Finding Nirvana
Most mountain veterans will tell you that you can find the deepest snow and biggest trees, rivers, glacier and peaks in the Coast Mountains. The mountain range spans over a hundred kilometers wide and over two thousand kilometers long in length. It hosts the highest peaks in Canada outside of the St Elias Range and icefields of over 3000 square kilometers sourcing large salmon bearing rivers.
The deep of the coast mountains are hard to access... Unless you have a helicopter.
Picking a location
Each staging area offers a diversity of location choices. We'll pick a great spot for you based on some of your preferences and ultimately, the forecast. If we're being honest, to guarantee one specific location is kinda stupid. However, with years of skiing in the area you'll come to understand that different areas will have different flavours so to speak. Certain strengths, weaknesses, more diversity, more grandeur, more bad weather options, etc. So when booking your trip we start broad and narrow down.
A Tiered Range system and Prices
For custom bookings price is ultimately dictated by the distance flying. Willing to go further? Let us know and we can go where no one has gone before. Wanting to save a dime? Let us know and we'll work to keep the flight super short or maybe even ski out. The more range, the more flexibility, but at a greater cost. When booking your custom trip, you will be asked to provide a range desired based on a tier.
Tier 1: starting at $1200 CAD per person for 5 days
- the most economical
Tier 2: Starting at $1900 CAD per person for 7 days
- a balance between economy and flexibility
Tier 3: Starting at $2400 CAD for 7 days
- greatest range and flexibility to get deep and wild
Prices are per person based on a group of 6 for 2018 and do not include 5% GST tax. Note, the Central Coast and late-April and May trips are Tier 2 or 3 only.
Glacier Camp
When selecting a location, you'll have to note whether you're ok with a glacier camp. These camps area great in the spring when alpine and icefield locations are where the fun is and the trees are out-of-season. Note, all May trips are glacier camps by default.
Zones
We primarily ski in the Pacific Ranges or southern half of the Coast Mountains between Bella Coola and Squamish and you can pick between one of two zones. The South Coast and the Central Coast.
South Coast:
The South Coast is the one-stop-shop. It has it all: big peaks, glacier, tree skiing, poor weather locations, etc. The accessibility and diversity in location choices in the South Coast make it the ideal place for most of our trips. Our mid-winter trips are only offered in the South Coast zone.
Some classic spots include: Manatee Group (pictured below), Lillooet Icefields, Mystery Creek and many more 'secret spots'.
Staging areas include: Pemberton, Whistler, Gold Bridge, Lillooet and Squamish
Featured South Coast Locations
Remora Peak, Manatee Group
Central Coast
The realm of gods. Say hello to the biggest glaciers, the biggest peaks and otherworldly ski-mountaineering. This zone is reserved for the late spring when the higher elevation peaks and glacier are made more accommodating by good melt-freeze cycles and better spring weather patterns. If you want the most grandiose locations imaginable, this is where you go to redefine 'jaw-dropping'. The Central Coast will be memorable for the rest of your life.
Classic locations include: Nirvana Pass (proclaimed the best all-round ski mountaineering location ever), the Tellot (pictured top of page). Dais Glacier in the Waddington Range, the Monarch Icefield. Options also exist to climb Waddington's NE summit as "one of the most spectacular ski mountaineering objectives of the Coast Range" when camped on the Dais or Ice Valleys.
Staging areas include Tatla Lake and Bella Coola. Airport pickup can be arranged from Bella Coola or Anahim Lake with an additional fee.
Featured Central Coast Locations
The Radiant Glacier, Central Coast
The Pantheon Range of the Central Coast
Terrain
We're picky about having the best locations, as such we've spent years searching and finding a multitude of amazing locations and we're quite confident you'll rave about the spot to your friends later.
The characteristics of the camp might change depending on South Coast vs Central Coast, high and glaciated, or lower and more varied.
We've scoured maps, spent hours on google earth, scouted, and we're picky. Here are some things we look for that you can expect:
- plenty of terrain for everyday
- a high and versatile location
- a sheltered camp if possible
- good views from camp
- various options when the avalanche danger is challenging
- a wide range of aspects to choose from
- seldom visited
- long runs
- ski/split-board mountaineering and peak objectives
Athelney pass is a little-known ski touring location north of Pemberton featuring some of the most spectacular ski-mountaineeing terrain in BC.