Located in the Selkirk Mountains, just west of the Rockies, Golden offers miles of off-piste adventures for all skill levels — without the usual crowds. Full of possibilities with miles of pristine powder, this small town offers dozens of runs close to town, as well as the fourth-highest vertical drop in North America, of 1,315m (4,314ft). Lift-accessed backcountry skiing from Kicking Horse Mountain Resort lets you spend more time skiing and less time skinning. Let your guide take you to the best untouched powder stashes and explore one of Canada’s best backcountry skiing destinations.
Explore the thrill of backcountry skiing just off Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and let your guide teach you skills to have you carving more advanced lines in this incredible terrain. Get some experience under your belt and conquer your first off-piste descent! Lift-access gets you where you need to be to start your adventure into the unknown with a guide who will make sure you get the best of your day.
Not sure if you should hire a guide? Listen to our ambassador Greg Hill debate the ultimate question: To be guided or not to be guided?
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Golden, please refer to the Tourism Golden website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
In order to enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. While there is terrain for all skill levels in Golden, you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on blue level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.
Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner friendly, meaning anyone with blue level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Ski rental location is in Golden, BC, and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
Groups and pricing:
Ski touring in Golden can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
To get to Golden, most people fly into Calgary International Airport, rent a car, and drive three hours to Golden. However, you can take a shuttle service connecting Calgary Airport to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Shuttles are operated by BanffShuttle and RiderExpress.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the guide shop or a predetermined location. From there, you’ll head to your tour. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ski ability of the group.
Day Trips Cancellations
Fully refundable within the initial 48 hours from booking, unless the trip date is less than 7 days from the time of the booking.
Cancellations up to 7 days prior to the trip date are refundable 100%.
Cancellations within 7 days prior to the trip date are non-refundable.
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I feel very fortunate to have met Tom several years ago on a trip he was guiding to Burnie Glacier Chalet. I’ve now had the opportunity to ski with Tom extensively, including a week of skiing at Sunrise Lodge in the Esplanade Range this winter, and I will be skiing with him in Svalbard, Norway on his sail & ski trip in a couple of weeks, and I’ve already booked a week long trip to Selkirk Lodge with him in 2020. Having spent countless hours, days, weeks, and months skiing, climbing, and learning from IFMGA guides, I feel confident saying you can’t go wrong with Sawback Alpine Adventures and Tom Wolfe!