The Island Lake Mountain Team strives to give guests the best possible skiing experience however; hazard avoidance and risk management are their top priority. All guides and snow cat drivers participate in daily meetings where snow stability and weather are assessed. Check out our Current Weather page for the latest updates.

Island Lake subscribes to the Canadian Avalanche Association Information Exchange (InfoEx). This daily exchange of technical avalanche, terrain, snow and weather data, along with detailed hazard assessments improves the team’s awareness of the local conditions and conditions across western Canada. Learn more, visit the CAA infoex

Each day, a snow safety team, consisting of two guides, gathers field information and assesses snow stability. They work together with the road builder to open new terrain.

All guides, cat drivers and lodge staff carry radios during operating hours and maintain regular communication. Each guide carries rescue and first aid equipment and each snowcat is equipped with extra rescue equipment.

As part of the safety program, the Island Lake team uses explosives. By artificially triggering snow instabilities on a regular basis, the risk of large-scale avalanches is reduced. This maximizes the amount of safe skiing terrain that we have to offer our guests.