Backcountry Snow Tours - Terms and Conditions:
Definitions: ‘Backcountry Snow Tours’ means Colde Pty Ltd (ACN: 106 132 530) trading as Backcountry Snow Tours, it’s directors, employees, agents and representatives.
Departure Date – the date of commencement of the tour.
Force Majeure - unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the Company, the consequences of which could not have been avoided, even if all due care had been exercised.

General
All participants must complete registration, medical and liability waivers - these forms will be available in our registration pack, which will be mailed to you after payment of the deposit. It is your responsibility to ensure that the information provided in these forms is correct and up to date.
Backcountry Snow Tours reserves the right to expel, deny registration to, or cancel any participant from it's programs at any time prior or during any program without refund. Any costs incurred thereof are the responsibility of the participant. Backcountry Snow Tours reserves the right to change, alter, omit or modify any dates, programs or program details at any stage with or without notice.
Under no circumstances can Backcountry Snow Tours be held responsible for snow or weather conditions, or be responsible for any cancellation or amendment by you on the basis of snow or weather conditions.
Backcountry Snow Tours reserve the right for whatsoever reason to return the deposit to the client and refuse acceptance of the clients’ application.
Backcountry Snow Tours cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expense due to delays in air or transportation services, sickness, accidents, weather, strikes, war, terrorist acts, detention, quarantine or other causes.
Please note that Backcountry Snow Tours do not cater to beginners or intermediates on any backcountry tours. Anyone who is not up to the required ability, attends a tour and is not up to the standard of their tour will be required to leave the group. If your physical condition or behaviour is such as to affect your well-being or enjoyment or that of other members of the group, you may be asked to leave the tour without any right of refund by either the company or Third Party providers.
Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after date of departure. Visa requirements vary between countries and are your sole responsibility. Be sure to contact the relevant embassy or consulate to ensure you have met all requirements.

Deposit
To make a booking for a tour with Backcountry Snow Tours the Client must send a completed booking form with a deposit of 20% of the total tour price. In some circumstances we will contact you for interim payments where certain services such as flights have to be secured in advance. The payment of this deposit is confirmation that you have read, accept and understand the terms and conditions, and that you will sign all Backcountry Snow Tours waivers and releases where directed.
Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Diners and eftpos facilities are available. A 2.5% surcharge applies to all Visa and Mastercard payments. A 4% surcharge applies to all AMEX or Diners card payments. Please contact the Backcountry Snow Tours office for more details.

Final Payment
Final payment due dates:

The client will pay the balance of the tour price no less than 60 days before the relevant departure date. If the booking is made less than 60 days before the relevant departure date the Client must pay the tour price in full upon booking.

Passports, Visas and Health Matters
Medical vaccinations, passports, visas etc. are entirely your responsibility and must be arranged prior to departure. We can take no responsibility for cancellation of your trip in the event that you are not allowed to fly, or continue your tour. If you are unable to travel due to not being able to obtain (or not having) the appropriate visa we reserve the right to retain the cost of the trip.
Important: Please note that all late payments will incur a late fee of $100AU, unless prior written permission is provided by Backcountry Snow Tours.
Prices are subject to change with or without notice, according to fluctuations in the Australian Dollar. Quoted prices for the 2008 programs are correct as of May 13, 2007

Refunds
Backcountry Snow Tours will not provide refunds for any service or otherwise, for any portion of camp or tour payments. Itemisations or breakdowns of camp and tour costs will not be provided under any circumstances.
This refund policy does not apply for services that are expressly included in our guarantee.

Exclusions
Unless otherwise expressly indicated, tour prices do NOT include: Flights, Airport taxes, appropriate travel insurance, excess baggage charges, customs duties, passport and visa costs, non-program associated activities, STD or international telephone calls, equipment hire, any accommodations away from Backcountry Snow Tours program housing (if required), additional costs caused by weather, failure of transportation services, or any other circumstances beyond the control of Backcountry Snow Tours, the tour operator or it's directors, employees, principles, agents or representatives. In the event of poor snow conditions, program organisers may choose to conduct extra day/multiday trips to other resorts or backcountry areas at their sole discretion. Participants will be required to pay any costs incurred at as a result of these changes.

Cancellation by Client
Please be advised that our cancellation policy has been devised for a reason and while we sympathise with those that have to cancel, we cannot under any circumstance change our policy to suit an individual's circumstance. Insurance is available for cancellations. Our policy is as follows:

• For any cancellation, the full deposit will be forfeited.
• For any cancellations received within 30 days before the applicable final payment due date, the entire deposit will be forfeited, in addition to up to 100% of the total amount paid.
• Unfortunately, we cannot offer any refunds under any circumstances (including medical) for cancellations received after the applicable final payment due date.
• If the Client of their own volition makes any alteration to or departs from any portion or part of the tour, such alteration or departure will be entirely at the Clients expense and liability

Cancellation by Backcountry Snow Tours

• We reserve the right to cancel your tour. However we will not normally do so unless we are forced to do so by virtue of unforeseen circumstances such as flight cancellations, civil or political unrest or ‘force majeure’ or on group tours where minimum number have not been.

