Kit budget · Backcountry lodges, winter

What it costs to kit yourself for a backcountry ski week

The essentials, bought new, are about CA$12,900 (US$9,414); the whole list is CA$13,174. Priced from the winter backcountry lodge packing list, at street prices.

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A line of ski tourers skinning across an open snowfield below a wall of snow-covered peaks — Purcell Mountain Lodge. Two winters at Purcell Mountain Lodge on a splitboard, checked against Mistaya Lodge's published winter equipment list and Purcell's ski guidance. Where a number belongs to one operator it says so.

A week at a helicopter-access lodge is the trip on this site where the kit costs real money, because nothing on the hill is lent: the board or the skis, the boots, the skins, the avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, the harness for glaciated ground, and the shell that keeps a whiteout out. The lodge brings the beds, the meals, the guides and the sauna, and both Purcell and Mistaya will rent some of the safety kit if you ask in advance.

These are the prices behind the winter packing list, which I wrote from the splitboard after two winters at Purcell, added up two ways: the essentials, and everything on the list with the camera. One honest note on the first line: where the list offers a board or skis, the budget prices the cheapest part, the skins; a full splitboard setup is priced further down.

The figures

Two ways to add it up

The essentials CA$12,900 US$9,414 · 29 items not marked optional

Without the camera CA$4,707 US$3,434 · the essentials less the camera group

Everything on the list CA$13,174 US$9,614 · 30 of 37 items name a product

Of which, the camera CA$8,193 US$5,980 · 1 line, priced at what I carry

Approx., at 1.37 CAD per USD. Street prices, not quotes; a sale or a used one changes the sum. Where an item offers a choice, the cheapest prices it and the line says "from". The kit budget on the list lets you tick what you own and see what is left.

What you bring

The list, priced

Every item on the list, in its groups, with the product I used and what it costs. An item with no price is one nobody sells you: a form, a prescription, a weight limit.

The board, or the skis, and what goes on your feet and head

Splitboard with bindings and skins, or touring skis with skins from CA$274 US$200 Climbing skins
Snowboard boots, or touring boots from CA$411 US$300 Burton Moto BOA snowboard boots
Collapsible poles with powder baskets CA$164 US$120 Touring poles with powder baskets
Board crampons, or ski crampons CA$110 US$80 Board or ski crampons
Helmet CA$206 US$150 Ski helmet
Light indoor slippers CA$55 US$40 Light indoor slippers

Avalanche safety

Avalanche transceiver CA$548 US$400 Mammut Barryvox transceiver
Shovel, metal blade CA$96 US$70 Backcountry Access Dozer 1T shovel
Collapsible probe CA$96 US$70 Backcountry Access Stealth 300 probe
Lightweight harness and a locking carabiner CA$151 US$110 Lightweight alpine harness

Layers

Base layer tops and bottoms, synthetic or wool CA$110 US$80 Smartwool merino base layers
Mid layer from CA$123 US$90 Burton fleece shirt
Shell jacket with a hood CA$480 US$350 Burton GORE-TEX jacket
Shell pants or bibs with side zips CA$411 US$300 Shell pants or bibs (Patagonia or Burton)
Insulated pull-on pants optional CA$274 US$200 Insulated pants (Patagonia or Burton)
Down jacket or vest CA$343 US$250 Down jacket (Patagonia or Burton)
Warm toque and a sun hat CA$75 US$55 Sun hat
Mitts, gloves, liners, neck gaiter from CA$34 US$25 Lightweight liner gloves
Snowboard or ski socks CA$34 US$25 Ski socks
Indoor clothes

Eyes, skin, lips

Goggles CA$206 US$150 Goggles (Smith)
Sunglasses CA$137 US$100 Smith sunglasses
Lens cleaning cloth CA$16 US$12 MR.SIGA microfibre cloths, 12-pack
Sunscreen and lip protection CA$23 US$17 Sunscreen

