Self-mastery through riding wild mountains
A Dojo For Mountain Mastery
Alpine Islands brings the discipline of a martial art to the backcountry. A club where every member keeps learning, keeps teaching, and the journey is never over.
Est. 2023 · Whistler, BC · CAA & CSGA certified
Our story
Born from a desire for more in nature
Alpine Islands began with a simple pursuit: maximum fulfillment in the mountains. It’s a club of passionate riders united by one idea: dancing with the mountains is more than possible. We’ve woven the martial-arts principles of discipline, practice, mindfulness, and self-mastery into the club’s DNA. Through them, we help each other become better riders, and better humans moving through a wild landscape.
How we’re different
We’re here to erase the line.
For too long, the backcountry has been split by a hard line — between teacher and student, mentor and protégé, guide and customer. Every member here has something to contribute. We connect the dots between knowledge and instinct, because with experiential learning, the journey is never over. It’s a novel approach to mountain sports — but nothing new to the human experience.
Level 01 · Beginner
Foundations
Core backcountry knowledge and the safety habits everything else is built on.
Level 02 · Intermediate
Navigation & awareness
Wayfinding, avalanche awareness, and wilderness survival in real terrain.
Level 03 · Advanced
Mastery & mentorship
Leadership within the community — and teaching the riders coming up behind you.
Like belts in a dojo, progress is earned through practice — and no matter how far you’ve come, there’s always a next step, and always someone to teach.
Who’s behind it
Steve Andrews
Founder
Steve started Alpine Islands in 2023, drawing on nearly 15 years of backcountry guiding and two decades riding wild mountains before that. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest with Mount Baker and Whistler as home mountains, and settled in Whistler in 2004. He earned his CAA Level 1 in 2007.
From there he built a parallel career as a go-to sound mixer for remote-location shoots — Discovery Channel productions, the IMAX film Superpower Dogs, and a month-long expedition on Mount Logan in 2022. He holds a CSGA Ski Guide Level 1 certification and is a member of the Canadian Avalanche Association as a Basic Avalanche Educator.
- CAA Level 1 · 2007
- CSGA Ski Guide L1
- CAA Basic Avalanche Educator
What you get as a member
Everything the club opens up
Education, inspiration, and some good old-fashioned stoke to get outside — here’s what membership puts within reach.
Backcountry Base Camps
One- to two-week sessions with the time and space to learn a single zone intimately.
Weekend Getaways
Focused trips built around sharpening specific skills in real conditions.
Weekly Guide’s Meetings
Snowpack, weather, and conditions — the kind of briefing guides give each other, open to all.
Workshops & Clinics
Hands-on training, from avalanche safety to natural wayfinding and survival psychology.
Gear Reviews
Honest, tested recommendations from people who actually use the equipment in the mountains.
Travel Discounts
Member perks with our partners, so the next trip costs you less.
On the way
Coming soon
Downloadable Resources
Practice routines, packing lists, and backcountry meditations to train on your own time.
Coming soon
Gear Library & Giveback
Donate gear for discounts — or borrow it, so cost is never the reason you stay home.
Coming soon
Live Avalanche Forecasts
See what the snowpack is doing, right then and there.
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Inclusive & empowering
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Care for the planet’s health
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Character through adventure
Ready to ride with us?
Join a community of riders who never stop learning — and never stop teaching.