Courses

Challenge yourself! Learn, fine-tune or bring your skills to the next level…

The rewards of the outdoors and mountain activities are positive, enlightening and incredibly empowering.  The discoveries and learning’s encountered while in this environment can beneficially be carried into many other parts of ones life. 

Join us and experience the exciting benefits of learning and building your mountain skills in activities like backcountry ski touring, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering or hiking. Whether you are interested in learning a specific skill or want to improve to the next level, Summit Mountain Guides has a program for you.

Professional Guiding & Instruction

Summit Mountain Guides offers a professional guiding and instructional service with fully certified Rock, Ski, Alpine and Mountain guides (ACMG/IFMGA).  At Summit Mountain Guides, our certified guides provide you with the highest industry expertise, instructions and safety standards. 

Our experienced guides take pleasure in helping you achieve your mountain adventure and goals. We specialize in designing trips with small guest to guide ratio’s and work to suits your needs and experience level. Leave all the logistics to the experts and maximize your time in the mountains!

Mountain Education


Summit Mountain Guides offers various instructional programs throughout the year in Nelson BC, Western Canada and in the European Alps. We offer single or multi-day instructional courses in the Selkirk’s and the Purcell mountains as well as the Coast Mountains, the Canadian Rockies and the European Alps. 

Whether you are interested in taking a Crevasse Rescue course, a multi-day introduction to mountaineering or experience a Team building program, we have a program that suits your needs. Browse and choose from our instructional programs below or contact us to design a course for you with a custom program.

We look forward to expanding your knowledge, skills, confidence and backcountry exposure…

Instructional Programs

Avalanche Skills Level 1 (AST 1)

Are you beginning to experience and enjoy backcountry touring? Take the AST level 1 course and learn the basic principles of safe winter travel in avalanche terrain.

Learn how to recognize & manage avalanche terrain, read & analyze snow pack information, choose appropriate up tracks, avoid avalanches and enjoy safer turns. 

This introductory course includes 6 hrs of classroom with 10 hrs in the field over 2 full days.  For reduced rate and time, combine AST 1 & 2.

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Avalanche Skills Level 2 (AST 2)

Are you looking for the highest recreational avalanche training?  Are you interested in boosting your skills before seeking further Industry Training Programs? The AST level 2 will deepen your knowledge, broaden your experience and skills for better decision making in avalanche terrain.

This 3 & 1/2 day program is the next logical step after completing the AST 1. Similar topics will be covered with more depth and emphasis on adapting personal exposure based on changing conditions & field observations.

This course provide the highest level of recreational avalanche training. It is also a stepping stone for further CAA industry training programs.

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Companion Rescue Skills

Interested in practicing and refining your rescue skills? Take this one day companion rescue skills course to install new confidence in your abilities and learn the most updated rescue information from a professional guide.

This course is designed for participants who have taken AST 1. This course is primarily a field program, expect at least 7 hours outdoors.

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Introduction to Backpacking

Overnight backpacking guided hikes allow you to enjoy and begin to understand the beauty and unique vistas in the back country.

Develop the wilderness skills need to effectively plan your route, navigate and set up campsites safely and with ecological integrity.  Explore into scenic wilderness areas such as Valhalla, Kokanee Glacier or Goat Provincial Park.

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Navigation in the Mountains

For recreational hikers or leaders interested in travel skills, we offer navigation course that builds your skills in reading the terrain “before” you get lost. 

Learn seasoned guiding tricks for planning your route, reducing hazards and predicting terrain.

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Natural History & Ecology

For budding naturalists or guides interested in upgrading skills, we offer custom programs in nature interpretation for hikers interesting in understanding the ecology. 

You will learn the unique stories behind the biology and ecology linking plant to animal and elevation to critter.  This two day course is experiential based, course content will vary based on season and hike location. 

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Introduction to Mountaineering

This 4 or 5 day course is a comprehensive introduction to general mountaineering on rock, snow, glaciers and mixed terrain. It is designed for people with very little or no experience interested in acquiring the basic skills and knowledge to start mountaineering.

