1 Day Ski Crevasse Rescue Clinic
This one-day course is tailored for skiers and snowboarders, focusing on glacier crevasse rescue techniques in a winter backcountry setting. You’ll explore the latest tools available to become a reliable rescue partner during backcountry travel. The course emphasizes hands-on practice, covering what to do if a team member falls into a crevasse, how to secure the rest of the group, set up a belay using skis or a snowboard, and the various systems for extracting someone from a crevasse.
Skills Covered in Ski Mountaineering Crevasse Rescue Clinic
- Glacier travel systems
- Rope/belay techniques
- Knots & hitches used in crevasse rescue
- Construction/evaluation of snow anchors
- Using skis / splitboards as deadman anchors or components of the rescue system.
- Strategies for initiating a rescue while still clipped into skis.
- Basic haul systems (2:1 and 3:1)
- Advanced haul systems (5:1 and 6:1)
- Techniques for self-extraction from a crevasse using prusiks, mechanical ascenders, or improvised systems.
- Strategies for identifying crevasse fields and navigating them safely.
- Glacier travel risk management
Prerequisites
- Skiers/splitboarders should be able to comfortably blue square terrain (off-piste) in a variety of snow conditions with a 25lb backpack.
- Participants should be comfortable with ski / splitboard transitions.
- Experience ascending and descending steep snow slopes
- Basic ice axe skills
- Self-arrest
- Cramponing
Itinerary
Start Time: 7:00 AM
The day begins at 7:00 AM at the parking area, where we’ll do a quick equipment check, introductions, and an overview of the day. From there, we’ll skin or splitboard about a mile into the backcountry to reach our scenic classroom site. The approach offers an excellent opportunity to review skinning techniques, assess terrain hazards, and discuss group travel and communication.
Classroom Site Activities: Upon reaching our backcountry classroom, we’ll dive into the day’s curriculum.
Knots and Hitches:
– Guides will teach essential knots and hitches used in crevasse rescue.
– Students will practice tying prussiks and other key knots necessary for effective rope work in rescue scenarios.
Anchor Building:
– Demonstration and practice of constructing anchors using skis, splitboards, and shovels.
– Students will test and fully weight their anchors to ensure they are reliable for belaying, running protection, and rescue purposes.
Lunch Break: We’ll take a brief lunch break before moving into more advanced techniques.
Hauling Systems:
– Instruction on building a 3:1 Z-pulley rescue system for a three-person rope team.
– Demonstration of the 2:1 Drop-C for a two-person rope team.
– Discussion of the mechanical advantage principles and how to adapt systems for specific scenarios.
– Integration of earlier skills: knots, anchors, and rope handling into the rescue systems.
Practical Scenarios:
– Hands-on practice with hauling systems and anchors in realistic scenarios.
– Introduction to the Petzl RAD System, specifically designed for ski-mountaineering crevasse rescue.
– Emphasis on team communication and troubleshooting in the field.
Wrap-Up and Exit: We aim to return by 5:00 PM for a recap of the day and a Q&A session to solidify the skills learned.
1 Day Course FAQS
Please note you will be emailed specific information for your course upon registration. The following is to serve as a helpful guideline.
We recommend practicing the figure eight, overhand on a bight, butterfly, clove hitch, munter hitch, prussik hitch, klemheist hitch, and autoblock hitch.
When you sign up for a course we will send you a confirmation package that includes an equipment list detailing each piece of equipment you will need. Please read your equipment list very carefully. You are required to bring every item on the list so be as precise as possible when packing. Alpine Ascents rents quality technical equipment at reasonable rates. If you have any equipment-related questions please call us (206-378-1927). You can also email us at: [email protected] We have a full-time gear expert on staff.
Rental gear is available at our facility in Lower Queen Anne, Seattle. You can arrange a time to pick up your rental gear with our gear department by emailing [email protected]
We run our own retail climbing shop and online gear store, where all Alpine Ascents climbers receive a discount and can receive personalized advice from our gear experts.
We recommend participants have prior experience backcountry skiing / riding as well as self-arrest training.
No. Students will need to bring a lunch and ample snack food.
This course has a maximum 5:1 student to guide ratio.
Reading List
This is a highly recommended shortlist. We are happy to pass along a longer reading list for those interested. These links will bounce to online vendors with reviews.
Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills
Don Graydon (Ed.), Kurt Hanson (Ed.), Mountaineers Society, Mountaineers Books
My guides both displayed a great level of expertise and confidence in their mountaineering skills. Just watching them work/guide was beneficial to the learning experience. I could not have been happier with the course. Despite challenging weather, we had lots of time to learn new skills.
