Summer Crevasse Rescue & Glacier Travel
Summary
Summer- Cost:
- $325
This comprehensive Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel course is the industry gold standard for mountaineers, alpine climbers, mountain hikers and runners. Learn the ultimate glacier travel safety skills, the most modern and efficient techniques for rescuing someone from a crevasse who is either roped, un-roped or injured, and many more critical mountaineering skills.
*All Courses subject to a minimum number of participants.
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The following dates are available for this course.
If you would like different dates, or to book a private course, please contact us.
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Course Information
This comprehensive Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel course is the industry gold standard for Mountaineers, Alpine Climbers and Glacier Hikers and Trail Runners:
Our certified guides will teach you all the critical crevasse rescue and glacier travel safety skills. As well as the essential techniques for rescuing both roped and un-roped victims from a crevasse.
MSAA has developed a carefully crafted, cutting-edge curriculum, delivered by highly qualified guides who use a lesson plan. This ensures all participants acquire the full intended curriculum, demonstrate the skill to standard and are set up for rapid future progression. All participants receive a valuable course handout essential for future skill practice and refinement.
You will learn safe and efficient glacier travel, crevasse incident avoidance and response.
This course provides the necessary skills to not only undertake crevasse rescue and glacier travel but also how to deal with glacier travel cruxes such as when to rope up, how to assess, cross and belay or rappel over crevasse snow bridges and bergschrunds. Learn how to navigate complex crevasse fields in this field-based course.
Practice the following knots to prepare for the course: Figure 8, Figure 8 on a bite, Clove-Hitch, Münter-Hitch; Girth-Hitch and Prussik knots.
Day 1 & 2
Meeting times, equipment requirement, logistics and locations are provided via email upon booking confirmation.
Day 1:
- Meet and greet
- Go to Rope Ascension/Crevasse Rescue site
- Course curriculum
- Break for a quick lunch (bring food to eat on site)
- Course curriculum until approximately 3:30-4:30pm
Day 2:
- Meet and greet, current conditions, glacier morphology
- Go to local glacier
- Course curriculum
- Break for a quick lunch (bring food to eat on site)
- Course curriculum until approximately 3:30-4:30pm
We are happy to help source any rental gear you require for your course.
Clothing
- Puffy insulated jacket
- Insulating top and bottom under layers and socks
- Mid layer fleece top
- Weatherproof shell jacket and pants
- Gaiters
- Warm hat and neck warmer
- 2 pairs of gloves, mittens (optional)
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, sun hat
- Footwear: sturdy hiking or mountaineering boots
Equipment
- Backpack (25-35 litres)
- Rite in the Rain notebook and mechanical pencil
- First Aid Kit with blister kit
- Map, compass, GPS (all optional)
- Crevasse Rescue Kit
- Harness
- 1 Ratchet (Petzl Micro-Traction and or Auto-block device (Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Guide)
- 4 locking carabiners (2 of these should be pear shaped, Munter/HMS locking carabiners)
- 4 non-locking carabiners
- 1 x 120cm sling
- 2 x 5m 7mm prussik
- 1 x 1.5m 7mm prussik, hollow block or T-Block
- Ice Screw (optional for day 2)
- Ice Axe (for day 2)
We have Crevasse Rescue Kits available to rent if needed, but we recommend using your own so you can get comfortable with your gear under the guide’s instruction.
*Lunch, snacks, and water
*Thermos (optional)
Day 1: Dry Land Rescue Systems
- Lesson 1 Introduction to summer Glacier Kit
- Lesson 2 Knots; Figure eight tie-in and bite, Clove hitch, Münter hitch, Girth Hitch, Münter Mule
- Lesson 3-8: Load transfer, Ascending and Rappelling Systems maneuvers. Application: Injured person, Un-roped victim, Self-rescue
- Lesson 6: Dividing and Tying into the rope (discussion)
- Lesson 7: Anchors (discussion)
- Lesson 8: Prussik (tying in, daisy chaining and deploying)
- Lesson 9 -19 :Direct Haul Rescue and Methodology: (Fall arrest, Movement on loaded rope, Probing, Anchor Building, Transferring the load, Approaching Crevasse, Edge Prep and Pad, Rope to victim, Integrating ratchet, Hauling system)
- Lesson 20: Canadian Drop Loop Rescue technique
- Lesson 21: Reversing the haul to lower and back to hauling maneuver
- Lesson 22: Practice and skill refinement
- Lesson 23: Problem Solving: insufficient rope, middle person is crevasse, etc.