Rock skills include belaying skills, movement skills on rock, anchor construction, rappelling, rope handling.  Snow & Ice skills include; ice axe and crampon use, self-arrests, snow and glacier travel skills, basic snow & ice anchors, navigation, hazard assessment and crevasse rescue fundamentals as well as a possible peak ascents.

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Advanced Mountaineering

This intense 4 to 5 day course is for people interested in fine tuning their existing mountaineering skills & bringing them up to the next level. On this course, you will learn modern advanced mountaineering skills from professional mountain guides.

The topics covered include advanced snow and glacier travel, improvised snow, rock & ice anchors, ascent & descent progression in mixed alpine terrain, ice climbing, alpine rock climbing, advanced crevasse rescue, advanced navigation, route planning, mountain weather, hazard management and leadership.  To fully grasp this course, students must have previous rock climbing and mountaineering experience.

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Snow & Ice Focus

This 3 day course is a condensed introduction to mountaineering with a focus on snow, ice and glacier travel skills. It is specially designed for motivated students and people who have had exposure to mountaineering & rock climbing. 

Snow & Ice skills covered on this course include; ice axe and crampon use, self-arrests, basic snow & ice anchors, snow and glacier travel skills, navigation, hazard assessment and crevasse rescue fundamentals as well as a possible peak ascent.

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Day Skills Series

Our Day Skills Series is designed for people interested in acquiring or refreshing very specific mountaineering skills. It is a 1, 2 or 3 day series where participants can choose to learn a particular skills or tackle the entire series.

Some of the topics covered in the series include; crevasse rescue, Ice axe & crampon use, snow & ice anchors, self arrest & rope handling, glacier travel, navigation as well as mountain leadership.

Whether you are interested in a particular skill or want to tackle the 3 day series, you will learn modern mountaineering skills from qualified instructors in a safe environment.

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Intro to Ice Climbing

Join highly qualified instructors and guides on this exciting 2 to 3 day introductory ice climbing program.

The focus of the intro course is to give you the basic skills and confidence with modern ice climbing technique on vertical ice and mixed terrain. Enjoy learning in small student groups. We will also introduce and review basic movement skills and safety, belaying and rope management while climbing lots of ice.

Take your adventure to the next level and invest a 3rd day climbing a classic multi-pitch ice route in the Canadian Rockies. This will give you the opportunity to apply your newly learned skills and climb with a professional ice guide.

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Intro to Backcountry Ski Touring

Get started the safe way! This one or two day introductory course focuses on safe backcountry touring practices. Participants will learn a great deal about trip preparation, gear use, touring skills, powder skiing skills along with basic avalanche awareness skills required for a safe and enjoyable ski tour. 

Enjoy the benefits of learning from a professional guide while skiing fresh powder! 

For specific avalanche courses, take one of our Avalanche Skills Training courses (AST 1 & 2)

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Introduction to Rock Climbing

Expose yourself to this rewarding activity! This 1 to 2 day beginner program is for families, groups and individuals wishing to safely learn the basics of outdoor rock climbing.

Topics covered include basic climbing knots, movement skills, equipment use, top rope climbing techniques and general crag safety.

On the two day program, you will learn personalized movement skills, basic anchor construction and rappelling while climbing as much rock as possible.

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Advanced Rock Climbing

The “Rock Skills Series” is the centerpiece of our advanced rock climbing programs. It is a 1 to 3 day comprehensive series designed for intermediate to advance climbers interested in broadening their skills.

Some of the skills covered through the Rock Skills Series include: Lead Climbing & Advanced Movement Skills, Traditional Equipment & Improvised Anchors and Multi-Pitch Climbing Systems.

Whether you are interested in a particular skill or want to tackle the 3 day series, you will learn modern climbing methods from qualified instructors in a safe environment.

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Rock Rescue

This 1 day course is an introduction to improvised rock climbing rescue.

Topics include rope ascending, escaping the belay, load transfers, raising and lowering systems along with troubleshooting various scenarios. It is best suited for Intermediate to advance climbers.

A second day focusing on more advanced rock rescue skills is also available, Contact us for more information

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