1. Hydration
When you wake up, it's essential to boil water and prepare a good thermos with turmeric and ginger roots with a touch of pepper! My boyfriend taught me this way to make a good hot tea to energize against the cold.
2. Snacks
The second important thing to have with you on a hike is a snack such as dates, nuts, sesame bars, soft bars or anything too heavy to digest for your day. We don't necessarily stop to eat at the edge of the trail, but rather eat on the go so you don't get cold and make your friends wait.
3. The equipment
In my bag, I will add my warm down jacket, my warm mittens, my shovel, my probe, my avalanche transceiver, my first aid kit, my screwdriver, my light, my ski goggles and my helmet. I need a bag of more than 30 liters to comfortably fit my accessories. An extra space is necessary since we will have to store the climbing skins along the way, store the poles since I am on a splitboard or simply to store layers of clothes when we are hot.
4. Avalanches
It is important to bring all this equipment, but it is also important to know how to use it. Avalanche courses are available with several companies in Gaspésie such as : Le Couloir, Avalanche Québec, Ski Chic Chocs, Expé Aventures. I suggest you take this course, at least level 1 in your pocket. This course will be useful everywhere in Quebec or during a trip to Western Canada, even in the resort it's big!
You can check the avalanche bulletins that are created every day on the website: www.avalanchequebec.ca
5. Guides
If, against all odds, you are not comfortable with backcountry adventures, there are several places with guides. This seems like a perfect balance of new and conscience free.
Vertigo aventure, RAC City, Ski Chic Chocs, le Couloir, Expé Aventure, La Vallée Taconique are professionals you can count on.
Read Claudie's blog post on what to wear while backcountry skiing.
If you want to know more about the multi-layer system, read the article And if we took the example of the onion.
Claudie Ouellet
"Rider"
Visit her SKY Boutique-École website
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