Advanced Navigation and Route Planning Course

Advanced Navigation and Route Planning - whiteout
SW Lyell Icefield

Who's this course for?

The Advanced Navigation and Route Planning Course is for experienced ski tourers who want to get better and more efficient at planning routes and navigating in the mountains. This course is for people who want practical skills to take their adventuring to the next level, or are interested in guiding.

Location - Revelstoke

The Advanced Navigation and Route Planning Course is based in a classroom in Revelstoke.

Madeleine navigating in a whiteout
Navigating on the Blanket Glacier

Pre-requisites

  • AST 2 or equivalent experience
  • Basic understanding of GPS navigation
  • Basic proficiency with a smartphone app (eg. Gaia, Outmap, CalTopo, Onx)
  • Basic map reading skills including
    • Understanding of map datums
    • Can read or plot a grid reference
    • Can read contour lines including identifying gullies and ridges
  • Basic competency with a compass
    • Taking bearings from a map and in the field
    • Following a bearing
    • Understand declination
  • Glacier Travel Course or equivalent experience

Pre-course reading

Swiss paper map

Gaia screenshotWhat we'll cover

The focus will be practical applications of the following with examples:

  • How to choose the most efficient route
  • Most efficient way to use your smartphone to navigate
  • When to use a map and compass
  • Limitations of your tools
  • Mental mapping
  • Estimating route timing
  • Practice making whiteout plans
  • When and how to simplify whiteout plans


Alex Geary and Madeleine Martin-Preney

Guides/Instructors

This course will be taught by Alex Geary or Madeleine Martin-Preney

Advanced Navigation and Route Planning

November 28th 2026

8:45am - 4:30pm

Max 6 students

$195 + 5% GST (Canadian Dollars)

Please read the booking conditions before registering.

Payment via E-Transfer to gearysguiding@gmail.com is preferred. Otherwise please use the button below for credit cards.

If the course is already full, please register to join the waitlist. If you have a group of 6 people and you want to schedule a custom course, please contact us.



Included

Excluded

  • Food and drinks
  • Accommodation in Revelstoke


Equipment list

  • Notepad
  • Pen and pencil
  • Selection of maps for planning
  • Compass with declination adjustment
  • Smartphone with a mapping app
  • Laptop for planning (optional)

Navigating on to the Diamond Glacier in flat light
Navigating on to the Diamond Glacier