Island Alpine Guides

04/17/2025

03/17/2025

Strathcona Wilderness Institute Fundraising Event - this Friday night in Courtenay! 📽🎞🎟

02/04/2025

In case it's not on your calendar yet - Mount Cain Backcountry Fest is happening this weekend! ❄️

01/28/2025

Blue skies and even some creamy snow on our AST2 in the Mount Washington backcountry the past four days. Note island mountaineering legend in the group 😎 We’ve got one more AST2 with space available 21-24 February and spaces on AST1 8-9 February, 1-2 Marchand 8-9 March.

01/23/2025

Current conditions are making it possible to travel into all kinds of terrain in the backcountry which meant that our recent AST2 at Cain toured to some amazing spots that might not normally get visited on an AST2. Participants were stoked with all the learning that comes with seeing so much terrain!
Photos

01/23/2025

Given the incredible popularity of our online weather courses we had this thought that maybe an online anchors course might be a cool thing to do. In a couple of hours one evening we could easily cover anchor inspection, anchor building, anchor changeovers and much else including a lot of interactive Q&A where you could ask questions about whether those methods you've been using or have seen meet the current international standard. Let us know in the comments if you'd be interested in such a course.

01/10/2025

We’ve had one spot open up this weekend. There aren’t many left this early reason so if you’ve been wanting to do this course and have the time , grab it!

01/10/2025

One spot just opened up on our Avalanche Skills Training 1 course at Mount Washington this weekend. Aside from this there are not so many spots remaining this season so if you've wanted to take this course and can make this weekend work, grab it here:

Looking to ride in the backcountry this winter? Avalanche Skills Training 1 (AST1) is an introductory course geared towards recreationalists with little to no experience in avalanche terrain. It’s also suitable for those with some experience who are looking for more formalized training. AST1 is re...

01/07/2025

One spot has just opened up on our only AST2 course at Mount Cain this winter. It's happening next weekend 10-13 January. Check it out and register here: https://www.islandalpineguides.com/trips/48
And while we have your attention a spot has also just opened up on an AST1 at Mount Washington this weekend as well. Grab that one here at our website as well.

As our adventures lure us into more complex avalanche terrain, it’s important to delve deeper into snow science and move beyond the internalized rule-based models learned in AST1. This Avalanche Skills Training Level 2 at Mount Cain is an intermediate level course and provides the observational an...

01/01/2025

Avalanche Skills Training has been in high demand on Vancouver Island this winter so we’ve been busy!

We set a high standard for who teaches these courses for us meaning that there is a limit to our instructor availability, and it looks like we are nearing that limit, at least for January and February.

Here is what is still available for avalanche training with us at time of posting:

Avalanche Skills Training One - Mount Washington
18/19 January - 2 Spots
15/16 February - 8 Spots
22/23 February - 1 Spot
01/02 March - 3 Spots

Avalanche Skills Training Two - Mount Washington
21-24 February - 5 Spots

AST Plus - Mount Washington
03 January - 2 Spots
26 January - 3 Spots

If you are thinking of getting avalanche training this winter now might be a good time to grab one of these spots as there may not be many more.

12/27/2024

We were sold out into February but have just managed to open up eight spots on an Avalanche Skills Training One course at Mount Washington January 11th and 12th. We're guessing they'll disappear quickly. Grab one at https://www.islandalpineguides.com/trips/31

12/27/2024

Last minute AST1 Washington for Skiers/Boarders course spot currently available for this weekend - December 28th - 29th! Check out our website for availability / to book. Happy Holidays! ❄