What you get in this adventure: An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area 7 full days of backcountry ski touring Helicopter transfers to and from the lodge Accomodation with a sauna All meals prepared by a professional chef In case of special dietary needs, please contact us and we can make arrangements (additional fee applies). What’s not included: Technical backcountry ski touring equipment Trip insurance Transportation to and from Golden and the staging area 5% GST

How fit do I need to be?

In order to enjoy this Sunrise Lodge guided backcountry adventure, you need to have an excellent level of fitness as this is a full week of ski touring. Your guide will choose the appropriate pace and terrain for your group, but you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions and be able to skin uphill for a few hours at time carrying a loaded daypack. For the Relaxed Pace: You should be capable and happy to ski up to 1100 m/day, give or take. On average, ski runs will be of intermediate difficulty. This is hard to translate into ski resorts, but generally this means that you are comfortable on black diamond runs, even if it means taking your time, and in a variety of conditions (icy, deep powder, breakable crust). For the Classic Pace: You should be happy with days in the 1300-1500m range. On average, ski runs will be of intermediate difficulty (as in the Relaxed Pace) but there will often be pitches of advanced difficulty as well as steeper tree runs and rugged alpine snow conditions involving hard and sastrugi surfaces.

What if I’ve never backcountry skied before?

This Sunrise Lodge ski trip is suited for intermediate to advanced skiers. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we recommend checking out the beginner options in Golden you can choose from.

What equipment do I need to bring?

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 Ski crampons For personal items, we recommend bringing: Helmet Head lamp with good batteries Sunglasses or ski goggles Gloves and hat Long underwear top (synthetic or wool) Light fleece or wool sweater Lightweight wind jacket (nylon or ‘Schoeller’) Waterproof – breathable shell jacket Warm insulated jacket (down or synthetic) Pair of wool or synthetic socks and liner socks Pair wool or synthetic underwear Long underwear bottoms (synthetic or wool) Multipurpose stretch nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type pants Waterproof breathable shell pants (full zip is best) Handkerchief Down or synthetic camp booties — optional Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people) Insulated water bottle and 1.5-2L 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 Duffle bag for flying into the lodge Shoes or sandals Winter boots for travel to the outhouse Hut clothing 1-2 towels and swimsuit for sauna Personal medications and toiletries Chargers for electronic devices (normal AC power is available via micro-hydro)

Can I rent equipment?

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 will be made available to you by your guides for free Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from Higher Ground Sports . Splitboards can also be rented from Higher Ground Sports . Ski rental location is in Golden, BC, 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 min. age requirements

Group sizes and pricing This tour can accommodate up to 12 skiers. Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows. If joining alone, you’ll be placed with peers that share a similar level of experience. Min. age requirement: Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this backcountry skiing adventure. Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis. If you plan to ski with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Getting there and meeting location

To get to Golden, most people fly into Calgary International Airport which is a 3 hour drive away. You can rent a car or take a shuttle service connecting Calgary Airport to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Shuttles are operated by BanffShuttle and RiderExpress . Kicking Horse River Lodge is a great place to stay the Friday night before the trip. They can handle a group with room rates that start from around $40/night. Clients guided with Sawback get a discount, but you must phone them directly. It’s a nice timber frame building on the Kicking Horse River. We meet here Friday night and breakfast is here Saturday morning so it is convenient. If you choose to stay here please book early. It fills quickly. The meeting place for your trip is at the Golden Alpine Holidays office . Your meeting time will be Saturday morning at 7:00 am Mountain Standard Time (MST). Flights to GAH lodges take place at the helicopter Staging Facility , 30 minutes away from Golden. You’ll head to your tours from the lodge. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ski ability of the group.

Covid measures in Golden, BC

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, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Golden, please refer to the Tourism Golden or British Columbia websites. 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!

Golden | British Columbia

Heli-Accessed Backcountry Skiing at Sunrise Lodge

5.00 ()

From $2,540 ()

Duration

8 days

Season

Late November through mid-April

Accommodation

Luxury: Sunrise Lodge

Book a call

Intro
Itinerary
Brochure
Guides
Reviews
Things to know

Sunrise Lodge is located at the headwaters of Wisted Creek and offers stunning views of Rockies to the west and Purcells to the south. For many outdoor enthusiasts, Sunrise is the southern gateway to the amazing Esplanade Range. Adding to its uniqueness, Sunrise Lodge offers the best unlimited terrain, storm skiing and snowpack in the Selkirks, and in the world! When the day is over, you can relax in a sauna and enjoy a warm meal prepared by a professional chef! Join your guide on this unforgettable eight-day adventure near and ski for miles on end minutes from one of the best lodges near Golden, BC!

Adventure highlights

Legendary runs, deep snowpack and cold smoke powder
Alpine and gladed runs with everything from open slopes to steep pillow lines
Stunning views of the Rockies from one of the “original three” chalets built back in the 1990s

Download itinerary

Itinerary

Skiing at this Selkirks lodge will be the best ski trip you’ve ever been on! For ski touring in Canada, there’s no better spot than Sunrise Lodge — the best pow, amazing location and a cozy hut for relaxing evenings make for a perfect combination. Your guides will take you to the best locations, where you can ski fresh tracks all the time. Don’t miss out on this luxury backcountry ski adventure, offering a sauna, gourmet food and, best of all, champagne powder skiing!

