AST 2 Course Equipment List 

You need to have everything on the list!

WHAT I CAN PROVIDE

I can provide the following:

  • Transceiver (charge of $15/day applies)

  • Shovel (no charge)

  • Probe (no charge)

Let me know as soon as possible if you need any of this.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVERS

  • We only allow MODERN TRIPLE ANTENNA DIGITAL TRANSCEIVERS on our trips.

  • We NO LONGER ALLOW TRACKER DTS or TRACKER 2 TRANSCEIVERS on our trips as they are only dual antenna.

  • A transceiver with a MARKING FUNCTION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

  • Your transceiver must have been tested in both transmit and receive modes – it needs to have a signal at a minimum of 30 metres in both modes.

  • Your transceiver must meet EN 300718 standard.  

  • If your transceiver does not meet the specifications above you will not be going skiing!

  • We recommend the following transceivers:

    • Black Diamond

    • Pieps

    • Mammut/Barryvox.

  • Newer versions of the Tracker transceivers are allowed but they do not have a “persistent” marking function so we do not recommend them.

Let me know if you would like more information on transceivers.

COMMON EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS

Issues we see with ski equipment include the following. Some of these problems might end your ski week or at least make life very frustrating! Make sure you have these things sorted out before the trip.

  • Slow skis/boards

    • Make sure your bases are smooth and waxed! A tune-up for your skis/board is essential.

  • Inappropriate backcountry skis/snowboards

    • Too heavy, too narrow, or skis and boards that are not backcountry specific.

    • Try to keep your set-up as light as possible.

    • Ski width under your foot in the 100-115 mm range is best. Narrower than this and you may have issues in deep snow or crust conditions, wider than this is often too heavy.

  • Old skins

    • Make sure your skin glue is in good shape and get them fixed if the glue is dirty, in clumps, or the glue has worn off at the edges or ends of the skins.

    • Avoid G3 “Alpinist”, “Scala” and “Expedition” skins - this is old stock with glue that does not work. “Alpinist+” and other G3 skins are better.

    • New skins are well worth the investment if yours are looking old. We can recommend Contour, Pomoca, or Colltex skins.

  • Boot problems

    • Ill-fitting boots will give you blisters. I recommend a professional boot fitting.

    • All boots have bolts and rivets that may come loose or buckles/straps that can break. If your boots are brand new or well-worn make sure fittings are tight and in good shape.

    • Bring specific tools to tighten the bolts/screws on your boots and check them a couple of times over the week.

  • Binding problems.

    • It is your responsibility to understand the limitations of your bindings and how to deal with their issues. Every type and brand of touring binding (for AT skis, split boards, or telemark skis) has the capacity to break or malfunction.

    • A common problem with most AT “tech” pin bindings is snow buildup beneath the toe resulting in a pre-release. Clearing this area every time you remove and enter the binding is essential for many of these bindings. The best bindings to avoid this problem are G3 Zeds or Ions. The less space beneath the toe piece the worse the issue becomes.

    • A common problem with AT bindings where the heel piece slides back and forth (EG Marker Kingpin) between up and down modes is icing of that mechanism. Carrying a small bottle of lock deicer may help alleviate this.

    • G3 Ion bindings have a mechanism in the heel piece that can ice up and cause a pre-release. I have seen an injury occur as a result of this problem. Carrying a small bottle of lock deicer may help alleviate this. Making sure the bindings dry out well every night will also help.

    • A common problem with split boarding bindings are fittings loosening leading to a loss of parts. You should bring extra parts and special tools to deal with that.

    • Ski brakes are highly recommended for all AT bindings.

  • Poles that are too long for skiing in deep powder snow

    • Adjustable length poles are best

The List

CLASSROOM MATERIALS

Please bring the following to the classroom day:

  • Notepad, pen/pencil

  • Laptop/mobile device (OPTIONAL for in-person classroom courses)

  • Water

  • Lunch, water, snacks

  • Textbook:

    • Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain is a hard copy textbook by Bruce Tremper that works well.

  • OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED Maps for the Bow Summit and Lake Louise areas. You may share maps with other students if you wish. You can buy a map of the Bow Summit/Wapta area here.

  • OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED Ski touring guidebooks for the Canadian Rockies and Rogers Pass. Check some out here and here. You may share guidebooks with other students.

SKIING EQUIPMENT

  • AT touring skis or telemark skis or splitboard

    • Understand that telemark and snowboard bindings may not be releasable and greatly increase your risk if caught in an avalanche.

    • No snowboard/snowshoe combinations, splitboards only.

  • Skins

  • Touring specific boots

  • Adjustable length ski poles

EQUIPMENT THAT YOU SHOULD BRING SKIING EVERY DAY

  • Digital avalanche transceiver (marking function recommended)

  • Avalanche shovel

  • Avalanche probe

  • Sunglasses

  • Goggles

  • Water bottle and/or thermos

  • Small headlamp

  • Skin wax: I find a simple candle works fine.

  • Small personal first aid/repair kit: band aids, blister kit, headache pills, hand and toe warmers, extra batteries for transceiver and headlamp, duct tape, pocket knife, special binding and boot parts.

  • Toilet kit: toilet paper, baggie for used paper, hand sanitizer

  • Camera

  • Health insurance and mountain rescue insurance information

  • 35-45 L capacity backpack

    • All your gear and clothing must fit inside your pack

    • Nothing should be strapped to the outside.

snow study equipment

  • Digital thermometer (may be shared with another student)

  • Four metres of cord, 3 to 5 mm in diameter (may be shared with another student)

  • Inclinometer. Some compasses have an inclinometer as does an iPhone in the stock “Measure” app (may be shared with another student)

  • Snow saw (optional)

OPTIONAL SAFETY GEAR

  • Ski helmet

  • Airbag pack

CLOTHING SYSTEMS

  • Average temperatures are normally about -5 to -15 but you need to be prepared for temperatures from -25 to +5

  • Several thin layers are better than fewer thicker layers. No cotton!

  • Long underwear tops and bottoms - wool or synthetic

  • Ski pants – softshell or light hardshell pants both are fine

  • Thin windbreaker/softshell - for walking uphill in warm conditions

  • Warmer softshell jacket – I prefer a hooded jacket but it’s absolutely necessary

  • Shell jacket – to keep the wet out, Gore-tex or similar seems best

  • Down or synthetic insulated jacket – for breaks and emergency use

  • Lightweight gloves – for walking uphill in warm conditions

  • Warm gloves – 2 pairs (mittens are optional but recommended if you get cold hands)

  • Hand warmers if you get cold hands

  • Warm toque for skiing down

  • Lightweight toque for walking up

  • Balaclava or neck tube – essential for cold conditions

  • Sun hat

Each instructor will provide:

  • Group first aid kit

  • Group repair kit

  • Emergency toboggan/shelter

  • Radio

  • GPS, compass, map etc

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