- Day Debrief and next days logistics
Day 2: Glacier Travel and Rescue Scenario’s
- Lesson 24: Glacier Morphology Session and Glacier Travel Considerations
- Lesson 25: Roping Up for Glacier Travel (and for complex crevasse field or poor conditions)
- Lesson 26: Crevasse Maze Exercise
- Lesson 27: Rope Travel Exercise
- Lesson 28: T-Slot Anchor and or Ice Screw Anchor
- Lesson 29: Belay over Crevasse Bridge, Snow Plug or Bergschrund Exercise
- Lesson 30: Team Rescue Exercise
- Lesson 31: Practice and skill refinement
- Course Debrief and next Steps (i.e. Navigation Course recommended as a next or prior step to enable participants to navigate a glacier in white-out conditions).
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Important Information
We strongly recommend you purchase insurance for Trip Cancellation, Emergency Evacuation and Adventure Sports Coverage (some backcountry adventures are excluded from coverage).
Emergency Evacuation and Medical Insurance
This coverage provides you with emergency air rescue if required and full medical. Parks Canada provides free evacuation within the Parks and if you are a Canadian resident your medical will be covered by your provincial health plan (except ambulance/air ambulance transport). We strongly recommend international visitors purchase this insurance.
Emergency evacuation insurance is compulsory for all our hut trips, as these typically take place outside of Parks Canada’s jurisdiction.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
To prepare for unforeseen circumstances we strongly recommend purchasing Trip Cancellation Insurance at the time of booking your trip. Trip Cancellation insurance covers many scenarios to reimburse you for cancelled trips outside of your control.
Learn about training courses at the academy:
- Avalanche Awareness
- Avalanche Transceiver Use
- Companion Crevasse rescue kit training
- Pre-trip planning and preparation
- Climbing rescue course
- Winter navigation (GPS, map, compass, altimeter use) and route planning
- Level 1 avalanche course also known as the AST 1 course
- AST 2 course also known as the AST 2 course
- Avalanche training
- Wilderness First Aid
- Mountaineering course
- Ice climbing tours
- Avalanche course
- Backcountry skiing tours
- VIP Backcountry tours
Our recommended insurance provider is Tugo.Com who can be reached via the following:
For further information about our backcountry tours contact Mountain Skills Academy!
All prices are quoted in Canadian dollars and are exclusive of a 5% tax (GST). Prices are subject to change. Guide gratuities are not included in fees.
Full payment is required at time of registration. Our preferred method of payment is by Mastercard or VISA. We also accept bank e-transfers and cash.
Mountain Skills Academy takes mountain safety very seriously, however there is no way to completely mitigate risk in alpine environments. Prior to undertaking any of our courses or trips we require you to sign a waiver.
Mountain conditions are extremely unpredictable and can change at short notice. Our guides endeavor to undertake the routes and/or peaks that our clients desire, however our decisions will be impacted by conditions. Unfortunately we are not able to offer refunds if conditions are not suitable to undertake a particular route on the day you have booked. We will however make every effort to take you out for the best day possible given the conditions.
Applicable to all tours and courses*: If conditions force us to cancel a course or trip we will do all we can to accommodate you at another date. If this isn’t possible we will offer a full refund. We reserve the right to decline rescheduling dates based on availability. *Does not apply to first aid courses.
Late Arrival Policy
Guests arriving more than 15 minutes late for an activity forfeit 100% of the tour price. Tours leave promptly; it is recommended to arrive 15 minutes early to sort out gear and sign waivers.
Adventures Cancellation Policy
Half Day and Full Day Tours
- With less than 48 hours of the tour start time: Cancellation will result in a 100% forfeit of tour price, no rescheduling.
- With more than 48 hours notice: We will reschedule or refund with no penalty.
- 2 Day Programs: Within 10 days cancellation notice will result in a 100% forfeit of tuition, Outside of 10 days: $25 penalty to reschedule per booking or full refund.
- 3+ Day Programs: 30 days cancellation notice will result in a 100% forfeit of tuition, Outside of 30 days: $75 penalty to reschedule or full refund.
- Customized Trips: 30 days cancellation notice will result in a 100% forfeit of tuition, Outside of 30 days: $75penalty to reschedule per booking or full refund.
**On all multi day trips pre-arranged add-ons are non-refundable (food, accommodation, etc).
1-2 Day Courses
- Within 10 days of the course date: Cancellation notice will result in a 100% forfeit of tuition
- Outside of 10 days: $75 penalty to reschedule per booking or full refund.
3+ Day Courses
- Within 30 days of the course date: Cancellation notice will result in a 100% forfeit of tuition
- Outside of 30 days: $75 penalty to reschedule per booking or full refund.
**If you are able to find someone else to take your place on a course, please let us know as we are more than happy to transfer bookings.
Minors (under the age of 19) and custodial groups (youths affiliated with an institution where a parent or legal guardian is not present on the trip) may register for certain trips and courses with a letter of consent from parents or legal guardian as well, they must sign a waiver and have a parent or legal guardian sign a waiver. Further, we abide by the Parks Canada Custodial Group winter backcountry policy as outlined here.
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