Kootenays Powder Adventure

Agenda

Day 1: Meet at the Oso Negro Coffee Shop at 7:00 am (PST). It is located at 604 Ward St, Nelson, BC V1L 7B1. We will complete waivers, check the weather, and avalanche forecasts, then head out for an appropriate ski touring objective. As soon as we hit the trail, we will be sure to do a companion rescue refresher before heading out for our first turns. We will be gifted with some of the best tree skiing and alpine vistas in Western Canada. 

Days 2 and 3: There are many backcountry ski options available in the Kootenay Region, and we will select objectives that fit the group’s ability and energy. Based on conditions, our guides will choose either Kootenay Pass, Strawberry Pass or skiing off the Whitewater Ski Resort for each of these days. With a plethora of terrain to choose from and several high mountain passes within an hour’s drive of Nelson you won’t be disappointed. 

Day 4: Our final day will give us one more chance to explore all the Kootenays have to offer. We will aim to have you back at your vehicles by 2pm so you can begin the journey back to your original destination. 

Objectives  

• Find as much good powder skiing/splitboarding as possible  
• Introduce participants to ski touring in the Kootenay Corridor  
• Refresh backcountry techniques and knowledge  
• Have fun and do a lot of skiing. This program is built for you. We will do what best suits the group and what everyone is looking to accomplish while heading into the backcountry.

More skiing: If these dates do not work for you or you prefer to ski privately with a guide, we can customize a ski touring and backcountry skiing trip for you based out of the Kootenay’s.  

Meeting Time and Place

Meet at the Oso Negro Coffee shop at 7:00am on the day one of the program. The Oso Negro coffee shop is located at 604 Ward St, Nelson, BC V1L 7B1. The following days’ meeting locations will be determined by your guide based on the conditions and the location for the day.  

Please be dressed and ready for a day in the backcountry.  

Guides and Group Size

Our instructors are certified professional ski guides who are licensed to teach and guide in the backcountry. There will be a maximum of 6 participants per guide and at least 4 guests (contact us directly if you have a smaller group).  

Transportation

Transport to and from Nelson British Columbia is not included in this program. If renting a vehicle, we recommend requesting one equipped for winter driving conditions, including winter tires.

Nelson, British Columbia is a 7-hour drive southwest from Calgary and a 4 ½ drive southeast of Kelowna, BC. Calgary International Airport is regularly serviced by flights from Europe and throughout North America.

Accommodation and Meals

Accommodation in Nelson is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in Nelson. We recommend that you book your own accommodation well in advance as all levels of accommodation in Nelson fill up quickly.  

Meals are not included in this trip. On top of skiing great powder, Nelson and the surrounding area have more restaurants per capita than foodie landmarks like San Francisco, Vancouver, and Manhattan. There is a wide variety of cuisine to satisfy any craving. Brunch to late night eats, snacks to multi-course feasts, there is plenty of awesome food to find on a plate here.  

You will be responsible for your own lunch and hot & cold beverages for each day.  

Equipment and Clothing

You will need to bring your own clothing, avalanche beacon, snow shovel, probe, alpine touring or telemark skis, poles, climbing skins, and a daypack. We have many of these items available to rent when available. We supply other group safety items. The equipment and clothing you bring will have a big impact on the quality of your ski touring experience. Please be sure to bring all the items listed. If unsure about anything please don’t hesitate to call and ask us!

Skis

Alpine Touring skis are essentially downhill skis with a special ski 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 in downhill skiing.

