BACKCOUNTRY
CAMP OUT SERIES
JOIN US ACROSS FOUR EPIC WEEKENDS
AUGUST
1 – 3
AUGUST
8 – 10
AUGUST
15 – 17
AUGUST
22 – 24
Venture beyond
JOIN US THIS SEASON FOR A premium alpine touring program
Guided by internationally accredited ski and splitboard guides applying their craft to the mountains they call home, join us on a weekend adventure in the Victorian Alps to rip fresh lines, glean insights on technique and terrain, while we look after the rest.
here’s the deal
You bring your ski or split touring kit*
– we’ll bring the rest.
The package includes everything you need from the event base at Mt Loch Car Park, North East Victoria. Including transfers up into the mountains, guiding services out onto the range with a premium guide / assist ratio of five to one.
A day of touring leads us to a fully stocked basecamp with a few lux touches. Including a varied menu procured from local producers, inspired by the touring cuisine we love from the places we travel to ski abroad. Then either a blanket of stars or a fresh blanket of snow for the morning. Two people in a tent (or we could accommodate you in a private tent upon your request!), plush sleeping mats. Base Camp consists of a group tent with wood stove for meals and drying stuff, a mess tent for food prep and then the smaller better insulated sleeping tents around.
Catering for everyone, from first timers to hard chargers.
Premium Guiding Services
Fully stocked Basecamp
Locally Sourced Menu
Tents & Sleeping Mats
*KIT REQUIREMENTS
You will need to bring your ski or split touring kit (or board and snow shoes), alpine sleeping bag (rated comfort -5˚) and the daily touring essentials.
SKILL LEVEL
This activity is perfect for all backcountry enthusiasts, even if it’s your first time touring. All you need is the necessary safety equipment for backcountry skiing or splitboarding. If you don’t have touring gear, you can still join us with your skis or snowboard and complete the trips on snowshoes. This is a beginner-friendly adventure!
hiring equipment
If you need to hire equipment to complete your kit, here is a list of suppliers we use and trust.
This is for sun set gazers, fireside times AND solitary aesthetic lines far from the madding crowd.
In the Victorian Alps the best backcountry terrain is accessed by living in it. This camp-out series is an introduction to the practice of overnighting in the backcountry, to share both the thrill and the quiet solemn beauty of the dividing range in the depth of winter.
CAMP OUT IN COMFORT
CHECK IN TO OUR STATE OF THE ART ALPINE BASE CAMP
We will stop short of touting this as glamping, as spending nights out in the snow is a thrilling adventure, not a exactly a holiday. That said we’ve done this before and we know just the things that to add a slightly ‘lux’ touch.
1
THE BASE CAMP
Complete with a wood stove, lighting and a chill out zone with bean bags, mat chairs and an eating / meeting area.
The Basecamp hub is a Safir 16 person Tipi design (much bigger than the one pictured). Safir is used and loved by professionals in the most extreme conditions. This is a tent you can rely on 100 percent – on icefields and glaciers, in storm-force gales or blazing heat. Safir is perhaps the world’s most versatile tent perfect for extreme expeditions, challenging trekking and a multitude of other outdoor activities. It’s been developed for people who need maximum performance and flexibility, but its outstanding comfort and manageability make it a popular choice for families too. It’s perfect for family hikes, modern glamping or roadtrips. It’s everything – all in one.
2
COOKING AREA
This is where we prepare meals and clean up. It’s a custom set up with a full galley thats capable of creating delicious meals and warm drinks for everyone. Complete with plates, mugs and cutlery… although you will need to wash up your dishes after meals.
3
ACCOMODATION
These are 2 person four season storm bunkers with a R4.3 rated sleeping mat. All you need is a sleeping bag and a pillow case to boof your spare soft stuff as a pillow (or bring an inflatable one if you want).
4
TOILET TENT
In the little toilet tent theres a neat zone for you to do your business in the eco friendly ‘poo-tube’ thats really much like a regular toilet only no flushing required. Simply tip in a cup of saw dust and you are done…
hike. ski. eat. sleep. repeat.
the best terrain, at your doorstep.
The magic of the camp-out experience is that the best terrain becomes your front yard. The vast untouched wilderness that forms the backdrop of a resort transforms into your personal playground.
