Introductory SME Ski-Mountaineering Weeks

ski-mountaineering - powder snow ski-touring

This comprehensive program is designed for downhill skiers who want to break away from crowded ski-areas and adventure into the more pristine high alpine.

SME offers this introductory program during several exclusive weeks. You will experience the same terrain as during the more strenuous program, Classic SME Ski-Weeks. Skiing from the highest point of the many scenic ski-peaks at Durrand Glacier, curve your tracks down the most impressive glaciers found in the interior of Canada, enjoy magic tree-runs and ski the deep powder.

What will be different from Classic SME Ski-Weeks will be the pace. To be able to learn more about mountains and the gear, we will walk at a more comfortable pace with more breaks.

If you don't own ski-mountaineering equipment, SME has a large selection of high-end powder-skis, with the highest rated alpine touring bindings, to rent at the Durrand Glacier Chalet. Further SME will outfit you free of charge with avalanche safety beacons and avalanche safety back-packs, the ABS pack with inflatable side-bags.

Because of the steep and complex alpine terrain found at Durrand Glacier, most guests ski on alpine touring gear. These are downhill powder-skis with special alpine touring bindings. While walking uphill, these bindings hinge on the front which makes climbing much easier. For downhill skiing the binding will be locked in and they perform as a normal downhill ski-binding with full release functions. Ski-mountaineering boots are similar to downhill ski-boots. They are specially designed for ski-mountaineering and have walking functions, they offer more comfort and are warmer than ski-area downhill boots. For downhill skiing these boots can be tightened and give full support for skiing. If you are a strong telemark skier then this is also a welcome option.

It is important that you are physically fit and that you enjoy an active lifestyle. During this introductory program we will ski-climb a minimum of 4000 vertical feet but will not exceed the maximum of 5000 vertical feet. Further we ask that you are a strong downhill skier and that you can comfortably link twenty short-radius turns in a fall-line in all snow conditions.