The Ultimate Everything Course (UEC)
AST 2 + Glacier Travel + The Art of Up-tracking courses !
"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.
Location - Snowfall Lodge
Location - SSnowfall Lodge is a remote heli-accessed lodge nestled in the Battle Range, South West of Rogers Pass in the Selkirk Mountains. It has a deep snowpack with granitic peaks and glaciers to explore.
You will get a LOT more out of this 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.
"This course is definitely a game changer for me!" (Inka, 2021)
Itinerary - UEC
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 trip planning and 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 itenerary 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
Click here for more about Alex Geary and Madeleine Martin-Preney
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 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 2023 - Snowfall Lodge 2023 - FULL
7 nights at 6:1 ratio
$2990 + 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.
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 with digital handbook
- Ropes
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)
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
- Avaluator 2 (can be shared amongst participants)
- Ski crampons