Tours and Tickets
Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding
5

Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding

By Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
About
from
C$156.45
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 19-70, max of 6 per group
Duration: 6–8 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Japanese, English, French, Spanish


  • Guided tour
  • Professional guide
What's not included
  • Rental gear (skis or splitboard, boots, poles, backpack, etc.)
  • Lunch, snacks, beverages
  • Gratuity/tip for your guide
  • Hotel pick-up
  • Parking lot fees
  • Avalanche Safety Gear (can be rented)
  • Entry/Admission - Whistler Blackcomb


Departure details
  • Escape Route Alpine Demo Centre, 4433 Sundial Pl #7, Whistler, BC V8E 1G7, Canada Located in the main Whistler Village just off the stroll near The Keg and Fanatyk Co.
Return details
  • Returns to original departure point

  • Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18806P17

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • All participants MUST be strong blue/intermediate level skiers or snowboarders.
  • A moderate level of fitness is required.
  • Minimum age is 15 years.
  • Adult pricing applies to all travelers.
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • A maximum of 6 people per guide
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

How much is Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding?
Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding price starts from C$158.25. Discover and book Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding on Tripadvisor
What is the Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding cancellation policy?
Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding on Tripadvisor
Which company provides Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding?
Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding is hosted by Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding on Tripadvisor

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18806P17

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Escape Route Alpine Demo Centre
    4433 Sundial Pl #7, Whistler, BC V8E 1G7, Canada
    Located in the main Whistler Village just off the stroll near The Keg and Fanatyk Co.
    See address & details
  • 1
    Whistler Blackcomb
    Stop: 7 hours - Admission excluded
    We go out and explore the backcountry just outside the ski resort on skis and snowboards. It's a great day to get a taste of the fresh snow away from the crowds.
    Read more
  • You'll return to the starting point
+
About the operator
Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures
594
Canada
Joined in January 2011

