Duffey fest Basecamp

Take your backcountry skills to the next level

ABout the trip

Ski tour into your basecamp location. Basecamped for 3 nights and 4 days in the backcountry of the Duffey Lake Road, this trip with ACMG Ski Guides and Canadian Avalanche Association professionals takes you ski touring in incredible terrain and immerses you in the experience through winter camping. Learn to observe, build your skills, meet others and absorb mountain knowledge and lore.

$600 per person

Max 8 participants

Who is this trip for

This is for those who have ski toured a little but are still in the early stages of developing their experience. AST 1 and some backcountry skiing experience required.

This trip is a good bridge between the AST 1 and AST 2 or further adds development to your experience after an AST 2. 

What this trip includes

Trip includes: basecamp tent set-up, guiding, poop management

The trip does not include: food, personal gear, and transportation to the trailhead

There will likely be opportunities to pair up with food buddies for cooking. 

Basecamp Gear Includes: dome tents, MSR stoves and fuel (3 total for trip). Sleeping tents and bags available for rent.

#camplife

Each of the two evenings will offer opportunities for story telling in the glow of our makeshift 'lodge'. Such telling of stories is a great way of passing on experience, developing bonds and learning. In this way you maximize the learning opportunities from a 3-4 day trip. It's also a great way to develop winter camping experience. 

Fitness

Please come with good fitness. Ability to walk a slow or at steady pace all day and comfortably exist in the mountains for 3 days. Expect minimum 600m of elevation per day and to ski black diamond runs or harder in variable conditions.

LEARNING

Topics will range but will follow a theme each day. 

The learning experienced is designed to meet group needs, questions and to flow organically. Topics will likely include track setting, reading the mountains (developing your mountain sense), group management in avalanche terrain, human factors, navigation, and further your overall backcountry skiing experience.

We'll likely dig pits, pull out compasses, jump hard on snow features and shred the gnar while we're at it. 

Itinerary

Day 1

We'll meet at Pemberton's Mount Currie Coffee company dark & early to meet and greet and then shuttle to the trailhead up the Duffey Lake Road. Please have winter tires if you intend to drive.

After hiking into our camp location we'll run through some avalanche basics before heading out for an afternoon ski.

In the evening we'll have stoves firing, tea brewing and hot cups of food. Informal discussion, story telling will surround the steam and glow of our makeshift backcountry 'lodge'.

Day 2-3

An early-ish wake-up will ensue with breakfast and a full day in the mountains with an ACMG guide. This is where we'll range a little further, maybe bag a peak and delve into a spectrum of informal topics. The learning topics will be aimed to pass on knowledge in a mentorship fashion and also addressing what the group wants to learn. The evening will be spent reflecting and here we might jump into the questions of risk and decision making. 

Day 4

In the morning we'll sadly pack up the tents despite having found new pleasure in the routine. We'll leave the heavy gear to head out for a final loop tour. After a great final few sessions we will pack up the gear and head out to the car. We'll have a small course close and potentially head to Mile One for a tasty bite of civilization or we'll scatter like the wind!

Food

You'll need to provide your own food. We'll help you coordinate with food buddies to share cooking duties and cooking equipment.

Views of the terrain surrounding the Duffey Lake Road. 

Gear List:

• Personal ski touring equipment (skins, touring skis & bindings)

• Avalanche equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe)

• Overnight camping equipment- if not renting: tent, winter sleeping bag & pad

• Cooking equipment (pot)

• Warm clothing - anticipate winter conditions

  • Base layer top x1-2

  • Base layer bottom x1

  • mid layer top

  • Shell jacket

  • Warm down jacket

  • Warm gloves

  • Light small glove x2

  • socks x2

  • warm hat and less warm hat

  • buff (optional)

  • goggles (optional)

  • down/hut booties (recommended)

  • helmet (recommended)

• overnight pack 45-60L

• small foam pad (recommended for sitting & sleeping)

• Miscellaneous

  • tootbrush

  • spoon & eating container

  • headlamp

  • personal blister/first aid kit

  • sunglasses

  • Baldwin's Duffey Map and compass (optional)

Sign up now 

Price does not include tax and is in Canadian Dollars. Full payment or deposit (20%) must be made to book your spot.