Ski Vacations Trips Women Ski Adventures | Whistler BC | Lodge Ski Packages Backcountry Nordic Ski Snowshoe Tours

Equinox Wilderness Expeditions provides guiding services for a variety of winter and summer expeditions in Alaska, British Columbia, Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. We offer about twenty scheduled trips every year, from Arctic paddling and hiking, to sea kayaking and skiing. In the summer, we offer a variety of river and backpacking trips in the Arctic, as well as backpacking expeditions from our British Columbia base, near the Whistler-Blackcomb and Pemberton area in the Sea to Sky corridor.

In the winter, we offer hiking and skiing out of our remote wilderness base in British Columbia, Canada. We welcome backcountry skiers, snowshoers, and mountaineers to join us for a variety of private and custom expeditions. Step out the door of our new British Columbia base, and into the backcountry! We ski or snowshoe in the mountains, and at night, soak in natural hot springs. We are located forty-five minutes from Whistler, with some of the best skiing in the Coast Mountains at our doorstep.

Every year, new and returning clients ask us to organize a variety of custom itineraries. If you don?t find what you are looking for, we can arrange a custom trip for you. We are continually exploring new places, so also keep an eye on our website for this year?s special expeditions. Or contact us if you are interested in being updated on exploratory expeditions or want to travel on dates or to locations that are not available on the website. Our many years of experience in Alaska and Canada will allow us to custom fit a wilderness adventure to your group.

In the northeastern corner of Washington's North Cascades, the spectacular Methow Valley offers world-class skiing, scenery, and weather. Nearly 200 km of trails sparkle under brilliant blue skies, surrounded by a million acres of national forest and wilderness lands. One of the finest nordic centers in North America, the Methow offers nearly endless ski possibilit ies. Skate ski on groomed corduroy trails for miles without crossing your tracks; kick and glide on classical skis through treed glades or up gradual slopes in the the hills; climb a mountain on your backcountry telemark or alpine touring skis and descend through powder. Novice or expert, you'll find skiing here to match your interests and abilities.

We stay in a comfortable lodge with all the comforts. Ski all day, and come back to warm, cozy lodging, home-cooked meals, a hot bath, and the camaraderie of a great group of women. For women who love to ski, whether novice or expert, this is an opportunity to bring a quiver of skis, and to ski to your heart's desire.

This intermediate tour is moderately strenuous, and requires a reasonable fitness level as we travel for m ost of the day through the wild country to beautiful alpine lakes and mountain cirques in search of the best backcountry powder. Snowshoers and skiers will form separate groups with a guide, according to ability. This trip is appropriate if you have experience in snow travel. Each day we travel to a different locale to find the best snow conditions. We plan to spend at least one day on the new 2010 Olympics Nordic ski trails near Whistler. Play in fresh backcountry powder during the day, and at night, check out Whistler night-life, or enjoy gourmet dinners and relax by the fire, and soak in natural hot springs. Return to Vancouver International Airport by late afternoon of Day 5, in time to catch your flight home, or we will drop you at a Vancouver hotel. This trip includes transportation to and from Vancouver, all accomodations, meals, hot springs fee, park fees, guide services.

Call or E-mail us for more information about these trips.

Sustainable Skiing? (Adapted from article by Justin Francis, www.responsibletravel.com)

The mountains of the world are among the most pristine natural environments in the world. Unfortunately, the ski resort recreational industry is far from sustainable. Downhill skiing has so me very significant environmental and cultural impacts. Most downhill ski slopes are graded - this involves the removal of trees and flattening of slopes to create large areas for skiing. The addition of large pilons and ski lifts creates further environmental scarring. Due to global warming we expect more resorts to be developed a higher altitudes - migrating the negative impacts higher up the mountains. As a further consequence of global warming the use of snow machines has increased. In some cases they draw water unsustainably from local water courses. In other cases chemicals used to ensure that the water freezes at a low temperature leach back into the soil when the artificial snow melts. Litter discarded in the mountains does not degrade - orange peel takes 2 years, and cigarette butts 5 years to degrade. When we ski over new tree shoots in, or under, the snow we destroy them. When we fly into ski resorts the climate change we are contributing to is destroying glaciers and limiting the future of many resorts. Wildlife is disturbed by ski developments and skiers - the dwindling Colorado population of the Canadian Lynx being probably the most notorious example.

Tips for greener skiing: 1. Travel by train by where possible. 2. Ask your tour operator for their written responsible tourism policy. 3. Consider ski touring, cross country skiing or snow shoeing. 4. Stay in locally owned accommodation, rather than chalets owned by overseas tour companies. Eat in local restaurants, use ski guides from the local community. 5. Respect the natural habitat of mountain animals and plants by taking care not to damage vegetation.