What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, ACMG-certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 1 day of backcountry skiing and splitboarding in the Kootenays

What’s not included:

• • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment (can be rented)
  • Transportation to Slocan
  • Food and snacks
  • Accommodations
  • Guide gratuities — optional

This one-day backcountry skiing in the Kootenays is ideal for intermediate to advanced backcountry skiers. You’ll be on your feet for a full day and you’ll gain up to 1,000 m of altitude (3,280 ft). You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

To participate in Kootenays tour, you need to have previous backcountry skiing experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on glaciated terrain for a whole day. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining a guide for a day of backcountry skiing in Revelstoke.

For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

• • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
  • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
  • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
    • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
    • Lightweight snow shovel
    • Avalanche probe

For personal items, we recommend bringing:

• • Helmet
  • Sunglasses or ski goggles
  • Gloves and hat
  • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
  • Down jacket or vest
  • Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear and socks
  • One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
  • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
  • Water bottle and 1L of water
  • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
  • Food you can eat on-the-go
  • First aid kit
  • Sunscreen
  • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
  • Camera — optional

All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent: 

• • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles
  • Splitboards

You can rent it from The Sacred Ride or the Roam Shop in Nelson, BC. They should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this backcountry adventure in the Kootenays, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 5:1. 
  • The cost per person decreases as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to hike with friends and family!

Backcountry skiing in the Kootenays can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.

If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

The starting point of your adventure depends on the chosen date and exact location of backcountry skiing. However, you can expect it to be near Slocan, which is one hour away from Nelson. To get there, most people fly into Calgary International Airport or Vancouver International Airport. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle to Nelson or Slocan. 

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the guide shop or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity. 

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Kootenays, BC, please refer to BC Centre for Disease Control or the official website of Government of Canada.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!