Mallard Lodge, Canadian Rockies

The group will be meeting and staying at the Valemount Best Western Hotel on Saturday night before the trip. We will fly-in with a helicopter at 8am on day1 from the Yellowhead helicopter base in Valemount BC. All guests are responsible for getting to/from Valemount before/after the trip.

Once at the lodge, our daily routine will be to explore the diverse terrain while skiing with a small day pack. We will enjoy spectacular scenery and return to the comforts of the Lodge 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.

General Lodge Based Ski Weeks Equipment List

This modern lodge sits on the Western edge of Jasper National Park in the Western Rockies 75km Southeast of Valemount BC. We will access the lodge by helicopter from the Yellowhead Helicopter Base in Valemount BC. Valemount is a small mountain town located in Eastern British Columbia between the Cariboo and Rocky Mountains. By car it is a 3.5hrs drive North of Kamloops BC, 5hrs drive West of Edmonton along HWY 16 or 6.5 hrs drive Northeast of Vancouver BC. All guests are responsible for their own transportation to/from Valemount before/after the trip.

There are only a few backcountry lodges as remote as Mallard, the 30minute one-way helicopter ride in will make you feel like you are heading deep into the backcountry. The difficult access definitely contributes to a higher priced program however, the wilderness experience is unique. Your group of 8 skiers will enjoy an entirely exclusive skiing experience. Here, you will not see any other users in the area (snowmobiles, heli-skiers or other ski touring parties). Also, there are no signs of the previous logging or human made constructions. Just you, your friends, the lodge and fantastic ski touring terrain.

Mountain weather can vary drastically.  In winter you can expect temperatures in this area to be from -20C to –7C during the day while in spring daily temperatures could rise to near 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.

• Pre-trip planning support
• Certified IFMGA and/or ACMG guide service
• Group safety equipment (communication device, rescue kit, first aid supplies, GPS, maps)
• 7 nights accommodation
• Helicopter flight in/out of Mallard Lodge
• Cook & Gourmet Meals

Not included in price:

• Personal ski and avalanche safety equipment
• Accommodation or transport before or after the trip
• 5% GST
• Tips
• Trip cancellation, adventure travel insurance, medical insurance

Where can I rent Ski touring and safety equipment?

The best places to rent ski touring equipment in Calgary are at Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) & at the U of C Outdoor Center.  There are a few outdoor stores in Golden that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment however ski touring rentals here are limited. We can provide some avalanche equipment if needed,  please ensure you rent gear well in advance.

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 others.

Snowboarding with a Split Board is the most effective way to snowboard in the back country. On this touring weeks, guests must be using a split board system as snowshoes are limiting for group travel.