Canada West Mountain School is committed to the safety of our participants, staff and the public. We are confident that we can continue to offer our Summer 2020 programs with the highest degree of safety during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with some important modifications. Following is a summary of the Canada West Mountain School Covid-19 […]
How to choose mountaineering boots?
One of most common questions we get is “how to choose mountaineering boots” and this is also one of the most challenging questions to give a simple answer to. Footwear is one of the most important pieces of gear that you will need on any mountaineering trip, and the wrong boots can ruin an otherwise great […]
COVID-19 updates
June 24, 2020 We have had a lot of interest in all of our programs and we thank everyone for their patience as we waited for the appropriate time to fully open. The BC Government has announced today, June 24th, that we have entered into Phase-3 of the BC Restart Plan (BC Government Restart Plan […]
Martin Fichtl
Martin teaches our AST-1 and AST-2 programs as well as all the Wilderness Medical Consultants Wilderness First Aid programs. He has been practicing first aid for more than 30 years, initially as a life guard, then while working as as memebr of the Ski Patrol at Whistler Mountain, and currently as a paramedic with BC […]
Arcteryx Climbing Academy 2019
the 2019 Arcteryx Climbing Academy clinic registration opens May 15th! Canada West Mountain School will once again be hosting all the Climbing Clinics from August 23-25, 2019. Be sure to check out the full event running in Squamish for a celebration of climbing culture in Canada – great free seminars, climbing clinics, slide shows, world […]
Wilderness First Aid
We have finalized our dates for Wilderness First Aid training courses for Spring 2018. All the course dates can be found at our Wilderness First Aid courses Page. This spring we are again offering a full range of courses in North Vancouver and in Squamish! We can also can put together any level of Custom […]
Winter is on its way!
2017 has been a memorable summer, but we are now watching the snow falling, days are cooling and the puffy jackets are all coming out again! Our final Mountaineering and Alpine programs are completed for the year, and now reports are trickling in of early season skiing and trailbreaking through new snow and sub-zero temperatures. […]
Wilderness First Aid
There are still a few spaces left on our September 2017 Wilderness First Aid program. All the 1st Aid courses that we are conducting this fall are held in West Vancouver. For more details visit the Wilderness First Aid courses Page, or see the link below to specific courses. This season we are again offering […]
Arcterycx Climbing Academy 2017
We are very excited about the Arcteryx Climbing Academy, July 20-23! Canada West Mountain School will once again be hosting all the Climbing Clinics on July 21, 22 and 23. There are limited spaces and clinics sell out fast, so be sure to register soon. Check out the full event running in Squamish for a […]
Dale Marcoux
(ACMG Ski Guide, CAA Professional Member) Dale has made the Coast Range his home for more than twenty years. He is an ACMG Ski Guide and CAA Professional Member. His work in the mountains includes helicopter-skiing and ski-mountaineering, as well as providing mountain-safety services for Blackcomb Helicopters and the film industry. Dale is passionate about […]
Squamish Rock
Squamish has always been the centre of rock climbing in Canada, and it just seems to get better every year. We just wrapped up another amazing Climbing Academy here with Arcteryx, welcoming hundreds of climbers to experience firsthand the variety and quality of climbs on offer. Now we are into the heart of a great […]
Arcteryx Climbing Academy
We are looking forward to the Arcteryx Climbing Academy coming up this July! Canada West Mountain School will once again be hosting all the Climbing Clinics on July 15, 16 and 17. Be sure to check out the full event running in Squamish for a celebration of climbing culture in Canada – great free seminars, […]
The Alpine is calling
Mountaineering season is here! After a fine winter with a lot of snow up high, the alpine routes on the South Coast are getting into great shape now. Time to pull out the ice axe and crampons and head for the hills! Whether you are heading out for a day-trip to a local scrambling objective, […]
Win an AST course!
