Women’s Level-Up Ski Touring – Fernie

A ski touring course for women who want to gain mountain travel independence. Get tips and tricks from a female ACMG Ski Guide.

About the Course

All participants must complete a waiver acknowledgement before booking.

Curriculum: This course is designed for women who want to take their skiing beyond the ski hill boundary and get out and explore. On this course you can expect to learn tips and tricks for managing and trouble-shooting your gear, moving efficiently in the mountains, and staying energetic and comfortable so that you have the resources available for solving problems and coaching others in the backcountry. Your ACMG Ski Guide will inspire mountain travel confidence and independence!

Your ACMG Ski Guide will be in touch regularly before the clinic to get an idea of where each individual is at with their ski touring comfort, provide equipment lists, and get to know what your goals and expectations are. There will be a virtual meeting the evening before the clinic where we will finalize the last minute details, including intended ski touring objective, weather update, and avalanche hazard briefing.

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our Instructors and Guides

The Mountain Addicts team is obsessed with safety. All of our guides are members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). The ACMG is the only internationally recognized professional association of trained and certified mountain guides and instructors in Canada. Our guides come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and Mountain Addicts will find your perfect match.

Mel Makepeace

Ski Guide & Owner

Mel is the owner of Mountain Addicts, an ACMG Ski Guide and Professional Member of the Canadian Avalanche Association. She began her career as a ski patroller in 2008 and now travels the world ski touring and heli-ski guiding. Mel particularly loves facilitating mountain travel confidence in women.

More Info

  • Ability to travel approximately 1000 metres uphill over the course of the day
  • Ability to ski off-piste conditions in a controlled manner

Equipment List

Required Items: Please bring the following on Day 2, Field Day

  • Lift Ticket or Season Pass may be required depending on course location: You can purchase a single-ride lift ticket from Mountain Addicts at the checkout ($30)
  • Lunch & Snacks: Bring a variety of small snacks to eat on-the-go, such as bars, jerky, cheese, as well as a sandwich is recommended. We don’t often have the time/weather for a lengthy sit-down lunch
  • Water/Tea: A warm thermos of tea/hot chocolate as well as 1L of water, hydration packs are not recommended due to cold freezing the tube
  • Digital Avalanche Transceiver
  • Avalanche Shovel: collapsible & metal
  • Collapsible Avalanche Probe: longer is better
  • Skis: ‘Alpine Touring with touring bindings’ or ‘Telemark’. Please practice transitioning your bindings from ski-mode to walk-mode and back again. Mel Makepeace loves the Icelantic Nomad Lite for ski touring performance.

or

  • Split Board: with split board skins. Please practice transitions from touring mode to riding mode at home before the field day

or

  • Snowshoes & snowboard
  • Ski Poles: recommended for all modes of travel
  • Climbing Skins ‘Stick-on type’ (only required if using skis or split boards)
  • Boots: appropriate for your mode of snow travel
  • Day Pack: large enough for spare clothes, lunch, shovel and probe. 30 liter minimum size recommended.
  • Sunglasses and/or Ski Goggles: we recommend both as high output activities will fog up your goggles. Goggles with multiple lenses are especially handy; XSPEX Goggles “Chaos”
  • Sunscreen

Optional Equipment: Not essential, but feel free to bring

  • Chemical hand warmers & toe warmers packs
  • Skin Wax
  • Snow Saw
  • Snow Study Kit
  • Field Book & Pencil
  • Compass, Inclinometer

Mountain Addicts have limited gear available to rent. The Guides Hut in downtown Fernie have touring and safety equipment available to rent.

Field Day Clothing

During the field day there can be longer periods of inactivity in cold temperatures. To maximize your learning experience, be sure to bring lots of extra clothing so that you can focus on the course and not the cold. Bring clothing of varying thicknesses that can be ‘layered’ to achieve comfort and versatility. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. You may have heard the expression “Cotton Kills”.

Below is a recommended clothing list:

  • Base Layers (top and bottom): Wool or synthetic materials preferred, such as  Rab® Forge Leggings and Top
  • Water Resistant Jacket: A quality hardshell for staying dry when it’s dumping is an essential piece of ski touring kit. Our guide’s use the Rab®  Khroma Kinetic Jacket.
  • Water Resistant Ski Pants: Waterproof pants help keep you warm in the powder. Pants with ventilation that you can open and close are ideal. Check out the Rab® Khroma Kinetic Pants.
  • Warm Mid-Layer Shirt, Sweater, or Fleece such as the Rab® Alpha Flash Jacket.
  • Insulated Jacket or Vest: A feather down or Primaloft™ insulated jacket is essential for staying warm while taking breaks or when the weather gets really cold. Don’t be afraid to double down! The Mountain Addicts love the Rab® Neutrino Pro Jacket.
  • Socks: wool or synthetic, no cotton.
  • Wool or Fleece Hat that covers the ears.
  • Buff: great for protecting your face in cold and windy conditions. Mountain Addicts have buffs for sale.
  • 2 Pair of Gloves: we always recommend ski touring with at least 2 pair of gloves. One pair for sweating in, and another pair for keeping your hands dry and warm. Check out these options: Rab® Pivot GTX Glove and Rab® Khroma Tour Infinium Gloves.
  • Ski Helmet: recommended for skiers and riders. We love Pret helmets!

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