alpine finishing school in skiing magazine!

she jumps alpine finishing school in skiing magazine!

atta girl hillary harrison!

An article about my good friend hillary....why not girl of the week - hillary harrison

quote for the day...

Why not have a dance party on top of a mountain?
Why not redefine what it means to be a polished female skier of the 21^st century?


-Claire Smallwood

Fuhrer's Finger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgdAEG9liDE
found this recently- fun memories from a terrific ski.  Big story behind this one- almost got kicked out of the park:)

Alpine Finishing School 2013!

*Just what is the Alpine Finishing School?  

Last spring, we launched the first ever alpine finishing school with an amazing crew from  she jumps 

 AFS is an intensive Backcountry and Ski Mountaineering training week.

Check it out here: http://www.clairesmallwood.com/2012/04/shejumps-alpine-finishing-school/

This shot from the week is a full page in the upcoming Outside Magazine:

http://www.clairesmallwood.com/2012/10/outside-magazine/- Skier Claire Small wood: http://shejumps.org/claire co-founder of the alpine finishing school. The shot was taken by Emily Polar: http://www.shejumps.org/emilypolar

Professional photographer and participant on the week.

More info, testimonials, and photos here:

http://meghankellyteles.com/2012/04/30/alpine-finishing-school-getting-there-and-day-1/

http://mckennapeterson.com/2012/05/16/alpine-finishing-school/

http://shejumps.org/natsegal

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.402412609777805.98468.276076199078114&type=3

http://www.feedreader.com/feed/shejumps_com/24207289

http://www.shejumps.org/annekeller

http://www.shejumps.org/katedevine

Feel free to pass this along if you know others who might be interested. 

Women's Camp Makes Front Page of the RMR Website!

Wow!- newsworthy in Revelstoke!  I made the front page of the Revelstoke Mountain Resort website for the women's Heli Camp!  Stoked to say the least!  Here is the link:

http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/resort/news/anne-keller

lets get some face shots!

Hope you can join us!  It really is a fabulous deal with unlimited vertical  this is not a normal phrase when talking about heli time....

The Alpine Finishing School for Ladies-Women's Ski Mountaineering Intensive

Time: April 7, 2012 to April 14, 2012
Location: http://www.selkirkbackcountrylodge.com/
Website or Map: http://www.anne-keller.blogsp…
Phone: 509-322-4232
Event Type: ski, mountaineering, instruction
Organized By: anne keller


One stop shop to get you out and about, confidently recreating with whomever you choose- male or female....
Join Anne Keller AMGA/ACMG ski guide at the selkirk lodge

• Anne was the 6th female to be ski mountaineering guide certified in the US.  There are now 12 females out of 124 certified ski mountaineering guides.
• The Selkirk Lodge has been operated and run for the past twenty years by Grania Devine, her sister Reinet Shaw, and daughter Kate Devine.  It is VERY unique in that it offers some of the finest glaciated and rowdy ski terrain in BC, but is also run by some of the sweetest gal ski pigs on the planet...(stay tuned for Princess Kate- up and coming full ski guidess extraordinaire....)
• Best to not miss this one :)

Join these inspiring women for an empowering 7 days of intensive ski mountaineering instruction and training.  Course- $2000 pp- includes:

• Map/compass/gps/tour planning/route finding.
• Glacier travel training/crevasse rescue for ski mountaineering applications.
• Companion rescue- all the latest beacon/shovel/probe techniques.
• Snow anchors/ rappelling/ belaying techniques for ski applications.
• Terrain assessment/snow safety clinics.
• General glaciology lecture.
• Expedition snow camping/emergency snow bivouac construction training.

• Heli lift in/out to Selkirk Lodge- transfers both ways to Albert Canyon(heli base).

• Lovely/comfy lodging at the door of the perfect terrain.

• AMGA/ACMG female guiding/mentorship.

• Seven full days of training/skiing/smiles.

• Three wholesome meals per day.

• Unlimited memories and skills...

Hope you can make it!

Women's Heli-ski Retreat REVELSTOKE BC!

Check out this write up of the women's heli retreat in ski mag!

http://www.skinet.com/ski/article/girl%E2%80%99s-trip-heli-ski-retreat

First Snow!