On Saturday morning, you’ll meet with your guides at 7 AM and head to the staging area. Then, it’s a helicopter ride to the Sunrise Lodge, where you’ll get situated and have a safety briefing before heading out for a day of ski touring in the area. With miles upon miles of terrain, there will be plenty to explore over the coming week.
Be prepared to spend whole days out with the group. The guides will make every effort to accommodate each member, but also try to set a pace and choose objectives that work for the whole group. Try to make an effort to accommodate the group’s needs and be as organized and punctual as possible. It’s best if everyone can get out the door on time and have smooth ski tour days on the slopes minutes from the Sunrise Lodge.

You will spend the next six days touring the surrounding backcountry terrain. Your days will be customized to match the skill level and objectives of your group. Depending on the objectives, your days may start earlier and end later, but they will generally look like this:

You’ll wake up at 7:30 AM, have breakfast and get ready. Gear up, go over safety considerations, put on your climbing skins, and climb above the hut to the agreed-upon location. You’ll explore new terrain near the Sunrise Lodge with your backcountry guides or revisit favorite runs from previous outings. Depending on the group, you will ski between 1,100 and 1,500 meters per day. At 11 AM, you should be at the skiing location for the day, where you’ll spend the day shredding powder and stopping for lunch and breaks as needed. Your guide will plan each day according to the weather and avalanche conditions in the backcountry, as well as the group’s wishes and goals for the day.

As the sun starts to set around 5 PM, you’ll go back to your lodge for a gourmet dinner prepared by a professional chef. Depending on the lodge, you could steam in the sauna, do some yoga, or just warm up next to the fireplace while admiring the starry sky from the deck. Enjoy your favorite beverage, discuss goals for the next day, get to know your group, and retreat to your bedroom for some well-deserved rest.
After breakfast, pack up your gear and prepare for a helicopter ride back to the staging area, where your cars will be waiting. Say farewell to British Columbia and head back to civilization.

If you crave more hut-skiing adventures in British Columbia, discover our hand-curated backcountry huts in the region.

Heli-Accessed Backcountry Skiing at Sunrise Lodge

Adventure Brochure

Brochure sent, check your inbox

If you have questions or need help with planning a trip, schedule a call with one of our adventure experts.

Meet your guides

5.00

Tom Wolfe

IFMGA/ACMG Certified Guide

Tom Wolfe is an ACMG/IFMGA-certified mountain guide who’s been guiding since moving to Canmore in 1995, the place he calls home. His winters consist of a mix of ski guiding at lodges, heli-ski operations, and remote backcountry destinations throughout western Canada. During the warmer months, Tom spends his days on water. He is a certified Paddle Canada Moving Water Canoe Instructor and Wilderness Canoe Guide.

5.00

Sawback was founded by Tom Wolfe in 1995, running mountain hiking trips for groups. Since then they have expanded programming to offer just about any mountaineering adventure you could imagine. Tom is an IFMGA Mountain Guide and a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Sawback trips are guided by owner/operator Tom Wolfe along with a staff of certified IFMGA and ACMG guides.

5.00 (5 reviews)

Great time at Sunrise Lodge

George J. (source: Google Reviews)

Tom was professional, well equipped and well prepared! The snow conditions we experienced at Sunrise Lodge made it imperative to have a guide with experience to keep us safe yet challenged. Hope to ski with Tom and his crew again soon.

Great job!

Marc F. (source: Google Reviews)

I’ve now spent 9 days in the mountains with Tom of Sawback Alpine Adventures. Tom is methodical in his snowpack analysis and does a great job of breaking down all the steps he takes to be safe. If you are keen on learning how to safely push your limits on snow, Tom does a great job on balancing safety and fun. My trips with him have always seemed to fully embrace the new slogan “send and return” where there is an equal amount of fun turns and exciting climbs as there are snowpack and weather observations.

Excellent customer service!

Marilyn F. (source: Google Reviews)

Tom, the guide, plus the assistant guides were so courteous and attentive to the needs, not only of myself, but of everyone in the group. Tom knows how to provide excellent customer service!

Adventure of a lifetime

Dean P. (source: Google Reviews)

My family and I had the adventure of a lifetime. It was an incredible experience and Sawback did an excellent job. We would highly recommend the trip and Tom to everyone.

Best skiing of my life!

Iwona E. (source: Google Reviews)

Best skiing of my life! Awesome people, fantastic guides, and superb choice of terrain, and let us not forget all that delicious food. I will come back for more!

Things to know

What you get in this adventure:
- - An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  - 7 full days of backcountry ski touring
  - Helicopter transfers to and from the lodge
  - Accomodation with a sauna
  - All meals prepared by a professional chef
In case of special dietary needs, please contact us and we can make arrangements (additional fee applies).

