Interested in a week of guided/catered ski touring in BC this winter?
Full disclosure - trying to help a buddy fill a couple of trips he's got booked. I'd hit either of these spots up in a heartbeat (especially Burnie Hut), however I'm booked on a trip to Battle Abbey with the missus already and finances won't allow 2 (or 3) luxury touring trips this year. I've posted Burnie TR's here before:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ghlight=Burnie
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ghlight=Burnie
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ghlight=Burnie
My pal writes:
"Burnie Glacier Chalet (www.bearmountaineering.ca) Mar 16-23. This will be our 12th consecutive trip to the Burnie, that sez it all. Christoph has built an amazing lodge in an amazing tenure, and yes I will say it again…” I plan to ski here every year till I can’t ski anymore” This area has some of the best alpine ski touring on the planet, with a sprinkling of treeline skiing to provide options. The hut is best suited to about 8 skiers, and we’ve stretched that to 10 on occasion. The logistics involve a flight to Vancouver, simple connection to Smithers, on the Friday and a night out on the town in Smithers followed by an morning heli flight in. I always drive, so folks flying can generally load up their gear in my rig and fly light. This is an outstanding ski adventure, and spring promises a deep stable snow pack, and longer days for the bigger trips. If you haven’t been, you are missing out. Costs are usually around $2700 per head."
I haven't skied GAH before, however I've toured out of Battle Abbey and I would assume the terrain is similar world class amazingness. Here's my buds pitch:
"Golden Alpine Holidays Sunrise (www.gah.ca) Jan 27 - Feb 3. This is in the Esplanade Range west of Golden. The area reportedly has excellent tree skiing for marginal weather or days with stability issues and it has plenty of opportunity in the alpine for those days when the conditions co-operate. This was the idea of my friend Sean Fraser, an exceptionally fine ski guide who I have skied with several times at the Burnie Glacier and even in Italy. He will be working with Brad Harrison, who has intimate knowledge of the area. Early season often gives deep blower in the Selkirks, and the terrain will allow us to get after it no matter what the weather. The trip has very straight forward logistics, the staging is 50km west of Golden along the Trans Canada. Sean figures 8-10 skiers will be a good number in the house and the cost will be around $2600 per head."
The trip organizer is a fine skier and all round great guy. He generally doesn't do invites on his trips to strangers however the economy in Alberta is hurting a bit these days and he's had less than overwhelming response to fill these 2 trips. I've never had a bad experience (skiing or otherwise) with maggots in meatspace so I suggested to Rob that I put this out on TGR to see if there was any interest to put some more bums in the seats. Rob's also a no bullshit guy so if you suggest that you want to go, and buck up for the trip (and you will have to buck up to get a seat - no "I'd like to but we'll see in February if there's snow and I have the money....."), then you're committed - no refunds. Potentially if you cancelled and could get someone else to take your seat it would be acceptable, however being the trip organizer on a number of trips myself, it's not fair to the trip organizer to back out last minute and expect someone else to buck up for your absence.
There you go. Skill level should be pretty decent skier (skis black at resorts, with ability to at least navigate down double blacks) able to do 4000 to 6000 vert/day without killing yourself.
note: prices are cdn $