• We do not accept liability from any incidental expenses you may incur as a result of cancellation or for any other loss or damage howsoever caused arising out of cancellation.
• Backcountry Snow Tours will determine a minimum number required for the tour to take place and shall notify the Client not less than 45 days prior to the departure that the minimum numbers have not enrolled and the tour is cancelled, in which event all monies paid to Backcountry Snow Tours shall be reimbursed.

Please ALL cancellations must be in writing.
For any further questions regarding this policy, please email us at info@backcountrysnowtours.com

Transfer of booking by the Client
If prior to 60 days before departure, the Client wishes to transfer from the tour they are on to another available one, a transfer fee of $100 is payable as well as any additional costs incurred by Backcountry Snow Tours in respect of that change.

Any transfer made by the Client later than 60 days to departure will be subject to Backcountry Snow Tours discretion and applicable charges will be determined on a case-by-case basis. If for any reason Backcountry Snow Tours deems a transfer unfeasible then conditions relating to cancellation by the Client apply.

Where the Client is prevented from proceeding with the tour, the Client may transfer the booking to a person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the tour, having first given Backcountry Snow Tours notice as soon as possible of their intention. The Transferee will sign a new booking form, and pay the transfer fee as defined in this clause.

The Client and the Transferee shall than be jointly and severally liable to Backcountry Snow Tours for payment of the balance due for the specific itinerary for the tour on which the client has booked and any additional costs arising from such a transfer.

Changes by Backcountry Snow Tours
It is unlikely that Backcountry Snow Tours will have to make any changes to our published itineraries, but the arrangements are planned many months in advance. Occasionally changes may occur without prior notice, which Backcountry Snow Tours reserves the right to do at any time. A published itinerary constitutes only an indication of what the tour is planned to accomplish and is not to constitute a contractual obligation on the part of Backcountry Snow Tours.

The Client aggress that the nature of the tours offered by Backcountry Snow Tours require a degree of flexibility and that the contents and timings of the tour (including the arrival time at the destination, changes in route or transport) may be materially and consequentially effected as a result of Force Majeure, weather, local political conditions, natural disasters (including landslides, quakes and severe flooding), strikes, entry or border difficulties, mechanical breakdowns, sickness or other unforeseen circumstances.

When a major change becomes necessary before the tour departure, notification of such alterations will be sent to the Clients last known address (e-mail or postal).

However Backcountry Snow Tours reserves the right to alter itineraries after departure, without refund.

Backcountry Snow Tours and Client Responsibility
Backcountry Snow Tours acts as a booking agent only for the persons, or organisations providing or offering the means of travel, accommodation, ski lifts or services detailed in this brochure and as such cannot be held responsible for any injury, loss, accident, delay or any other irregularity outside of our control. The issuance and acceptance of any receipt, voucher, coupon, exchange order, air ticket or itinerary shall be deemed as consent by the client to the above conditions.

Backcountry Snow Tours and the Client agrees that Third Party providers shall absolute discretion and authority to conduct tours and alter itineraries as they see fit.

Insurance
All participants MUST have travel insurance that covers all alpine activities - including backcountry travel.
It strongly recommended by Backcountry Snow Tours that you take out an insurance policy that covers you for loss of any payment due to injury or sickness etc.
The Client will effect and maintain sufficient and appropriate travel insurance covering cancellation, curtailment, medical expenses and third party liability in respect of the Client and dependant relatives, and insurance to cover loss of, damage to or theft of the Clients baggage. This insurance policy must be taken out BEFORE any payment to ensure you are covered for any cancellation. The tours are of a hazardous nature and the Client must be satisfied that such insurance fully covers all personal requirements including medical expenses, repatriation, helicopter rescue and air ambulance (where available) in the event of accident or illness.

The insurance policy and the receipt of the premiums paid there under must be produced to Backcountry Snow Tours at least 30 days prior to departure date as well as to the tour guide on day one of the tour. If you join the tour without adequate insurance you will not be allowed to continue on the tour, with no right of refund. If circumstances give rise to a claim the Client will forthwith pursue his remedies under such policy(ies).

The Client will also produce to Backcountry Snow Tours prior to departure the details of the name, address and telephone numbers of the next of kin or persons to be notified in event of an emergency.

The insurance cover should extend for the planned duration of the tour and at least another day.

Compliance with Legislation
The Client will comply at their expense and their liability with all legislation, visa requirements, and immigration, customs and foreign exchange regulations of the countries visited. Should there be any failure to comply or any contravention by the Client of such laws, requirements or regulations, subject to the provisions of this Contract, Backcountry Snow Tours and Third Party providers shall have the right to require the Client to leave the tour without recourse to refund of other compensation.

General conditions
The Client acknowledges that prior to Contract they have sourced general information on passport and visa requirements for the tour and of the health formalities required, and knows of no reason that would cause the Client to be unable to comply with these requirements.