Sorcerer Lodge, Winter 2025

We will be flying-in from a staging area near Golden, a 30 minute drive from Golden.  All guests are responsible for their own transportation or accommodation before and after the trip.

Once at the lodge, 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 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

The lodge is located in the snowy Selkirk Mountains near the Glacier National Park border.  We will access the lodge by helicopter from a staging area from Golden. Golden is a 5 hour drive north from Calgary or 6 hour drive from Vancouver.  All guests are responsible for their own transportation before and after the trip.

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 slightly above freezing.

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)
• 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 Golden that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment and gear rental, please ensure you rent gear well in advance.  We can provide some avalanche equipment if needed. Here are some possibilities:

Calgary:

• Outdoor Center (University of Calgary)

Canmore:

• Valhalla Pure Outfitters (403) 678-5610

Banff:

• Monod Sports (403) 762-4571

Lake Louise:

• Wilson Mountain Sports (403) 522-3636

Golden:

• Higher Ground Sports (250) 344-7980

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 backcountry. We recommend this system to advanced snowboarder over snowshoeing.