Ice climbers face unique challenges in managing their risk due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to evaluate snowpack properties in the start zone above their objective ice route. That is why we developed an AST1 avalanche safety course for ice climbers. The course is designed to give ice climbers the tools and strategies they need to make more informed decisions about risk management and climbing techniques.
In this avalanche safety course, we will focus on building your rescue skills. A Companion Rescue Skills (CRS) course is very important for all who partake in backcountry activities, as it teaches life-saving search and rescue techniques. The CRS course can also serve as a refresher for those with previous CRS training or as a complementary course to the AST1. This one-day course requires hands-on participation and takes place in avalanche terrain.
This outdoor rock climbing course is designed to teach the fundamentals of rock climbing to beginner climbers. Those who participate in this course will learn how to put on a harness, the purpose of the climbing rope, how to tie in, how to belay your partner, and more. The course will take place outdoors on natural rock and will require hands-on participation.
This outdoor rock climbing course is designed to provide beginner to intermediate climbers with the skills required to lead bolted sport climbs. The course will take place at a sport climbing venue in Banff National Park or in the Kananaskis District.
This program is designed for advanced climbers who want to learn how to lead traditional single pitch rock climbing routes. Participants need to be able to climb 5.7 sport routes and have an established understanding of anchor systems and fundamental climbing techniques. This outdoor rock climbing course typically begins at the start of a weekend and takes two days to complete. The course will be instructed by an ACMG Mountain Guide, with a 4:1 ratio of participants to guide. Some objectives of this program include learning to place running belay anchor points using traditional removable protection, learning full factor mechanics, and constructing anchors using removable and fixed-point protection.
The rope rescue skills program is designed to teach intermediate and advanced level climbers about mitigating the risk that is inherent to outdoor rock climbing. It is a two-day course and is taught using standard ACMG improvised rope rescue techniques. Weather permitting, the course will take place at Banff National Park and will be taught in groups of four participants to one guide.
The Canadian Rockies Mountain Guides AST 1 course is an avalanche safety course that is licensed by Avalanche Canada. This avalanche training course is essential for learning about backcountry travel in avalanche terrain. When participating in our courses, we recommend keeping your group size quite small for a more one-on-one training style.
If you have successfully completed the AST 1 course, have solid experience in the backcountry, and you dedicate most of your free time to recreational backcountry activities—the AST 2 course is for you. The AST 2 course builds on the foundations of your AST 1 and provides a more advanced decision-making framework for travelling in avalanche terrain. To boost your training experience’s value, we are keeping the number of participants in your group to a minimum.