There is a dusting of snow on the peaks surrounding Revelstoke today.  Viva La Nina!!

Ladies- this is big- save the date! Heli Camp in Revelstoke.

This is the first girls-only heliski program offered by Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing.  It is a HUGE value in January, and a great value in March.  Shop around- check dates- then keep coming back to the words "unlimited vertical"

Unlimited vertical.  Really do you understand what this means?  In the heli world it is all about "heli time" if the heli is in the air the clock is ticking and it is not cheap.  if we work together(something girls excel at) we optimize our time- get more skiing, more fun....and more vertical.

This is the preliminary info up top on my blog.  Note the price difference early season versus late if you can swing the January date.   No problem with the snow pack in January- I regularly ski blower powder in November in this locale....

Remember- Another La Nina on the way.  This is a great year to make it happen!


Ciao Bellas!

Anne


Women’s Camp – Three Days from $2,960 pp plus HST
This camp is specifically tailored towards the ladies. Enjoy unlimited vertical while you experience our legendary terrain in a low stress environment. This program is led by two guides using a Bell 205 helicopter.
This package includes:

• Unlimited vertical metres over three days of heli skiing
• Three nights accommodation at the Coast Hillcrest Hotel
• Full buffet breakfast, gourmet mountain lunch and après ski snacks, dinner at the Hillcrest Hotel
• Powder ski or snowboard rental
• Avalanche beacon rental and related safety gear
• Back-country safety briefing and beacon training
• Optional yoga sessions in the morning or evening

Women's Camps are available on either January 7-10, 2012 ($2,960 pp plus HST) or on March 10-13, 2012 ($3,700 pp plus HST).

Revelstoke is Going Off!!

Contact me for custom objectives and dates. There is a meter of snow in town and conditions in the mountains are phenomenal! If you are interested in Cat, Heli, Touring, or Heli Touring I can hook you up! I also specialize in skill development days which could be based at the ski hill- intro to ski touring/back country ski technique instruction.

Lets Go Skiing!

Anne

NCMG AT camp in ski journal!!!

Girls- sign up now for the AT camp in the North Cascades. Check out the write up in Ski Journal!!

: http://www.theskijournal.com/news/2010/11/04/backcountry-dreamin-north-cascade-mountain-guides-host-womens-clinic

Anne blabbing in Skiing Magazine!

Fun Nevertheless!!

Check it out- The Great Molly Baker http://mollykbaker.wordpress.com/ killing the journalism angle. She is actually a pro skier MAINLY, but seems to have discovered a talent for the written word- Here's to multi-talented women!!

http://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/la-nina-where-ski-winter-and-why?pnid=111588#gallery-content

Viva La Nina! Come Skiing with Anne and Friends!

Ski Divas - La Nina is Here!!!

Well Hello Gals!

It looks like this is the year to make big ski plans. I have! La Nina brings a great weather outlook and below is a series of great ski adventure options that I have made easy for you to get in on! I have been granted ACMG full ski guide equivalency in addition to my AMGA ski mountaineering certification. What this means to you is that I have no limitations on my guiding activities in both the US and Canada. Bottom line - I will be skiing A LOT of powder this year - and you can too by joining in on any of these adventures!!

Viva La Nina!! Check out this site for a very interesting write up of this year’s weather outlook: http://fox12weather.wordpress.com/la-nina-2010-2011/

The deadline to sign up for any of these trips is Dec 10, 2010.
Many of the trips include a helicopter for access, so advance organization with confirmed headcount is key. The heli has to be full to fly, so let’s fill it and go!!

This email newsletter outlines the trips I have organized and scheduled. Please spread the word on these upcoming trips to any friends who may be interested.

Contact me directly at annekeller@centurytel.net for more information and/or to reserve your spot. These are small custom trips and I want to make sure you get what you want out of your ski adventure.

Ciao Bellas!

