 
mountain adventures
MOUNTAINEERING IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
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Mountaineering, Climbing, and Skiing In The Canadian Rockies
"A summit on a crisp spring day, linking turns in powder back to the glacier below, new skills and knowledge that will give you the confidence to return on your own ski mountaineering adventures!" These are some of the ingredients that make this one of the most enjoyable and valuable programs we offer. Join us this spring for a week of fun and education on the spectacular Wapta Icefields! Ski mountaineering skills training featuring: glacier travel, crevasse rescue, route finding, navigation, ski mountaineering equipment, trip planning, avalanche awareness. For Alpine and Telemark skitourers. 2009 DatesMarch 22 - 27, April 12 - 17 Price$1345 CDN includes accommodation, National Park Fees, 'out-trip' meals, instruction and use of specialized equipment and group gear. GST is extra. Cancellation Insurance can be purchased for an additional $71.
Optional pre and post trip accommodation packages are available from $60 per person per night for shared room lodging ($120 for single occupancy). Purchase with booking. Subject to availability. Gratuities not included Meeting Time and PlaceThe course begins at the Yamnuska office at 8.00am on the first day. The Yamnuska office is located at 200, 50 Lincoln Park, Canmore. See this map for location. LocationThe course is based out of Bow Hut on the Wapta Icefields just north of Lake Louise ( 90km from Canmore). This area of vast Icefields and glaciated peaks is perfect for instruction with a really good hut system.
CurriculumThere is considerable flexibility built into the delivery of this course, no course is exactly the same. Snow and weather conditions will dictate the order of presentation to some degree. Key topics will be constantly revisited during the program. Topics include:
Course AgendaNote: From Day 2 the course agenda and the amount of time spent on each subject will depend upon conditions in the program area, the weather, group and individual abilities and learning speeds.
Day 2 - 5: Bow Hut is our base for the week. Its proximity to the glacier and to several peaks makes it easy for us to get out on to suitable instruction terrain every day. It's a perfect area for instruction. We may do a tour to one of the other huts in the region where we can spend a night or two. Peaks often climbed on the course include Olive (10,200 ft.), Gordon (10,000 ft.) & Rhonda (10,000 ft.). Day 6: Final day. We ski back down to Bow Lake and return to Canmore in the late afternoon. Guides & Group SizeYour instructors are certified by the internationally recognized Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and licensed by Parks Canada. There will be a maximum of 6 participants per instructor, a minimum of 4 and maximum of 12 on the course. Difficulty & PrerequisitesYou need to be at least a strong intermediate downhill skier (on either 'telemark' or 'alpine' gear) able to maintain control in all conditions. You should be making parallel turns on hardpack. It is not necessary to be a total expert and part of the course will focus on tips for maintaining control and tackling more difficult slopes. You must be comfortable taking a few spills and be able to pick yourself up and 'carry on'. You will need to be in good physical condition, able to carry a 35lb pack for several hours a day. No prior ski mountaineering experience needed. Minimum age for participation is 18 years unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and approved by Yamnuska. TransportationParticipants are responsible for their own transport to Canmore which is a 1hour (100km) drive west from Calgary. Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore. Greyhound Bus Lines (1 800 661 8747) serves Canmore from points east and west along the Trans-Canada Highway. Call 609 0300, 609 1490 or 609 8897 for taxis in Canmore. To reach Bow Lake participants can car pool or we will arrange a minibus at no extra cost to you. You should plan to arrive in Canmore the day before the course (see "accommodation" below") Accommodation & Meals
During the course we stay in alpine huts operated by the
Alpine Club of Canada. Sleeping areas are communal and facilities basic. We
cook on propane stoves and melt snow to get water for
drinking, cooking and washing. Accommodation in Canmore is not included. For your convenience we can arrange bed and breakfast hotel rooms at $120 per night. These will be at the recommended Westridge Country Inn. Double or single occupancy, the cost is the same. For those wishing to defray this cost we will try to pair them with other participants. This accommodation can be booked with the trip online or by calling us. Subject to availability. You can also make your own arrangements. Check our links page for a range of recommended Canmore accommodations. In addition the Alpine Club of Canada Clubhouse (403 678-3200) is a good hostel here in Canmore with good facilities and reasonable prices. Equipment & ClothingYou will need to bring your own clothing, skis, poles, climbing skins, backpack and sleeping bag. We have many of these items available to rent and if not can pre-arrange them for you. We supply avalanche beacons and other group safety items (ropes, harnesses, crevasse rescue gear etc). You will be able to leave excess gear in Canmore whilst on the course. The equipment and clothing you bring will have a big impact upon the quality of your experience. Please be sure to bring all items listed. If unsure about anything please don't hesitate to call and ask us! SkisThere are two ski systems you can use: System 1: 'Alpine Touring' skis are essentially 'downhill skis' with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift whilst going uphill or across the flats and then 'locks down' to become a regular downhill safety binding. We recommend this system to anyone with a background of downhill skiing who is not already an advanced telemark skier. System 2: 'Telemark' skis. These should only be used for this program if you are at least an advanced-intermediate telemark skier with some backcountry experience. This system is more difficult and less forgiving than the other. Which should you use? If you are a downhill skier then you should use ‘Alpine Touring’ gear. Only if you are already an advanced ‘Telemark’ skier should you bring ‘Telemark’ gear. Both types of gear can be rented in Calgary and Canmore prior to the trip Snow Boards can be used on this program though due to the number of flat areas you are better off on skis. If 'boarding' you need to be an advanced boarder and you need to be on a split board. Don't bring a board if you've never boarded in the backcountry before. Remember in the backcountry there do tend to be lots of 'flats'. Equipment ListYou need to bring:
Optional EquipmentYamnuska supplies but feel free to bring anyway:
Clothing ListWe suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allow for fast and easy adjustment to best suit fast changing temperature conditions. We discourage cotton clothing as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about what to bring.
Rental InformationSkis, Boots, Skins & poles can be rented from:
Yamnuska has sleeping bags, sleeping mats and backpacks for rent. Rental Gear InsuranceThere is no charge for rescue so long as you have a valid National Park Entry Pass (included in cost). It is wise, though to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident whilst here. Obtain extra coverage if necessary. Booking InformationPlease book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require $495 CDN deposit plus taxes with the balance due 8 weeks in advance, after that, full payment is required. To avoid unnecessary cancellation penalties we suggest you take our cancellation insurance for an extra non-refundable $71, this must accompany your deposit.
For detailed booking instructions
and conditions,
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here.
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Day 1: We
meet at the Yamnuska Office in Canmore at 8:00am for
introductions, a review of course goals and itinerary and
equipment check. Then we drive an hour and a half north to Bow
Lake, our start point. After an avalanche safety session, we
commence the climb to Bow Hut, which is located at 7700 ft. on
a shoulder adjacent to the snout of the Bow Glacier; this will
take us between 3 and 5 hours. We cross frozen Bow Lake then
ski up the canyon which leads to the amphitheater below Mounts
Olive and St. Nicholas. After a final steep section we reach
the welcome warmth of this spacious cabin. En route we get a
real taste of route finding in avalanche terrain. We ski 6km and climb 2000ft.
Yamnuska Mountain
Adventures
