Take Your Climbing to New Heights in Old Places 

Exploring the backcountry with confidence and comfort is something everyone should get to experience. Unfortunately for women and gender non-conforming individuals, that experience can be harder to find. That's why we want to create more opportunities for women and non-binary folks to get out with like-identifying individuals.

Designed and offered for all women and non-binary folk, this unique climbing camp provides an opportunity to work on summer leading skills and gain valuable mountaineering experience.

This year the camp will be based out of the Conrad Kain Hut, providing excellent access to climbing and alpine adventures with a diversity of terrain options. Long story short, this will be a great place to hone your mountaineering skills under the guidance of two ACMG mountain guides, Kirsten Knechtel and Merrie Beth Board.
 

Arc'teryx supports our Mountaineering Program and we thank them for their assistance.

Camp Objectives

This course is primarily designed to equip you with the mountaineering and leadership skills to let you become more autonomous in the mountains. If the camp runs at capacity the camp will be split into two groups each with an ACMG certified female guides. Allowing for different paces, ambitions and objectives each day. You will get the opportunity to work on technical alpine rock scrambling, and safe glacier travel techniques. Our climbing days will be tailored to the skills and personal objectives of the group. Instructional sessions may include: crevasse rescue, rope ascension, rock anchors, ice anchors, movement skills with ice axe & crampons, self arrests, route finding on glacier, ice climbing and alpine belay techniques.    
The Bugaboo's offers an array objectives each with typically more than 1 route allowing for a wide range of mountaineering to be attempted. For those from the Rookies the granite rock will be a pleasant change of scenery.
Possible Objectives include:

  • Eastpost Spire
  • Hound' s Tooth
  • Crescent Spire
  • Circumnavigating Pigeon Spire
Day by Day Adventure Itinerary 
  •  
  • Day 1: Meet at the trail head and enjoy the hike into the hut, followed by a review of important skills in preparation of the following days
  • Day 2 - 5: Attempt a local objective and/or focus on developing skills that are important to you!
  • Day 6: Maybe sneak in a final peak before lunch and hike back to trailhead.
Is this Camp For Me?
Intermediate

This camp is designed for women and non-binary folk with some mountaineering and climbing experience. You must also have a good level of fitness carrying and climbing with a pack for several hours. Routes in the Bugaboos can be longer than you may be used to, strong cardio and stamina are critical.

Logistics and Planning

Food

Once at the trailhead, all of the logistics are taken care of to allow you to focus on the climbing. You can expect nutritious continental-style breakfasts, packed lunches and 4 course dinners with soup, appetizer, meat-based entrees (with vegetarian option) and a scrumptious dessert. Check out our sample menu for full details of catering on ACC Adventures camps and courses.

Accommodation

In 1972, the Alpine Club of Canada erected the Conrad Kain Hut (named after the renowned guide who first visited the area in 1910). From 1972 until 2000 the hut was maintained by BC Parks as a base for climbers and to reduce visitor impact on the fragile timberline area below Snowpatch Spire. The hut today is a modern, comfortable shelter for up to 35 people. It benefits from a local micro-hydro generator in the creek that supplies the hut with lighting, heat and hot water.

On the Conrad Kain hut page, you will find information on access, including driving directions, parking, and route descriptions.

Guiding

Our guiding ratio will be a maximum of 4:1 to give you plenty of one-to-one learning time with our excellent guides. The small groups also mean that you can split up based on objectives and pacing, and get the individualized attention needed to tackle more challenging alpine rock routes.  The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!


Rentals

If you don't have everything on the gear list and aren't ready to invest in your own, there are many awesome local businesses that rent out all of the equipment you will need.  Be sure to reserve your rentals ahead of time to make sure everything you need is available for you when you need it.

  • Coming from the Bow Valley? Check out GearUp in Canmore. ACC members get 10% off all gear rentals!
  • Coming from Calgary? We recommend renting your gear from MEC, the University of Calgary Outdoors Center, or the Norseman.
  • Coming from the Revelstoke? Give Revelstoke Powder Rentals a try.