Anne Keller
AMGA ski mountaineering guide/ACMG equivalent
http://anne-keller.blogspot.com/



Your trip options are as follows:

1. The Boulder Hut - Women’s Week in the Purcell’s
January 23-30, 2011 - Registration Deadline December 10, 2010



Seven days of touring bliss - Family owned and operated, The Boulder Hut (1,980m, 6,500 ft) is a wilderness home away from home. They have been skiing powder for over 25 years from this tree line location in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains. The Boulder hut offers easy access to fantastic terrain. Find incredible natural beauty and famous powder at the doorstep of this comfortable lodge. Day tour or overnight to the historic Ptarmigan Hut. Experience authentic backcountry skiing at http://boulderhutadventures.com/ with untracked powder in open bowls, rolling glades, steep and deep in the trees for epic tours. Varied and suitable terrain for all abilities. Impossible to ski it all in just one week!!

Easy travel access to Kimberley, British Columbia via the nearby Canadian Rockies International Airport: www.flycanadianrockies.com

This trip includes heli flight in and out from the lodge, accommodations, certified girl guides, and all the powder and smiles you can snorkel!!!
We hope to keep cost to a minimum - It will vary depending on number of sign ups. We can take up to 12 gals and a minimum of 6. With only 6 gals the cost will be around $1,800 for the week. If we get 10-12 it will be closer to $1,200, a savings of about $600.

*Just A Note*- When calculating cost, remember to think about what a week’s worth of traditional ski vacation at a resort would cost with lodging, lifts, meals, and bar tabs. For this, you get all of the “chunder” and ‘tracked up” runs you want with 85 thousand of your best ski buddies! Not to mention the one-sided work out with all quads, no cardio, no glutes and hammies. (see you in PT!!)

If you come to the Boulder hut, I can guarantee epic cardio and tons of low impact body-balanced, healthy exercise. We even do yoga in the loft in the evenings! Many people leave feeling healthier than they have felt in their lives (and lighter!) I can guarantee friendly and intelligent dinner conversation (OK, maybe a rowdy table dance or two), and if we are lucky, a world class recital by either Mark (on blues guitar) or Sarah (on classical Cello). Best of all, you will cross very few tracks as you schuss through the mountains with 10 of YOUR best ski buddies…..

Here are photos from last year’s trip. http://picasaweb.google.com/Toko.Keller/BoulderHut201002#

I need to gauge your interest in this trip ASAP as it’s necessary to book/pay in advance to reserve the lodge. Sign up today!!



2. Women’s Weekend in Revelstoke, BC
January 14-17, 2011

One day at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, One day at Rogers pass, One day with K3 Cat Skiing...Optional day of Heli skiing if you dare 

Basic itinerary:

Friday: Drive to Revelstoke (8 hours from Seattle) or fly to Kelowna and rent a car. Stay with Anne at Scott’s house (I have room for 4-6 and rent is bottles of Grand Marnier for Scott. Or book your own room - try The Sandman http://www.sandmanhotels.com/en/hotel/bc/revelstoke or the new lodging at Revelstoke Mountain Resort: http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/RESORT/Accommodations.html

Saturday: Ski at Revelstoke Mountain Resort- 6000' of vertical.
The largest in North America- 2nd largest in the world: http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/
We’ll work out the kinks with the ski touring gear - do some beacon drills - then pop of the backside for a little slack country touring. Rip the lifts for the rest of the afternoon. Quit early and drive to Rogers pass to stay at the Glacier Park Lodge http://www.glacierparklodge.ca/
Hang out in the hot tub and pack for ski touring at the famous Rogers pass!!!

Sunday: Ski tour all day with local guidesses - Anne and Steph (you can ski right from the lodge!!)
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/glacier/activ/activ1.aspx

Monday:
With a minimum of 6 people, we can get a discount for a single day of cat skiing with a really cool outfit called K3. Normally $375 pp for standby - they will give us seats for $300 with a group. Please remember to request Anne as your guide for the day. Also, for those of you who came last year, I am proactive on the demo ski situation- there WILL be plenty of ladies skis this year!
http://www.k3catski.com/index.php?p=home

Cost for the trip (in Canadian dollars):
RMR Day ticket - $74CAD, (also, Costco in Kelowna has 2 day ticket deals for further discounts), RMR Companion rescue/touring clinic $50USDpp, lodging approximately $50 pp/per night dbl occupancy. (Participants are responsible for their own accommodations, but I am more than happy to help people coordinate for sharing rooms), $100USDpp for guide extraordinaire on Sunday, $300 pp for optional cat skiing day. If you want to do the heli day - don’t ask just bring plastic - this is the year to throw DOWN…..

