Skiing
6+ hours
Free cancellation
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Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$282
per adult
Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures
Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures
5
Climbing ToursHiking & Camping ToursPrivate ToursNature & Wildlife ToursDay Trips
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Come on an adventure with us! In the winter, we do guided backcountry ski and snowboard tours, snowshoeing, and ice climbing. In the summer, the Via Ferrata is our most popular and exciting tour! Or try a glacier tour, rock climbing, hiking, camping, or a mountaineering trip. Our highly trained, friendly guides will show you the best of our beautiful mountains in and around Whistler. Public and private tours are available daily.
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures
Snowshoeing
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
C$119
per adult
Adventure Tours
6–8 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$156
per adult
Climbing
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Climbing
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$152
per adult
Travellers talk about
(67 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
594 reviews
Excellent
555
Very good
29
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
5
TravelingFamily718
New York City235 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Solo
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.
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.
Written September 7, 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.
R&M
Vancouver, Canada191 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Family
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.
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.
Written September 3, 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.
Thank you for your review! We are glad you had a great time on your tour with Rob on the via ferrata. What a fun family adventure!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
robert m
Honolulu, HI2 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Couples
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.
Written September 1, 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.
Dale S
1 contribution
Aug. 2023 • Friends
A really enjoyable afternoon! Our guide was great and very informative. The glacier is small, but the views spectacular.
Written September 1, 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.
We are glad you enjoyed your tour of the ancient glacier! There is so much beauty up there, we are happy to have shared it with you.
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Johnny50337
Sleaford, UK1 contribution
Aug. 2023
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.
Written August 27, 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.
Thanks for the review! We are stoked you had a great time on the via ferrata with Lorna!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dana B
15 contributions
Jul. 2023 • Solo
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.
Written August 26, 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.
Thanks for the review! It truly is a team effort here at MSAA. We're so glad you had a great time on the Squamish via ferrata!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jayne N
Surrey2 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Couples
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.
Written August 21, 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.
Thanks for the review! Anna and Dan are a dream team. We're stoked that you were able to get out there and learn some new climbing skills with us!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brent Rader
5 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Family
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!
Written August 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.
Wendy
New York City, NY1 contribution
Aug. 2023
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!
Written August 16, 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.
Thank you so much for your review! We are so happy you were able to get out on the trails with Glen! He is a FANTASTIC guide who loves sharing his passion for the outdoors with others. It was so fun putting together the perfect itinerary for you to explore the Sea to Sky. We certainly hope to see you back again soon!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lorna L
1 contribution
Jul. 2023
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!
Written August 8, 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.
Thanks for the review! We're glad you enjoyed refreshing your crevasse rescue and glacier travel skills with Seb and us. It's great practice to stay updated with new strategies- and practice essential skills for the alpine. Seb is awesome at teaching these skills, and incredibly knowledgeable about alpine travel and adventure!
Written September 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nadia B
24 contributions
Hi,
I wanted to book the Whistler Via Ferrata Tour and realised that I also need the peak to peak gondola ticket for this. Could I purchase this from yourselves? If so, how much would you charge for this?
I'd prefer to pay for the Via Ferrata and peak to peak gondola together, if possible.
Thanks!
Mountain Skills Academy
Canada1 contribution
Hi
Thanks for getting in touch! Yes we can provide the peak to peak gondola tickets. It's the same price as the window price at Whistler Blackcomb ($69 adults, $62 youths, $62 seniors, $35 children). If you book a morning tour, our guide will meet you at the base with the tickets. For afternoon tours, you can collect the tickets from our offices.
Thanks!!!