Our Flagship Women's Program Takes a One-Off Trip to the Tantalus Range

Let’s face it – there are certain undeniable differences between men and women that effect how we operate in a backcountry setting. Mixed groups of men and women are awesome, but there should also be opportunities for women to get out with just other women.

Designed and offered for women exclusively, this unique climbing camp provides an opportunity for women to work on summer leading skills and gain valuable mountaineering experience. And this year we're doing something a little bit special, moving the camp out of its traditional home in the Rockies to the in the Jim Haberl Hut in the Tantalus Range, just northwest of Squamish, BC. This area will allow for a variety of mountaineering efforts and will be the ideal place to hone the mountaineering skills of a fabulous group of women.

Daily activities will be organized and supervised by a female ACMG guide, and participants will be given the opportunity to plan daily trips, and to lead in the field according to their abilities.

Camp Objectives

The mountaineering terrain around the hut is dramatic and most suitable for intermediate and advanced climbers. There is a wide variety of mixed snow and rock routes of various grades on peaks such as: Tantalus 2,603 m (8,540 ft); Dione 2,590 m (8,500 ft); Alpha 2,305 m (7,562 ft); Serratus 2,326 m (7,632 ft) and others. The hut is conveniently located for climbers doing the full traverse of the Tantalus Range. Climbing in the area is covered in Climbing and Hiking in Southwestern B.C. by Bruce Fairley, and in Alpine Select by Kevin McLane.

Day by Day Adventure Itinerary

Camp Itinerary

Day 1: Meet group at Black Tusk Heli staging for a spectacular ride into the Jim Haberl Hut

Days 2 - 5: Potential objectives include the mountains listed above. If the camp runs at capacity, we will have three groups of three ladies with two ACMG certified female guides and an experienced ACC Camp Manager, allowing for different paces, ambitions and objectives each day. You will get the opportunity to work on rock climbing techniques at local cragging area, technical alpine rock scrambling and others. Our climbing days will be tailored to the skills and personal objectives of the group. Instructional sessions may include: crevasse rescue, rope ascending, rock anchors, ice anchors, movement skills with ice axe & crampons, self arrests, route finding on glaciers, ice climbing and alpine belay techniques.

Day 6: Fit in one final day of granite, all-female climbing before packing up, saying goodbyes and returning to your vehicles via helicopter

Is this Camp For Me?

Intermediate

This camp is designed for women with some mountaineering and climbing experience. You must also have a good level of fitness carrying and climbing with a pack for several hours.

Food, Accommodation and Guiding

Food

Our camp cook, included in you camp fee will prepare a full set of scrumptious meals each day of the camp. And with helicopter access, you will have the luxury of fresh meat and vegetables rather than dehydrated backpacking food. We’re able to accommodate most allergies, medical dietary restrictions and vegetarian diets. Additional surcharges apply for vegan, lactose-free, or gluten-free diets.

Accommodation

The Jim Haberl Hut is located in the Tantalus Range, just northwest of Squamish, BC. It is located at 2,030 m (6,660 ft) elevation in the Serratus-Dione Col, about a 6-hour hike above Lake Lovely Water and the Tantalus Hut or a full 14 hours (usually done over two days) from the Squamish River. The site is located on the edge of Tantalus Provincial Park at 551600 northerly/477800 easterly on map 92G/14 (Cheakamus River).

The hut is a single story wood frame structure with metal roofing and cladding. There is a large kitchen and sitting room with wonderful views to the north, south and west. There are also two sleeping rooms with bunks for 6 people each. While the hut is kept locked, there is an unlocked vestibule for emergency use.

Guiding

Our guiding ratio will be a maximum of 3:1 to give you plenty of one-to-one learning time with our excellent, all-female guides. The small groups also mean that you can split up based on objectives and pacing, and get the individualized attention needed to tackle more challenging alpine routes.

This camp is guided by female ACMG-certified alpine guides.

“We had a wonderful time on this trip, it was a fantastic location and the company and leadership were outstanding"

“The knowledge from the 2 guides and the camp manager was beyond my expectations. They were fun, knowledgeable women who motivate and inspire me”

- Past Women's Climbing Camp Participants-

Adventure Map

Contact Us

Email
403 678 3200 ext. 213

Organizing Fantastic ACC Adventures For Over 100 Years

Local Knowledge - based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
Dedicated resources - full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
Not-for-profit - any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community

Cancellation policy and travel Insurance

Please be sure to review our cancellation policy before registering for ACC Adventures:

Cancellation Policy
We sell Tugo^® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips:

Travel Insurance

Included WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

6 days professional guiding by two fully certified, female, ACMG alpine guide
Exclusive booking for 5 nights at the Jim Haberl hut
Helicopter transportation in and out of the hut
All meals included from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 6
Camp swag provided by Marmot for all participants with ACC logo embroidery
All group gear

Participants Must Provide

Travel to helicopter staging (carpool lists will be provided)
Personal gear (see gear list)
Breakfast and lunch on day 1, dinner on day 6

Your Guides

Kirsten Knechtel

Kirsten was raised in Banff, AB where her passion for the mountains and mountain adventure began. Kirsten’s family were outdoor enthusiasts and by the age of 6 she began ski racing, age 10 ski touring, and by age 14 she had climbed many classic alpine routes in the Canadian Rockies. Her career as a guide was a natural step. By age 25 she was a fully certified mountain guide. Kirsten has a variety of guiding experience behind her. She has worked as a manager of a catskiing operation and guided many heliskiing, catskiing and private ski touring trips. In the summer she has worked with the British military training, run her own private guiding business and spent well over 10 years working at the Alpine Club’s General Mountaineering Camp, Marmot Women’s camps and other ACC programs.