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Make a resolution to yourself to welcome 2025 at one of the most celebrated backcountry lodges of British Columbia. There’s a reason why the Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia have been regarded as a premier powder skiing location since the 1800s. With an average yearly snowfall of 700 inches and sheltered terrain, the center of the Southern Selkirks is known for its world-renowned snow quality and quantity. Take your pick between mellow to steep descents, big alpine lines, old-growth forests, or subalpine glades. Then, recover in your cozy lodge nested 2,200m (7,200 ft) in snowy mountains: sweat it out in a sauna or unwind in the yoga room.
The final cost of this trip will be announced at least 12 months prior to the trip. Once the price is confirmed, you will have the option to pay the balance or transfer the deposit to another trip.
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Meet your guide in Kaslo and kick off the adventure with a heli ride to the lodge! Sitting at 2,200m (7,200 ft) in the heart of the Kokanee Range of Selkirk Mountains, the Carlyle Lodge is one of the highest ones in British Columbia. Recognized as a premier powder skiing destination since the 1800s, the location of your “Powder Claim” refuge is sublime: have a look out the window for the best view of the Kokanee Glacier and endless skiing options. Due to its location in the central part of the Southern Selkirks, the snow quality is unparalleled—the sheltered terrain configuration and numerous northerly aspects guarantee consistent powder quality. After a day out, retrieve to your cozy, snow-topped Carlyle Lodge, where you can barbecue on the sun deck, sweat it out in a wood-fired sauna or relax in a yoga room.
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With the average yearly snowfall of 700 inches per year and 40 square kilometers of terrain for you to ski on, there’s something for every skill level. The area around the lodge is home to 28 unique mountain basins which provide an unlimited array of terrain to be skied—mellow to steep descents, big pillow lines, sub alpine glades, and old-growth forests. There are also several 1500 ft (460m) descents right out the front door, and you’ll sometimes be descending the impressive 5,000 ft (1520m) a day! Even if the weather is bad, skiing is guaranteed—at tree line and below is where you’ll always find good snow, since it stays protected from pounding mountain winds. Your two guides will always be there with you and assist you with whatever you want to achieve. As the night falls, get back to your homey lodge, enjoy some amazing food, and clink champagne glasses to celebrate the New Year!
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After 8 days of powder chasing and having fun with fellow ski enthusiasts, it’s time to leave the Carlyle Lodge. A helicopter will come to pick you up, so when you’re up in the air, have one last look at the trackless white fields and peaks below you. Your starting point is also the finish point—the heli will drop you off in Kaslo.
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What you get in this adventure:
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- An experienced, ACMG certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Seven days of backcountry ski touring
- Helicopter flights
- Accommodation at the lodge
- Meals (except for lunch on day 1)
- 5% GST
What’s not included:
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- Personal ski & safety equipment (transceiver, probe, shovel, etc.)
- Transportation to the staging area
- Alcoholic beverages
- Accommodation in the valley
- Travel and medical insurance
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To enjoy the backcountry skiing tour at the Carlyle Lodge, you need to have at least a moderate fitness level. The Carlyle Lodge adventure offers intermediate to expert level of difficulty, which means that some previous backcountry skiing experience is required. There will be two guides on the trip and each one can team up with skiers on different levels. If you’re intermediate, your expert guide will help you improve your skills and coach when things get a bit more difficult. Don’t worry if you’re on an advanced to expert level, the terrain is challenging so you’ll still have lots of objectives to tackle! For the latter level, you’ll need to be in excellent physical shape.
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To participate in this Carlyle Lodge skiing tour, you need to have at least some previous backcountry skiing experience. Levels for which this trip is tailored are intermediate to expert. Your guides will take care of the planning, oversee your technique and teach you how to manage the terrain. Whether on an intermediate or an expert level, you can be excited for some new challenges and polishing up your technique. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining guided sustainable backcountry skiing in Revelstoke.
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For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
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- Touring skis or splitboard with skins
- Touring boots and poles
- Helmet
- Ski and boot crampons
- Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
- Lightweight snow shovel and avalanche probe
- Mountaineering axe
For the Carlyle Lodge, we recommend bringing:
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- Comfortable clothing for lounging around the lodge
- slippers
- Alcoholic beverages (optional)
- Bathing suit
- Headlamp
- Toiletries
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
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- 20-30L ski pack
- 50L duffel
- Sunglasses and ski goggles
- Sun and lip cream
- Face mask
- 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
- Mid-insulation fleece or puffy jacket
- Warm outer puffy jacket
- Toque (wool or synthetic)
- Brimmed cap
- Face warmer (scarf, neck tube, face mask, buff, etc-)
- Light gloves and insulated gloves or mitts
- 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
- Lunch for day one
- First aid kit
- Camera — optional
Keep in mind that no extra skis or baggage will be allowed over and above the ski level pack and 50L duffel weighing no more than 35 lbs (16 kg). Extra equipment may result in additional charges or exclusion from the trip.
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All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent an avalanche safety pack (transceiver, probe, and shovel) with your guide for $30 a day or $100 a week.
Other mandatory gear is available to rent, you can get your gear at the Roam Shop in Nelson or at the Kaslo Adventure Centre in Kaslo. Make sure to make plans on time.
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Treat yourself to Mt. Carlyle’s comfortable accommodations and amazing food. The lodge houses 12 skiers in 4 spacious bunk rooms with amenities that include:
- In-house washroom with night toilet
- Sun deck with outdoor BBQ
- Hot water on demand system
- Power
- Wood-fired sauna
- Shower house
- Yoga/stretching room
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Group sizes and pricing:
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- For this adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 6:1 with a group of 12 participants.
- Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
Ski touring at the Carlyle Lodge can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors may be permitted to join 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.
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The starting point of your adventure is Kaslo, British Columbia. The nearest larger city to Kaslo is Nelson. You have several regional airports to choose from, including the West Kootenay Regional Airport, which is a 30-minute drive from Nelson. You can also fly into Kelowna International Airport, which is a 4-hour drive from Kaslo.
You’ll meet your guide and your fellow skiers in Kaslo. From there, you’ll fly into the Carlyle Lodge.
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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 travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Canada, please refer to British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.
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!
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