AST Level 1 Avalanche Course in Banff

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 Banff, Alberta, please refer to Alberta’s official COVID-19 info website.

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!

What you get in this adventure:

• • An experienced, certified guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • A full day of online classroom instruction
  • A full day in the field
  • Pre-course logistics
  • AvCan curriculum with AvCan text and Avaluator
  • Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
  • AvCan certificate of completion

What’s not included:

• • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  • Accommodation
  • Transportation
  • Food and snacks

In order to get the most of this adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. 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.

Prerequisites:
You don’t need to be an advanced skier or boarder, but you do need to be able to ascend moderate slopes using skins. All participants should be comfortable traveling in snow while carrying touring gear. There are no other prerequisites.

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 (provided by the guide if needed):
    • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
    • Lightweight snow shovel
    • Avalanche probe

For personal items, we recommend bringing:

• • Helmet
  • Snowshoes — optional
  • 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. The following can be rented:

• • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe from GearUp Sports in Canmore
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots from GearUp Sports in Canmore
  • Splitboards from GearUp Sports in Canmore

Ski rental locations can be found in Canmore and Banff and 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 pricing:

• • These courses are not private. For the group courses, the max guest to guide ratio is 8:1.
  • Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.

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.

To get to Banff, most people fly into Calgary International Airport less than 2 hours away. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle. It takes another hour to reach Bow Summit and about 30 minutes to reach Vermillion Pass.

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. From there, you’ll head to your tour. The field day will be held in Vermillion Pass or Bow Summit depending on the conditions.