Alpine Base camp 2025 - Battle Range

If you landed on this page via an internet search then please contact me for information on mountain guiding and rock climbing guiding in the Canadian Rockies, Bugaboos, or Rogers Pass. The information below is for clients booked on this trip.

If you are attending our Alpine Base Camp please read ALL of this information package carefully. Hopefully this answers most of your questions but if not you can contact me. I’m really looking forward to this trip!

Click here if you are looking for a gear list.

If you get nothing else from this information package, please do the following:

Read the waiver carefully ahead of time. You don’t need to sign the waiver now, you will do that once you arrive for the trip.
Have a look at the gear list and make sure you are able to bring everything on the list.

Main details to remember

I would like to meet in the Golden area the first morning of the trip to check gear and make sure everyone is ready to go. I propose to do so at our property at 4423, Highway 95, Castledale, BC. This is 30 minutes drive south of Golden. Google Maps link is here. This is also very close to the start of our logging road drive up the Spillimacheen River to Silent Pass later that day. If you are looking for accommodation the night before there is Quinn Creek Campground (including a rental cabin with two bedrooms) directly across the road from our property. Other accommodations are also available nearby.
Last year we were a bit heavy and bulky for the helicopter so we need to be efficient with what we bring in to the camp this time. All gear will be checked and weighed before we leave and you will be asked to trim if you are overweight/overbulk. See details in the gear list.
Heavy/bulky sleeping tents can be an issue so we may ask that you share tents unless single climbers have a small tent (single or small double). I have a limited number of small tents I can supply for a fee. See details in the gear list.
You need to provide your lunch on Day 1. All food thereafter is provided.
The plan is for there to be a minimum of six climbers, and a maximum of eight.
There will probably only be two guides and no other staff this year due to helicopter logistics. There is the possibility we will have a guide helper along depending on how many climbers end up signing up.
This means that everyone will need to pitch in around camp with cooking and cleaning chores.
Food will be the same as last year so a minimum of food prep as everything will be pre-made.
We need to have avalanche rescue gear ready to bring on the trip: shovel, probe, and avalanche transceiver. If the need for this changes I will let you know shortly before the trip, but plan on bringing it. See the gear list for information. I can provide this equipment for a fee.
All eating utensils will be supplied except for your favourite coffee mug.

driving to the trailhead

We need to get everyone and all the gear to the trailhead near Silent Pass. The road is usually passable for 2WD vehicles, but if we have enough higher clearance and/or 4WD vehicles available those will be better. The last bit of road is rough. I will be driving one F-150 that can take all the base camp kit and 3 people.

The group is responsible to get themselves to the trailhead. Renting an appropriate vehicle may be required.

Please let me know the following:

If you have a higher clearance and/or 4WD vehicle and if so how many people you can take.
If you think you need a ride up the Spillimacheen road to the trailhead.

THE Staff

Mark Klassen – That’s me. I will be lead guide.

Shane Kroeger. Shane has been ski guiding for many years and he is a fully certified Ski Guide. More recently he has become an apprentice climbing guide. He lives in Golden.

IMPORTANT TIMES AND PLACES

All times are Mountain Standard Time (same as Calgary).

This schedule is preliminary, there may be changes before the trip starts.

8 AM, DAY 1

Meet at our property at 4423 Highway 95, Castledale, BC. Click here for the Google Maps link. Gear check, helicopter weigh in, and waivers. We will all drive up the Spillimacheen River to the Silent Pass trailhead. The helicopter will meet us there in the afternoon.

I will fly in with the base camp gear with the first flight.

Two more flights will be required to get everyone else in. You will fly with your climbing pack and a small duffel.

There may be an opportunity to car pool to the staging area if necessary. Although the road is often passable to 2WD vehicles, it may be best to have an AWD/4WD vehicle with a bit of clearance, but we will not know the condition of the road until early summer.

You will need to provide your own lunch on this day. All food is provided once you arrive at the camp.

DAYS 2-5

Climbing! As mentioned previously we have a few different options as to how the guide:guest ratios and rope teams will work.

Day 6

Everyone will pack their personal belongings in the morning. For those who are keen there may be an opportunity to do another climb, weather, conditions and time permitting.

The entire group will fly out to the same staging area near Silent Pass.

DELAYS

There is always the possibility of delays getting into or out from the camp due to poor flying conditions. Be prepared for this by not making important plans for right after the trip. If we are delayed on the way in you are responsible for your own accommodations/expenses pre-trip while we wait for a weather window.

Packing

This is how you should pack:

One day pack with all the gear and clothing you would normally use for a day of mountaineering. Nothing attached to the outside of the pack.
Ice axes, trekking poles, helmet NOT attached to the outside of your pack. Inside your duffel is best, but separate and loose is ok.
One medium or two smaller duffle bags with your camping and climbing gear, and a camp chair if you have one. MAXIMUM 20 KG. Smaller bags are easier to pack than large ones even if there are more of them.

The Camp

The camp will be simple but comfortable:

One large cooking tent.
One large common tent. This tent may be used to lounge or dine in, and will be used for overnight gear storage.
Two open-air sit down bucket toilets.
Shower tent - you can expect to be able to have one shower during the trip.
You supply your own tents and sleeping gear (option for renting a tent from me).
You should bring in a camp chair of some sort.
See the gear list for the complete directory of what you need to bring.

Camp duties

The staff will do the bulk of the camp chores but we will need help with some things such as kitchen clean up, fetching water etc.