Win an AST-1 course! Join us at MEC Snow Fest on Saturday, November 18! We’re looking forward to a fun day at the MEC store on Broadway in Vancouver. Visit us at our booth and enter to win an AST-1 course! Even if you already have taken this course, you can still “gift” the prize […]
Avalanche Safety Gear contest
We are rapidly approaching the end of our early season Gear Giveaway! November 20th is the last date to get in on this chance to win some of the best avalanche safety gear available. Sign up for any Avalanche Skills Course (AST-1 or AST-2) before midnight on November 20th and you are automatically entered into […]
Getting ready for Winter
Winter is on its way and for many of us these promise to be the most exciting months of the year. Backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, and winter mountaineering are all sports easily enjoyed in Western Canada. Nothing can compare to a beautiful day in the alpine after a fresh dump of snow – many visitors come […]
Rope Rescue Systems for Skiers and Climbers
A common question from our students is “how many times have you had to perform a technical rope rescue?” Though technical rope rescue systems are rarely used by most recreational climbers, if you do find yourself faced with the task of assisting someone who is having challenges or is injured, knowing basic rescue systems will […]
First Aid in the backcountry
I have been having a lot of discussions about Wilderness First Aid lately. Many folks wonder what distinguishes Wilderness First aid courses and training from other traditional First Aid courses. First, we need to to look at the level of support that we can expect to have when we respond to an accident or medical […]
Argentina 2014
On January 14th, 17 Canadian Army Cadets from across the country converged on the small mountain town of Bariloche in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Their goal? To complete a 10 day expedition through the lakes and mountains of the wild and spectacular Patagonian Nahuel Huapi National Park. Canada West Mountain School organized and lead […]
Winter 2014 Guides and Instructors pre-season training session
Changing seasons is always great. I look forward to the winter snow season because I get to head out again with all the Guides and Instructors I haven’t seen during the summer! On Thursday, December 4, 18 Canada West mountain School Guides and Instructors showed up in the backcountry of Whistler to shake out the […]
Getting ready for winter
Here we are at the beginning of November, winter is just around the corner! Time to check out the weather forecasts and get the skis and ice climbing gear out of storage in anticipation of another great winter! At the beginning of every season we at Canada West are doing everything we can to get […]
Kluane: A tribute to Canada’s National Parks
Canada West Mountain School owner and IFMGA mountain guide Brian Jones has joined Canadian landscape artist and documentary filmmaker Cory Trépanier on his quest to paint Kluane National Park. Brian will lead Cory on a two-week expedition into the Kluane Icefield Ranges as part of the artist’s latest project to document Canada’s National Parks through painting […]
Wilderness First Aid course updates
Our Summer and Fall Wilderness First Aid courses are now scheduled and listed on the website – http://www.themountainschool.com/info/first-aid-wilderness.html. The next 20-hour intro WFA course will be in Squamish on July 6-7, taught by our lead WFA Instructor Corey Brealey.
Alpine Skills courses starting soon
Our first Alpine Skills course of the summer season is starting up this Monday, June 17 and there are still a couple of spaces available on this program. We are looking forward to a great week in the alpine, conditions are shaping up fine and (hopefully) the weather will continue to cooperate! Check out the […]
Success on Mt Barbeau, Nunavut
A successful climb of Mount Barbeau on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut! While we have all been soaking up the sun and enjoying great spring weather, John Furneaux, Darrel Ainscough and Mike Cormack have been heading up Mount Barbeau on Ellesmere Island in full winter conditions. On June 4 the three stood on top of the 2,616 […]
Summer 2013 Update
Mountaineering courses starting soon! Weather has been great lately in Squamish and we are starting to see summer condition in the mountains as well! We have been running some fine early season Mountain Skills Training refreshers on the local hills and the snowpack is really starting to get into good shape. Our first Complete Mountaineering […]
Down safe in Everest Base Camp
Most of our Everest 2011 Expedition Team members have arrived safely in Base Camp after a successful journey to the top of Mount Everest, Nepal. Congratulations again to Bill Borger of Calgary, Alberta for gaining the south Summit of Mount Everest in deteriorating weather. Bill, along with Then Dorjee Sherpa, Phurbha Bote Sherpa and Dawa […]
CWMS gets Team to the summit of Everest
At 6:44 am, local Nepal time on May 12, Canada West Mountain School Team Climber Bill Borger stood on the South Summit of Mt Everest, along with Then Dorjee Sherpa, Dawa Lama and Phurba Bote Sherpa. Congratulations all! The winds between the South Summit and the Main Summit were increasing in speed to approximately 80+ […]
CWMS Team heads to the summit of Mt. Everest!
Our team has arrived safely to the South Col (Camp 4) after a 6 hour climb up the Lhotse Face from C3. Then Dorjee Sherpa, Dawa Finjo Lama, Phurbha Bhote Sherpa and Bill Borger all rested well in Camp 4 during the afternoon of May 11 (local Nepal time). The team will leave C4 at […]
Moving to Camp 4
Bill and Then Dorjee Sherpa are heading up from C3 to C4 today. This is the highest camp on the Southeast Ridge route of Mt Everest at 7,950 meters. After this, the summit push will consist of 1 long day up and back from C4 in the south col. Bill and Then Dorjee are doing […]
Summit bid underway!
The Team is moving up the mountain today on their summit bid! John and Bill have left Base Camp and are heading up to Camp 2 for today, May 8. Their schedule is: May 9 they plan to climb to Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face After a night in C3, they will move up […]
Camp 3
April 30 saw John and Bill back up to Camp 2 for a 2nd round of acclimatization. They spent 4 days there, with one day a climb up to C3 and back. This acclimatization is a critical part of preparing for the demands they will face on the summit bid. Now they have descended back […]