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▫ Mtn Skills Essentials
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Intro level - no mountaineering experience required
This course is an excellent introduction to the skills required for moderate alpine routes involving snow or glacier travel. Four days in the field cover all aspects of basic mountaineering techniques such as ice axe and crampon use, self-arrests, snow and glacier travel skills, rope handling, hazard assessment and crevasse rescue fundamentals. A peak ascent will be attempted if time and conditions permit.
Details for Mountain Skills Essentials
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May *25, May 28 - 31, 2010
June *8, 11-14, 2010
June *22, 25-28, 2010
July *6, 9-12, 2010
August *3, 6-9, 2010
September *14, 17-20, 2010
All dates marked with an asterisk (*) are evening seminars held in Vancouver. If you cannot attend these sessions, please notify our office in order to make alternate arrangements to cover the required pre-trip material, including logistics.
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Cost
$650. + gst
1:6 Instructor to Student ratio
Includes all instruction and specialized climbing equipment (ropes, harnesses, helmets, ice-axes, etc).
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Prerequisites
Overnight backpacking experience and good physical fitness. No previous climbing experience is required for this course.
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Location
The course locations for all of our Mountaineering programs are based on the current conditions in the alpine. Weather, snow and ice conditions all vary according to season and we choose our actual location as close to the course date as possible to ensure the best possible course for you. Typical locations include the Joffre Range, Cerise Creek and Anniversary Glacier and the Spearhead Range behind Blackcomb mountain in Whistler.
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Guides and Instructors
All the Guides and Instructors on our Mountaineering programs are Certified through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and are among many of the top Climbing instructors and guides in British Columbia. We ensure that you are being taught and guided by the best! For more details on the specific guides for your program, contact our office.
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Objectives and Itinerary
The Mountain Skills Essentials course is designed to build a solid foundation of the essential skills required for basic general Mountaineering objectives. At the conclusion of this course, students will have the skills and knowledge to travel off-trail and into snow covered and glaciated terrain above treeline. Participants on the Mountain Travel Essentials course will have been taught:
- methods for planning and preparing for a multi-day
mountaineering objective
- how to recognize mountain hazards, and methods of
avoiding or minimizing those hazards
- navigation techniques using a map, compass and
altimeter
- rope management skills related to basic snow
climbing
- glacier travel techniques
- alpine travel skills for moderate terrain
and non-technical glaciers
- crevasse rescue fundamentals with a three person
rope-team
- Minimum Environmental Impact camping and travel
practices
- methods to practice and refine each set of skills taught on the course, on their own time
The following is a brief possible schedule for the Canada West Mountain School 4-day Mountain Skills Essentials course. Many different variables (such as weather, snow conditions, group experience levels, etc) influence the actual day-to-day schedule and the order in which topics are presented, so the following should be considered a general outline only
Evening session
Skills covered: defining course objectives, trip planning and preparation, equipment needs, food and menu planning, logistics
Day 1
Skills covered: Navigation, map reading, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness
Skills covered: Camp selection, hazard awareness, sanitation, environmental awareness, food storage, water, campcraft tips
Skills covered: Hazard awareness, navigation, off-trail travel, basic ice ax use, walking on snow, self-arrests
Skills covered: overview of day, tomorrow's objectives, pre-planning, sort and pack gear for next morning, weather
Skills covered: Navigation, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness
Skills covered: Introduction of snow travel basics, self arrests of all sorts, roping for snow and glaciers, belaying on snow, anchors, glacier travel, route finding on glaciers, travel techniques, crevasse rescue.
Skills covered: overview of day, next day's objectives, pre-planning, sort and pack gear for next morning, weather
Skills covered: steep snow climbing, team rope skills, navigation and route finding, glacier travel and rescue skills
Skills covered: Finishing off main objectives, ascending ropes, rappelling, more rescue, serac climbing, orienteering, whatever the instructors and/or students feel they need
Skills covered: Navigation, map reading, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness.
