Each guest (referred to below as “you”) must familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions below, and the information on our website. By submitting a deposit or payment, you agree, on behalf of yourself and all other individuals that you book for, to be bound by the terms and conditions below. Your further agree that you are acting as an agent for such other individuals and these terms and conditions shall apply to them. 

In this document, “Ski Touring,” includes all forms of ski touring and splitboarding, telemark skiing. In this policy, Avalanche Education includes all courses run by White Grizzly Adventures Ltd. operating as Kootenay Backcountry Guides (referred to as “we” or “us”) is the provider of all ski touring trips, multi-day ski touring trips,  lodge trips, avalanche education courses, multi-day hiking tours, casual day tours, excursion day tours, bike tours, and all services described in our marketing materials and our booking confirmation packages. 

1. Programs

We offers these programs: Backcountry 101 Courses, Lodge Based Ski Touring Programs Including Lodge Based AST Courses, Avalanche Education Courses, Remote Base Camp Touring, Guided Traverse Programs, Casual Day Hiking Programs, Excursion Day Hiking Programs, Multi-Day Backpacking Hiking Tours, And Bicycle Tours.  

2. Guest Responsibilities

You are solely responsible for ensuring the following:

1. you and members of your group have fully and accurately completed our registration form;
2. you have a valid passport and all required visas to enter Canada;
3. you are on time and prepared for your adventure on each day, regardless of the weather or road conditions;
4. you are healthy and not experiencing symptoms of any illness on each day. If you arrive sick on your scheduled activity date, you will not be able to participate and will not receive a credit/refund;
5. you can ski, hike or bike at a level defined as the baseline for each program;
6. you are physically fit, and your physical fitness and skiing/biking/hiking ability match what is outlined in the course or trip description. If you are in a mixed group and can not complete the day tour, you are not entitled to a refund. 
7. you show up with all gear in working order, ready for your tour or course.  
8. you read and agree to the terms of the applicable waiver(s). This is a condition of participating – if you do not complete the waiver(s), you will not be permitted to participate.
9. you are not impaired by drugs, alcohol or medication.
10. you bring these terms and conditions, including all waiver requirements, to the attention of all individuals that you are booking for prior to making the booking. 

3. Kootenay Backcountry Guides Responsibilities. 

As part of the price set out in the booking confirmation, we will provide the following:

1. a professionally certified guide for our guided programs and avalanche educators for our courses. 
2. avalanche skills, safety training.  
3. a booking confirmation package that outlines your typical day, where and when to meet, and what gear and equipment you must bring 
4. pre-trip and or  course planning and logistics. 

4. Registration and Payment for Ski Touring Trips, Day Hikes, Multi-Day Hikes, Bike Trips, Lodge-Based Trips, and Lodge-Based Courses.

1. your booking is not confirmed until a completed registration form and payment or deposit are received from each guest in your group.
2. When booking a trip with us, you must pay a deposit equal to 50% of the booking price, plus applicable taxes (the “Deposit”). Unless otherwise provided in these terms, the deposit is strictly non-refundable once paid.
3. your credit card will be automatically processed when the final payment is due. Some trips and courses have a due date 45 days before the date of the trip. Some trips have a set due date. 
4. if you book within 45 days of your trip or after the set date for final payment, payment in full is required at the time of booking. Except as otherwise provided in these terms, all payments are strictly non-refundable once paid.
5. all payments shall be in Canadian dollars (CAD). A 5% Goods and Services Tax will be applied to each booking and is not included in any listed package prices. A 3% credit card fee is applied to all credit card transactions. There may be additional fees or price increases that the secondary providers, such as lodge owners or helicopter companies, could impose on us. Guests who have secured their spot by paying a deposit or full payment can either pay the increased amount or request a refund minus a 25% administration fee. 
6. In the unlikely event that your transfer into or out of a lodge is delayed and you need to spend a night in a nearby town, you are responsible for all of your associated costs caused by the delay (food, lodging, fuel, missed flights etc). 
7. In the unlikely event that your vehicle is broken into while at a lodge, you are responsible for all associated costs. 
8. All participants are required to review and agree to the applicable waiver for their trip, activity, or course as a condition of participating.
   1. If a participant does not complete the required waivers, they will not be permitted to participate, and a full refund will be provided.
   2. Participants who did not make the booking, or who are added or substituted after the original booking are subject to this waiver requirement - if such individuals do not complete the waiver they will not be permitted to participate.
   3. You will not be eligible for a refund based on any failure or refusal to sign the waiver.
   4. PLEASE READ THE WAIVER CAREFULLY! By signing you will waive or give up certain legal rights, including the right to sue for negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any Occupiers Liability Act or claim compensation following an accident. 
   5. The form of Waiver can be viewed here 
   6. If you are booking for other guests, it is your responsibility to bring the waiver requirement to their attention. 

