Signature Series Rock Leader Camp with Sean Isaac

Course Agenda

Day 1: 7:00 am at the Yamnuska classroom

• Objective: Sport Climbing
• Welcome, introduction, goals, agenda and waivers
• Gear check
• Risk management and hazard assessments for rock climbing
• Hazard awareness at the climbing area
• Review of top-rope belay techniques and communication
• Sport lead and belay review
• Movement coaching
• Tactics for improving onsighting and redpointing
• Falling
• Review of constructing and cleaning anchors
• Daily debrief

Day 2: 7:00 am at the Yamnuska classroom

• Objective: Trad Climbing
• Hazard awareness at the climbing area
• Movement skills for trad climbing
• Trad placements (nuts, cams, other)
• Lead and runner strategy
• Mock trad leads with coaching and evaluation
• Trad anchors
• Daily debrief

Day 3: 7:00 am at the Yamnuska classroom

• Objective: Multi-pitch Systems
• Organizing harness for multi-pitch
• Direct anchor belay with auto-locking device
• Lowering systems for auto-locking device
• Belay transitions and efficiency
• Harness belay versus fixed-point lead belay
• Multi-pitch rappel systems
• Practice with coaching
• Daily debrief

Day 4: 7:00 am at the Yamnuska classroom

• Objective: Rope Rescue
• Hazard awareness at the climbing area
• Tying off belay device
• Escaping the belay
• Rescue lowering systems (load transfers, tied-off munter, back ups)
• Rescue raising systems (3:1, 5:1, block and tackle)
• Rescue rappel systems (tandem, reepschnur, counter-balance)
• Rope ascension

Day 5: 7:00 am at the Yamnuska classroom

• Objective: Multi-pitch climbing
• Hazard awareness at the climbing area
• Student led multi-pitch climbing with instructor coaching (from rope nearby)
• Practice technical ascending and descending system
• Practice rescue skills
• Daily debrief
• Course debrief

Location

The course is based in Canmore, Alberta but expect to be travelling to different climbing areas of the Canadian Rockies in Kananaskis, Banff, Canmore, and Lake Louise.

Meeting Time and Place

The course begins at the Yamnuska classroom in Canmore at 7:00 am on the first day. The Yamnuska office is located at 100, 50 Lincoln Park, Canmore. See this map for location.

Instructors and Group Size

Sean Isaac is a fully certified Alpine Guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. He has been climbing for more than 30 years and instructing for the past 20 years. During that time, he has taught more than a thousand people the art of moving safely through the mountains. Based in Canmore, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies, Sean has established many new routes through the Canadian Rockies and has travelled all over the world in search of first ascents to the remote ranges of Alaska, Patagonia, Peru, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. Sean is also author of several climbing books including Mixed Climbing in the Canadian Rockies by Rocky Mountain Books, Mixed Climbing by Falcon Guides, Ice Climbing Leader Field Handbook by the Alpine Club of Canada and most recently How to Ice Climb by Falcon Guides. In addition, he has been the editor of the Canadian Alpine Journal for the past 14 years. He has appeared with featured segments in a number of climbing films including Beyond Gravity (2000) and Higher Ground (2008).

There will be a maximum of 6 students, and a minimum of 3. Instructor/student ratios range down from 1:6.

Transportation

To help keep prices affordable, participants are responsible for their own transportation, as well as providing transportation for their guide during the program. Canmore is a 1hour (100km) drive west of Calgary.

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 a bit after the program hours. For example, you can visit Banff and enjoy the hot pools and sample the numerous restaurants.

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 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

Accommodation in Canmore is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff, including campsites, hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites.  We recommend that you book your own pre and post-trip accommodations well in advance as all levels of accommodations in the Bow Valley fill quickly.

Food is not supplied. You will need lunch and something to drink each day. Each day bring plenty to drink plus lots of energy snacks.

Equipment

The course fee includes the use of rock shoes and technical gear although you should feel free to bring any gear you already have.

The weather encountered on this program varies greatly, with the courses at the beginning of the season more prone to cold conditions. The list below covers all possibilities. Should sunny warm conditions be forecast some items may be unnecessary. Remember that weather can change fast so even if the day starts out sunny you may still need rain gear in the afternoon.

Clothing and Equipment List

• Lunch, snacks, and plenty to drink
• Daypack (large enough for spare clothing, your lunch & personal and group climbing gear)
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream
• Rain Gear
• Clothing allowing for easy and complete range of movement
• Warm weather gear (fleece jacket, long johns, warm hat, etc.)
• Rock shoes (available for your use at no extra charge, please let us know in advance if needing to use these)
• Harness (we will loan you this if necessary)
• Chalk bag and chalk
• Helmet (we will loan you this if necessary)
• Hiking boots or running shoes for the hike to the climbing area.

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require a 35% deposit including tax at the time of booking. The final payment is due eight weeks before the start of the program.

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.