Burnie Glacier Chalet
The #1 backcountry lodge in the central Coast Mountains of British Columbia…
Discover a remote ski touring paradise from the comfort of a modern mountain lodge. Located at 1100m in the Howson Range near Smithers, the Burnie Glacier Chalet an ideal base for exploring this rugged part of BC’s Coast Mountains.
The ski terrain near the chalet includes a mixture of broken glaciers, high alpine slopes, ski peaks, along with some great tree skiing. There are plenty of varied & interesting tours available for a solid fun week. Join Summit Mountain Guides on this fully guided & catered week long trip March 21-28, 2025.
The March 21-28, 2025 week is a Friday to Friday program. We will be flying-in by helicopter to the Chalet from a staging area near Smithers. All guests are responsible for their own transportation before and after the trip, we can recommend the Stork Nest Inn as a good base before and after.
Once at the chalet, our daily routine will be to explore the diverse terrain on skis as day trips with a small pack. We will enjoy spectacular scenery and return to the comforts of the chalet by mid to late afternoon.
This ski week is suitable for intermediate to advanced levels, ideally we will match people into similar skill groups. You must have prior day ski touring experience and be able to link turn in variable snow conditions.
Guests are responsible to self evaluate their skills as groups need to be matched together based on prior experience and ability.
Please contact us to discuss your background and what kind of tour or equipment would suit you best.
Burnie Glacier Chalet is located at 1100m in the Howson Range in the central Coast Mountains 50km Southwest of Smithers BC. Smithers is a fine mountain town located on the East side of the central Coast Mountains, it is a 4 hour drive West of Prince George along highway 16.
There is a regional airport in Smithers with daily flights from Vancouver. It is also possible to fly into the regional Prince George airport from Vancouver and rent a vehicle for the drive to Smithers.
Mountain weather can vary drastically. In winter you can expect temperatures to be from -15C to –5C in the day while in spring daily temperatures could rise well above zero.
Visibility may be poor or whiteout conditions when snowing heavily or clear on bluebird days. Ensure you are dressed for all variations as temperatures, wind, precipitation can change within the day.
What’s Included:
- Pre-trip planning support
- Certified IFMGA and/or ACMG guide service
- Group safety equipment (communication device, rescue kit, first aid supplies, GPS, maps)
- Helicopter flight in/out of lodge
- Cook and Gourmet Meals
Not included in price:
- Personal ski and avalanche safety equipment
- Accommodation or transport prior to meeting location
- 5% GST
- Trip cancellation, adventure travel insurance, medical insurance
Where can I rent Ski touring and safety equipment?
There are a few outdoor stores in Smithers that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment and gear rental, please ensure you rent gear well in advance. We can provides some avalanche equipment if needed.
Skis, Telemark or Split Boards?
Which should you use? If you are a downhill skier then you should use Alpine Touring gear. Only if you are already an advanced Telemark skier or Snowboarder should you bring Telemark or Split Board gear. All types of gear can be rented in Nelson prior to your day trip. There are three types of backcountry systems you can use:
Alpine Touring skis are essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift whilst going uphill or across the flats and then ‘locks down’ to become a regular downhill safety binding. We recommend this system to anyone with a background of downhill skiing who is not already an advanced telemark skier.
Telemark skis. These should only be used for this program if you are at least an intermediate telemark skier with some backcountry experience. This system is more difficult and less forgiving than the others.
Snowboarding with a Split Board is the most effective way to snowboard in the back country. We recommend this system to advanced snowboarder over snowshoeing.
