Crevasse Rescue & Glacier Travel Course
Types: Alpine, Winter
Learn to safely navigate complex glaciated terrain safely and how to perform a rescue should it ever be needed on our Crevasse Rescue & Glacier Travel Course.
Crevasse Rescue & Glacier Travel Course
BlackSheep's Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel Course is hands-on and includes time spent on a glacier.
This 2 day Crevasse Rescue & Glacier Travel course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to ski or snowboard in glaciated terrain this winter. There are huge expanses of glaciers in the Coast Range from the areas just off Blackcomb to the Tantalus and Garibaldi ranges and you don't want to run into a problem without the gear and skills to solve it yourself when you're out there.
This 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 but not at all required.
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.
Equipment:
A detailed equipment list can be found under the What to Bring tab but we've also written a few articles on our Gear Review website the site that are related to crevasse rescue and glacier travel equipment that you might find useful:
- Glacier Kit: https://blacksheepadventuresports.com/2020/08/11/essential-glacier-travel-crevasse-rescue-kit/
- Prusik Cords: https://blacksheepadventuresports.com/2017/08/11/a-comparison-review-of-prusik-cord-options/
We also have some recent photos of the local glaciers in summer/fall condition here for reference when you're out there exploring: South Coast Glaciers 2023
Is this for you?
If you've logged some time backcountry skiing or climbing and are ready to push up into some of the amazing alpine glaciated terrain we have here at the coast or possibly in the interior then it's time!
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.
Day 1: Squamish
- 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 to the cliff for practical sessions on crevasse rescue:
- Practice roping up
- Review equipment & systems
- Run through rescue scenarios
- Rope ascension / self rescue
- 4:00pm – Wrap-up at the cliff & walk back to the Adventure Centre for a debrief
Day 2: Field Day
- 8:00am – Meet at the Blackcomb Base by the Wizard Grill
- Ride up the lifts and escape into the backcountry
- Work on safe travel technique through complicated glaciers
- Review snow & ice anchors
- Practice a “real” rescue in an actual crevasse or off a cornice
- 4:30pm – Back at the vehicles for a debrief
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
