FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General
The members of the Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures guiding team have been chosen for their expertise and experience within their field. With a staff of over 25 professionals, all with their own unique backgrounds and experience, we employ only the best instructors and guides, all of whom are certified in advanced first aid and have a strong background leading in the outdoors.
We sure do! Whether you want to explore a glacier, try the unique Via Ferrata, hike through Whistler’s wildflower-laden alpine or try rock climbing – we have an activity that will pique your interest. No previous experience is necessary. Our professional guides will patiently teach you everything you need to know.
Day lots 1-5 are the closest place to park for more than 2 hours. They are 5-10 minutes walk from the Alpine Demo Center and the Whistler/Blackcomb gondolas.
Our office is located upstairs in the Market Pavilion Building. Near IGA, above Crepe Montagne.
Absolutely! We excel at creating custom experiences tailored to you or your group’s interests and ability level. Call us for more details.
Getting Here
The Escape Route Alpine Demo Center is our meeting place for all morning tours in Whistler. They also sell sunscreen, re-usable water bottles, gloves, jackets and footwear. You can find them HERE.
No. The gondola is the only way to the top of Whistler/Blackcomb mountains.
Day lots 1-5 are the closest place to park for more than 2 hours. They are 5-10 minutes walk from the Alpine Demo Center and the Whistler/Blackcomb gondolas.
Our office is located upstairs in the Market Pavilion Building. Near IGA, above Crepe Montagne.
Transportation is not included in the tour prices. Contact us if you require assistance arranging transportation to the location of your tour.
Via Ferrata, Glacier Tours, and some hikes depart from Whistler Village and require a gondola lift ticket to access the alpine. Rock climbing and some hiking programs require you to arrange transportation from Whistler Village to the activity location.
Lift Tickets
Whistler/Blackcomb lift tickets purchased from MSAA – For morning tours, your guide will bring your tickets to the ADC. For afternoon tours, please pick your tickets up in advance from MSAA Village Office.
Whistler/Blackcomb tickets purchased through whistler.com or WhistlerBlackcomb.com, your tickets will be at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Services.
Squamish Gondola Tickets purchased through MSAA – You will collect your tickets from Guest Services at the Sea to Sky Gondola.
No sorry. Some guests have season passes, or buy multi-day tickets, so lift tickets are not included in our prices. We can however sell you a lift ticket at the time of your booking if you need one.
If your tour or course is on Whister/Blackcomb Mountain, or at the Sea to Sky Gondola, then you will need a valid lift ticket or season pass to attend. We can sell you a lift ticket at the time of your booking.
Adventure Details
We sure do! Whether you want to explore a glacier, try the unique Via Ferrata, hike through Whistler’s wildflower-laden alpine or try rock climbing – we have an activity that will pique your interest. No previous experience is necessary. Our professional guides will patiently teach you everything you need to know.
If you have tried rock climbing in a gym, or have done some hiking on your own, let us know! We’ll make sure to fit you with a program that will take your experience to the next level.
We also offer a variety of programs for advanced adventurers (Overnight Alpine Experience, multi-day mountaineering objectives, Multi-Pitch Classics – to highlight just a few). Additionally, our privately guided tours allow you to customize an adventure that will challenge your personal goals.
Definitely. We would like to know about your previous experience so we can make sure to fit you with a program that will take your experience to the next level.
Our advanced programs include overnight alpine hiking, multi-day mountaineering objectives, multi-pitch rock climbing routes and customized adventures that will challenge your personal goals.
Clothing/Equipment
- -All weather/waterproof outerwear (e.g. rain jacket and soft-shell pants suitable for outdoor activity involving moderate physical exertion)
-Warm clothing layers
-Sturdy hiking/trail footwear
-Sunglasses
-Sunscreen
-Water Bottle
-Small backpack
-Snacks
-Camera
We have a limited supply of clothing for guest use. The Alpine Demo Centre has high-end jacket and pant rentals if needed.
Dress for the weather forecast. It is often much cooler and wetter up on the mountain so bring extra layers.
We provide all the technical equipment you will need on your tour. A backpack with food, water, sunscreen, bug spray and other essentials is recommended.
Safety
Our management team has a rigorous system to ensure guides are following proper procedures at all times, we also regularly inspect all our gear, and we have reporting structures in place in the unlikely event of an incident.
At a minimum all of our guides have 80 hour Wilderness First Responder first aid training. At the beginning of each season we train guides on the latest techniques. Most of our guides have much more additional training relevant to the types of tours they lead. We have experts in climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, avalanche training, etc.
We have a long-standing, excellent safety record. Our goal is first and foremost to keep you safe and happy.
Via Ferrata
We equip you with a helmet, harness, safety lanyard, boots and gloves (depending on conditions) and send you off on an adventure with one of our experineced guides. After a short hike to the Via Ferrata, you clip your safety lanyards onto the steel cable and start climbing up! Once you reach the summit, the group makes it’s way back to the mountaintop office, while drinking in the alpine views and sharing a few victory high-fives.
Via Ferrata is a term that dates from WW1 when the Italian military created them as a means for gaining the high ground and to move troops through the alpine environment. Today, they are used by thrillseekers and adventurers to have fun!
Glacier Tours
Glacier Discovery is an interpretive tour that brings you up close and personal with the alpine environment while learning about the flora and fauna, and the glaciological history of Whistler.
Glacier Glissading is like a giant waterslide but on the snow! This tour is condition dependent and only runs earlier in the Summer while there is still snow sitting on the glacier.
Weather
No. We don’t see it as bad weather, just weather 🙂 Our tours go out in all weather conditions with the exception of dangerous conditions such lightning storms or extremely high winds. If we cancel due to weather we will try to reschedule you for another day.
We strongly recommend wearing synthetic or wool clothing instead of cotton while in the backcountry, even in the summer. Cotton does not wick moisture and can become abrasive, causing blisters when wet. In addition, cotton can hold moisture against your body and make you cold.
Dress in layers or carry extra layers in a pack! It allows you to adjust to the temperature changes of your body and the environment. Weather conditions change quickly and and dramatically in the mountains. Be prepared.
Finally, be sure to wear outdoor footwear and warm socks. Hiking boots are ideal for all of our programs, and running shoes can be acceptable as well. Open toed shoes/sandals are not appropriate. We have hiking boots and climbing shoes available in many sizes to borrow.
Dress for the weather forecast. It is often much cooler and wetter up on the mountain so bring extra layers.
Gratuity
Did your guide do a great job? Did you have fun? Then yes please! Tipping is the common practice in North America and our guides like knowing you appreciated their hard work. Our guides keep 100% of the tips they earn.
Terms and Conditions
– If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the stated meeting time, you forfeit 100% of the tour price.
– If you know you will be late, please call the office as soon as possible.
– We cannot hold back a public tour when other guests arrive promptly.
– Cancellation within 48 hours of tour start is 100% non-refundable.
– Cancellation of a half- or full-day tour with more than 48 hours notice can be fully refunded or rescheduled.
– Failure to cancel or reschedule 10 days before a course will result in 100% loss of tuition for that program.
– All programs are subject to cancellation or rescheduling pending adequate registration.
– Most tours are run in all weather conditions. MSAA does not normally cancel tours for weather.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. This is our general cancellation policy – some booking-specific details may be applied to your reservation.