Selkirk Lodge Trip --------------------------Early Bird Booking Discount: $1900.00 Until October 1st.

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Join us in the world-class powder haven of the Selkirk Mountains at Selkirk Lodge. An 8 day, fully guided and catered trip at one of Canada’s premiere backcountry ski destinations.

The Skiing
It is widely known that the Selkirk’s consistently delivers a large amount of ‘champaign’ powder. In this particular zone even more so. On the Albert Icefield at Selkirk Lodge, expect annual snowfall amounts to reach and exceed 5 meters every winter. The majority of this being low water density snow - thus light powder. Runs average from 500 to many over 1000 meters (3500ft) in length. The terrain is composed of extensive interconnected glaciers, with over 25 ski mountaineering peaks that can be easily accessed from the hut. Below the hut lies acres of amazing tree-line skiing and below that well spaced old growth forests. Selkirk Lodge is a true ski touring paradise.

There will be a strong team of two professionally certified guides for this trip. Apart from creating logical group sizes this allows for individual guests to choose between up to four different options every day.

Two groups with different objecitves, trip durations and difficulty head out each day. For example one group may be for a longer more complex objective while the other one aims for a mellower one. The hut is ideally situated for doing circuit tours that come back to the hut for lunch. This provides our guests with the option to either ski all day, for the morning only, or to join the afternoon tour. Each new day brings long fresh powder runs, new destinations, terrain types (trees, couloirs, faces, summits) and varying levels of complexity and difficulty from the easiest to the most challenging. In this way guests are able to rest and pace their selves or choose to be fully challenged. The guides always include client wants as part of their in their trip selection data.
 

The Hut
This remote lodge is heli-access only, perched above tree-line at 2200 m (7200ft). The hut is well appointed with all the amenities: comfortable beds, large kitchen and eating area, living room, electricity, indoor plumbing and even hot water and showers! After an exciting day guests can relax in the sauna. The hut has reliable radio communications and full rescue equipment.

One thing about this lodge is that it is not very publicized and is more of a well kept secret. The reason for this is that the hut and its terrain is in such high demand as to be booked solid for up to two years in advance. Due to the complex nature of the terrain, Selkirk lodge only offers tours guided by professionally certified Mountain Guides. Attestting to the terrain quality,  the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides regularly books this lodge to run their final Ski Guide examinations.

The Food
This trip is fully catered by a professional backcountry cook. Great pride and care is taken in preparing high quality, delicious meals. Breakfast, lunch, après ski, supper and desert are prepared using only the finest and freshest ingredients. The cook will also prepare food for those with intolerances, allergies and special dietary needs. Alcohol remains the responsibility of the guests and they are encouraged to bring plenty!

Trip Participants
2 guides, 1 cook, 1 custodian and 12 guests.

The Staff:
Owner/Operator:

Grania Devine owns and operates this lodge. Apart from a jubilant personality which sports a permanent smile, Grania is an excellent skier, professional backcountry cook and runs a very good show.  Grania employs a hut custodian who will be in charge of such chores as fire wood, cleaning up, serving dinner. As in all backcountry huts, it is a tradition for guides and guests to partake in lending a hand whenever possible.

The Guides

The IFMGA certification is the worlds highest and only recognized certification for professional Mountain Guides. A strong team of two professionally certified guides will guide this trip.

Lead Guide:

Eric Dumerac is an IFMGA Mountain Guide and the chief guide on this trip. He is the founder of the Mountain Skills Academy. Eric has a vast personal ski resume and experience. Sporting ski's since a toddler, Eric has skied in most of the North American Eastern and Western ranges, as well as in the Alps and South America. He has accomplished many multi-day tours and pioneered first descents. In the spring Eric runs steep skiing camps. He has  guided extensively in the heli-ski and and cat skiing industry but now only focuses on his love is for ski touring.   Eric has an intimate knowledge of the Selkirk Lodge terrain, begining by being a 'powder slave' volunteer, to working under other guides at the lodge, to guiding his own trips from the lodge. He has also completed a ski traverse through the terrain.

Second Guide: TBA - We are very descerning in the quality of our guides, the position is to be announced shortly.

