Crevasse Rescue, Glacier Travel
Types: Alpine, Summer, Winter
Learn to safely navigate complex glaciated terrain safely and how to perform a rescue should it ever be needed.
Crevasse Rescue, Glacier Travel
BlackSheep's Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel Course is hands-on with time spent on a glacier.
This two-day crevasse rescue and glacier travel course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to get into the alpine this summer. Whether it’s the Tantalus Range, Bugaboos, Wapta, the Spearhead or some other amazing but glaciated area you will have the tools and knowledge to deal safely and efficiently with any glacier travel. And should things go wrong, or you run into a problem, you will have the gear and skills to solve it yourself quickly and efficiently.
This crevasse rescue and glacier travel course will deliver all the information that you need from the basics to some more advanced topics at a pace that works for each student. Some prior knowledge and experience working with ropes is definitely an asset, especially when it comes to the crevasse rescue techniques, but is not at all required. We will go over it all. We will even spend some time on a glacier to really work through the concepts and address the problems and complications that can arise in real life that are hard to replicate in town. To maximize the time we get to spend on snow and ice the course includes a night out in the alpine.
Topics covered include: light-weight rope kits and other glacier travel equipment, when and how to rope up, reading glaciers, winter and summer travel, snow and ice anchors, rope ascension / self-rescue and a lot lot more.
Waiver & Risk Management:
As you know, outdoor activities involve numerous hazards including, but not limited to, avalanches, crevasses, rockfall, slips and falls, equipment failure, poor weather, etc. And while we do our best to anticipate and mitigate these hazards we cannot completely eliminate them. So, as with anything fun, you will be required to sign our Participant Release to take part in one of our courses or trips.
Custom Dates Available
Fine Print:
- Lifetime deposits (deposits never expire)
- Canadian course prices are in CAD
- All courses are subject to 5% GST (tax)
- Payments made by credit card are subject to a 2.5% credit card fee
- Be sure to look over our Booking Policies
- Participants will be required to sign a BlackSheep Participant Release
Day 1: Crevasse Rescue Training
- 8:30am – Sign waivers, review goals for the day, discuss some general concepts:
- Summer vs. winter
- When to rope up & How to rope up
- Anchors
- What to do in an emergency
- 9:30am – Head up Sea to Sky Gondola:
- Hike into the alpine and set up camp
- Practice roping up
- Review equipment & systems
- Run through rescue scenarios
- Rope ascension / self rescue
- 5:30pm – Wrap up for the day with some discussions around camp
Day 2: Glacier Travel
- 8:00am or 9:00am – Quick gear check & head out from camp
- Assessing Glaciers
- Work on safe travel technique through complicated glaciers
- Review snow & ice anchors
- Practice a “real” rescue in an actual crevasse or moat
- 2:00pm – Back at camp to pack up & hike out