About Me

man skiing down a snowy slope near the swiss glacier
Knowing your risk tolerance is essential to a safe day out. Photo: Phil B Lester Photography

Who Am I?

Head shot of Olivier Denis Larocque, edited

I’m Oli, an apprentice ski guide; deeply passionate about backcountry skiing and mountaineering. Arising from Montreal, Canada, I was pretty much born on a pair of skis. At the age of 16, I started work as a CSIA-2 ski instructor and CSC-1 race coach for the Mont-Tremblant Ski School. My training as a coach not only sharpened my skiing (get the pun) but also kindled my love for the sport. After tossing around the idea, I traded an engineer’s desk for a pair of skis.

In 2015, I crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of true alpine adventures and landed in Chamonix, France, the birthplace of mountaineering and steep skiing. Armed with a pair of sticks that had seen better days, I made my way up couloirs and jagged peaks in search of an endless supply of powder, sweat, and fear. After many mistakes, broken bones and close calls, I moved to the sleepy Canadian town of Revelstoke, BC, nestled between the rugged Selkirk and Monashee Mountains.

I am now fully committed to the long, humbling road that is becoming a certified ACMG ski guide. I aim to deliver life-changing experiences in the mountains, get people stoked on ski touring and heli-skiing, and show them how to flow safely through hazardous terrain. To me, it’s equally about leading and educating.

What’s The Uptrack?

A few years ago, I found photography and blogging were a match made in heaven. Subsequently, The Uptrack was born with goals of:

  • Introducing the niche sports of backcountry skiing and mountaineering to a wider audience.
  • Being a one-stop-shop resource to access the Rogers Pass and Revelstoke ski touring scene.
  • Spreading the word around for a future ski guiding service, Uptrack Guiding, developed over the next couple of years.
portrait of Olivier Denis-Larocque with mountaineer coil around neck

What are my current qualifications?

  • ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide (ACMG-ASG)
  • Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA-1)
  • Avalanche Skills Training (AST-1)
  • Non-Urban Emergency Care (NUEC-3)
  • Occupational First Aid (OFA-3)
  • Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA-2)
  • Canadian Ski Coaches (CSC-1)

Where do I work (and have fun)?