MSA GUIDE TRAINING ROCK

top of page

Important Definitions:
Teaching technique: Teaching technique is the method expected of professionals when teaching a particular skill.
Demonstration standard: This is the standard protocol laid out by professional guiding associations which has the guide demonstrate to students the appropriate technique when teaching a specific skill.
Guide technique: These are prescribed techniques and guidelines established by professional guiding associations.
Professional standard or Guide standard: This is the level of performance expected for a certain skill or aptitude by professional guiding associations based on different factors such as time, method, difficulty, etc.

Itinerary
Evening one 17:00  - 19:00 orientation meeting at Alpine Club House Canmore AB
• Sign Waivers, introductions and course overview

Discuss:

• Ethics and tradition
• Environment and access .
• Risk management, safety and emergency procedures

• Lesson 1 Rock Leadership/Guiding Seminar & the Guides Meeting
• Lesson 2 Transition from recreational to leadership/guiding mode
• Lesson 3 Guides rock climbing pack
• Lesson 4 Evaluate Weather & Local conditions Environment
• Lesson 5 Safety Protocols for guided rock climbing
• Lesson 6 Leave no trace and wildlife discussion

 

Day one 7:00 meeting at Summit Café Canmore
• Morning Meeting: Coffee or tea,
• Lesson 6 Review latest weather, current conditions and environmental concerns
• Drive: Drive to Local area- Car Pool
• Lesson 7 Safety: Risk & Hazard management and safety protocols- Rock Climbing.
• Lesson 8 Client care
• Lesson 9 Area prep and safety- group management
• Rock climbing warm up
• Lesson 10 Sport route top rope scenarios, professional anchor standards and set up
• Lesson 11 Climb off- rock climbing evaluation & feedback- Guide standard
• Lesson 12 Teaching techniques: Rope Handling for rock climbing
• Lesson 13 Teaching techniques: Teaching belaying- demonstration standard
• Lesson 14 Guide technique: Professional belaying standards with various devices and systems
• Lesson 15 Teaching technique: Threading the anchor- Demonstration standard
• Teaching technique:– Rappelling and Lowering demonstration standard
• Lesson 16 Guide technique: Professional Rappelling and Lowering standards with various devices and systems
• Lesson 17 Rappelling and Lowering guiding/leadership specialized techniques
• Lesson 18 Rope ascension with prussic and auto-bloc- professional level
• End of field session 16:00
• Evening session: 16:30

• Nutrition
• Physiology and injury prevention

• Lesson 19 Planning a guided objective, route plan and preparation
• Lesson 20 Weather observations and in field recording
• End of day 1- 17:30
 

Day two 7:00 meeting at Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. Downtown Canmore
• Meeting: Coffee or tea, Revue, Q & A session, Days agenda, equipment checks.
• Local conditions and weather- Route plan evaluation
• Drive to local crag- car pool
• Safety: Risk & Hazard management and safety protocols- Rock Climbing.
• Lesson 21 Field weather and conditions recording and situational awareness
• Lesson 22 Teaching techniques: Managing a basic rock climbing school
• Lesson 23 Guide technique: Client Care
• Lesson 24 Movement Skills
• Lesson 25 Teaching technique: Traditional gear placement- demonstration standard
• Lesson 26 Teaching technique: Traditional gear anchors- demonstration standard
• Lesson 27 Guide technique: Professional standard anchors
• Climbing warm-up
• Lesson 28 Trad climb off- Guide standard
• Lesson 29 Guide technique: Multi-pitch multi-directional gear anchor- professional standard
• Lesson 30 Guide technique: Multi-pitch belaying and lower professional standard
• Lesson 31 trad and multi-pitch guiding demo and mock set-ups
• End of field session: 15:30
• Evening session: 16:00
• Lesson 32 Multi-pitch hazard recognitions and management
• Lesson 33 The multi-pitch backpack- Guide standard
• Lesson 34 Protecting the second tools (trams, pendulum, back belay)
• Lesson 35 Emergency Response
• Lesson 36 Guest coaching and communication
• Assignment: Multi-pitch route and day plan
• End of day 2: 17:00
 

