Learn the Skills Needed to Travel Across Glaciers Safely and Independently
Whether it's upcoming ski or summer mountaineering missions, now is the perfect time to update and refresh those vital crevasse rescue skills. Who better do it with than Canada's national mountaineering organization?
Our all female summer crevasse rescue course is led by our highly experienced Guide, Kirsten Knechtel. Kirsten has been guiding trips for the Alpine Club for a long time and we love having her lead our female camps. This camp will allow you to feel more comfortable heading out on the glacier to access the areas that are out of reach for many people without these skills.
Skills you'll learn on this course include:
- Climbing knots (figure 8, overhand, prusik, clove hitch, Italian hitch, Italian hitch tie-off, double-fishermans, girth hitch)
- Ascending & descending the rope in an emergency
- Glacier travel basics (where & why crevasses form)
- Guidelines on when to travel roped or unroped winter and summer
- Building snow and ice anchors
- Setting the rope up for glacier travel
- Arresting a crevasse fall
- Crevasse Rescue- learn and practise the steps
- Special scenarios: 2-person rescue, unroped fall into a crevasse, adding more
mechanical advantage
- Use of specific equipment you might carry (eg.pulleys, micro-traction, Tibloc, ready-built systems)
This course will include two field days to maximize hands on practice and visit different areas.