RISK

Safety is our number one priority but it is important to understand that no matter how well prepared we are there is still an element of risk while mountaineering. These risks are shared by both the group and the guides. Some of these risks include:

crevasse falls
falls while climbing
snow avalanches
rockfalls
icefalls
cornice falls
interaction with wildlife
weather events

The most important person in managing your personal risk and the risk of the group is YOU. If you prepare even just a little bit beforehand it is very helpful and the families of both the other participants and the guides thank you. There are a variety of ways you can help manage risk on this trip:

Be physically fit and rested when coming into the trip.
Listen to the guides’ instructions and if you are uncertain of what is expected of you please ask!
Be aware of the situation around you. As you travel through the terrain think of what you can do to reduce risk for yourself and the group (EG place yourself in a safe spot at regroups in avalanche terrain, keep the glacier rope tight, place yourself in the best position to avoid rockfall etc).
Practice crevasse rescue prior to the trip if you have had previous training. The safety of your fellow climbers and the guides rely on YOUR skills.
Consider taking a course that involves safety training relevant to the trip (EG avalanche rescue, crevasse rescue, rock rescue).
Speak up. If you see something you feel is hazardous, mention it to the guide. If you feel uncomfortable with what you perceive is a risk, mention it to the guide. We can discuss your concerns and change what we are doing if necessary.

You will need to sign a waiver that will make you well aware of these risks. You will sign it when you arrive for the trip. Please have a look at the waiver before the trip so you understand what the risks are and what you will be signing when you get here.

Traveling in the mountains together as a group is all about having trust in each other’s abilities. In over 30 years of guiding I have only had to deal with three minor incidents requiring an immediate evacuation. We do not expect an accident but we need to be prepared in case there is one. The more we trust each other the more we will all enjoy our time in the mountains together because we know we are able to take care of each other in the unlikely case there is a problem.

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

In over thirty years of guiding we have only had three evacuations from the field for minor injuries or illness.

The Alpine Base Camp is located on British Columbia crown land. Mountain rescue on BC crown land is likely to be paid for by the BC government but this is not a given. It may depend on the situation and how the rescue call out is initiated. See below for details.

Rescue may be initiated in the following ways:

The guide calls outside resources directly for help. These resources may be a helicopter company or an adjacent guiding operation. This type of call-out is often the fastest way to get help in an emergency situation, such as an avalanche accident. If this occurs the BC government may not cover costs and if so the group is responsible for all rescue expenses. These costs would be many thousands of dollars.
The guide calls for help from the local volunteer search and rescue team. This type of call-out takes longer to get a response, but may be used for non-life threatening evacuations such as an injured knee. As a general rule this type of call-out (helicopter expenses etc.) is paid for by the provincial government but that may not always be the case. Whether a party is charged for the cost of a rescue is decided on a case by case basis by the provincial government (Emergency Management British Columbia). Unfortunately it has not been made clear to me what parameters they consider when making this decision. A commercial guiding operation may be charged where a recreational group would not be. If this is the case the costs would be passed on to the group. Expenses may run into many thousands of dollars.
Evacuations from the camp for issues that do not require immediate emergency medical attention, such as a minor injury or illness, may not be paid for by the government even if a search and rescue team is involved in the extraction. Costs may run into many thousands of dollars.

You need to decide for yourself whether to buy rescue insurance for the small chance that we require a call out for outside resources and that you will be charged if those services are required.

PURCHASE MOUNTAIN RESCUE INSURANCE

Here are some options for coverage. For the Alpine Base Camp I recommend options 1 or 2 below, although the other alternaitves are fine if you prefer. As always, research products carefully to make sure they are appropriate for your situation:

If you own a satellite messenger there is an option to purchase insurance through your device. Investigate coverage carefully. Here is information for SPOT and InReach devices. The rescue needs to be initiated from your device for the insurance to be in effect. This option may be the least expensive, I use the InReach insurance which costs about $60/year. They will organize your rescue with local resources. Travel medical insurance options are not available in conjunction with these so you need to investigate medical insurance separately: Medical Insurance.
Tugo. This may be less expensive and may be appropriate for trips in Canada where your guides are familiar with call out procedures and language is not an issue. You will need the optional adventure sport coverage. Travel medical insurance options are also available. Maximum $6000 coverage, which may not cover the entire cost of a complex rescue.
American Alpine Club Global Rescue package. For the cost of a membership in the AAC (US$80) you get US$7,500 mountain rescue insurance. This would probably cover most (perhaps not all) of the cost for many incidents. They will organize your rescue with local resources.
Global Rescue. US$500,000 coverage. This is probably the most expensive option. You need to be more than 100 miles from your home for this to kick in so it is not appropriate for clients on Canadian trips who live in proximity to Alberta or British Columbia. They will organize your rescue with local resources. If purchasing Global Rescue insurance you can buy the IMG TRAVEL INSURANCE option at the same time in the “ADDITIONS” section (not the “Total Care” option), this covers medical bills after the rescue.

FOOD and MEDICAL ISSUES

If any of you have special food requests or medical conditions I need to know about and which you did not include on the form when you paid for the trip please let me know as soon as possible.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Read the guiding waiver carefully ahead of time. You don’t need to sign the waiver now, you will do that once you arrive for the trip.
Have a look at the gear list and make sure you are able to bring everything on the list.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions let me know! Email me.