Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours and Safety Training
New in 2021 - Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours & Avalanche TrainingGreat News – Sun Peaks Backcountry off-piste skiing tours & lessons are now available!
Not only does Sun Peaks offer almost 4,300 acres of ski-able terrain, 3 mountains with lots of wide open spaces, 138 groomed & ungroomed runs, 13 lifts, 19 glade areas and the Gils off-piste ski area, but they also have easy access to many more acres of beautiful backcountry skiing for the more adventurous skiers and boarders. And starting in time for the 2021/22 ski season, there will be a new line of Sun Peaks Backcountry tours and skills training courses offered by one of Sun Peaks’ best and well known ski instructors, Bodie Shandro.
Bodie has been our ‘go-to’ guy for Sun Peaks Private Ski Lessons and guided Gils area off-piste tours for years, and in addition to being the owner/operator of Paddle Surfit Stand Up Paddleboard lessons & rentals down on Heffley Lake, he is also a:
Sun Peaks Backcountry & Avalanche Safety (photo Bodie Shandro)- Professionally certified CSIA Level 3 Ski Instructor
- CSGA Ski Guide
- Trained Wilderness First Responder
- Avalanche Canada Licensed AST Provider
- Former Mike Wiegele Heli Ski Guide
- Sun Peaks Backcountry Skiing Program Coordinator
- Certified Standup Paddleboard Instructor
- Mountain biking instructor and guide
- All-around cool guy and great instructor. Both Nancy and I have had lessons from Bodie, and both of our teens loved their Sun Peaks All-Mountain Skills Training Camps taught by Bodie.
Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours & Safety Training
Discover some of the best, hidden stashes of Sun Peaks powder and safely explore the beautiful backcountry with these pre-designed tours and courses, or work with Bodie on creating your own custom backcountry package.
Tree Wells and Mountain Safety Course
Learn Tree Well SafetySun Peaks Tree Wells and Mountain Safety is an absolute must do, one day course for all skiers and snowboarders who venture off of groomed runs.
Learn about how tree wells form, safe riding in the trees, what to do if you fall in a tree well and how to rescue someone.
Additionally, this course will introduce you to often overlooked hazards that one may encounter such as cold exposure injuries, variable snow conditions and more.
Daily 9:30am - 3:30pm (based on attendee numbers and availability)
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
Introduction To Backcountry Ski Touring
Safely experience the beautiful Sun Peaks Backcountry (Photo: Bodie Shandro)New to backcountry touring, looking to escape the crowds? If yes then this is the course for you!
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of safe backcountry travel, including terrain assessment, hazard analysis, companion rescue as well as equipment familiarization, and backcountry touring techniques.
* Transceiver, probe, shovel and pack provided.
* Powder skis and skins, snowboards and snowshoe rentals available upon request.
* No special boots are required.
Daily 9:30am - 3:30pm (based on attendee numbers and availability)
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
Guided Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours
Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours (photo Bodie Shandro)Explore the beautiful Sun Peaks backcountry beyond the Gil's area with a local professional guide. Ski what you see on your favorite Sun Peaks summer hikes.
* No previous experience required.
* Transceiver, probe, shovel and pack provided.
* Powder skis and skins, snowboards and snowshoe rentals available upon request.
* No special boots are required.
Daily 9:30am - 3:30pm (based on attendee numbers and availability)
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
Avalanche Skills Training (AST) 1
Sun Peaks AST1 (Avalanche Safety Training 1 - photo Bodie Shandro)Do you and your friends or family members venture out of bounds, off the trails or into the backcountry? An AST 1 is a MUST take course to travel safely in the mountains. The biggest obstacle most skiers and boarders face is “You don't know what you don’t know". The Avalanche Canada Avalanche Skills Training course is where you will learn about avalanche formation and release, how to identify avalanche terrain, the basics of trip planning, optimal use of tools and resources like the avalanche forecasts to mitigate your avalanche risk, use appropriate travel techniques in avalanche terrain, and an introduction to companion rescue. Upon completion you will receive an Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 Certificate, Backcountry Avalanche Awareness Book, Avaluator Booklet and Avaluator Slope Assessment Field Card, Companion Rescue Field Card.
* Transceiver, probe, shovel and pack provided.
* Powder skis and skins, snowboards and snowshoe rentals available upon request.
*No special boots are required.
* 2 day course with optional day 1 via ZOOM.
* Special snowshoe courses available upon request.
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
Companion Rescue Course
Avalanche Safety and Companion Rescue TrainingIf you have completed your AST1 the next step is a one day Companion Rescue Course. Review, refresh, and build upon your avalanche safety knowledge. Practice your companion rescue skills and advance beyond the scope of AST1 by learning how to deal with multiple burials, close-proximity multiple burials, deep burials, co-ordinate group rescues, and search without transceivers.
Discussion topics also include airbags, new shoveling techniques, and avalanche incident triage.
* Offered each weekend of the season (subject to attendee numbers and availability)
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
Heli or Cat Skiing Warm Up Training
Sun Peaks Cat Ski & Heli-Ski warm up trainingAs a heli and cat ski guide, Bodie has seen guests coming from all over the world that haven’t skied in a year, or sometimes it’s their very first trip. This camp provides participants with the skills to arrive at their heli or cat skiing destination better prepared for their trip of a lifetime!
There are so many nuances specific to heli and cat skiing and this camp offers a focused environment with less distractions. Warm up and fine tune your riding skills, develop an awareness of mountain hazards, tree well safety, companion rescue and helicopter and snowcat safety.
Note that Sun Peaks Heli-Ski or Heli-cat ski trips departing from Sun Peaks are also arranged from time-to-time, based on availability (which is extremely limited right now due to the pandemic).
Visit Sun Peaks Backcountry Tours for more information.
Contact Bodie for details.
To learn more about any of these Best Sun Peaks Backcountry Ski tours or lessons, complete and submit the form below or visit the Sun Peaks Backcountry Skiing official website. You can also call Bodie at (250) 318-0722 or (250) 578-8979.
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