Alpine Development School
Alpine Development School (ADS) is an advanced backcountry touring course for women skiers and splitboarders.
April 11-18, 2027
Led by ACMG-certified guides Jasmin Caton and Hannah Kendall, ADS takes place April 11–18, 2027 at the snowcat-accessed Valhalla Mountain Touring Lodge in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains and is presented by Arc’teryx.
A fully immersive field-based learning experience where the mountains are your classroom.
Using digital tools like Avalanche Canada, Gaia GPS, and Google Earth, you’ll interpret weather and avalanche forecasts to build thoughtful route plans—and then bring them to life across beautiful non-glaciated terrain including alpine bowls, glades, moraines, cols, and peaks.
Most learning happens on the move, with continuous coaching and mentorship throughout the day.
ADS is designed to support growth in both technical skills and confidence, helping you become more self-sufficient in the mountains.
Expect full days outside, plenty of skiing and riding, and a strong community of women who are excited to learn and explore together.
You Might Be a Good Fit for ADS If You:
Want to confidently plan and lead your own backcountry objectives with a group of women
Enjoy long days touring in varied terrain and conditions
Want to strengthen your route planning, navigation, and terrain management skills
Are interested in using digital mapping and forecasting tools more effectively
Are comfortable (or curious) using ski crampons and bootpacking when needed
ADS Course Objectives:
Build thoughtful route plans using weather, avalanche forecasts, and snowpack conditions
Confidently use digital navigation tools in both familiar and unfamiliar terrain
Set efficient, safe skin tracks across a variety of slope angles and snow conditions
Navigate complex terrain to reduce avalanche exposure while traveling uphill and downhill
Contribute to a supportive and inclusive team environment and strengthen group dynamics
Lodge Life
After a full day in the mountains, you'll return to the comfort of Valhalla Mountain Touring Lodge. Dry your gear, warm up in the sauna, enjoy a hot shower, and gather with new friends over delicious meals prepared with sustainable, locally sourced ingredients. With cozy bedrooms, indoor plumbing, a welcoming common space, and Starlink Wi-Fi, the lodge offers the perfect place to recharge for another day of learning and adventure.
Pre-Course Requisites
To get the most out of this course—and to ensure the group can travel cohesively in the backcountrty—participants must meet the following requirements:
Ski/Ride Ability: Advanced skier or rider. You can confidently ski/ride all black diamond terrain inbounds and are ready to bring that ability into the backcountry.
Backcountry Experience: At least two seasons and 20+ days of human-powered touring experience on skis or a splitboard.
Fitness: High level of fitness. You should be comfortable hiking and skiing 3,000–6,000 vertical feet per day with a 15–20 lb pack, on consecutive days.
Avalanche Education: Completed AIARE 1, AST 1, AAI Level 1, or equivalent avalanche course.
Snow Conditions: Able to ride confidently in variable snow types, including heavy powder, wind-affected snow, crust, sticky spring conditions, and everything in between—on slopes up to 40 degrees. Participants should be comfortable adapting to changing conditions and excited about long, rewarding days in the mountains.
Technical Skills: Can make controlled turns in moderate terrain, including trees, and are open to more technical features like chutes, steeper slopes, and tighter trees. You have experience or are curious about using ski crampons and/or bootpacking when conditions necessitate it.
Equipment Familiarity: You’re fully dialed with your gear and can transition quickly and efficiently between uphill and downhill travel.
This course is a big step forward—come prepared, and you’ll walk away stronger, more capable, and more confident in the mountains. And have a lot of fun along the way!
Course Cost
Early bird $3,250 USD (starting 7/14–8/14)
Regular: $3,500 USD (starting 8/15, until sold out)
What’s Included
Your tuition includes snowcat transportation to and from the lodge, all meals and snacks, guiding, instruction, and lodging at Valhalla Mountain Touring.
This pricing reflects fair wages for guides and lodge staff, as well as access to Alpine Development School curriculum and a fully supported backcountry learning experience.
Guide Gratuity
Gratuity is not included in the course fee. If you’d like to tip, 10–15% of the trip cost is customary and shared among guides and lodge staff. While entirely optional, it is greatly appreciated.
A non-refundable deposit ($250 for Early Bird, $500 for Regular) is required to secure your spot. The remaining balance will be invoiced after acceptance, with instructions provided at that time.
Payment schedule (if enrolled before Oct 15, 2026):
$1,500 due Oct 15, 2026
$1,500 due Jan 15, 2027
Payment plans are available.
If you enroll after the Oct 15 payment date, you will be invoiced for 50% of the course fee, due within 10 days of acceptance.
Upon submitting your deposit, you will be asked a series of questions pertaining to your skiing/splitboarding abilities and experience in the backcountry. SheJumps staff screen all applicants prior to acceptance into the course to ensure the course maintains a similar skill level between participants. However, please keep in mind when signing up for this course that we do our best to screen, but on large group trips, ability levels will likely still vary.
Upon acceptance into the course, we will then provide you with logistical information to help you plan your trip.
All participants are required to sign a SheJumps waiver and VMT waiver. The SheJumps waiver must be completed digitally prior to the course, and the VMT waiver must be completed in-person. Paper copies of the VMT waiver will be provided to all course participants on-site.
Application Process
Cancellation Policy
Once you are accepted into the course, your deposit is non-refundable. Deposits cannot be transferred from one year to another. If you cancel your reservation more than three months (90 days) from the start of your trip, we will refund your payment, less the non-refundable deposit. If we receive your cancellation request within 31 to 90 days of your start date, we will retain 50% of your payment and refund the balance. If you cancel within 30 days of your start date, or fail to appear, you are responsible for and will be charged/billed the full amount of your trip.
We strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance for this event.
We always hope that everything goes smoothly, but it's best to be prepared for the unexpected, as illness, injuries, and family obligations can happen.
About the Guides
Jasmin Caton
ACMG Ski Guide. VMT Lodge Owner & Operator:
Jasmin Caton (@jasmincaton) is a lover of mountains. Whether skiing blissful powder, climbing exhilarating ridges and faces, hiking through flowery meadows or plunging in cold lakes, in the mountains is where Jasmin feels the most happy and free. She is an ACMG Ski and Rock guide, mother of twins and the owner of Valhalla Mountain Touring. Caton is an expert instructor as well as an inspiration to the next generation of female guides, backcountry adventurers, and entrepreneurs. Click here to get to know Jasmin and her business, Valhalla Mountain Touring.
Hannah Kendall
ACMG Ski Guide
Hannah Kendall (@hannahkendall) grew up skiing in the Rockies, but has called Revelstoke home for the last decade. She spends her winters ski guiding at various operations in the Columbia mountains, both ski touring and heliskiing. Hannah shows up to guide and teach in the backcountry with a calm confidence that can only come from a deep well of legendary experiences. She’s here to shred hard, laugh loud, and snack often—with equal parts grace and style. When she isn’t working, Hannah enjoys running and climbing whilst exploring the mountains.
Any questions?
Check out our FAQs below or contact Heidi at hskildum@shejumps.org.
Alpine Development School strives to provide a space for women to grow both their technical skills and confidence in order to be self-sufficient in the mountains and is led by ACMG-certified ski guides, in collaboration with SheJumps, a US public charity (68-0662227) dedicated to increasing the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities.
