This trip is now fully booked. Contact us to enquire about our waiting list.
Dates: Friday, March 22 to Friday, March 29 2019
Price: $2,550 CAD/person (Currently $1,883 USD / €1,799 / £1,502) + 5% GST
Deposit: 50% payment secures your booking. Balance of payment is due 9 November 2018. See Payment and Booking Conditions tab for details.
Difficulty
- Day trips, hut-based
- Hut elevation 1030 m with 1500-1800 m/day on average (Experienced group)
- Glaciated terrain
- Powder skiing and ski mountaineering
Videos of Burnie!
Click on the tabs to view each one. I have to point out that Burnie does have running water, despite the bucket carrying scene in the first video…
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Use the controller in the top left to look around as this video plays.
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I’m not a big fan of drones but I have to admit I like this video.
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The best kept secret in BC ski lodges
Burnie Glacier Chalet is located near Smithers in northern British Columbia. It has spectacular, rugged alpine terrain with beautiful ski runs that range in nature from gentle glacier runs that can be done in most conditions to steep tree runs for high hazard days, to incredible ski mountaineering trips high into the alpine.
The Chalet is a simple but beautiful timber frame building, warmed by a beautiful wood burning kitchen stove with spectacular views of the towering Hut Peak, Burnie Glacier, Solitaire Ski Peaks and Lakehead Peak. It was built by Christoph Dietzfelbinger and a team of friends in the early 2000s. There are four bedrooms, each sleeping from 2 to 4 guests and including two double beds if there are any couples in the group. Pillows, sheets, and duvets are provided. You are encouraged to bring a couple of your own towels (one for using in the sauna, the other for drying off after your shower), although towels are available at the lodge in case you forget.
Burnie Glacier Chalet is perfectly situated for ski touring below the Burnie and Solitaire Glaciers and offers quick access to 700 m tree runs and 1400 m glacier runs that rise directly from the Chalet. In fact most of the runs ski right back to the Chalet with no uphill travel at the end of the day!
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Getting to Smithers
Simplest and easiest way to get to Burnie is to fly in and out of Smithers, BC. I recommend getting there the day before to allow time for your baggage to catch up to you in case it gets bumped. It’s tempting to try to arrive on the 9:30 am Friday flight, stroll across the tarmac and get into the helicopter to Burnie at 10:30 am, but it’s very risky!
The airlines that service Smithers are Air Canada (Jazz) and Central Mountain Air. If you are flying out of Vancouver you might find that CMA offers the best rates and availability. You might also find you can get cheap points tickets to Vancouver, and then add a CMA flight for your last leg. For some reason flights to Smithers have just been getting more and more expensive over the years.
You can also consider flying in and out of Terrace, BC which is a 2.5 hour drive from Smithers. Tickets to Terrace are often hundreds of dollars cheaper than to Smithers. You would need to rent a car, either as a one-way drop off twice or for the whole week — the costs work out to be about the same either way.
If you choose to drive to Smithers from your home be aware that it’s a long, lonely 2-lane highway and while it’s well maintained for a northern BC road it’s quite a long haul and in a winter storm your pace could slow to a crawl. So check the weather and give yourself enough time.
Free Burnie Airport Shuttle Service
We provide a free shuttle service between the airport and hotel before the trip (Thursday evening and Friday morning) as well as after the trip (Friday afternoon). Please let us know if you would like to take advantage of this service well in advance.
Pre-post trip accommodation
I recommend you stay the night at the Stork Nest Inn Thursday night. The Stork Nest includes an excellent breakfast the next morning and also provides free storage area for any luggage, ski bags, etc. you want to leave in town.
Helicopter Logistics
We are scheduled to meet at the Silver King hangar (next to the airport, tel: 250-877-1989) in Smithers, BC at 10:30 am on Friday to fly into the Burnie Glacier. If this changes I will let you know as soon as possible. If you plan to stay at the Stork Nest Inn in Smithers we will send a taxi to pick you up at about 10:00 am. If you have made arrangements to stay elsewhere please let me know so that we can arrange to have you picked up at the correct time. We plan to be back in Smithers by 17:00 on the following Friday at the very latest but usually as early as 14:00. If you choose to book a flight out of Smithers earlier than 18:00 (Central Mountain Air offers a flight out of Smithers at 14:30) check with me first, and be sure to get the appropriate insurance to cover you in case of weather delays out of Burnie.
Please do not transport your skis/poles in ski bags. Leave your ski bags at the Stork’s nest. The helicopters have limited space and ski bags take up too much room. Don’t worry, we’ll be gentle loading them!
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Difficulty
- Day trips, hut-based
- Hut elevation 1030 m
- Normal Pace: experienced group, 1500-1800 m/day climbing
- Glaciated terrain
- Steep treed skiing
- Powder skiing and ski mountaineering
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Packing Notes:
A gear list for the week is attached below. Despite being a mid winter trip you should bring ski crampons. They can make a big difference even on a powder skiing week at times. If you have any difficulty obtaining these please let me know. I have some spares and can likely set you up with a pair. You will need a climbing harness with several locking carabiners. Please ensure that it fits comfortably over your ski clothes. A light weight ice axe may be useful for some of the lines in the area, especially late season (late March-April-May) but if you don’t have one or aren’t interested in that kind of skiing then don’t worry about bringing one. We have extras at the lodge in any case.
