One-Day Crevasse Rescue Course – Essential Alpine Skills
Designed for mountaineers, this one-day crevasse rescue course teaches the skills needed to respond effectively if a teammate falls into a crevasse. Using the latest tools and techniques, you’ll learn how to secure your group, set up belays with ice axes and ice screws, and perform efficient rescue systems. The course covers everything from load transfers and gear management to rope setups for glacier travel and mechanical advantage raises, giving you the confidence to handle alpine rescue situations.
Led by an experienced guide, this hands-on course is ideal for climbers and mountaineers who want to master glacier travel skills and become a capable rescue partner on any alpine adventure.
(The guide) presented the course very well in a professional manner. He answered all the questions and explained the techniques with just the right amount of detail. The material you teach will greatly help to keep us safe! 🙂 Keep up the awesome work! Super pleased with the whole experience! Will take some more courses sometime in the future, and recommend Yamnuska Mountain Adventures. Thank you!
Agenda
This is a classroom and field-based program. We will not be on glaciated terrain for this course.
Meet at the Yamnuska Mountain Adventures classroom at 8:00 am. Coffee and tea will be available. There will be a short introduction and a discussion of the goals and objectives of the day. You’ll then head to a local venue to cover the practical elements of this program. Please note this program is not delivered on glaciated terrain.
Goals and Objectives:
- Glacier travel & risk management in ascent/descent
- Ropework for glacier travel
- Building and looking at anchors that are applicable to snow and ice
- Crevasse self-rescue using shorter ropes
- Different haul systems (2:1, 3:1, 5:1, and 6:1)
Meeting Place & Time
Meet at the Yamnuska Classroom (100-50 Lincoln Park, Canmore) at 8:00 am on the day of the program. Please be dressed for the outdoors and have your gear handy so the instructors can check it with you.
Instructors and Group Size
Your instructors will be ACMG certified guides. There will be a maximum of 8 participants per instructor, a minimum of 4.
Transportation
To help keep prices affordable, participants are responsible for their own transportation, as well as providing transportation for their guide during the program.
If you are flying from afar for the program we suggest that you rent a car for your visit. In addition to getting you to the climbing locations, it will allow you to explore our region afterward.
Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore.
Park Passes
Please note that program venues may be within National Parks and/or Kananaskis Country. For programs where transportation is not provided by Yamnuska/Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska, guests will be required to purchase their own pass.
National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.
Kananaskis Country conservation passes are available online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx
Accommodation & Meals
These are not included in the course fees. There are lots of options available including campgrounds, hostels, B’n’Bs, motels, and hotels.
Food is not supplied. Bring plenty to drink and lunch plus energy snacks.
Equipment & Clothing
Yamnuska will supply ropes and technical gear for the program. If you have your own personal gear please bring it as it is best to practice with. If you bring your own gear we recommend that it is marked with colour tape for easy identification.
You need to bring outdoor clothing suitable for standing around in cool, windy conditions or warm summer conditions and your crevasse rescue gear. Layers are best.
Equipment List:
You will need to bring:
- Daypack (35 litres or greater so as to fit spare clothes, water and gear.)
- Sunglasses
- Water Bottle or Thermos
- Lunch for the day
- Notebook and pencil/ pen
- Camera (optional but great for taking pictures of the system)
We can supply the following gear but if you have your own please bring it along.
- Rope: 30 meters in length minimum. We will be teaching systems that use 8mm to 6mm ropes but larger diameter ropes are fine.
- Harness: Sit Harness
- Locking carabiners (Minimum of 3)
- Non-locking Carabiners (minimum of 2)
- Sewn slings 120 cm or larger tape sling
- Prusik cord (Cordelette) (5mm to 7mm X five meters in length) X 2
- Prusik loop (or Hollow block loop) 1.5 meters in length X 1
- Petzl Micro traxion® or Petzl Mini traxion®
- Climbing rescue pulley
- Petzl Tibloc®
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require full payment at the time of booking. Please read the attached information on booking conditions and cancellation penalties carefully before booking.
We ask that you familiarize yourself with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.
Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here. Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.
The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.
Insurance Risk
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres. We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.
Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.
For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.
For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events. For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.
For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services. For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.
Dates:
PRICE:
$199 includes instruction and the use of technical gear. GST not included
Trip Cancellation Insurance is available through the Simpson Group.
Please note you will be required to sign the Yamnuska Release of Liability, and Waiver of Claims prior to commencing the program. Please review the sample waiver prior to booking and call us with any questions.
Is it for you?
Participants need to be already familiar with basic crevasse rescue techniques (can already tie a prussic and other knots, familiar with general anchor building principles). This is a great re-training program and keeps your skills current.