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Equipment list for Mountain Skills Essentials
To view or download a printer friendly .PDF file of the Mountaineering equipment list, click here. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
- Boots - full-leather or plastic mountaineering boots. If leather, they should be well broken-in and waterproofed
- Backpack - 60-80 liters capacity, big enough to hold all gear for the trip plus some extra communal gear
- Sleeping bag - good to approx. -5 or -10 degrees celsius
- Sleeping pad - therma-rest style or closed-cell foam
- Day-pack - 30-40 liters capacity (optional, your backpack can also work as a daypack)
- Light weight hiking shoes or runners (1 pair optional for around camp)
- Outer layer jacket with hood - Gore-Tex style
- Outer layer waterproof pants or bibs, full-zip legs are ideal - Gore-Tex style
- Lightweight thermal layers - top & bottom, Polypro, Capilene, etc.
- Climbing/hiking pants - nylon, fleece, Schoeller, etc. (1 pr)
- Gaiters (1 pr)
- Gloves (medium weight) - wool or poly-pro (2 pr)
- Waterproof gloves or mitts w/removable liners (gloves work best for rope handling and ice axe use) (2 pr)
- Warm parka/jacket - down, synthetic, fleece or pile (1)
- Sweater or vest - wool, synthetic, fleece or down (1)
- Socks - wool or synthetic blend (2-3 prs)
- Toque/warm hat - wool or fleece (1)
- Sunglasses - 1005 UV block and with side shields (1pr)
- Ski goggles (optional)
- Headlamp with extra set of batteries and extra bulb
- Personal eating utensils - cup, bowl, spoon, etc
- Personal 1st aid (blister kit, toothbrush, blister kit, toilet paper, medications, etc.)
- Misc. personal items (camera, journal, etc.)
- Sunscreen - minimum 30 spf
- Water bottles/hydration system - minimum 1 litres
- Small "thermos" for hot drinks (optional)
- Knife - Swiss army style
- Insect repellant
- Walking pole(s) - Optional but helpful for the approach/descent to your base camp
- Compass and map (map #'s to be detailed at pre-trip session)
- Crampons - adjusted to your boots (1 pr)
- 2 x 5 meter lengths of 7mm accessory climbing cord
- 1 x 1.75 meter length of 7mm accessory climbing cord
- 1 x double shoulder sling, full strength - sewn or non-sewn
- 2 or 3 person tents (as necessary)
- Single burner stoves and fuel (1 stove per 2-3 people)
- Cooking sets (2 pots per 3 people)
Technical equipment:
(required by participants)
Communal equipment required:
(this may be shared among the group participants)
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Technical equipment:
- Ice ax and technical climbing tools
- Climbing harness - seat harness only
- Helmet
- 3 locking carabiners
- 1 belay device
(supplied by CWMS if required)
In addition, Canada West Mountain School supplies all other technical and safety gear, including ropes, carabiners, protection, etc.
Here are a few stores in the lower mainland region that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment. If you need to purchase or rent equipment, please contact the store well in advance of the course to ensure that what you require is available!
Climb On Equipment
Squamish 604-892-2243
Coast Mountain Sports
2201 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver 604-731-6181
Park Royal store - West Vancouver 604 926-6126
Mountain Equipment Co-op www.mec.ca
130 West Broadway, Vancouver 604-872-7858 (rentals available)
1341 Main St, N. Vancouver 604-990-4417 (rentals available) Valhalla Pure
Station Square, Squamish 604-892-9092 (rentals available)
3 Vets
2200 Yukon Street, Vancouver 604-872-5475
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Logistics and transportation
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the trailhead. We encourage participants to ride-share and rarely have had any problems with students getting to and from courses, but we cannot guarantee that a ride will be available. If you have any concerns about transportation please contact our office before you register.
The locations are chosen close to the actual start date of the course, and vary in distance from Vancouver. The furthest travel required will be about 3.5 hours drive from Vancouver. Most trailhead's are accessed by roads suitable for 2-wheel drive vehicles, though some trailhead's require travel on gravel roads to access.
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Related Programs
Complete Mountaineering
Guided Adventures
Ice Climbing Essentials
Intro to Winter Mountaineering
Please contact the Canada West Mountain School office by phone or email directly for more details.
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