The day pack and the small things

Day pack, small to medium CA$247 US$180 Ski touring pack, 30 to 35 litres
Water bottle or thermos CA$55 US$40 BLACK+BLUM insulated steel bottle, 850 ml
Blister kit CA$21 US$15 Blister kit
Pocket knife CA$55 US$40 Pocket knife
Headlamp CA$48 US$35 Nitecore USB-rechargeable headlamp
Camera, spare batteries, charger CA$8,193 US$5,980 Sony A1
Toiletries and your medications

The helicopter

Soft duffel, 60 litres or under CA$178 US$130 Soft duffel, 60 litres (WANDRD, MEC, REI, Dakine or Patagonia)
Weigh the lot at home
A bagged lunch for the first day
Declare anything flammable
Board, poles and tripods as separate items
Waiver signed

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Not on the bill

What the lodge provides, and what it rents

From the packing list, which was checked against Mistaya's published equipment and rental lists and Purcell's winter guidance. Anything else, assume is yours to bring.

Beds, meals, guides and the sauna In the package at both lodges.
Towels, soap and shampoo Mistaya provides them; the list says to assume nothing else.
Loaner snow boots for stepping outside Mistaya keeps them at the door; bring light indoor slippers.
Avalanche kit, for rent Purcell rents a transceiver, shovel and probe at $30 a day; Mistaya at $60 for the week (transceiver $40, shovel $10, probe $10). Book it with the reservation, not at the hangar.
Skis and skins, for rent at Mistaya $40 a day; boots must be rented in the valley before you fly.
An avalanche rescue practice on arrival Purcell runs one before anyone tours; expect the same anywhere serious.

If you buy one thing

Three that earn their place

Mammut Barryvox transceiver about CA$548

Three antennas, fresh batteries, and practised with. It is the one item on the list you buy for other people as much as for yourself.
Burton GORE-TEX jacket about CA$480

The shell for the skin track and the whiteout, long in the body with a hood that goes over a helmet. GORE-TEX is the whole point.
Goggles (Smith) about CA$206

A lens for flat light is the one that earns its place; a bluebird morning and a whiteout can be the same afternoon.

Some gear links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one, I earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Take it further

The list, the PDF and what the trip itself costs

What to pack for a winter week at a backcountry lodge · the list this page prices, with a box beside each item and the kit budget you can tick.
The print-ready PDF · 5 pages on Letter, sent by email from the foot of the list.
What to pack for a summer week at a backcountry lodge · Boots, layers, rain, sun and the helicopter weight limit, for a hiking week at a fly-in lodge like Purcell or Mistaya.
Mistaya Lodge · what a trip there costs, all in, from the operator's own rates.
Purcell Mountain Lodge · what a trip there costs, all in, from the operator's own rates.

Backcountry Lodges on the record, every one stayed at and photographed in person.

Questions about the kit

What does the essential kit for a backcountry ski week cost?

About CA$12,900 (US$9,414) for the 29 items on the winter list that name a product and are not marked optional, at street prices. Without the camera that is about CA$4,707 (US$3,434). The board-or-skis line is priced from its cheapest part, the skins. A full splitboard setup as I ride it, the Burton Flight Attendant splitboard with its bindings and skins, is about CA$1,918 on its own. Renting the avalanche kit from the lodge (Purcell $30 a day, Mistaya $60 for the week) takes about CA$740 off.

Do I need to buy an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe?

You need to arrive with them. The list says bring your own kit or arrange a rental with the lodge in advance: Purcell rents the three at $30 a day and Mistaya at $60 for the week. A harness and a locking carabiner are on the list too, for glacier travel. Buying is the right answer for anyone who will tour again; renting is the right answer for a first week.

What does the lodge provide?

Beds, meals, guides and the sauna at both lodges; towels, soap and shampoo and loaner snow boots at Mistaya. Nothing on the hill is provided: the board or skis, boots, skins, poles, helmet, layers, shell, goggles and the day pack are yours, and the helicopter weighs the lot. Mistaya allows a soft duffel of no more than 60 litres plus a day pack, 35 lb in total.