Custom Crevasse Rescue – July 5-6, 2025

Cost: $300.00 plus GST (based on 5 people booking).

The course cost includes:
• 2 days of Instruction by members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
• All technical climbing and rescue equipment (if required, must request in advance)

Participants on the Crevasse Rescue course are responsible for:

• All personal gear and clothing suitable for mountain and winter environments
• Participants may require avalanche safety gear for Day-2, pending conditions (available for rent if needed)
• Transportation to/from the course areas (Squamish, Whistler, and possibly other locations)
• The Day-2 Field Session may be held on Whistler/Blackcomb; lift access is required and is not included in the course fee. If Day-2 is held at an alternate location (i.e. Mt Seymour) there are no added lift fee costs.
• Food and drinks for both field sessions

CANCELLATIONS and TRANSFERS
Please click here for the Canada West Mountain School Refund/Transfer Policy

This 2-day intensive Crevasse Rescue Course is for skiers, split-boarders, mountaineers, or anyone who travels on glaciated terrain during winter or summer seasons.

Our Crevasse Rescue training program is designed to teach a variety of “tried & trusted” crevasse rescue techniques that are essential for safe glacier travel. Skills taught are based on the techniques currently used in the Mountain Guiding and rescue industries. All techniques taught reflect the most recent developments and research while at the same time ensuring that they are appropriate to recreational skiers, climbers, and mountaineers.

Canada West Mountain School Crevasse Rescue courses focus on 3 essential areas:

• Glacier travel & risk management practices

  Simply put, ensuring skiers, mountaineers and climbers have the skills to properly rope up for different types of glaciated terrain and choose appropriate routes to avoid falling into a crevasse.

• Snow and Ice anchor construction

  This is truly the foundation of any rescue, and climbers should be very proficient in building a variety of anchors appropriate to varying conditions.

• Rope rescue systems

  The main content of the course and most of the time is spent on learning and practicing rescue techniques including load transfers, raises using a mechanical advantage (pulleys), efficient use of gear, and ascending/descending techniques.

This course is a technical rescue course involving rope management and problem solving techniques using typical climbing systems and gear that would be carried on a mountaineering or ski touring trip. The rescue techniques taught are based on the concept of simplicity, as well as teaching systems that are easy to retain and memorise. There will be a lot of practice in order to develop the skills to effectively carry out a rope rescue in the mountains.

Google Forms Crevasse Rescue questionnaire:
Please complete this short Google Forms questionnaire to help us plan for the course – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTC2NYJUmtfuSxpcTg4wvR86RdsK9XD0KhSddOXfDkM2yoew/viewform?usp=sf_link

Rope skills pre-requisites:
Please ensure that you arrive to the course well practiced and familiar with fundamental skills required for basic use of ropes:

• Basic Overhand knot – https://www.animatedknots.com/overhand-knot
• Basic Figure 8 – https://www.animatedknots.com/figure-8-knot
• Figure-8 “follow through” knot – https://www.animatedknots.com/figure-8-follow-through-loop-knot
• Girth hitch – https://www.animatedknots.com/girth-hitch-knot
• Prussik hitch – https://www.animatedknots.com/prusik-knot
• Double Fisherman’s – https://www.animatedknots.com/double-fishermans-bend-knot
• belaying techniques;
• standard communication procedures for climbers;
• and, familiarisation with your own personal safety equipment (harness, belay devices, biners, etc.)

You will review all of this material on Day-1 as well, but the more comfortable you are, the more you will gain from the course.

Crevasse Rescue Course Gear List (for SUMMER/ALPINE crevasse rescue course):

Canada West Mountain School SUMMER Crevasse Rescue Course Gear List

In addition, Canada West Mountain School supplies all other technical and safety gear. Please go over the list before the course to ensure that you are properly prepared and feel free to contact our office if you have any questions. Keep in mind that you will be spending all of your time outdoors in all weather. Much of your time will be spent on snow, with temperatures ranging from -20 on Winter courses, to +25 on Summer courses. The weather can vary from one extreme to the other, so plan your gear appropriately. It is recommended that you also have a set of spare street clothes for the end of the course after you have left the mountains.

If you require rental gear, please ensure that you arrange this with a rental agency well in advance of your course date!

Here are a few stores in the 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!

Valhalla Pure Squamish www.squamishgear.com
Station Square, Squamish 604-892-9092 (Squamish Location rentals here)

Mountain Equipment Co-op www.mec.ca
111 East 2nd Ave, Vancouver 604-872-7858 (rentals available)
1341 Main St, N. Vancouver 604-990-4417 (rentals available)

Climb On Equipment www.climbonequipment.com
38165 2nd Avenue, Squamish, BC 604-892-2243 (Squamish Location rentals here)
42 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC 778-379-0020 (Vancouver Location rentals here)

Evo Excess Backcountry – Whistler www.evo.com – Whistler
Suite 106-4154 Village Green, Whistler, 604-932-6409 (rentals available)

Alpine/Summer-based course prerequisites:

• Previous rock, ice, or mountaineering & climbing experience
• Basic rope-handling skills (belaying, rappelling, use of harness, standard knots used in climbing systems, etc.)

The Crevasse Rescue course will start in Squamish on Day-1 at 8:30 am at a prearranged meeting location. The first day will be held in a variety of teaching locations in and around Squamish and will wrap up around 4:30 pm.

Specific meeting locations and logistics will be sent out a couple of days in advance of the course dates.

The first day of the Crevasse Rescue course will be a technical rope skills and systems session held in the training bluffs in Squamish, BC, about 1 hour drive north of Vancouver.

The 2nd day will be held in the backcountry areas behind Whistler or Blackcomb mountains; or, in the alpine region of Mount Seymour Provincial Park. Alternate locations may be used depending on alpine and weather conditions at the time of the course.

Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from both Squamish on Day-1, and Whistler or Seymour on Day-2. 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.

Waiver & Medical Disclosure

Complete the required Waiver and Medical disclosure form in advance of your program. Click on the link and navigate to the Custom/Private Programs and find your date and program that you are registered for:
• Canada West Mountain School Waiver and Medical disclosure form

Cancellation & Transfer policy

Review the CWMS cancellation and transfer policy:
• Canada West Mountain School Refund/transfer Policy