Road. Warming up in the sun at the top of the run “Honey Bronzed and Very Desirable” Duffy Lake area, this past weekend on our first AST 2 course of the season.
Mount Tricouni – South Ridge, Whistler Alpine Climbing
What a fantastic day out on Mount Tricouni! Just a short drive from Whistler it makes a great hike and a fun day of Mountaineering. After the drive up the access road it is only about 30min to Tricouni Lake.
Crevasse Camping – Mt Garibaldi
Last week got to go up onto Mt Garibaldi again but in a bit of a storm…..did snow good old Crevasse Camping!
Our clients Doug and Tom didn’t bail just because of a little poor weather. Gotta like the spirit! Only snow 40cm on us overnight. Was a joy getting up in the night twice to clean the snow off our collapsing tent… The crevasse was the best place to camp out of the howling wind.
Fun trip to be out in a real storm.
Mt Garibaldi Guide – Altus Mountain Guides
One of our last trips to Mt. Garibaldi. Still managed to get out on the Mountain in September. With 50 to 80cm of new snow fall on the mountain it made it difficult travel on the glacier. Especially with all the crevasses just covered up on the glacier. With the owner of Summit Co in Oklahoma,
http://edmondsummitco.com
we still managed to have a great time and see some fantastic views!
Trad Lead Climbing Course – Squamish
Was fun to get out with two clients on a Trad Lead Climbing Course in Squamish.
We started with just leading and then we progressed into leading on gear. Good job Jodie and Drew! Great to see people on their first Rock climbing leads and first traditional lead climbing climbs!
Keep it up!
Star Chek – Bolted Multi Pitch Rock Climb in Squamish – 5.9
What a fun day on Star Chek! Star Chek being on of the only bolted Multi Pitch Rock climbs in Squamish is a gem o a climb right above the Chek River!
Glacier National Park Travel Guide – Weekend Warrior Wednesday – August 28th
Glacier National Park Travel Guide – Altus Mountain Guides
Warriors, unite!
This week we honor the diversity of our fellow Weekend Warriors. I’m talking about all the different kinds of adventurers and explorers out there who tackle the same mountains, trails, ice walls, and boulders with the same unbreakable will and indescribable joy. Students, tour guides, scientists, and even dogs–all Warriors and all to be celebrated!
Check out their pics below and then hit the jump to their blogs for more awesome photos and stories!
What is Backcountry Skiing?
Do you have a craving to ski on ungroomed, all-natural snow in some of the most beautiful wilderness mountains' have to offer? If your answer is yes, then backcountry skiing can provide the adventure you're looking for.
Backcountry skiing generally occurs in sparsely populated areas outside designated ski resorts - truly making it an adventure. Human power is frequently the means of access and ascent, but some adventures may require helicopters and ski lifts may be used so long as the land accessed is backcountry.
Types of Backcountry Skiing
According to Wikipedia, backcountry skiing can include:
- Frontcountry: off-trail within ski area boundaries where ski lifts and emergency services are close at hand.
- Slackcountry: terrain outside of the ski area boundary that is accessed from a lift without having to use skins or bootpack. Usually this also includes area with access back to the lift as well. For purists, this could also include where people use a car as a shuttle.
- Sidecountry: terrain outside marked ski area boundaries yet accessible via ski lift. Typically sidecountry requires the skier to hike, skin, or climb within ski area boundaries to reach or return from the sidecountry area, or both.
- Backcountry: skiing in remote areas not within ski area boundaries. Ski patrol, marked ski runs, grooming, snowmaking, and ski lifts are absent.
Want to Try Backcountry Skiing?
Give Altus Mountain Guides a call to start your adventure today +1.604.848.8543
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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.