Here is a link to photos from last year’s trip:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Toko.Keller/GirlSRescuePractice#


3. Heli Access Touring in The North Cascades Mazama, WA
January 10-13, 2011 (Single day trips by arrangement)

Alpine touring but with quite a bump to the start!
Check it out here:
http://www.heli-ski.com/programs.php?program=6

Photos from last year’s trip can be seen here:
Vik and the gals tearing up the Diamonds’s area of Silverstar
http://picasaweb.google.com/Toko.Keller/GirlsGoneSkiingNorthCascadesHeliTouring#

Photos from the Crystal Mountain crew!
http://picasaweb.google.com/Toko.Keller/NchsHeliGirls#




Photo- Whistler BC with the Whitefish/Crystal Mountain rowdy gals!


4. Women’s Instructional Alpine Touring Weekend
January 6-9, 2011

North Cascades Mountain Guides in Mazama, WA. Should be a hoot!

More info here:
http://www.ncmountainguides.com/womens_at.asp



Please don’t hesitate to pass this along or to contact me with custom ideas! I can hook you up, take you to the powder, and wear pink while I am doing it !!!

Ciao Bellas!

Anne Keller
AMGA/ACMG equivalent ski guide
www.anne-keller.blogspot.com
mobile:509-322-4232

reality and relativity

Well, I am sitting here with my beloved Samoyed lying next to me on the couch. His head is on my lap and encroaching on my laptop. He has been the best dog I could ever have wished for; Loyal, wonderful, obedient, talented etc. And at the start I thought that to let him on the couch or the bed would ruin him and all of our hard won training. My point is that sometimes our perspective changes.

When I first met Toko, my plan was to make him sleep in a kennel on the porch for all of his days. Somehow I thought that this would make him a better trained dog and protect me from my allergies. There was no way he would be allowed on the bed or couch. Life experience, death and divorce have drastically changed my perspective….

Now I know that I knew nothing about dog training at that point. Things Change! I changed, my perspectives changed. I now have an amazingly well trained animal- I also have a companion that I cannot imagine my life without… the couch time, the bed time, whatever- the approach has not diminished the experience.

We must be continually aware that we might not “know” what we think we “know.” Our perceptions are clouded by our experiences.

“ Reality”to the human brain is a moving target and not a black and white fact. We are better beings when we acknowledge the relativity of our reality.

anne is now dual!

Yup - dual citizen- now dual ski guide!! I just received word that I have been granted equivalency for my Canadian ski guide cert. I am now a full ski guide in the US and in Canada. It does not suck to be me!!!!:)

Lets plan some adventures!

Anne's Birthday at 8000'

Hey all,

wonderful birthday for me high on Mount Rainier! Check out my Birthday cake at 8000'! Thanks John Race!

http://mountainguides.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Happy-Birthday-Anne.jpg

Anne in Ski Journal

Hey Ya'll,

Here are a couple of write ups in ski journal by the great Molly K Baker http://www.mollykbaker.com/ of some of my ski adventures this past winter....

http://www.theskijournal.com/news/2010/03/17/amga-guide-anne-keller-checks-in-on-the-revelstoke-avy-conditions

http://www.theskijournal.com/news/2010/03/10/in-the-bird-at-north-cascades-heli

women's rockclimbing and yoga in Mazama Wa!!

Hey Gals!

Join us again for a fun filled weekend the beautiful Methow Valley!!



http://beluminousyoga.com/events/grace-edge-womens-yoga-and-climbing


Here is a link to a write up on last years program... http://www.ncmountainguides.com/permalink.asp?id=525#525


Lets go climbing and have some fun!!

Anne

you and me and the wine dark sea!!

Care to join Scott and myself for a future adventure in Greece? Lets go chicas!!!

a

snowpack summary in revelstoke

The surface hoar war,
face down the bright white places--
Fifteen degrees best.

The recent avalanche accident on Boulder Mountain near the town of Revelstoke has drawn international attention to this year’s snowpack stratigraphy in the Selkirks and Monashees. The Canadian Avalanche Center has issued special warnings regarding avalanche danger for the last three weekends.

The El Nino climactic conditions have set the stage for one of the more volatile layering structures in many people’s memory The combination of higher temps with warmer snow events interspersed with long periods of clear weather have laid down a series of significant buried surface hoar layers. Surface hoar is that beautiful sparkly crystal that forms on the snow surface following cold clear nights(different from depth hoar). If it gets buried it can create an unstable layer in the pack. As of this writing there are four main interfaces which have been named based on the day they were buried. The March 7th, The February 24th, the February 8th and the January 24th. These layers can all be found within about a meter and a half of the snows surface and as such are very reactive to skier triggering. Generally this structure is widespread throughout the treeline and alpine elevations with North through East aspects being the most sensitive. Solar aspects have a series of crusts at the same interfaces and have been waking up as radiation intensifies.

The most recent storm event on March 11th-and 12th came in with significant wind and precipitation increasing load and forming slabs over the existing surface hoar sandwich(actually more like a multi layer torte). The result has been a widespread avalanche cycle with slides initiating on layers closer to the surface and stepping down to deeper layers. This was the set up for the Boulder Mountain accident.

The take home message here is that it is not the time to get complacent if you choose to venture out. Numerous natural, human triggered, and remotely triggered(means you can trigger an adjacent steep slope from low angle terrain – sometimes from quite a distance- and sometimes from below…) avalanches are being reported daily throughout the range. Guiding operations are sticking to terrain that has been heavily skied all winter and to very low angle low consequence terrain with no overhead hazard.

This is a great time to hone your avalanche skills. Instead of focusing on skiing the big line, dig a pit in a safe location and see if you can id all the layers. You will be impressed! For current avalanche bulletins, go to www.avalanche.ca. For field reports from certified guides check out the public mountain conditions report or MCR at www.acmg.ca.

 
 
 
 

diamonds are a girl's best friend- nc heli access ski touring

Girls Trip Revelstoke!

Just finished a super fun girls trip to Revelstoke! We Skied Revelstoke Mountain resort, completed an Intro touring session on the backside, went Cat Skiing at K3 in the monashees! On Tuesday and Wednesday, I hooked up with Anna and Kim from Whitefish for some companion rescue training at Rogers pass. All in all - great gals and great fun! check out this link for the photos!

http://picasaweb.google.com/Toko.Keller/GirlsTripReve

Moot Point. Tele vs. AT

Come on people! The debate about whether AT or Tele is more virtuous is soo eighties!!! Get over it. “Free the heel free the mind”, “Randonee – French for can’t tele”, “training heels”, “fix the heel fix the problem” These are all such judgmental slogans. Do we really care this much? How about making pure joy the measure of virtue? Whoever has the most fun wins!!

Whether you enjoy the enhanced face shots from dropping a knee or the satisfaction of sticking the pedal hop on a 50 degree slope in your AT gear- or enjoying the effortless float of the untracked through the larches…all are worthy. Why do we need to fight for coolness factor??? Are we riding for our own fulfillment or to compete with others?

I took my ski mountaineering exam in Valdez with the most talented Telemark skier I have ever seen; Eric Henderson. He had zero limitations, up or down. I also know many professional ACMG/AMGA guides who prefer AT gear for the more technical ski mountaineering application. With the advent of the new free pivot toe pieces on Tele gear there is no longer the greater advantage on the up track for AT skiers. The ever evolving technology of AT gear means that it is just as light as Tele (check out the Dynafit Manaslu!) Skill, fitness, attitude and cajones define how far you take any method. Limitations, plusses/minuses- all are purely personal. Do what makes YOU happy. Do not judge others for a different viewpoint or approach!

Follow your bliss and your preferred glisse! Encourage others- promote joy not competition. You just look like a petulant victim when back biting another form of snow riding expression. Lets shift the focus from performance to joy! Now get out there and make some turns!!