Equipment List

You need to bring:

• Skis We recommend a short (160 – 185cm) wide ski designed for powder skiing and ski touring.  Please see the note under rental information if you are renting ski equipment. 
• Climbing skins ‘Stick-on type’
• Ski Poles
• Ski boots
• Ski helmet (recommended)
• Avalanche Transceiver – digital transceiver with triple antennae rentals available
• Avalanche shovel – collapsible metal shovel designed for companion rescue  rentals available
• Collapsible probe  rentals are available
• Daypack (large enough for spare clothes, lunch & equipment)  rentals are available
• Sunglasses and ski goggles
• Thermos flask and water bottle
• Sunblock & Lip Cream
• Small Flashlight or Headlamp with fresh batteries
• Small Blister & 1st-Aid Kit
• Camera 
• Personal Toilet Items
• Hand Sanitizer
• Ear Plugs
• Small repair kit for bindings, skis or splitboard (this may include straps, nuts, bolts, small leatherman)

Additional gear info:

• Skis/splitboard:  There are two viable backcountry systems, Alpine Touring and Splitboard.
• Alpine Touring:  Essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift when going uphill and then locks down to become an alpine binding for the downhill.
• Splitboard: If you are a rider and proficient on a snowboard, the backcountry touring version is called a splitboard. This is a snowboard that can be split to make two ski-type platforms for touring on the uphill ascent. The bindings have two positions and can be switched depending on whether you are climbing or descending. Split boards also use climbing skins for the ascent. For the downhill, the board is reassembled or joined to be in snowboard (ride) mode. If you are new to this system, you will need to practice the transitions of switching the board from touring to riding and back again. Your enjoyment will be vastly greater if you are efficient and practiced with this transition. For splitboarders, regular snowboard boots will work. A splitboard specific boot will give you more comfort when in touring mode and offer extra support to make sidehilling and traversing terrain easier to manage. We strongly urge skiers and Splitboarders to bring spare parts for their setups. Most of our guides are familiar with splitboarding sets ups, but each system is different, and our expectation is that guests will have basic knowledge on common Splitboard concerns (i.e. replacing toe straps on Splitboard bindings).
• Boots:  Backcountry boots are different from regular alpine ski boots. In the backcountry, boots need to have an uphill mode that allows a free range of motion in the upper part of the boot. You should not use your regular ski boots for touring and walking uphill.
• Climbing skins:  The glue on the base of the skin should be in good condition and the skins need to be properly fitted. Try the skins on your skis/splitboard to make sure they are the right length and width before you arrive.
• Ski poles:  Backcountry poles need powder baskets on the tips.
• Avalanche Transceiver:  A three antennae transceiver is required.
• Probe:  A minimum of 240 cm in length.
• Shovel:  A metal blade shovel is required.

Clothing List

We suggest bringing light clothing of varying thicknesses that can be ‘layered’ to achieve comfort and versatility. The most important consideration for clothing is the ability to regulate temperature as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest and from the ascent to the descent.

• Long underwear top and bottoms (light weight synthetic or wool)
• Warm pants (nylon blend, insulated, or fleece)
• Warm shirts (synthetic or wool)
• Medium weight fleece sweater
• Fleece Jacket
• Light insulated jacket or vest
• Waterproof jacket with hood (Gore-Tex or nylon)
• Waterproof pants (Gore-Tex or nylon, with side zippers
• Socks – ski socks (wool or synthetic), several sets
• Wool or fleece hat
• Waterproof ski mountaineering gloves or mitts
• Neck tube
• Sunhat
• Casual clothing to wear in town

• Alpha SV Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Bib Pant (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom SL Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Cerium Down Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Nuclei Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)

Rental Information

Skis, Boots, Skins & Poles for ski touring can be rented from:

• Canmore: Gear Up – (403 678-1636)
• Calgary: M.E.C. – 830-10 Ave. S.W. Calgary (Tel: 403 363-0122)
• Lake Louise: Wilson Mountain Sports  – (1-866-929-3636)

*Please note that your ‘DIN’ or ‘Release Value’ settings on your ski bindings are critical to your safety while skiing.  Our expectation is that everyone arrives on programs with their ski binding’s release value correctly set. We have noted that some ski rental shops will not set release values on touring bindings. We advise you to rent from a shop that will set release values on your ski touring bindings unless you are proficient and comfortable setting your own DIN/release value. Failure to have Release Values correctly set could result in a serious injury.

Yamnuska has avalanche beacons, shovels, and probes for rent. Rental Gear

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require a 35% deposit at the time of booking.  The final payment is due eight weeks before the start of the program.

Detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here.  Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.