 
mountain adventures
MOUNTAINEERING IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
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Mountaineering, Climbing, and Skiing In The Canadian Rockies
Avalanche is the greatest hazard facing the backcountry skier. To fully enjoy backcountry skiing it's crucial to be able to understand the phenomena, to recognize the terrain where avalanches occur and to be able to find routes that minimize risk. If you're a serious back country skier or winter mountaineer wishing to build a solid knowledge base so as to safely expand your back country horizons then this is the course for you. It will be a valuable investment in your mountain safety! It's very much a 'hands-on' program featuring extensive practical field experience augmented with evening theory sessions. The curriculum is designed to give a solid grounding in the essentials; the instructors are guides seasoned in touring, heliskiing and forecasting. This program is suitable for those with little or no prior avalanche training! New this season participants will also be shown how to use the "Avaluator", a new risk assessment tool just made available by the Canadian Avalanche Association. This course is ideal for those who have the time to take the AST 1 and AST 2 program in one 5 day session and in a really exciting area. For those who can't spare the time we offer AST 1 & 2 courses on weekends in Calgary and Canmore. Yamnuska Avalanche Safety Video (Windows Media Player required) COURSE DETAILS
2009 DatesJanuary 26 - 30; February 2 - 6. Price$875 CDN includes instruction, books and use of safety and snow study equipment. A certificate will be issued on successful completion. GST is extra. Cancellation Insurance can be purchased for an additional $46.
More training & skiing: Yamnuska Guides and Instructors are also available for private training and ski tours after the program ... details. Difficulty and Prerequisites
Participants should be at least advanced intermediate skiers or "split-boarders". ‘Advanced intermediate’ means that you are comfortable making parallel turns on most terrain at a ski hill and that you have enough ski skills to deal safely with all but the most extreme terrain found at a ski hill (that is to say you can stop, turn around then traverse out of areas you can’t handle). You also need to be in good aerobic shape, as you will have to “skin” up everything you ski down. You will get a good workout each day so need to be ready. You will be skiing with a daypack containing your lunch, water and spare clothing. NO prior avalanche training required. CertificationThis program follows Avalanche Skills Training 2 course guidelines established by the Canadian Avalanche Association. AST 2 Certificates will be issued to participants who complete the program. LocationThe course will be based at the Glacier Park Lodge at Rogers Pass. From there we make daytrips, mainly to immediately adjacent areas in the Selkirk Mountains. Meeting Times and PlacePlease meet at the lobby of the Glacier Park Lodge at 9.00am B.C. time on the first day. The morning will be spent in the classroom so be dressed for the great indoors! CurriculumConsiderable flexibility is built into the course
delivery. Snow and weather conditions may dictate the order of
presentation to some degree. Key topics will be constantly revisited during
the program.
Course Agenda
Day 1: Meet at the Glacier Park
Lodge at 9:00am for introductions, a review of course goals and itinerary. A
classroom introduction to the avalanche phenomena will be followed by an
afternoon field session. In the afternoon we get out and onto the snow.
Evening seminar to follow. Instructors & Group SizeWe are very proud of the instructors who teach our avalanche courses. They are full-time senior mountain guides and forecasters who hold certification from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and the Canadian Avalanche Association. Most courses will be limited to 24 participants. On the field trip there is a maximum of one instructor per 8 participants. Instructors include: Dave Stark, Associate Director of Yamnuska, a mountain guide and forecaster with 20 years experience in the field. Steve Blagbrough, mountain guide and director of the Yamnuska Semester program. Experience in Canada, Europe and Scotland. James Blench, mountain guide, CAA instructor with 25 years experience. TransportationTransport is not included in this program. We can put you in touch with other other participants interested in car pooling. You could also split the cost of a rental car with them. If necessary we can arrange additional transportation for which there will be an extra charge. Most days on the program the group will have to drive to a trailhead usually no more than 20km. You should plan on arriving in the area the day before the course starts. Rogers Pass is 350km west of Calgary on the Trans Canada (#1) Highway in Glacier National Park. Calgary International Airport is regularly serviced by flights from Europe and throughout North America. Greyhound (1 800 661 8747) services Rogers Pass from points east and west along the Trans-Canada Highway. We can also put you in touch with other participants who are driving to the area.
Accommodation and MealsThe course is based at Glacier Park Lodge on the summit of Rogers Pass. Accommodation is NOT included. You can stay either at the Glacier Park Lodge , follow the link for more info on skiers rates and to book. Or you can stay at the Alpine Club of Canada's Wheeler Hut which is 5 minutes drive and 20 minutes ski away. Call them at 1 403 678 3200 to book. Or; stay in Golden or Revelstoke which is 45 minutes drive away. Meals are NOT included. At the Glacier Park Lodge there is a cafeteria and a restaurant. Each day of the program you will need a lunch, energy snacks and plenty to drink. Equipment & ClothingYou will need to bring your own clothing, skis (snowboard), poles, climbing skins and backpack. We supply textbook, snow study equipment, avalanche beacons and other group safety items. The equipment and clothing you bring to this course will have a big impact upon the quality of your experience. Please be sure to bring all items listed. If unsure about anything please don't hesitate to call and ask us! Skis & BoardsThere are two ski systems you can use:
System 1 'Alpine Touring' skis are essentially 'downhill skis' with a
special touring binding which allows the heel to lift whilst going uphill or
across the flats and then 'locks down' to become a regular downhill safety
binding. We recommend this system to anyone with a background of downhill
skiing who is not already an advanced telemark skier. System 2 'Telemark'
skis. These should only be used for this program if you are at least an
advanced-intermediate telemark skier with some backcountry experience. This
system is more difficult and less forgiving than the other. Equipment ListYou need to bring:
Optional Equipment Yamnuska supplies but feel free to bring anyway:
Clothing ListThere can be prolonged periods of inactivity in very cold temperatures on the field day. Don't be afraid to bring too much! We suggest bringing light clothing of varying thicknesses that can be 'layered' to achieve comfort and versatility. The most important consideration for clothing is the ability to regulate temperature as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest. We discourage cotton clothing as it causes rapid heat loss when wet.
Rental InformationSkis, Boots, Boards, Skins & poles can be rented from:
InsuranceThere is no charge for rescue so long as you have a valid National Park Entry Pass (obtain at Park Info Centre next to GP Lodge). It is wise, though to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident whilst here. Obtain extra coverage if necessary.
Booking InformationPlease book as early as practical to
avoid disappointment. We require a $322 CDN deposit (including taxes) with the balance due 8
weeks in advance, after that, full payment is required. To avoid unnecessary
cancellation penalties we suggest you take our cancellation insurance for an
extra non-refundable $46, this must accompany your deposit.
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO
CONTACT US IF
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This program is limited to participants 19 years and older unless
accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and in which case approval must be
given by Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
Yamnuska Mountain
Adventures