What’s not included:
- - Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  - Trip insurance
  - Transportation to and from Golden and the staging area
  - 5% GST
In order to enjoy this Sunrise Lodge guided backcountry adventure, you need to have an excellent level of fitness as this is a full week of ski touring. Your guide will choose the appropriate pace and terrain for your group, but you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions and be able to skin uphill for a few hours at time carrying a loaded daypack.

For the Relaxed Pace: You should be capable and happy to ski up to 1100 m/day, give or take. On average, ski runs will be of intermediate difficulty. This is hard to translate into ski resorts, but generally this means that you are comfortable on black diamond runs, even if it means taking your time, and in a variety of conditions (icy, deep powder, breakable crust).

For the Classic Pace: You should be happy with days in the 1300-1500m range. On average, ski runs will be of intermediate difficulty (as in the Relaxed Pace) but there will often be pitches of advanced difficulty as well as steeper tree runs and rugged alpine snow conditions involving hard and sastrugi surfaces.
This Sunrise Lodge ski trip is suited for intermediate to advanced skiers. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we recommend checking out the beginner options in Golden you can choose from.
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
- Ski crampons
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
- Helmet
- Head lamp with good batteries
- Sunglasses or ski goggles
- Gloves and hat
- Long underwear top (synthetic or wool)
- Light fleece or wool sweater
- Lightweight wind jacket (nylon or ‘Schoeller’)
- Waterproof – breathable shell jacket
- Warm insulated jacket (down or synthetic)
- Pair of wool or synthetic socks and liner socks
- Pair wool or synthetic underwear
- Long underwear bottoms (synthetic or wool)
- Multipurpose stretch nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type pants
- Waterproof breathable shell pants (full zip is best)
- Handkerchief
- Down or synthetic camp booties — optional
- Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
- Insulated water bottle and 1.5-2L 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
- Duffle bag for flying into the lodge
- Shoes or sandals
- Winter boots for travel to the outhouse
- Hut clothing
- 1-2 towels and swimsuit for sauna
- Personal medications and toiletries
- Chargers for electronic devices (normal AC power is available via micro-hydro)
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 will be made available to you by your guides for free
  - Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from Higher Ground Sports.
  - Splitboards can also be rented from Higher Ground Sports.
Ski rental location is in Golden, BC, 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
- - This tour can accommodate up to 12 skiers.
  - Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
  - If joining alone, you’ll be placed with peers that share a similar level of experience.
Min. age requirement:
- Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome to book this backcountry skiing adventure.
- Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.
If you plan to ski with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Golden, most people fly into Calgary International Airport which is a 3 hour drive away. You can rent a car or take a shuttle service connecting Calgary Airport to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Shuttles are operated by BanffShuttle and RiderExpress.

Kicking Horse River Lodge is a great place to stay the Friday night before the trip. They can handle a group with room rates that start from around $40/night. Clients guided with Sawback get a discount, but you must phone them directly. It’s a nice timber frame building on the Kicking Horse River. We meet here Friday night and breakfast is here Saturday morning so it is convenient. If you choose to stay here please book early. It fills quickly.

The meeting place for your trip is at the Golden Alpine Holidays office. Your meeting time will be Saturday morning at 7:00 am Mountain Standard Time (MST). Flights to GAH lodges take place at the helicopter Staging Facility, 30 minutes away from Golden. You’ll head to your tours from the lodge. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ski 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, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Golden, please refer to the Tourism Golden or British Columbia websites.

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!
To secure your spot, a deposit in the amount of 50% is required at the time of booking. Once your guide confirms your booking, your trip departure is guaranteed. Final payments are due 120 days before your trip starts.

If you need to cancel a reservation, please do so in writing (best by e-mail). Once your booking is confirmed, you and Guide enter into financial obligations and they cannot refund payments or release you from your contractual obligations. Therefore, it is highly recommended buying cancellation insurance to cover your losses for the case that you can’t participate or have to interrupt your trip “for any reason”.

Guide do reserve the right to change guides, particular lodging or the itinerary or venue should unforeseen circumstances (guide sickness, hut or route closing etc.) force them to do so or should the physical condition of the participants, weather or mountain conditions make a continuation as planned too risky. Guide will not be deemed to be in default for any delay or failure to perform their obligations under this agreement resulting from acts of God, the elements, war, acts of government, civil or military authorities, natural calamities, catastrophe, fire, flood, accidents, epidemics, shortage of transportation, or any other like events beyond our reasonable control.

Please note that booking fees are non-refundable in all cases and will be deducted from the refund amount.
57hours partners with Redpoint Travel Protection, offering you a fully integrated program with a single point of contact for all your needs, from emergency services to travel assistance and protection claims. We highly recommend purchasing a comprehensive protection policy from Redpoint, which will protect you both before and during your travels. Before your departure, your investment is protected by the trip cancellation benefit. Once you depart, your policy provides coverage for trip interruption, medical assistance and rescue, baggage loss, trip delay, and more. Once you complete booking with 57hours, we'll create bespoke quote for you (and your group), making sure you're fully protected for the adventure ahead.