The Ultimate Everything Course (UEC)
AST 2 + Glacier Travel + The Art of Up-tracking courses !
"I learned the same amount of material as like 5 other courses combined" (David, 2024)
During the Ultimate Everything Course, we will spend most of our time ski touring and learning along the way. We try to have students leading as much as possible while monitoring our exposure to hazards and searching for learning opportunities. This course is an amazing way to learn a lot in a short period of time, setting you up for success on your own adventures in the mountains.
Location - Icefall Lodge
Location - IcefallIcefall Lodge is a remote heli-accessed lodge on the West slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where the snowpack is deep like the Columbia Mountains. It has arguably the most spectacular terrain of any lodge in BC, with big peaks and glaciers.
Once once we arrive, there will be 7 days with no driving, no valley bottom slogs, no tracks, and amazing food prepared by a professional.
It only takes about an hour to reach the closest glacier, so we have lots of time to practice travel and rescue.
"This course is definitely a game changer for me!" (Inka, 2021)
Itinerary - UEC
Pre-trip: Several hours worth of material to review online, including short videos of avalanche and crevasse rescue case studies.
Day 1:
- Am - Fly into the lodge
- Pm - Avalanche Rescue Practice and AST 2 slideshow
- Aprés - Trip planning session
Day 2:
- Full day ski tour with students leading
- Aprés - Glacier travel slideshow and trip planning
Day 3:
- Am - Indoor crevasse rescue session
- Pm - Ski tour with students leading
- Aprés - Snow anchor practice
Day 4:
- Am - Ski tour on a glacier
- Pm - Crevasse rescue practice on a glacier
- Aprés - Trip planning session
Day 5-7:
- Students collaborating to plan and lead full day ski tours
- Aprés - Rope ascending, trip planning
Day 8:
- Fly home from the lodge.
The weather, conditions and group ability will determine the ratio of glacier/tree skiing. If it's a sunny week, expect to spend most of the time in the alpine on glaciers. If it's stormy, we'll probably spend most of the time in the trees avoiding avalanches. Please note we may alter the itinerary to suit the weather and conditions.
"The week was way beyond expectations!" (Mathieu, 2023)
Prerequisites - UEC
- Over 19 years old or accompanied by a parent.
- Strong ski/snowboard skills to manage navigating crevasses and steep trees.
- Good fitness to access glaciated terrain.
- At least 20 days experience ski touring.
- AST 1 or equivalent training and experience.
Skills you will learn - UEC
Skills you will learn - UECGlacier Travel
- When and how to use rope(s)
- Glacier formation and features
- Anticipating and avoiding crevasses
- Recognizing crevasses in poor light
- Travelling on a glacier in a white-out
- Snow and ice anchors
- Crevasse rescue techniques
Avalanches
- LOTS about decision making and how to avoid avalanches. Please see the AST 2 page for more details.
Up-tracking
- How to make an efficient track in all conditions. Please see more details here
The Ultimate Everything Course Dates
December 16-23rd 2025 at Icefall Lodge
7 nights at 6:1 ratio
$3490 + 5% GST (Canadian Dollars)
Please make sure you have read through the booking conditions before making a payment. This includes completing the Waiver and Registration Form. If the course is already full, please complete the Registration Form to join the waitlist.
E-Transfer to [email protected] is the preferred method of payment. Please contact us for alternate payment methods.
Included
- Accommodation and food/cook
- Return Helicopter flight
- 7 days of guiding/instruction at 6:1 ratio with ACMG Ski/Mountain Guides
- AST 2 Course
- Glacier Travel Course
- The Art of Uptracking Course
- The Art of Up-tracking Handbook (Paperback)
- The Art of Glacier Travel Handbook (Paperback)
- Ropes
- Paper run map
Excluded
- Travel to and from the staging area
- Personal glacier travel equipment
- Front country accommodation (Eg. Golden/Revelstoke)
- Lunch on day 1
- Extra expenses incurred due to dietary requirements (please contact us well in advance to check these can be accommodated)
Equipment list - UEC
Equipment list - UEC- Shovel
- Probe
- Transceiver (3-antenna)
- Ski touring skis or splitboard
- Skins
- Personal repair kit specific to your equipment
- Ski touring boots/snowboarding boots
- Ski poles
- Headlamp
- Goggles
- Sunglasses
- Personal first aid supplies including blister kit
- Toque
- Minimum 1L water bottle or Thermos (no water bladders as they freeze or leak in the cold)
- Gore-tex (or equivalent) jacket
- Gore-tex (or equivalent) pants
- Puffy jacket
- Warm layers for upper and lower body adequate for below freezing temperatures and wind
- Thick gloves
- Spare gloves
- Lightweight harness (if possible otherwise climbing harness will work)
- 3 locking carabiners
- 4 non-locking carabiners
- 240cm sewn sling (or 5m of webbing)
- 5m x 6mm accessory cord
- Personal prussik (1.8-2m of 6mm accessory cord works well, or a hollow block or another specifically designed cord)
- Micro-traxion or Nano-traxion (optional)
- Tibloc (optional)
- Ice screw (between 12-22cm)
- 30-40L backpack
- Indoor clothes
- Lunch for day 1
- Ski crampons
If you want to borrow any of the technical equipment above, please contact us in advance to see if we have the items available (eg. ice screw)
"Hyper drive learning" (David, 2024)
For a more advanced course, check out the To Infinity and Beyond Course, the next step in your progression.