Backcountry Skiing in Whistler

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 Whistler, British Columbia, please refer to Canada’s COVID-19 travel requirements and British Columbia’s Travel and 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 these adventures:

• An experienced, certified Whistler backcountry guide with extensive knowledge of the area
• A full day of backcountry skiing

What’s not included:

• Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
• Avalanche safety equipment
• Transportation
• Food and snacks
• Accommodations
• Lift ticket (available for purchase at Whistler Blackcomb resort’s official website)

To enjoy this Whistler ski trip, you need to be in great physical shape. You will be on your feet for 6-8 hours, learning basic uphill and downhill skiing and skinning techniques or skiing Whistler Blackcomb’s numerous bowls, glaciers, and gladed runs. 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.

Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner-friendly, meaning anyone with solid blue-level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.

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 from Escape Route
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from Escape Route
  • Splitboards can be rented from Escape Route

Your guide has partnered with Escape Route to provide you with rentals at a discounted price. Ski rental locations are in Whistler, 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:

• For these Whistler tours, the max client-to-guide ratio is 6:1. 
• For the group tours, the cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows. It takes a minimum of 3 people for these tours to run.
• For the private tours, costs per person decrease as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to tour with friends and family!

Backcountry skiing 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.

To get to Whistler, BC, most people fly into Vancouver International Airport 1,5 hours away. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service to Whistler.

Once you and your Whistler ski guide agree on the details of your itinerary, they will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the Escape Route Alpine Demo Centre in Whistler, BC, or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.