Day Three 06:00 meeting at Rocky Mountain Bagel downtown Canmore
• Morning Meeting: Coffee or tea, Revue, Q & A session, Days agenda, equipment check.
• Guide Meeting – route plan review, weather and conditions
• Mock client/group prep
• Drive: Drive to Local area
• Lesson 37 Client care, pace setting, Safety reminder: Current hazards and safety protocols- Multi-pitch rock climbing.
• Lesson 38 Multi-pitch guiding technique- Professional standard
• Lesson 39 Multi-pitch rope management- ascent- guide standard
• Lesson 40 Multi-pitch descent guiding technique- Professional standard
• Lesson 41 Multi-pitch rope management- descent- guide standard
• Day debrief meeting
• End of field session 15:30
• Evening session: 16:00
• Lesson 42: Guiding/Leadership responsibility
• Assignment: Next days objective, Assessment day multi-pitch route, day plan and backup plan
• End of Day Three 17:00
 

Exam: In most cases the exam is planned at a later date which is usually at the end of the summer. This gives candidates a chance to prepare and hone their skills throughout the summer. For guide candidates, the exam may be postponed until the next spring so that is also serves as a pre-exam training for the assistant rock guide exam.

Day Four 6:00 meeting at Summit Café, Canmore
• Morning Meeting: Coffee or tea, Days agenda
• Assessment 1: Review weather and current conditions
• Assessment 2: Review multi-pitch day plan/ guides meeting
• Assessment 3: Client Care and prep
• Drive to local crag
• Assessment 4: Managing multi-pitch hazards- Guide standard
• Assessment 5: Leading a multi-pitch ascent- Guide standard
• Assessment 6: Leading a multi-pitch descent- Guide standard
• Assessment 7: General mountain sense - Guide standard
• Assessment 8: Route finding skills - Guide standard
• Assessment 9: Guide technique application - Guide standard
• Assessment 10: Technical systems - Guide standard
• Day debrief
• Assignment: Next days plan, conditions and weather

• Personal liability and insurance
• Training

• End of Day four

Day Five 7:00 meeting Rocky Mountain Bagel downtown Canmore
• Morning Meeting: Coffee or tea, Days agenda
• Assessment 11: Review weather and current conditions
• Assessment 12: Review day plan/ guides meeting
• Assessment 13: Client Care and prep
• Drive to local crag
• Assessment 14: Managing a group at a sport and trad climbing crag- set up top ropes
• Assessment 15: Rope Rescue Scenario
• Assessment 16: Clarification and make up of any sub standard marks
• End of assessment
• Course debrief, marking card, Rock Master certificate, letters of recommendation
• Next step discussion and advice
• Course closure

 

 

 

 

top of page

Accommodation

Candidates must base out of Canmore for this course as there are evening sessions and we begin early each morning. Accommodation is not included- see Accommodation

Food

Students are responsible for their own food. Canmore has an excellent choice of supermarkets and restaurants to meet any budget. Many of the accommodation options we provide include a kitchen.

Transportation

Students are responsible for their own transportation. We encourage car- pooling and usually this works out very well. Transport for the week is available for an extra $100.00

Equipment

At this level, participants should already own their own equipment. If you are missing anything in the equipment list please contact the course instructor so that we can make arrangements.

Clothing

During the summer months weather conditions are constantly changing. Be prepared for both hot or cold days and even rain. There are several rain protected climbing venues. So please dress according to the forecast for the course days.

• Cliimbing pants
• T-shirt
• Mid layer fleece
• Soft shell
• Rain jacket
• Puffy or  warm jacket
• Warm Hat and ballcap
• Thin gloves for belaying
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Sturdy hiking/approach shoes or boots

Equipment

• Field notebook and mechanical pencil ("Rite in the Rain")
• Day pack - 35 - 40L
• Small bullet pack (optional)
• Rock shoes- sport climbing and multi-pitch
• Harness
• Helmet (UIAA approved)
• 1  x 60 metre UIAA approvedsingle rope 
• 2 x 60 metre UIAA approved half ropes (optional) 
• Auto Bloc Belay device (i.e. Reverso©)
• 4 locking carabiners (2 of which are munter/pearshaped)
• 4 non locking carabiners
•  2 sections of 7mm perlon prussic’s of 5 meters length
• 1 section of 7mm perlon prussic of 1 meter length 
• 2 double length slings
• 8 shoulder length slings
• 1 set of quick draws
• 1 set of cams
• 1 set of stoppers
• 1 nut tool
• 1 light weight piton hammer
• 2 long & 2 medium bugaboo knife blades
• 4 rappel rings/quick links
• Webbing or sling material for making rappel anchors
• Chalk bag
• Hiking pole
• First aid kit (including splint)
• Cell phone
• Guides Tarp (large enough to shelter 2 people)
• Headlamp
• 1 or 2 hiking poles
• Programmable Radio- Instructor

Food & Water

Please make sure to pack a good lunch with plenty of high energy food and liquids including snacks.

Other
n/a