The Ultimate Everything Course (UEC)

AST 2 + Glacier Travel + The Art of Up-tracking courses !

diamond glacier
Diamond Glacier, Icefall Lodge

"The week was way beyond expectations!" (Mathieu, 2023)

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 a great way to learn a lot in a short period of time, setting you up for your own adventures or even becoming a guide.

Icefall LodgeLocation - Icefall Lodge

Icefall 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.

You will get a LOT more out of The Ultimate Everything Course location compared with Rogers Pass. Once once we arrive, there will be 7 days with no driving, no valley bottom slogs, no tracks to follow, and amazing food prepared by a professional.

Click for short movie (41 seconds) of the skiing and terrain at Icefall Lodge

"This course is definitely a game changer for me!"  (Inka, 2021)

AST 2

Itinerary - UEC

Pre-trip: Several hours worth of material to review online including short videos of avalanche and crevasse rescue case studies.

Day 1: Fly into the lodge, Avalanche Rescue Practice and AST 2 classroom session including Snow Science.

Day 2: Full day of ski touring with students leading.

Day 3: Full day of ski touring with students trip planning and leading followed by a classroom session on glacier theory.

Day 4: Full day travelling on glaciers and skiing.

Day 5: Crevasse Rescue practice.

Days 6-7: Putting it all together with students collaborating to plan and lead trips.

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.

"It was an amazing week!! My friends and I are so stoked and motivated after this whole week of learning" (Bambino, 2021)

Guides/Instructors - UEC

Alex Geary and Madeleine Martin-Preney

Click here to learn about Alex Geary and Madeleine Martin-Preney, your instructors for The Ultimate Everything Course

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.

Glacier Travel CourseSkills you will learn - UEC

Glacier 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 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 2024 at Icefall Lodge - FULL

December 16-23rd 2025 at Icefall or Snowfall Lodge

7 nights at 6:1 ratio

$TBC + 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 a 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.

Registration Form

Ultimate Everything CourseIncluded

  • 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 Uptracking Handbook (Paperback and digital versions provided)
  • Ropes
  • Paper run map

Excluded 

  • Travel to and from the staging area
  • Personal glacier travel equipment
  • Accommodation in Revelstoke
  • Lunch on day 1
  • Extra expenses incurred due to dietary requirements (please contact us well in advance so these can be accommodated)

ice anchorEquipment 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
  • Avaluator 2 (can be shared amongst participants)
  • 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)