5. Avalanche Education Course Registration and Payment. 

1. Your booking is not confirmed until a completed registration form and deposit are received.
2. at the time of booking a trip with us, you must make the full payment of the booking price, plus applicable taxes (the “Deposit”). Except as otherwise provided in these terms, the Deposit is strictly non-refundable once paid.
3. all payments shall be in Canadian dollars (CAD). A 5% Goods and Services Tax will be applied to each booking and is not included in any listed package prices. A 3% credit card fee is added to all credit card transactions at the time of booking and not included in the initial price. 
4. Kootenay Backcountry Guides accepts the following payment methods: Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Bank transfer, reach out if you need to etransfer funds. Cash* (*conditions apply). 
5. All participants in Avalanche Education Courses are required to read and agree to the Avalanche Skills Training Program Waiver, as well as the Winter Wilderness Activities Waiver, in order to participate in the course.
   1. If the waivers are not completed, the individual is not permitted to participate.
   2. Participants who did not make the booking or who are added or substituted after the original booking, are subject to this waiver requirements – if such individuals do not complete the waivers they will not be permitted to participate.
   3. If a participant does not complete the required waivers, they will not be permitted to participate, and a full refund will be provided.
   4. PLEASE READ THE WAIVERS CAREFULLY! By signing you will waive or give up certain legal rights, including the rights to sue for negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any Occupiers Liability Act or claim compensation for an accident.
   5. The waivers can be reviewed here
   6. The Winter Wilderness Activities Waiver will be provided in electronic form for completion; the guide will provide a paper copy of the AST Program Waiver in person at the start of your program.
   7. Participants under the age of 19 – their parent/legal guardian is required to sign the Winter Wilderness Activities Waiver and the Avalanche Canada Informed Consent and Acknowledgement of Risk <<view here>>. 
   8. It if your responsibility to review the Waivers prior to booking.
   9. If you are booking for others, it is your responsibility to bring this to their attention and ensure they have reviewed the waivers prior to booking. By booking you represent and warrant that you have brought the waiver requirement and the terms of the waivers to their attention prior to booking.

6. Refund and Cancellation Policy

1. Ski Touring, hiking, biking, and Avalanche Education is a unique experience that is subject to weather and snowpack conditions. These conditions are constantly changing and add an element of complexity to each day. We reserve the right to cancel a ski touring day, course, hike, or bike trip, in part or in whole, for any reason, including inclement weather, forest fires, intense smoke, avalanche conditions, operational emergencies, lack of guides or instructors, or pandemics, or insufficient guest bookings.
2. Except as provided in these terms and conditions, Kootenay Backcountry Guides will not provide you with a refund or compensation for any expenses related to your booking or trip to anywhere we operate, including airfare, car rentals, and accommodations. 
3. Kootenay Backcountry Guides strongly recommends purchasing trip cancellation insurance (https://lifestylefinancial.ca/get-a-quote/kootenay-backcountry-guides/). 
4. While we try our best to group skiers and boarders in our courses and mixed groups by ability level, no refunds shall be provided if your group skis or travels at a greater or lesser ability than you.
5. For private guided trips, you are responsible for ensuring that your group members have enough ability and fitness to complete their day. 
6. Any refunds made at the time of the refund will be refunded in Canadian Dollars via your original payment method. No adjustments will be made to the refund to account for differences in the exchange rate between the time payment was made and the refund was issued.
7. Cancellation by Kootenay Backcountry Guides before the start of your trip or course. We may cancel your booking at any time before the scheduled start time.  If we do, you will be given the opportunity to reschedule to a later date or course in the same season.
   1. If a mutually agreeable date cannot be scheduled that season, we will give you full credit towards a trip or course equal to the value of your trip with Kootenay Backcountry Guides.
   2. If you do not want credit, we will give you a refund equal to the cost of the trip minus a 25% administration fee based on the total value of your activity. 
8. If you arrive late, forget your equipment, have equipment issues, vehicle issues, challenging road conditions, injure yourself, decide to end your day early for whatever reason, or are instructed to stop your activity because we (in our sole discretion) determine that you are not physically fit or able, no refund will be provided. 

7. Guest Cancellation.

If you wish to cancel your booking, you must notify us in writing by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Your cancellation is only effective when we confirm the cancellation in writing to you.