The lodge is equipped with 110 VAC power and does have limited Wi-Fi internet access. It has a great ski repair area and several sets of high quality skis if you would like to try something different during the week. It also has a wonderful sauna for the end of the day, and beer and wine are available to purchase at the lodge
Clothing
- Wool or synthetic socks and liner socks
- Long underwear top – synthetic or wool
- Light fleece or wool sweater
- Wind shell – nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type jacket
- Waterproof breathable jacket
- Warm insulated jacket – down or synthetic
- Long underwear bottoms – synthetic or wool
- Multipurpose stretch nylon or ‘Schoeller’ type pants
- Waterproof breathable pants
- Warm hat – wool or synthetic
- Brimmed cap for sun protection
- Face warmer – scarf, neck tube or balaclava (optional)
- Light gloves – wool, synthetic or leather
- Insulated gloves or mitts with waterproof outer shell
- Spare gloves or mitts
- Handkerchief for blocking the sun (optional)
- Snow Safety Equipment
- Avalanche beacon with good batteries (and spares)
- Shovel
- Probe (2.4m or longer preferred, sturdy construction)
Travel Equipment
- Skis or split board
- Ski strap
- Ski or snowboard boots
- Poles
- Climbing skins
- Skin wax (or a candle)
- Ski crampons (mandatory)
- Binding repair kit to fix your personal travel setup
- Ski helmet (optional)
Personal Equipment
- Pack (30-40 litres)
- Sunglasses (both orange and dark/brown-tinted lenses help a lot for travel in all conditions)
- Goggles (orange lenses)
- Sunscreen and lip cream (SPF 30+)
- Head lamp with good batteries
- Insulated water bottle or thermos (1-2 L)
- Lunch bag or container
- Personal blister kit (i.e: Leukotape-P and Compeed/Second Skin blister pads)
- Pocket knife (optional)
- Camera (optional)
Glacier Gear
Glacier gear is available to borrow at the lodge but feel free to bring your own
- Harness – fitted for over your ski clothing. Blue Ice, BD, Petzl and Camp make some good lightweight ski touring harnesses
- Locking carabiners (x2)
- Non-locking carabiners (x2)
- Prussik cord – 5m x 6mm (optional)
- Sewn sling – 120cm (optional)
Hut Gear
- Duffle bag for flying into the lodge
- Shoes or sandals
- Winter boots for travel to the outhouse (boots at the hut for you to use if you prefer)
- Hut clothing
- 1-2 Towels and swimsuit for sauna
- Personal medications and toiletries
- Ear plugs
- Reading material
- Chargers for electronic devices (normal AC power is available via micro-hydro)
- Note the following are provided:
- Beer and wine are available to purchase at the lodge at a reasonable price
- Pillows and duvets supplied at the lodge
Group Gear (supplied by the guides)
- Altimeter
- Map and compass
- GPS
- Snow study kit
- Snow and/or bush saw
- First aid kit
- Emergency tarp
- Emergency toboggan
- Group repair kit
- Radio & satellite phone
- Ropes for glacier travel
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booking
Our Booking Form takes a few seconds to complete. We will then contact you to discuss your trip and answer any questions you might have. This is your opportunity to figure out for sure if this trip is for you, without obligation. To secure your booking you must complete our Online Waiver and Application Forms and pay your deposit.
Final payment is due 3 months in advance of your trip start date unless otherwise indicated. Please note that deposits are absolutely non-refundable, and final payments are non-refundable after the final payment date.
Paying
All of our trips are priced in Canadian Dollars. The approximate exchange rate is given for your convenience on each trip information page.
Foreign clients (and Canadian clients paying with a credit card): You will receive your invoice via Flywire, our online payment and foreign exchange service, after we review your booking application. You will be given various options of payment by credit card or bank transfer. For foreign clients, the exact rates you will be charged will be listed in the currency of the country you indicate to Flywire. These rates are competitive and offer good value compared with other options like bank transfers. There is no additional fee for credit card payments as this is wrapped into the rate offered (hence the higher cost of credit card payments).
Canadian clients paying by E-transfer: You will be invoiced via our accounting system Quickbooks. Please send an E-transfer to billing@sawback.com. If you prefer to pay by credit card in CAD indicate this on your Application Form. We charge a 3% processing fee for CAD card payments.