#12 of 72 Tours & Activities in Whistler
  • soomuch2see
    soomuch2see
    0
    0
    Maya rocks!
    From the moment we contacted Mountain Skills Academy it was easy and professional. We booked our first half day and had Maya as our guide. We took our 5 and 8 year olds and they were hooked! The first day Maya made it so fantastic that we booked to have another half day with her on our same trip. She is experienced, knowledgeable, so patient and helpful. I cannot say enough great things about her, and she has a wonderful sense of humour!
  • HaleyFoelsch
    HaleyFoelsch
    0
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    Amazing Via Ferrata Adventure
    We booked this adventure as a group of 4 for one of our 30th birthdays! Victor was our guide on the Sea to Sky Via Ferrata and was fantastic and made the adventure so much fun! We were experienced in rock climbing so doing a via ferrata in rain, hail, and wind added an extra element of fun! Definitely would recommend and will be back!
  • Appsholly
    Appsholly
    0
    0
    Fun & Beautiful
    Today a group us did the Via Ferrata in Whistler. I had no idea what to expect and it was so much fun! As someone who is pretty scared of heights I had great time and am so pleased I gave in and did it. Our guide Maya was the absolute best. So supportive, kind, encouraging and took me under her wing. Thank you Maya! The whole group really enjoyed the day, the views were beautiful and it was challenging but not as strenuous as I thought it would be. Phew! I felt very safe. Again, thanks to Maya for all her help.
  • Escape08348189557
    Escape08348189557
    0
    0
    Truly a once in a lifetime experience ... unless this gets you hooked on mountain climbing!
    My daughter is an experienced climber. She was excited to give us (her parents) the opportunity to have the thrill of mountain climbing, without the risk and extensive training generally required to participate in this sport. Our guide, Tache, was exceptional! He helped us feel safe and capable. His personality, knowledge and enthusiasm added to our adventure. There was never a dull moment ... Tache kept us moving upward and onward while sharing lots of information about the area, history of Via Ferratas and outdoor adventures. The views from above are even more stellar when you are up close. My husband and myself are both seniors (69 and 72) and had no trouble keeping up. You CAN do it! And who doesn't want to say they've climbed the face of a mountain? This is definitely an activity not to be missed - absolutely wonderful!!!
  • marcelacG6081UP
    marcelacG6081UP
    0
    0
    Cashless Disappointment 😞
    Cashless disappointment 😞 push towards a cashless society 😑 🌄 views were amazing 👏 guide was superb
  • TravelingFamily718
    TravelingFamily718
    0
    0
    Whistler via ferrata - extremely rushed and unprofessional
    When I called Mountain Skills to learn about the difference between their two via ferrata courses at Whistler and Squamish, I was told that the Whistler course is more adventurous and much longer, lasting 4 hours versus only 2 hours at Squamish, which justified the significantly higher price. I asked about any differences between the morning and afternoon tours, and I was told that they are identical. Based on this information, I signed up for the 4-hour afternoon Whistler via ferrata. When I showed up at the designated meeting place, I was told that so many people had signed up for this tour that we were being split into different groups. As a solo traveler, I was told that a large group would head out first, while I had to wait for a tour guide whose morning tour ran late and wasn’t ready yet. Once he finally showed up, he said that a member of our group was stuck in traffic and hadn’t yet arrived. So instead of starting at 1:30 PM as scheduled, we didn’t actually begin until 2:15. Normally, I wouldn’t mind the delay, except that our guide then informed us that the ski lift that would bring us down after we finished stops running at 4:15, and if we didn’t rush through what was advertised as a 4-hour course in under 2 hours, we would be stuck at the top and have to do a lengthy hike to get down. As a result, we were extremely rushed and pressed for time during the entire experience, and instead of having time to take breaks and enjoy the experience, we went virtually non-stop the entire time. I don't blame our guide for this, as he did the best he could under the circumstances. And we did in fact get to the top just before 4:15, but I was extremely exhausted, dehydrated, and disappointed that what I hoped would be a highlight of my visit to Whistler was nothing like what was advertised and promised.
  • Rick_Melinda
    Rick_Melinda
    0
    0
    AMAZING experience!!!
    We did this as a private tour with our 11-year-old nephew and it was an AMAZING experience. The adrenalin rush, the conquering of fears, the feeling of accomplishment, the views. We want to give a HUGE shout-out to our guide, Rob: he was phenomenal! He was very patient with this old auntie ;) and a great teacher.
  • rmyint808
    rmyint808
    0
    0
    Earning your views in Whistler.
    My partner wanted to do something outdoors, something challenging, and something that would provide great views of the surrounding area. We’ve tried a via ferrata route in Colorado before so we figured we would give the Whistler Via Ferrata tour a try. The weather was iffy but after speaking with Jonas and our guide, Jeremy, we decided to give it a go. It was definitely a good decision, the gondola ride up was cool, the hike to the start was a nice warm up and Jeremy shared a lot of interesting info on the area. After going over the safety information we headed up the mountain. It was challenging, beautiful and the weather turned out great! We felt safe and Jeremy did a great job guiding us.
  • X5979TZdales
    X5979TZdales
    0
    0
    Gondola and glacier tour.
    A really enjoyable afternoon! Our guide was great and very informative. The glacier is small, but the views spectacular.
  • Johnny50337
    Johnny50337
    0
    0
    Squamish Via Ferrata
    Great fun, Lorna our guide was brilliant and took time to share her knowledge of the flora and fauna as we made our way to the start. I always felt safe would recommend this activity.
  • DanaDanaB87
    DanaDanaB87
    0
    0
    Gorgeous views, great service and experience
    Ollie was awesome accomodating my last minute booking, and Laura was an incredible guide - I would 100% recommend this for anyone! It was an incredible experience, and Laura was super supportive and friendly the whole way. Such a unique way to see the area, challenging enough to feel accomplished, and the views were stunning.
  • jayneN55
    jayneN55
    0
    0
    Great experience!
    We did a half day introduction to rock climbing and it was an awesome experience! I can't say enough good things about our instructors, Anna and Dan. They were professional, knowledgeable and provided great support and encouragement.
  • braderny
    braderny
    0
    0
    Squamish Via Ferrata - Amazing Experience
    My son and I did the Squamish Via Verrata tour during our two days in Vancouver before embarking on an Alaskan cruise. This was our first time doing Via Ferrata and it was the highlight of our whole vacation (including the cruise)! I would love to do it again (next time I would do the one in Whistler since it is more challenging). The views while climbing the rock face are absolutely stunning!
  • wenDmoore
    wenDmoore
    0
    0
    Unforgettable Hiking Adventures with Glen!
    We're so happy we found MSAA! As a beginner-intermediate level hiker who has lived in NYC for the past 15 years, the idea of hiking around in bear country was... a little scary to me. Over 3 weeks, Glen guided us through 8 carefully-selected hikes (all of which had a wide variety of scenery, terrain... breathtaking views...) that I would have never attempted to hike by myself. Each trail challenged me beyond what I expected of myself (several technical sections... one of them was a black diamond level trail!... another was an 18km hike! I was SO proud of myself!)- Glen always calmly made me feel at ease about wildlife and what to expect and was patient, encouraging and friendly. He taught me several things that made me feel more confident on trails that I'll always carry with me on future hikes. If we're in the Squamish/Whistler area again next year, I'll absolutely be calling up MSAA again!
  • lorna991
    lorna991
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    Summer Crevasse Rescue Course
    Really fun and informative weekend on a crevasse rescue course with a group of 6 and our guide Seb. I'm familiar with ropes systems but it was useful to refresh on glacier travel and crevasse-specific systems in preparation for some summer Alpine objectives. Seb was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable, approachable and shared several new practices and ideas to replace some of my outdated learnings. We spent the first day in Squamish, and the second putting some of the skills into practice on the glacier in Whistler. I'd highly recommend this course for anyone wanting to learn about crevasse rescue and glacier travel, bonus if you get Seb as your instructor!
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

