GENERAL
Our waiver must be read, and it's terms and conditions agreed to prior to making payment. In addition, our booking terms and policies here must also be read and agreed to before making payment.
Outlined below are our policies on how payments are made, our terms of service, our cancellation policies, our waiver, and our weather policies. Only when you have read and agree to our waiver, terms, and policies will we accept payment.
TERMS OF SERVICE
Registration Policy
All participants are required to read our waiver and agree to it's terms and conditions prior to paying for any program. Those under the age of 19 years must have a parent or legal guardian read our waiver and agree to it's terms and conditions prior to paying.
All participants are required to read our booking terms and policies here, and agree to them prior to paying.
Medical information pertinent to participation in a program must be disclosed before the program start day (medical conditions, allergies, bad knees). Your physician must clear any medical problems that could affect your participation in a program before the start date.
The participation of any person in any program is continually subject to the discretion of Vancouver Mountain Guides and its Guides.
Vancouver Mountain Guides reserves the right to change or cancel any itinerary, service, route, trip, or any course curriculum at any time due to insufficient enrollment, bad weather conditions or any other reasons without penalty or offering any refunds. We do our best to keep guests informed of changes.
Participants may be liable for rescue or evacuation costs incurred in any program.
VMG does not offer partial refunds or refunds after a participant has completed a program.
Methods of Payment
We accept most credit cards (American Express, VISA, MasterCard), and eTransfers (vancouver.mtn.guides@gmail.com). Online booking with a credit card is the quickest and easiest way.
If you prefer to speak to us over the phone 778-874-7386 or if you have questions, we can take your credit card number and make the booking manually for you on the phone.
Full payment must be made for all programs, trips, and private guiding at the time of booking.
Prices
Prices are in Canadian Dollars. US dollar and other currency exchange rates fluctuate constantly. Use the Exchange Calculator to calculate how much our programs cost in your currency.
All prices are subject to change.
Sales Tax
Listed prices do not include tax. An additional 5% Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be added to the program total. We will apply the appropriate tax rate when you book.
Deposit
A non-refundable deposit of 10% is charged for all programs, trips, and private guiding.
CANCELING AND WEATHER POLICIES
COVID-19 Guarantee
Vancouver Mountain Guides prioritizes the safety of participants and staff. If you are unable to participate in a pre-scheduled course or guided trip due to COVID-19, we will offer to reschedule your booking or provide a credit for your booking to be used on a later date.
Need to Cancel a Pre-scheduled Course (1-2 days)?
The full cost of a pre-scheduled course will be forfeited for cancellations received within seven (7) days of the scheduled course date.
Prior to seven (7) days the full cost of a course (minus a 10% deposit) will be refunded.
Note: cancellations must be received in writing via email or over the phone by speaking directly to a Vancouver Mountain Guides staff (messages not accepted).
Weather Guarantee (Rock Climbing Courses ONLY)
Vancouver Mountain Guides guarantees a 100% refund if a pre-scheduled rock climbing course is cancelled due to extreme weather conditions or insufficient enrollment (no deposit held back). Vancouver Mountain Guides solely reserves the right to decide to cancel any course, or trip at any time.
Note: in the event of extreme weather conditions that are likely to affect the ability of the guide to run any pre-scheduled course, Vancouver Mountain Guides will contact participants the day before the scheduled program to discuss postponement options. Please have other dates in mind. If a participant is unable to postpone to a later date and VMG is canceling the course, the participant is guaranteed to receive a full 100% refund (no deposit held).
It is important to note that there are a number of rock climbing venues in Squamish that stay dry in light rain and allow instruction of many rock climbing skills. However, very wet conditions can cause a few of our programs to be cancelled solely at the discretion VMG or the guide.
Need to Cancel a Guided Trip, Private Guiding, or Course (3-7 Days)?
The full cost of guided trips, private guiding, & courses (3-7 days) will be forfeited for cancellations received within twenty-eight (28) days of the scheduled date.
Cancelling a guided trip, private guide, & courses (3-7 days) from fifty-six (56) days to twenty-eight (28) days prior to a scheduled date will forfeit fifty percent (50%) of the trip cost.
Prior to fifty-six (56) days the full cost of a guided trip, private guide, & courses (3-7 days) (minus a 10% deposit) will be refunded.
Example: Guided trip costs $2000 (inc tax) and you cancel 60 days before the scheduled date, Vancouver Mountain Guides will refund $1800 and keep $200 for the non-refundable deposit.
Note: cancellations must be received in writing via email or over the phone by speaking directly to a Vancouver Mountain Guides staff (messages not accepted).
Important: We do not guarantee weather conditions and dates will align for our programs. We commit to paying our guides that make a livelihood off guiding, and we can not provide refunds or postponement for our guests that did not achieve their objective(s) due to weather concerns or other reasons. For all cancellations please refer to the above policies.
Weather is unpredictable and is a constant factor in all the decisions we make before and during programs - particularly multi-day mountaineering programs. There can be objectives in the mountains that are still achievable with inclement weather, but all weather decisions and objectives are subject to the sole discretion of your guide (see Registration Policy #5 above). In these cases, VMG does not provide any refunds.
With Private Guided Trips subject to unpredictable and/or adverse weather please be prepared to commit to alternative objectives with your guide. This may require packing additional equipment in order to remain flexible for different objectives, and to accommodate an unpredictable forecast.
Additionally, it is prudent to schedule buffer days on either side of your scheduled date in order to remain flexible around poor weather. Our guides are very busy and usually do not have much flexibility but, sometimes a scheduled date can be moved a day or two in order to take advantage of a better weather window (no guarantees made).
Lillooet Ice Festival
The Lillooet Ice Festival is a non-profit event and all sales for tickets and clinics are final. No refunds or cancellations are offered per festival terms and policy.
INSURANCE
Insurance providers offer insurance coverage to protect you against unforeseen events. We highly recommend you purchase insurance to protect yourself. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.
With the cost of a guided trip, flights, car rentals, and accommodation it is a very good idea to purchase Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.
In the event of illness or an accident during a trip, medical insurance is a necessity to cover the costs of hospital bills, ambulance, and air transportation. Purchase medical insurance that covers climbing, mountaineering, hiking activities, and pays for air ambulance transportation from remote locations.
GIFT CERTIFICATE POLICY
Gift Certificates
No expiry date
Recipient is required to read our waiver and agree to it’s terms and conditions
The certificate is transferable but not refundable, or redeemable for cash
No replacement for lost or stolen gift certificates
Any balance remaining is not exchangeable for cash. It will be held as a credit for future use.
Any additional cost exceeding the value of this voucher will be paid by the redeemer.
