Build the foundation!

This is where you start. Avalanche Canada’s nationally recognized Avalanche Skills Training Level One or AST 1 for short is known as the prerequisite for anyone looking to get into the avalanche backcountry environment. Our BLAST courses (Backcountry Learning and Avalanche Skills Training) are based on the most advanced knowledge available to teach the fundamentals of decision making in backcountry avalanche terrain.

If you’re looking for the opportunity to get a skill set customized to your ability and learning style, this one-on-one coaching in terrain you want to tackle and in realistic condition will set you up for success in your ski-touring adventures. What a BLAST!

Four days @ the “eh” frame!
“NOT a cabin in the woods. Chalets have three large, comfortable and clean outhouses.” — Al Schaffer...And he’s not kidding. The Blanket is a cozy A-frame chalet in the Monashee Mountains. It’s a snug little triangle of fun where we fit 14 ski enthusiasts, with a mix of private rooms and dorm-style setups. The main level has a big dining table, a kitchen for culinary magic, and a hangout zone…guests sleep upstairs. Plus, we’ve got a sauna to melt away those powder-pummeled muscles.

The Blanket has some of the best tree skiing in the world, right outside our door. We’ve got options in every direction, so you’ll find great snow no matter the season. In winter, dive into playful pow and features, and the Monashees’ legendary terrain. Come spring, enjoy sunny glacier runs and extra long ski days, ending with apres on the deck. It’s adult adventure camp.

We’re big on great food, or what we call CAPOW Chow. We keep it local with meat from a Revelstoke farm and other ingredients sourced nearby. Our chefs, pros at backcountry cooking, whip up two breakfasts, a pack lunch, après (2 kegs of beer included), dinner and dessert on the daily. We brew local coffee from Dose, bake our own bread, and serve up wholesome, tasty meals. Oh, and our cookies? Legendary.

Owned and run by Marty Schaffer, CAPOW is the crew you want on your side in the backcountry. Our ACMG certified guides are not just pros—they’re your new best friends, stoked to show you the ropes or take you to the ultimate powder zones. Ever dreamed of shredding with Andrew McNab or split boarding with Adam Zok? If you’re lucky, you just might! We’re here to make sure your trip is not only safe and educational but also the best ski adventure you’ve ever had.

Reach out to us to hire a guide for your private group. Depending on conditions, desires, and fitness, we will align together on what terrain in the area makes sense for your group. There are many options in the area, from slack country off the ski hill to Rogers Pass, and we are here to show you the way.

We require some level of backcountry skiing experience and you must bring your own avalanche gear and touring equipment.

Guides will reach out to guests a day or two prior to align on meeting location and the plan for the day based on conditions and desires. Guests will need to manage their own transportation to the meeting spot in the morning.