5.0
16 reviews
Excellent
16
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0

Kwokamole
Vancouver, Canada24 contributions
Dec. 2020
What an amazing and professional program. Just completed my AST1 with April Mason who was an incredible teacher. Learned so much and feel so much more confident in the back country.

Highly recommend the program and will continue my mountain education with MSAA
Written December 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Thank you so much for your review! We'll make sure to pass on your kind words to April. Don't forget to contact us for your loyalty discount for any future tours/courses :)
Written December 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kamila
Vancouver, Canada1 contribution
Feb. 2023
Highly recommend the backcountry taster course with Mountain Skills Academy! It's a great way to refresh your AST 1 knowledge and ask aaaall the questions you can to learn even more. Had Nick as our guide and he was great!
Written February 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
We are thrilled to have you as part of the MSAA family! Thank you for sharing your kind words with us. It means the world to us and to our entire team. We look forward to serving you again soon! – Lindsey
Written February 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Michael Lane
1 contribution
Mar. 2021
Perfect spring skiing day on Blackcomb. Nolan helmed the day - pacing, instruction, tips and conversation were all great! Super first experience... it's the way to go. Ask for Nolan to guide ya.
Written March 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Awesome! Nolan is a star, we love that you had a great time with him. We hope to see you again soon!
Written March 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bucketlist_86
Whistler, Canada21 contributions
Jan. 2020
I really enjoyed the 'Intro To Backcountry' program. The day was very informative and provided me with the knowledge and skills to confidently pursue more backcountry adventures.

Our guide, Eliel, was great. I would 100% recommend Mountain Skills Academy.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Thank you so much for your review, and your kind words about Eliel. We will be sure to let him know you had a great time. We hope to see you again in the future!
Written February 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Isobel S
1 contribution
Mar. 2023
The backcountry intro 1 day tour was great! It was the perfect introduction to backcountry skills, avalanche safety and equipment needed. It was an action packed day full of learnings. Lindsay was knowledgable, friendly and an excellent teacher. We look forward to joining a tour in future. Thank you!
Written March 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Thank you so much for your review! The Intro to Backcountry is one of my favourites to teach as well! Hope to have you back for an AST1! Keep up the good work! – Lindsey
Written March 27, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

NatKiwiWanderer
Auckland Central, New Zealand15 contributions
Dec. 2018 • Friends
I took this tour as I had never really ventured out of the resort, and hadn't had a chance to try splitboarding yet. The guides James and Lucinda were amazing. Both were super helpful in explaining how to split the boards, put on the skins etc, and were willing to answer my many questions about going backcountry. I really enjoyed the day and recommend it to anyone who wants to try splitboarding!
Written January 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Love hearing this! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to introduce you to the backcountry. It's a truly gorgeous way to enjoy the winter. Glad you enjoyed your day!
Written January 7, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jeff
1 contribution
Feb. 2023
I would give more stars if I could. Nic was an epic guide and we had an amazing time in the backcountry. Will definitely be taking more courses and getting more into the sport now!
Written February 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Thanks for leaving a review, and mentioning Nic. You’re right, Nic is always going above and beyond! We hope to see you back for an AST1! Lindsey
Written February 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mark O
1 contribution
Nov. 2022 • Solo
Great experience - completed a mini tour and practiced transitions and basics of avalanche safety

Had a great time with Nic and Elle!
Written November 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
We are happy to hear you had a positive experience at MSAA! We value your input and encourage you to share more details about your experience with us. – Lindsey
Written February 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Arthur G
1 contribution
Mar. 2022 • Solo
I had a super fun day and learned alot from my instructor Corey Woolnough! Thanks for the cool experience and peaking my interest even more.
Written March 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Hi, Thanks for the lovely review, and for mentioning Corey. We'll be sure to pass on your praises to him. We hope to see you again! -Kat
Written March 5, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ned B
8 contributions
Feb. 2022 • Couples
Maria and Nic were great guides. Really helpful when we messed up our passes, explained safety stuff really well. Great opportunity to learn the basics of backcountry skiing!
Written February 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mountain_Skills
Hi! Thanks for leaving a review, and mentioning Maria & Nic. Our guides are always going above and beyond. We’ll be sure to share your praises with them! – Kat
Written February 26, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Whistler Intro to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding provided by Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures