4 Cat Skiing Operations Have Guides That Pass Canadian Ski Guide Level 3 Exam Last Week. 

Every 2 years (for the last 20 years) the Canadian Ski Guide association holds a 9 day long exam for ski guides that want to lead or supervise a cat or heliskiing operation operation.    This winter 5 guides managed to pass this gruelling ski guide test.   The exam involves terrain selection, group management, rescue, crevasse rescue, Transceiver search and much more.    The crevasse rescue was held at 9,000 ft in the northern Monashee range.   This course was hosted by Mike Weigle Heliskiing.   

The Level 3 qualification allows guides to supervise a cat or heliskiing operation.   The level 3 takes a minimum of 6 years to complete and involves:

• 6 years of mentoring from senior guides - in an apprenticeship model
• 3 levels of guide exams and training
• The highest level of courses and Certification from The Canadian Avalanche association.
• Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level 1 -2 course
• Current 80 hour 1st aid course

This winter the guides that guide cat skiing that passed are:

• Kieren Gaul - from Big Red Cats
• Martin Keyserlingk – from Vahalla Powdercats
• Patric Malony – from Snowwater Heli skiing (snowcat back-up)
• Demian Whitley - from Baldface Lodge

Congratulations to all these guys – why not go to one of these operations and request to ski with one of these guides