Rock Climbing Intro Weekend - A two-day introductory course most popular on weekends (though any two days will do), Sawback's Rock Climbing Intro courses provide beginners with training in movement skills, gear selection, and depending on prior skill anchor placement and top-rope setup. $225/person (2 or more); $415/single*.

Advanced Rock Seminar - A week-long course featuring advanced climbing movement instruction, placing gear and building anchors, top-rope set-up, and sport lead climbing. $785/person (2 or more); $1400/single.*

Learn to Lead - A two-day course designed to help you make the transition from toproping to lead climbing. Locations: Sport climbing areas in the Squamish-Whistler area as well as the Bow Valley.$250/person (2 or more); $450/single*.

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Mountaineering Trips
Catamount Glacier Mountaineering Trip - A six-day backpacking and mountaineering expedition into the heart of the Purcell mountains, from early July through late September. An Explore Magazine 2005 Top Trip! $875/person (group of 2); $775/person (group of 3 or more).

Joffre Group - A three-day mountain adventure into the famous Joffre Group, a spectacular glaciated alpine granite playground just three hours north of Vancouver off the Duffy Lake road. Itinerary includes steep snow and glacier travel, crevasse rescue, self-belays and self-arrests, snow and ice anchors, and the chance the climb Mt. Matier or Mt. Joffre. $500/person (group of 2 or more).*

Tantalus Group - A three day trip helicopter-accessed mountaineering adventure into the Tantalus Group, the most-admired glaciated terrain on the lower mainland, as viewed from the Sea-to-Sky highway between Whistler and Squamish. The heli-port is just 45 minutes north of Vancouver, and a quick 11 minute ride carries you high up to the Serratus-Dione col and the dubious shelter of the "Red Tit Hut"! Despite the rustic accommodation, this high camp allows quick access to Mounts Serratus (2326m) and Alpha (2305m) to the south, as well as Dione (2590m) and Tantalus (2603m) to the north.

Mountain Hiking Trips
Coast Mountain Traverse - A rugged 6-day backpacking trip, beginning in the Tchaikazan Valley, climbing over Spectral Pass, and dropping down for a pick-up at the mouth of Rainbow Creek on the shore of Chilko Lake. This is a wilderness hike through some of the most stellar and remote reaches of the Chilcotin Wilderness east of BC's coast range. $900/person (group of 2 or more).

Chilko Lake - A rugged 6-day backpacking trip, beginning in the Tchaikazan Valley, climbing over Spectrum Pass, and dropping down for a pick-up at the mouth of Rainbow Creek on the shore of Chilko Lake. This is a wilderness hike through some of the most stellar and remote reaches of the Chilcotin Wilderness east of BC's coast range. $900/person (group of 2 or more).

Ice Climbing Courses and Guiding
Ice Climbing Intro Weekend - A two-day course most popular on weekends (though any two days will do), Sawback's Ice Climbing Intro courses provide beginners with training in movement skills and help transfer summer rock climbing top-roping skills to the winter environment.

Ice Climbing Intensive Week - A 7-day ice climbing course based in the David Thompson. Possible objectives include: Cline River Gallery, SARS on Ice, Five Seven Zero, Kitty Hawk, Elliot Left Hand, Bloodline, Gentleman Orders, and more. Our base will be the David Thompson Resort's Bed and Breakfast: comfortable private lodging with great home-cooked meals. $1900/person*.

Heli-Ice climbing - Climb the Sorcerer or Hydrophobia in a single short day (5-7 hrs) with helicopter-accessed ice climbing in the Ghost River. The Sorcerer is a four-pitch Grade 5, and Hydrophobia is a 4-pitch Grade 5+, and both are recognised as the best of their genre. Normally a 2-3 hour four-wheel-drive approach is required for these routes, followed by an arduous hike of 2 or more hours. A ten-minute helicopter ride from the town of Canmore reduces the environmental impact on the area, eliminates the risk of "getting stuck", plus allows you to save your time and energy for the climb! CDN$1200 (US$840) for an individual, CDN$1400 (US$980) for a group of two (max).