Camp Highlights

Based out of the beautiful Lake Louise Alpine Centre
A week of all female learning, support and mentorship
Low-ratio guiding to facilitate personalized coaching
Group meals in the fantastic Bill Peyto cafe

Dates & price

March 23rd-27th, 2020
$1195 + Tax / Person

Marmot has sponsored the ACC’s Women’s Program since its inception. We thank them for their generous assistance.

Our Ever-Popular Women's Program Returns to the Rockies for Winter 2020

With our women's-only ski program exploding in popularity, we're taking the camp to a new location each year and winter 2020 will be no different with the camp returning to the Rockies and the beautiful Lake Louise Alpine Centre.

This is the perfect base for a week of fantastic skiing with the Icefield Parkway, Little Yoho and Highway 93 South all on the doorstep. Enjoy the convenience of the an on-site sauna and the affordable yet scrumptious food (and beer!) of the famous Bill Peyto cafe.

Build your confidence, meet lifelong ski buddies, and have adventures that you'll be talking about for years to come on our 2020 Women's Ski Camp!

Camp Objectives

This camp is traditionally heavy on instruction with learning topics including:

Glacier travel

Whiteout navigation

Crevasse rescue

Routefinding

Track setting

Snow stability evaluation

Terrain management

With this year's camp being in March, there will be a huge number of potential ski objectives ranging from moderate ski mountaineering ascents (Mt. Whymper, Mt. Field, Crowfoot Mountain), through to steep couloir skiing (Bell Couloir, Crowfoot Couloir) and beautiful classic tours (Surprise Pass, Dolomite Circuit). Finger crossed there'll be plenty of powder turns too!

Day by Day Adventure Itinerary

Day 1: You'll meet your group and guides at 8am at the Lake Louise Alpine Centre. After making introductions and completing any remaining paper work, you'll get out for a first day of touring and instruction from your guides.
Day 2 - 4: Time to up the ante. Weather permitting your guides will get you up into the nearby alpine, skiing open bowls and spectacular day tours of the region. Your guides will seek to strike the right balance between big mountain days and more skills-based learning sessions.
Day 5: Enjoy a final day in this pristine winter playground before packing up, saying goodbyes and taking some final photos before enjoying the views your drive home.

Is this Camp For Me?

Intermediate

This camp is designed for women with some backcountry skiing experience. You must have a good level of fitness and be comfortable skiing the equivalent of blue/intermediate and black/advanced ski runs at downhill ski areas in variable conditions (powder, crust, icy etc.) We require participants to have a good level of fitness and familiarity with touring equipment and avalanche transceivers. Additionally, you must be able to ski in deep powder with a 13-17kg (30-40lb) pack for several hours. Participants will be expected to share in carrying group gear and their own lunch while on the camp.

If you have any concerns about your suitability for this camp please contact the office before registering.

Food, Accommodation and Guiding

Food

With an affordable restaurant and communal kitchen on site, breakfast and dinner won't be included in the camp fee as we'd rather give you the flexibility to pick the meals you'd like. However, we know that preparing packed lunches each day can be a pain so we will be sending along packed lunches for the group for each day.

One of the main attractions of the Lake Louise Alpine Centre is the adjoining Bill Peyto Cafe which serves affordable but hearty food in a sociable setting. You can also enjoy great beers on tap! Each evening, we'll set aside a table for you in the dining area and leave you to decide what you'd like to sample from the a la carte menu. You can also choose to eat breakfast in the cafe or alternatively there is a communal kitchen downstairs to prepare your own self-catered breakfasts.

Accommodation

Accommodation for this camp is in the form of comfortable four bed dorms at the Lake Louise Alpine Centre. Communal bathrooms are available on site as well as a sauna and a homely lounge to relax, read or try your hand at pool.

Guiding

In keeping with the nature of the camp, our highly experienced ACMG certified guides are all women! They will ensure your adventure is both safe and enjoyable as well as being open to answering questions about the region as well as everything from ski technique to gear. The ratio of guides to participants will be 4:1 if the camp fills (and no greater than 5:1 otherwise). These low ratios ensure participants can travel at a pace which is right for them and have the chance to ask questions.

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

“This was truly a wonderful experience, led with wisdom and support from our amazing guides, and enjoyed by an amazing group of strong supportive women.”

“The value to the mountaineering community of women sharing their support, strength and wisdom with each other in a safe space should not be underestimated. The ACC should be congratulated for this program.”

- Past Women’s Program Participants -

Adventure Map

more information

Email us
403 678 3200 ext. 213
Gear list

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

5 days low-ratio guiding by all-female ACMG certified guides
4 nights accommodation the Lake Louise Alpine Centre
All group gear (emergency equipment, first aid, ropes etc.)
Packed lunches

Participants Must Provide

Transportation to/from Lake Louise and trailheads (participants are expected to carpool)
Personal gear (see gear list)
Breakfasts and dinners (an on-site communal kitchen and affordable restaurant are available)

Your Guides

Erica Roles

Erica has been working as a guide since 2005 and became Canada's 11th Female IFMGA Mountain Guide in 2018. Born in the UK, she spent much of her childhood in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. She moved to Canada with her family in 1998 and fell in love with the mountains of Western Canada. Erica began her ski career as a Pro Ski Patroller at Lake Louise Ski Resort. Wanting to share her passion for the mountains with other people led her to a career in guiding. These days Erica splits her time between guiding, playing in the mountains with friends, and hanging out with her daughter Grace. Erica has worked for a number of different guiding operations throughout the ranges of Western Canada. She loves guiding because she gets to spend time in beautiful places but also because of the people she meets and the experiences she gets to share with them.