Online Crevasse Rescue + Glacier Travel Course
Online Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel Course. Learn more
Intro to Multi-day Backpacking Course
This long weekend mountaineering course initiates you in to the world of Mountaineering through a development of climbing skill sets. We start with the basics at out local cliffs and progress through the weekend to attempt a high alpine summit. For the neophyte, there’s safety in numbers so this course runs at a 6:1 student to instructor ratio.
Intro to Wilderness Hiking Course
This long weekend mountaineering course initiates you in to the world of Mountaineering through a development of climbing skill sets. We start with the basics at out local cliffs and progress through the weekend to attempt a high alpine summit. For the neophyte, there’s safety in numbers so this course runs at a 6:1 student to instructor ratio.
Online/Outdoor – Rock Rescue Course
Rock Rescue Course Online / Offline Version Due to the COVID – 19 pandemic, we have adjusted our delivery of Rock and Mountain courses to reduce the chance of gear and individuals’ physical contact. As well as limiting any groups of individuals outside of the pre-establish circles. We are excited to offer all the…
Online/Outdoor – Multi-Pitch Climbing Course
Come learn from the local masters the art of efficient multipitch climbing. This course will focus on all the technical components to multipitch climbing: multidirectional anchors, autoblock belays and proper equipment selection. Also, we help you develop efficiency and lead strategies because these soft skills make the difference between topping out in style or enduring an epic.
Online/Outdoor – Traditional Climbing Course
Traditional Climbing Course Online / Offline Version Due to the COVID – 19 pandemic we have adjusted our delivery of Rock and Mountain courses to reduce the chance of physical contact of gear and individuals. As well as limiting any groups of individuals outside of the pre-establish circles. We are excited to offer all…
Online/Outdoor – Intro Rock Climbing Course
This squamish rock climbing course, intro to rock climbing course is for the first time rock climber or the experienced gym climber that wants to learn the skills to climb outdoors. Learn the skills to get into outdoor rock climbing from the Vancouver climbing gyms. Push your limits rock climbing in Squamish, high on the Chief. Climb Vancouver coastal ranges of BC. Altus Mountain Guides will help turn your Rock Climbing, fantasies into reality. Sport Climbing is the skill you need to take your indoor gym climbing or outdoor top rope climbing to the next level. Learning how to sport climb safely will open up rock climbing destinations all over and is the perfect stepping stone to traditional climbing and multi-pitch climbing.
Heli Hiking
Heli Hiking Epic Adventures Await! Fast track your journey into the alpine with a scenic flight over the marvellous landscapes of the Sea-to-Sky Corridor! An unforgettable heli drop leads to a hike through the raw beauty of the untouched backcountry. Roads and houses are replaced with majestic glaciers and pristine alpine…
Multi Day Hike
Multi Day Hikes Overnight Escapes Under the Stars Escape into the backcountry on an overnight camping expedition. Ascend through ancient old-growth forest, passing peaceful creeks and waterfalls into the majestic alpine. Camping next to a crystal blue alpine lake surrounded by epic peaks under the radiant night sky is an experience…
Day Hikes
Full Day Hiking Trip Wilderness Tours From the Sea to the Sky! It’s no wonder why mountain bikers, trail runners, and self-propelled enthusiasts of all types migrate to the south coast year after year; The sky’s the limit of where we can roam in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor. There are countless trails…
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.