 

Your Guides

  • "Our camp this year was led by Peter Amann, a long-time Alpine Club of Canada trip leader and guide who has also been chosen as the Patron for this year’s Mountain Guides Ball. We navigated our way over crevasses and onto ice slopes with some low-technical scrambling on our way to the summits of Mount Olive, Mount Gordon (for Canada Day!) and The Onion. It was a fantastic group and we lucked out with great weather save for one small shower on the way across the glacier on day three."
  • “This was my first experience in the Rocky Mountains and the camp was a blast! By far my best Canada Day.”
  • “I enjoyed the great views, good laughs and new friends.”
- Past Camp Participants-

Mountaineering Hazards

  • Rockfall and icefall
    • Rockfall and icefall can be caused by natural forces, or by people travelling through the terrain (Climbing/Scrambling/Hiking) 
      • What are the risks
    • Impact from a falling rock or ice can result in injury or death and can also damage equipment such as ropes.
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Our ACMG certified guides have experience and training to manage this risk
    • Your guide will ask you to put on a helmet when in the mountains
  • Avalanche
    • Avalanches can occur in the terrain you will be entering. Caused by natural forces, or by people travelling through the terrain  
      • What are the risks
    • Anyone caught in a avalanche is at risk of personal injury, death, and or property damage or loss
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Our ACMG certified guides have experience and training to manage this risk
    • Daily risk assessment processes
    • Guest training if avalanches are a risk on your trip
  • Terrain
    • Cornices
    • Crevasses
    • Trees, tree wells, and tree stumps
    • Creeks
    • Rocks and Boulders
    • Variable and difficult walking terrain
    • Impact or collision with other persons or objects
    • Encounters with domestic or wild animals
    • Contact with poisonous flora or fauna
    • Loss of balance or control
    • Slips, trips, and falls
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Our ACMG certified guides have experience and training to manage this risk
    • Radios and/or other communication devices
  • Falls and belaying
    • Mountaineering and ice climbing present the risk of falling from the wall causing the climber to collide with the wall or ground 
    • There is also the risk of a belay failure, which can contribute to a ground fall
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Your guide will review best belay practices with you or will control the belay
  • Communication, rescue, and medical treatment
    • Communication can be difficult and in the event of an accident rescue and treatment may not be available
    • Adverse weather may also delay the arrival of treatment or transportation out of the field,
    • Alpine weather conditions can be extreme and change rapidly without warning making travel by helicopter, snowmobile, snowcat, dangerous
    • If an injury occurs in challenging terrain movement to an evacuation point may be slow
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Your guide is trained in both backcountry first-aid and rescue techniques
    • Emergency response plans
    • Satellite communication tools
  • Other
    • Slips trips and falls indoor or outdoor
    • Infectious disease contracted via direct or indirect contact, including but not limited to influenza or Covid-19
    • Equipment failure
    • Negligence of other persons, including other guests
    • Negligence of the guide Including failure to to take reasonable steps to safeguard or protect you from or warn you of risk, dangers, hazards, oh participating in ACC activities
      • Hazard Mitigation
    • Your guide is trained in both backcountry first-aid and rescue techniques
    • Satellite communication tools

Adventure Map

Details

  •  July 1st - 6th, 2023
  •  $2600 + Tax
REGISTER NOW Gear List  

Trip Waivers and Liability Page

Before registering, please review our Waivers and Liability page.

More Information

Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please try to have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

Email Us  

(403)-678-3200 ext 312
Cancellation Policy  
We sell Tugo® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips: 

Travel Insurance

 

INCLUDED WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

  • 6 days of professional guiding at max 4:1 ratios by certified ACMG alpine guides 
  • 5 nights accommodation at the Conrad Kain Hut
  • All meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 6

PARTICIPANTS MUST PROVIDE

  • Transportation to and from the trailhead
  • Breakfast and lunch on Day 1 and dinner on Day 6
  • Personal gear (see gear list)

Organizing Fantastic ACC Adventures For Over 100 Years

  • Local Knowledge - based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
  • Dedicated resources - full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
  • Not-for-profit - any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community