Valkyr Lodge BC 2024
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- Ski the best zone in the area that day, based on weather and snow conditions
- Refresh gear and technique skills
- Avalanche safety skills review throughout the day
- Enjoy delicious meals, great company, and living that backcountry hut life!
Here's the schedule for your trip:
- Day 1 - Arrival & Transportation to the Hut - Upon arrival we'll unpack our small overnight kits and get out for a tour before dinner. After we've had our fill of riding for the day, we'll settle back into the huts and prepare for dinner.
- Days 2-6 - Ski Touring from the Hut - We'll get an early start on the day, with a hot breakfast, fresh coffee, and tea. Next, we'll prepare food for the day before gearing up and heading out. We'll spend full days ski touring, covering roughly 3,000-5,000' vertical each day with lunch eaten in the field. After skiing to our hearts content, we'll regroup at the huts, set our gear out to dry and prepare for dinner.
- Day 7 - Departure from Hut We'll enjoy breakfast, pack up, and travel out.
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Advanced Resort Riding Skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Modern, comfortable sleeping accommodations
- Deluxe breakfast, lunch, appetizers, and dinner prepared by a professional cook.
- Experienced IFMGA/AMGA/ACMG Trained Guide
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - For human waste disposal, in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Transportation to the helicopter staging area
- Hotels before and after the trip
- Alcohol - Beer can be purchased at the huts
- Gratuities for guides, cooks and caretaker
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
- Headlamp
- Lodge Slippers Clothing & Accessories
- Technical Outerwear (jacket, bibs/pants)
- Multiple Midlayer Options
- Gloves
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Beanie
- Baseball Cap
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle / Hydration Pack (2L)
- Lunch and Snacks
Know Before you go
Blackbird Mountain Guides offers both scheduled group programs and private programs.
Private programs are simply above and beyond what Blackbird Mountain Guides currently has scheduled. Scheduled courses are not always less expensive. Before booking a trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides, clients are encouraged to review the differences between these types of programs, and to decide what works best for them.
SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
Scheduled Programs have fixed dates, itineraries, objectives, curriculum, and costs. They typically appeal to solo individuals or small groups or who are looking to share the cost of their program with a larger group. Correspondingly, scheduled programs are less expensive for smaller groups (1-2), and they provide the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. If you have a large group (3+), Scheduled programs will often be more expensive. They can fill up quickly, and scheduling flexibility is obviously limited.
Scheduled programs will have advertised dates. All scheduled programs can be run as private programs with private dates/rates as well.
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
Private programs have scheduling freedom. They typically appeal to those who would like some flexibility in planning their own trip or course. In this regard, Itineraries and objectives can be tailored to suit current conditions as well as client goals. Private programs are normally less expensive for larger groups (3+). If you have a small group (1-2) private programs will be more expensive.
Coming Soon!
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- Ski the best zone in the area that day, based on weather and snow conditions
- Refresh gear and technique skills
- Avalanche safety skills review throughout the day
- Enjoy delicious meals, great company, and living that backcountry hut life!
Here's the schedule for your trip:
- Day 1 - Arrival & Transportation to the Hut - Upon arrival we'll unpack our small overnight kits and get out for a tour before dinner. After we've had our fill of riding for the day, we'll settle back into the huts and prepare for dinner.
- Days 2-6 - Ski Touring from the Hut - We'll get an early start on the day, with a hot breakfast, fresh coffee, and tea. Next, we'll prepare food for the day before gearing up and heading out. We'll spend full days ski touring, covering roughly 3,000-5,000' vertical each day with lunch eaten in the field. After skiing to our hearts content, we'll regroup at the huts, set our gear out to dry and prepare for dinner.
- Day 7 - Departure from Hut We'll enjoy breakfast, pack up, and travel out.
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Advanced Resort Riding Skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Modern, comfortable sleeping accommodations
- Deluxe breakfast, lunch, appetizers, and dinner prepared by a professional cook.
- Experienced IFMGA/AMGA/ACMG Trained Guide
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - For human waste disposal, in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Transportation to the helicopter staging area
- Hotels before and after the trip
- Alcohol - Beer can be purchased at the huts
- Gratuities for guides, cooks and caretaker
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
- Headlamp
- Lodge Slippers Clothing & Accessories
- Technical Outerwear (jacket, bibs/pants)
- Multiple Midlayer Options
- Gloves
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Beanie
- Baseball Cap
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle / Hydration Pack (2L)
- Lunch and Snacks
the blackbird difference
Innovative courses
Professional Guides
Positive Progression
Community Focused
ongoing support
epic reviews from adventurers
View Reviews
Awesome Experience
“Taking this course with Zeb was the best decision! He was extremely friendly, relaxed and knowledgeable and answered all our questions with great patience.
An Exceptional Course
“I took an AIARE 1 with Blackbird and couldn't recommend it more. The knowledge gained was well-worth every penny, and then some."
Too Good For Words
Just took the "lift-assisted" Avalanche Rescue course, and it was a fantastic opportunity to act out more realistic rescue scenarios. It was a great refresher and learning experience. Our instructor Evan was knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Highly recommended!
An Incredible Weekend!
Completed AIARE 1 w/ Blackbird. Instructors were very knowledgeable, experienced, patient, attentive, and down-to-earth in relating to clients across a wide spectrum of ability. Highly recommended. Great group of people!
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