The problem is that ‘Ski in / ski out’ just won’t feel the same again…
How it works
Choose your focus based on your experience and goals. There's no lock-in agreement, so if you want to swap focus after day one, where possible, we will try to accommodate a switch.
1
TECHNIQUE
This is all about skills, observing and learning.
It is not at the exclusion of touring through terrain as we will coach you in terrain choices through the lens of safety, navigation and the occasional accident. We will touch on snow science and some survival / rescue skills if there is an appetite in the group. Coaching on the move, a slightly slower pace with more chats and a more moderate objective.
ORIENTATED FOR ENTRY LEVEL OR FIRST TIMERS
2
TERRAIN
Here we will be focusing on the developing terrain skills.
The guides will walk you through the decisions or how, why and when to ski / ride based on the conditions. Help you build confidence in your own decisions and shed light on how to get the most out of the turns you earn. The best way to learn terrain is by moving through it. Read: Bigger vert and cover more ground.
PERFECT FOR HARD CHARGERS
THE FULL EXPERIENCE
All participants will enjoy the complete 3-day backcountry immersion. The adventure begins Friday morning at Mt Loch car park at 9:30 AM sharp.
Day one includes a guided tour to our basecamp location with skill-building along the way. Days two and three feature exploration of the surrounding terrain, with daily objectives determined by conditions and group skill level.
This full 3-day format allows for a deeper learning experience and more time to explore the spectacular Victorian Alps. Everyone benefits from the comprehensive program, maximising your time in the backcountry.
IMPORTANT: Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from Mt Loch car park. Transfers to the mountain are not included in the package.
There’s no ‘lock-in’ agreement so if you want a swap focus after day one, where we can, we will try to accommodate a switch.
If you have a buddy or four, we will bundle you together for the shared experience.
This series is run using a ‘Guide Co-op’ model, sponsored by The Climbing Company.
We are effectively a Not-for-Profit.
BACKCOUNTRY
CAMP OUT SERIES
$980 $890
Early bird price until June 1st!
All Inclusive Experience:
- Guiding Services, Meals, Accommodation (Friday & Saturday Night)
- All transfers ex Bright.
$2,440
You can book for any three sessions at a discount rate.
AUGUST
1 - 3
AUGUST
8 - 10
AUGUST
15 - 17
AUGUST
22 - 24
REMINDER:
- The adventure begins Friday morning at Mt Loch car park at 9:30 AM sharp.
- After briefing, we head toward our camp to start the tours.
WE CHOOSE THE BEST LOCATION FOR EVERY OUTLOOK
If working in the mountains has taught us anything it’s that agility around making sound decisions for mountain objectives, based on the conditions, is critical to getting the best from the conditions on the day.
We’d rather have a glorious day of face shots in the trees when the pow is dumping, and smiles all round, over struggling along windy ridges in a whiteout. Similarly we want to get high and drop a technical alpine face on a sunny winter afternoon. So we have a bunch of potential locations in mind, and literally a location for every outlook.
Getting value out of stumping up the cash starts here, as we cherry pick the best conditions from the valley floor.
The Tuesday before your session you will get the rundown. Fresh off the press.
Mt Loch & Cobungra Headwaters
MT HOTHAM
BACKCOUNTRY
The razorback
FEATHERTOP
APPROACHES
intermediate/ADVANCED
course
20 DEGREE SLOPE
A FIRST FOR THE VICTORIAN ALPS
MEET OUR TEAM OF WORLD-CLASS, ACCREDITED SKI GUIDES
To have assembled such a strong cohort of like-minded ski guides and assisting mountain safety professionals in one place is a real feat, and it speaks to the drive and professionalism of our Program Director and Head Guide Hamid.
With over 20 years of guiding experience in high mountains and backcountry terrain, Hamid Shafaghi is a distinguished IFMGA-certified guide.
With his extensive guiding experience in both Central Asia and Europe, Hamid has led advanced courses and guided participants through serious alpine terrain, instilling confidence and skill along the way. His alpine climbing resume includes the Slovenian Route on Nameless (Trango) Tower, and in the French Alps like Bonatti route on Grand Capucin , opening a new route in Madagascar which has been nominated for Piolet d’Or prize etc… yet for this series he’s here to ski!