1. Lodge Trips, Traverses, Basecamps, and Multi-Day hikes, Lodge Based Avalanche Safety Training
   1. If you cancel your spot on a lodge/traverse/basecamp trip, or a multi-day hike, you must notify Kootenay Backcountry Guides in writing. If past the deposit date you will not be refunded and will forfeit the deposit/spot. 
   2. Lifestyle Financial and Capri CMW offers excellent trip cancellation insurance that covers various cancellation reasons. In light of this, we do not offer refunds or credits for any Guided Tours or Lodge-Based AST courses. Please see section 8. 
   3. If you cancel your booking, you cannot replace yourself with someone else without our permission. Kootenay Backcountry Guides will is responsible for sourcing a replacement for your trip, as we need to ensure group compatibility (experience, ski/ride skills, fitness levels, ect). Kootenay Backcountry Guides reserves the right to re-sell your spot. 
   4. If you have a suitable replacement for yourself (or a group member), you must notify Kootenay Backcountry Guides so we can ensure they are a good fit. This requires a $150 admin fee per person and each replacement person is required to sign the applicable waiver(s) for such trip, course or activity as a condition of such replacement and participation. If a proposed replacement individual does not sign the applciable waiver(s) they will not be permitted to participate.
2. Avalanche Safety Training and Courses: 
   1. Lifestyle Financial and Capri CMW offer excellent trip cancellation insurance that covers various cancellation reasons. In light of this, we do not offer refunds for AST and Backcountry 101 courses. (See section 8) 
   2. Kootenay Backcountry Guides does not offer refunds on any courses (AST or Backcountry 101). Participants are responsible for managing their own schedules and are expected to keep their original booking date. 
   3. If participants request to switch to another course date this is considered a cancellation and you forfeit your original payment. You will not be refunded for your original course date and must register and pay for the new course date. 
   4. If you request to switch to another course date or cancel and you source a replacement for yourself, you must notify Kootenay Backcountry Guides so we can ensure a good fit. If you switch to another date, but have a suitable replacement, you will be charged a $100 admin fee. And if you cancel, but have a suitable replacement, you will be issued a credit, less a $100 admin fee, that expires within a year. No refunds will be given. A replacement person is required to pay for the course and sign the applicable waiver(s) for the course as a condition of such replacement and participation. If a proposed replacement individual does not sign the applicable waiver(s) they will not be permitted to participate and will not be considered a “suitable replacement” for the purposes of this section 4.
3. Private Course/Private Guided Tour and or Hike Group Cancellations: 
   1. The cancellation policies above (7.a) apply to private bookings. If you cancel your booking, you forfeit your deposit/final payment.
   2. If you have a private group booked (guiding or courses) a group leader will be responsible for confirming the total number of participants and payment. 
      1. Private group bookings payment will be collected from the group leader. It is the group leader’s responsibility to collect individual payments from members of their group. 
      2. If one of the group members decides to cancel, they are not entitled to a refund or credit. We do this to protect your booking. 
         1. For example, if you book a private group of 5 participants, the group leader will submit a deposit and payment based on 5 participants. If one of the participants backs out, they are not entitled to a refund and either forfeit their payment or find a substitute to take their place. 
      3. If you have a suitable replacement for yourself (or group member) you must notify Kootenay Backcountry Guides. This requires a $150 admin fee per person and each replacement person is required to sign the applicable waiver(s) for such private booking as a condition of such replacement and participation. If a proposed replacement individual does not sign the applciable waiver(s) they will not be permitted to participate.
      4. The group leader is responsible for collecting and refunding participants. Kootenay Backcountry Guides will not intervene on behalf of the group leader. 
      5. All individuals of group bookings are able to purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect their purchase. (See section 8 Insurance)

In light of the refund and cancellation policies set out above, trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended to cover you for unforeseen circumstances that may interrupt or cancel your trip or course with us. We do not provide such insurance but have provided you with a recommended provider. Follow this link for a quote https://lifestylefinancial.ca/get-a-quote/kootenay-backcountry-guides/

1. medical and rescue costs may not be covered by the BC government. We recommend that all participants from out of province or country purchase their own medical travel, and rescue insurance to ensure complete coverage during your trip. Lifestyle Finanical also provides this coverage. 
2. Kootenay Backcountry Guides will not be responsible for any personal costs associated with an accident on any of our courses or tours. 

9. Minors

Minors (18 years of age and younger) are welcome to participate in our programs on the following terms: 

1. Minor guests are permitted only as part of a group that includes a legal guardian and with at least one guardian per minor;
2. Minors must be at least 12 years old and capable of meeting the ability and fitness levels described in the “fitness and skills” section.
3. The minor’s legal guardian must sign a waiver on behalf of the minor prior to participation, and the minor must sign a waiver dated for the day they turn 19.
4. The minor’s legal guardian must accompany the minor at all times during our activities.

10. Image Release

You permit us to use images of you (including any motion picture or still photographs made by us) for any purposes in connection with promoting Kootenay Backcountry Guides and its activities. You understand that your personal information, including images, is being collected pursuant to section 26 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 165.