Continue Your Climbing Career Right With Level 4 of the ACC Weekend Climbing Courses with Sean Isaac

Have you started heading out on bigger climbs and are starting to feel confident to take out friends but lack the knowledge to get out of situations if things go south?

Our Rock Rescue Climbing course is our fourth and final level of 4 climbing courses to get you confident to climb trad multipitches outside. The Rock Rescue provides a basic understanding of improvised rock rescue techniques so you can deal with cliff-side emergencies. This will include escaping the belay, emergency lowers, tamdem rappels and more. If you pair this course with another offering of the 4 weekend climbing courses you will receive $25 off each course.

No matter your background, our Rock Rescue Climbing course will teach you the required skills. Many experienced climbers will tell you that when it comes to safety, it is important to get into the right habits from day 1. Taking one of these course will ensure just that. And who better to teach you than long time bow valley climber Sean Isaac.

Get professional orientation to the spectacular rock climbing on offer in the Bow Valley and continue your climbing career right this summer with the ACC!

Camp Objectives

Your "classroom" could be anywhere from the front range crags in Kananaskis all the way through to the "back of the lake" crags at Lake Louise. The climbing areas will be determined by your guide(s) based on a number of factors i.e. weather, distance, group size and dynamics.

This two-day course to provide a basic understanding of improvised rock rescue techniques so you can deal with simple cliff-side emergencies. Techniques to be covered on day one include escaping the belay, emergency lowers, tandem rappels, a simple 3:1 raising system and releasing an auto device. Day two will provide more complicated concepts including knot passes and rope ascension as well as scenarios to apply the new skills. Course content can be adapted to the experience level of the group.

Day by Day Adventure Itinerary

Rock Rescue Edition

Saturday:

Meet at Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. (Trad) or Beamers on 1702 Bow Valley Trail (Sport) at 8:00 am
Car pool to climbing area and hike in
Review safety and basic climbing skills
Go over rescue techniques

Sunday:

Meet at Rocky Mountain Bagel Co at 8:00 am
Car pool to climbing area and hike in
Review lessons from previous day
Continue progression and practice rescue techniques

Is this Camp For Me?

Rock Rescue - Intermediate

This camp is designed for those with previous sport climbing and/or trad experience. You should have a basic understanding of rope systems for multipitches but you do not need to be an advanced climber. Your climbing grade does not matter for this course.

Food, Accommodation, Guiding and Gear Rentals

Food

To keep the cost of this course as low as possible for participants, food will not be provided as part of the course. So please brink along your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or favoured alternative), a packed lunch and some snacks for both days.

Accommodation

If you are traveling from out of town we recommend staying in Canmore. There are various hostels and hotels to choose from including our very own clubhouse with hostel style accommodation. Located on a high bench overlooking the Three Sisters, Ha Ling and Mount Rundle, our purpose built hostel is the perfect place to relax while completing your course.

For full details on the Canmore Clubhouse accommodation click here

Guiding

Our guiding team will comprise of ACMG-certified guides with a maximum 6:1 participant to guide ratio to ensure you get sufficient one-on-one coaching. Our guides know the Bow Valley inside out and will be able to recommend future routes and crags to further your skills.

Gear Rentals

Don't have all the gear on the gear list (located on the right near the top of this page)? We recommend renting from Gear Up in Canmore . ACC members get a 10% discount. We recommend calling ahead to book gear.

Doing the Learn to Lead course helped me progress my rock climbing rapidly and I now feel much safer taking out less experienced partners

Climbing on cams and nuts always scared me! The weekend has given me the confidence boost I needed

Our excellent guide taught me new tips and tricks and pointed out things I could do more safely

- Past Learn to lead Course Participants -

Adventure Map

More Information

- Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please try to have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

Email us
403 678 3200 ext. 213

Course Documents

Gear List

ACC Liability Waiver (En)

ACC Liability Waiver (Fr)

Covid Health and Exposure Declaration

ACC Model Release

ACC Covid Protocols

Cancellation policy and travel Insurance

Please be sure to review our cancellation policy before registering for ACC Adventures:

Cancellation Policy
We sell Tugo^® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips:

Travel Insurance

Included WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

2 days instruction by ACMG certified ski guides
Group gear such as ropes and first aid kit

Participants Must Provide

Transportation to and from the field locations
Accommodation
Meals and lunches
Personal gear (see gear list)

Organizing Fantastic ACC Adventures For Over 100 Years

Local Knowledge - based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
Dedicated resources - full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
Not-for-profit - any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community

Your Guides

SEAN ISAAC

Sean is an ACMG Alpine Guide, based out of Canmore AB. His passion for climbing is infectious and he has already helped many people improve their technique and push their grade. Sean is one of the leaders of the mixed climbing revolution in the Canadian Rockies and is the author of two books: How to Climb: Mixed Climbing, and Mixed Climbs in the Canadian Rockies.

Credited with first ascents in the too-many-to-count range on ice, mixed and alpine routes, Sean has taken his talents on the road and has done alpine expeditions and big wall climbing internationally in Peru, Patagonia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Baffin Island. As a professional photographer he has captured many of his exploits for all to enjoy and his mixed climbing talents have been featured in the movies Higher Ground and Beyond Gravity. Sean is also the editor of the ACC’s Canadian Alpine Journal (CAJ).