International federation of mountain guide association (IFMGA) MOUNTAIN & SKI GUIDE
PROGRAM DIRECTOR & HEAD GUIDE
Growing up in Melbourne, his passion for the Victorian backcountry began early. After running snowboard camps worldwide for 6 years, he focused on advancing his skills in the backcountry. Living in New Zealand, he completed the professional guiding pathway and obtained accreditation with NZMGA in 2022. The 5th splitboarder in New Zealand to do so.
Andrew works as a backcountry guide in Hokkaido, Japan during summers and does guiding work in Australia and New Zealand in the southern winter.
LV. 1 SKI GUIDE - NEW ZEALAND Mountain GuideS ASSOCIATION (NZMGA)
WILDERNESS FIRST AID
AVALANCHE RISK MANAGEMENT Lv. 5 (NZ)
Working as a ski patroller between Australia and Canada, and having just finished a season ski patrolling in Japan, Alysa spends 11 months of the year working and recreating in snowy alpine environments.
Prior to patrolling, Alysa spent 2 years working in outdoor education, facilitating hard top and journey programs to young people in the Alpine National Park.
Avalanche operations lv. 1 - Canadian avalanche association (CAA)
Australian ski patrol association cert.
wilderness first aid
cert. iv in outdoor leadership
Luke has a wealth of experience backcountry skiing in many locations in Australia. He currently lives in Mt Beauty (near Falls Creek) and has spent Winter seasons at a wide range of interesting ski touring locations around the world including Republic of Georgia, Kamchatka Russia, New Zealand, and Japan.
Luke contributes his skills as an MSC observer, and is a founding member and volunteer forecaster for the Avalanche Georgia NGO.
LV. 1 SKI GUIDE - NEW ZEALAND Mountain GuideS ASSOCIATION (NZMGA)
Avalanche risk management lv. 5 (NZ)
wilderness first aid
Simon ‘Wombat’ Murray has extensive local snow camping, ski mountaineering and rescue experience, he’s the local area expert for the program and affectionately termed ‘Camp Dad’. He’s put together the Ski/Split touring program for the Victorian Backcountry Festival six years running and before that, the ‘MSCs Slay Safe’ Program, overseeing literally hundreds of independent ski/split participants participants without incident.
He’s a Mountain safety educator and backcountry guide around Hotham.
mountain safety collective founder
victorian backcountry festival program director
victorian backcountry companion principle author
avalanche operations lv. 1 - Canadian avalanche association (caa)
wilderness first aid
Lachlan Short spends 200+ days a year working and breathing in the outdoors as an outdoor educator and adventure guide, working primarily in alpine and rock environments.
Some of the organisations and clients he has worked for include the University of the Sunshine Coast, Mt Buller, Thredbo Backcountry Guides, The North Face, Australian School of Mountaineering and Climb the Seven Summits. He has a dual degree in Science (Ecology) and Education (Secondary Education) and a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership.
avalanche operations lv. 1 - Canadian avalanche association (caa)
Ski patrol - New zealand certificate
wilderness first aid
australian ski instructor lv. 2
diploma of outdoor leadership
Alex is a passionate splitboarder with a mission to share backcountry experiences. Since exploring beyond resort boundaries in Japan in 2015, she's been captivated by this lifestyle. Combining her media background, professional writing skills, and guiding experience, Alex contributes through articles, film appearances, social media content, public speaking, and backcountry guiding. Though she's snowboarded across Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the US, the Australian mountains hold a special place in her heart. She actively promotes safety, environmental protection, and inclusion within the local snow community.
Avalanche Search and Rescue 2 - Canadian avalanche association (caa)
wilderness first aid
Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 1
BACKCOUNTRY
CAMP OUT SERIES
$980 $890
Early bird price until June 1st!
All Inclusive Experience:
- Guiding Services, Meals, Accommodation (Friday & Saturday Night)
- All transfers ex Bright.
$2,440
You can book for any three sessions at a discount rate.
AUGUST
1 - 3
AUGUST
8 - 10
AUGUST
15 - 17
AUGUST
22 - 24
REMINDER:
- The adventure begins Friday morning at Mt Loch car park at 9:30 AM sharp.
- After briefing, we head toward our camp to start the tours.