Booking Conditions Fine Print
READ CAREFULLY – BOOKING, RESERVATION, DEPOSIT: A deposit of 50% of the total price or private guiding fee is due with your booking unless otherwise indicated. You are required to complete our waiver and application forms during the booking process. You will be sent an invoice via our invoicing system, Flywire which provides all payment options available except Interac e-transfers. Flywire also provides foreign currency rates for the various payment options so you can pay in your local currency. If you wish to pay in CAD by E-transfer send funds to billing@sawback.com. Final payments are due 90 days before your trip starts. CONFIRMATION / TRIP INFORMATION: Upon receipt of this registration form we confirm your booking and you agree to pay your deposit within 7 days. Each trip we offer has a detailed trip information page (available on our website) with the trip details, equipment list, proposed itinerary and logistics, etc. Read through this carefully before completing your registration. TRIP (CANCELLATION / MEDICAL / EVACUATION / THEFT) INSURANCE: Once you complete your registration, we enter into financial obligations on our side and we cannot refund payments or release you from your contractual obligations. Therefore, we highly recommend buying cancellation insurance to cover your losses for the case that you can’t participate or have to interrupt your trip “for any reason”. Also, all participants need to have internationally accepted health insurance for all activities pertaining to the trip, including coverage for emergency rescue and evacuation. If you already have insurance, please make sure that you will be covered for “roped travel” booking a technical trip including “Via Ferrata” trips. We will gladly refer you to a travel insurance provider who offers “adventure travel insurance packages” and with whom our clients have had positive claims experiences in the past. Generally, you will receive the best benefits if you buy your insurance within 10 days of our booking confirmation. We strongly urge you to read our Insurance Information page carefully before booking your trip. CANCELLATIONS AND OVERDUE PAYMENTS: If you need to make a late payment or cancel a booking, please do so in writing (best by e-mail). Please note carefully the payment schedule for your trip. If you are overdue on a payment we reserve the right to cancel your booking without notice. At our sole discretion we may offer to credit you your deposit, less an administrative fee, towards a future trip. Cash refunds are not possible under any circumstance. CANCELLED PROGRAMS: Once we confirm your booking, we guarantee your trip departure. However, we do reserve the right to change guides, particular lodging or the itinerary or venue, should unforeseen circumstances (guide sickness, hut or route closing etc.) force us to do so or should the physical condition of the participants (see below), weather or mountain conditions, make a continuation as planned too risky. We will not be deemed to be in default for any delay or failure to perform our obligations under this Agreement resulting from acts of God, the elements, war, acts of government, civil or military authorities, natural calamities, catastrophe, fire, flood, accidents, epidemics, shortage of transportation, or any other like events beyond our reasonable control. PERSONAL FITNESS and GROUP TRAVEL: Our programs rely heavily on the integrity of each individual to assess his or her skill level and physical condition accurately. It is the responsibility of each participant to be aware of the necessary skill and fitness level for a particular trip. When in doubt, please call and discuss this with us! For the protection of yourself and other group members, we reserve the right to deny participation to any unprepared participant at any time of the trip, in which case we cannot offer a refund! In order to accommodate diverse levels of ability and ambition as well as diverse personalities, the decision making of the guide has to be geared towards safety and finding a consensus within the whole group, which may not please each individual participant at all times. Clients who are not willing to fit in with a diverse group and/or have less flexible goals are urged to make a private booking.
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Snowpack and Climate
This is NW Interior skiing, a bit colder and drier than the coast but it still dumps! On the ice Burnie has a 4+ m snowpack mid-winter. The lodge, at 1030 m ASL, is at by far the lowest elevation of any of the Canadian backcountry ski lodges. However, its northern latitude ensures a cool climate and great skiing into June. Temperatures in January average -20C to -10C, and in March -12C to -3C at the lodge.
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Some great photos from past trips (click links to view):
Upper Ptarmigan and Lakehead East Ridge
Here’s a great little video put together by some stoked guests (click link to view):
Although this information package is comprehensive and specific to this trip, Christoph provides some general information on his Bear Mountaineering websitethat might prove useful to you as well
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Staff
Tom Wolfe (Mountain Guide ACMG/IFMGA) has been guiding since moving to Canmore in 1995, the place he calls home with wife, son and daughter. He guides year around, with winters being a mix of ski guiding at lodges, heli-ski operations, and remote backcountry destinations throughout western Canada. He has skied and guided many weeks at Burnie since 2004.
Ian Kirschner (Ski GUide, ACMG) has been ski guiding out of Golden for about 15 years. Ian mixes his time between guiding and working as a professional avalanche forecaster with BC Highways. Tom and Ian met during their guides’ exams and did many trips and courses together!
Christoph Dietzfelbinger (Mountain Guide, ACMG/IFMGA) is the owner of the Burnie Glacier Chalet. He is the one who has developed the area for both winter and summer use and it is first and foremost Christoph whom we can thank for being able to spend a week of skiing in such a wonderful facility.
Finally, life at Burnie includes superb meals. These are prepared by one of our two gracious in-house chefs, Molly and Monika, who consistently amaze guests with their beautiful, tasty, and abundant food. We are happy to accommodate special diets.
Our goal is to provide you with the best skiing possible in the comfort and ease of a fully catered backcountry chalet.
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