The Cost
$2100.00 CAD all-inclusive not including B.C. HST tax and guide/staff gratuities. This trip includes helicopter flights in and out, 8 days guiding by 2 guides, accommodation and 4 catered meals a day including après ski, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. A non-refundable 25% reservation deposit is accepted immediately. Full payment must be received by October 22. Payment can be made on-line with a credit card or cheques mailed to the Mountain Skills Academy c/o Eric Dumerac. Trip interruption/cancellation insurance is available for $108.00.

In the highly unlikely event of an emergency, quick helicopter evacuation is possible in good weather and during the day. No flights at night. Selkirk Lodge and the MSA are not responsible for evacuation costs. Emergency hospital and evacuation insurance is available for $15.00 extra.

The Logistics
Exact meeting times will be e-mailed shortly before the trip.
Guests are asked to stay in Revelstoke the evening before as frequent snow storms often shut down the highway due to avalanche control. Note that guests have missed the helicopter flight because of this in the past. Departure is either from Albert Canyon Parking or from Revelstoke airport. Location Link: Heli-pad
Departure will be late Saturday afternoon, returning the following Saturday afternoon.

Luggage should be as light as possible. Not including skis, boots and beverages, each persons luggage will be weighed and should be about 16 kg (35 lbs).

All guests must sign waivers prior to trip departure as required by the government of British Columbia and the Mountain Skills Academy.

Upon arrival, food, luggage and equipment will be brought into the hut and guests will settle in. A hut and guide briefing will be given and then an outdoor avalanche safety, transceiver refresher will be given.

Selkirk lodge is in big, white, alpine terrain; it is subject to high avalanche danger, large crevasses, cliffs, cornices and other objective hazards such as white-out conditions and getting lost. It is thus the strict policy of the hut owner and the guides that all ski touring must be done under the direct supervision of the guide. No exceptions are tolerated. Having said this your guides endeavor to provide their guests with the highest quality powder, longest runs, finest summits, greatest fun, and excitement that they possibly can. 

Please find full equipment and other logistics information under Equipment and Trip Logistics tabs.

Selkirk is home of the big lines, the beautiful lines and the fun lines. Fat skis are encouraged. If you are a telemarker, please ensure that you bring spare parts to fix binding breakdowns. Boarders should be competent in putting toghether their boards and crossing in between flat areas on the downhill. We will be bringing two spare sets of skis and skins. If anybody needs to rent backcountry equipment, MSA has excellent pricing from local providers on high quality equipment.

For those in the ‘know’, Selkirk Lodge remains one of their favorites if not, the very best.

Book and Register for this trip > click here

Trip Itinerary top of page

 Apart from departure logistics, trip itineraries are announced either each evening or morning.

Equipment List top of page

Clothing

Changes of warm top and bottom under layers and socks. Mid layer fleece top, optional soft shell top, hard shell jacket. Soft or hard shell pants, warm hat, puffy synthetic or down coat, optional balaclava or neck tube, 2 pairs of gloves, optional mitts, sunglasses and sunscreen. Street clothes and shoes, bathing suite, towel.

Equipment

• 35 - 40 L backpack
• Backcountry skis/snowboard boots
• Backcountry skis/snowboard
• Skins
• Ski poles
• Avalanche beacon
• Probe
• Shovel
• Harness
• Ski goggles
• First Aid Kit with blister kit

Optional items

• 3 locking carabiners
• 4 non-locking carabiners
• 2 x 5 meter 7mil prussic
• 1 double length sling
• 1 ice screw
• 0.5 meter prussic
• Write in the rain book and mechanical pencil
• Glop stopper
• Ski scraper
• Compass
• Map
• Laptop computer
• GPS

Trip Logistics top of page

Food Logistics top of this page

All food is inlcluded. If you have preferred snacks, then bring these. Alcohol is not included, please bring your own.

Accommodation Logistics top of this page

Accommodation is in comfortable two, three and four person bedrooms.

Transportation Logistics top of this page

Transport to and from the departure venue is not included and car pooling is recommended. Helicopter flights in and out is included. Emergency helicopter evacuation is not included.