Backcountry Skiing in Canada

Had a great ski touring initiation with our guide. The location was amazing and everything about the sport was covered. Looking forward to future guided Backcountry trips.

This was a truly exceptional tour - our guide Mike was knowledgeable about the area, all safety requirements/precautions and was a pleasure to spend the day with. The team were able to accommodate different experience and skill levels in a way that didn't make more experienced group members feel held back at all and had newer skiers feel supported. Despite the lack of snow this season we were still able to find plenty of fresh lines and had a spectacular day!

We were 3 days with Brent in the mountains. Brent is an excellent guide and knows the mountains very well. We were there where no other people were so we had the mountains to ourselves. So if Brent has time definitely book him we can highly recommend him.

Great guides- Sunshine resort (not Lake Louise- hence 1 star review b/c not applivable). We had a very low snow year. Our back country gang found great snow. Our side country gang would have needed to boot pack at least 45 mins to get good snow. Would definately book Alpine Air Adventures again.

This week with Brent at the Ymir Lodge was an unforgettable experience. We learned a lot inside the "classroom" and outside on the slopes. We were able to explore the mountain with the new information and test our decision-making in a guided setting. Brent did an amazing job making sure we were fed, stimulated, and safe. His tracks were complimented throughout the week and he really proved his ability to navigate through the terrain when he guided us, on our request, back to civilization instead of taking the helicopter back.

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Since Explore-Share has asked three times, here goes. We had a quite mixed experience with Matt and BCA at Rogers Pass this early March. The day 1 avalanche search and rescue instruction was thorough and one of the best I have taken. The guiding showed the benefit of having local knowledge. These guides did not have it. They were working in significant part from the Rogers Pass guidebook, which provides quite vague and brief descriptions of potential routes. After seeing the strengths and weaknesses of the team on day 1, on day 2 the guides nevertheless took us uphill in a nasty skintrack steeply up through tight trees for 500+ meters and lasting 4+ hours due to the terrain and group speed. Despite lack of local knowledge, understanding the map and in the first 5 minutes it was clear that this would be an epic and excessively difficult climb for the group. They continued up. Then, from an ~8:30 start, by 1:20 there had only been one food/water break taken / called or suggested. While our 2nd group was awaiting the first group to move forward, when I suggested we were overdue to take in some fuel, guide Matt said, “no please wait, we will break out of the trees soon.” (This proved to be >20 minutes away) after I stated the obvious need and that our group were going to take a break, we had taken a quick bite and re-caught the group in front of us, as I’d predicted. Inadequate group energy management by this guide. I saw no or nearly no skin track corners improvement by the guides, including many challenging ones that the guides blew though. Improving them evidently is standard by BC (British Columbia in this case) guides from my 11 previous ski touring days in the area. Nearly zero efforts to improve corners were observed in this case, despite the day 2 quite rugged skintrack steeply up in tight trees and several beginner kick turning skier or soft-booted splitboarders struggling with the line. (Including sliding backwards / downhill from one switchback to the next) Good instruction by the guides on how to make kick turns, but many of the turns were objectively much more challenging than they needed to be given no improvement made. At least one team member was so (unnecessarily had we had better route selection) gripped and depleted from the climb up that he skied well below his ability on the down. Our group had good trips on the 3rd and 4th day with 2nd guide Sam, who picked appropriate routes for the group and was responsive to requests to further shape the route to the abilities of the group. He found us good snow amid mixed conditions and on appropriate terrain. Safety and terrain stuff, no concerns. Food, dinners and breakfasts (2 each) provided at the hut, included a dinner that was far too skinny and which was nowhere near enough. Chicken quantity instruction was “one spoon (table spoon) per person.” The first dinner was borderline too little as well. Quality was otherwise good. I initiated the trip; and approved a second group to join us; then when we showed up, there was a third group of 4 there in the hut, which we hadn’t heard about until that day. Matt never mentioned any adjustment to the hut fee we had paid and on which this group was coasting or possibly paid him. I write based on some experience. I have had several dozen days in the backcountry with guides (and dozens more in New England and other terrain for which they were not needed), across touring weeks in from huts to snow cave living, to heli-served; to heli and cat skiing across multiple countries and so have many guides and days of experience from which to compare. This was the first really uneven or bad experience. No question, bottom of the list of 7 ski touring guides I have skied with.

Guide cancelled within 48 hrs and I was unable to find someone else and so far I’ve not been refunded. Put a small dent in my otherwise great trip to Revelstoke.

Had a great time with Brent who was so patient and willing to share his abundant knowledge with us. A beautiful area to tour and so accessible, would do again!

I just wanted to say that Tamara (working for Jeff) was an excellent guide, starting off with a good and concise review of avalanche rescue (beacon search). Throughout the tour, she was very conscientious that everyone in our group was feeling good and that we moved through avalanche terrain safely. She was very knowledgeable of the route offered very good insight regarding local snow conditions. We all felt very fortunate to have had her as our guide that day!

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Our guide was Dan Robb! Thank you Dan, it was amazing! The fresh track was perfect! The scenic, Blue sky and sun, just WoW! 🤩❄️😎

The back country is just over that ridge - just right there. You need a guide to access it safely though, and Jeff knew exactly where to go and what to do to create a fantastic - first time splitboarding experience for me. I've been to Lake Louise so many times, now I've seen a little of what is AROUND Lake Louise and my mind has been expanded. Will be back for more adventure for sure!

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Excellent service, Guides are very knowledgeable and safety is #1

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Our guide was Tim Ross not Brian Jones. Day was great and Tim was very personal and taught us a lot about backcountry skiing. He tailored the day to our abilities and was very patient. Great experience.

Great day of touring in the amazing surroundings around Lake Louise - the vue and silky powder snow were worth the effort of climbing!

Well experienced Guide ( Brian ), very nice trip in Garibaldi

I had such a great experience skiing backcountry for the first time! Jeff was an amazing guide and really helped us learn how to use backcountry equipment and avalanche gear. My only concern was that we were forced to change the date of our trip quite last minute and we were not given much information about the trip until only 1-2 days in advance. However, the trip itself was incredible! Thank you for such an amazing experience!

Really enjoyed our time with our guide, Troy. 5/5 Experience! Highly recommend.

The Bow-Yoho Traverse April 1 to April 7, 2019. Tom, the guides (Mel and Ken) and an assistant (John) led this trip with care, kindness, humour and expertise. When conditions required it, we were able to form 2 or 3 groups according to abilities and motivation. That was fabulous. Staying the first night in Field with supper and breakfast provided is a great way to begin the trip. The shuttle at the start and at the end was well-planned. When I signed up for the trip I had concerns about the quality of the food. Tom reassured me. He was right. Michelle Heerchop's 'Touch of Love" provided the food. It was varied, tasty and nutritious. I am very very pleased that I was able to be part of this trip. I highly recommend Tom's Sawback Alpine Adventures.

We actually had a different guide (Les) but couldnt have been more impressed. He was super knowledgeable and helpful. Very patient and his timing for our day was excellent. Whistler is of course beautiful and it was a wonderful introduction to the back country.

Went to Burnie Chalet near Smithers BC with Sawback Alpine Adventures in April 2019. Had an amazing ski week in a breathtakingly beautiful landscape. The logistics, the accommodations, the food, the people and the skiing were all outstanding. One of my best touring trips ever. I highly recommend Sawback and Tom Wolfe.

We had a good time and the guide we had was both professional and patient. Thanks

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Our first trip and a great day. Thank you Brian!