Trip Dates

July *17, 18-22 2011
August *2, 3-7, 2011
August *21, 22-25 (4 day program)
*evening session

Price

$775 (4 day program) $935/person (tent based) $995/person (hut based) *reduced rate available for organized groups

Group Size

3 students/1 instructor ; 12 maximum

Skill Level

Beginner to Intermediate

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Introduction to Mountaineering

Discover the rewards and freedom of mountaineering, learn the skills and gain confidence while exploring this empowering activity...

This 5 day course is a comprehensive introduction to general mountaineering on rock, snow, glaciers and mixed terrain. It combines the skills thought in the Intro to Rock Climbing course with the ones learned on the Snow and Ice course. Rock skills include belaying skills, movement skills on rock, anchor construction, rappelling, rope handling. Snow & Ice skills include; ice axe and crampon use, self-arrests, snow and glacier travel skills, navigation, hazard assessment and crevasse rescue fundamentals as well as a possible peak ascents.

This course is available in the Nelson area, the Canadian Rockies, the Coast mountains and the European Alps. Some of the areas we often visit on the Nelson courses include; Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, Valhalla Provincial Parks & Goat range Provincial Park in the Selkirk mountains, the MacBeth Icefields, the Horseshoe Glacier and Starbird Pass and Glacier Dome near Glacier creek in the Purcell mountains.

Itinerary Prerequisites Equipment Weather Location
Services Included FAQ

Itinerary

As previously mentioned, this 5 day course combines the intro to rock climbing course & snow and ice course curriculum. The complete itinerary is somewhat flexible and will vary depending on participant needs, weather, conditions and course location. To maximize your learning, this course will either be based at a remote mountain hut or a backcountry camp. Below is a sample itinerary:

Day 1: Pre-trip meeting; 7:00 PM in town (2 hours)

Welcome, introduction, goals & agenda, waiver.

Review of planed itinerary and current conditions

Issue of required gear and session on packing strategy

Day 2: Rock Skills day; 8:00 AM meeting at local climbing site

Intro to common rock climbing equipment

Movement skills intro and bouldering

Basic knots, belaying, rope handling and commands

Rock climbing with the safety of a rope

Integration of movement skills while roped climbing

Climb, climb, climb!

Practice belaying, rappelling and anchor construction if time allows

Day 3 to 5: Remote mountain hut or backcountry camp location

On these intense 4 backcountry based days we will focus on snow, ice and glacier skills and plan on ascending a few of the local peaks. The proximity of the mountain environment will provide with many learning opportunities for the students. Some of the topics that will be covered in this section include movement skills on mixed, snow and ice terrain, ice axe and crampon use, self-arrests, snow and glacier travel skills, navigation (maps, compass and GPS skills), preparedness, emergency procedures, hazard assessment, safe route selection, snow & ice anchors, roped travel on glaciers, crevasse rescue fundamentals as well as ascending some local peaks

Day 6: Last day

We will have some time in the morning to touch up on any of the previously learned skills or try something new! The after-noon will be spent hiking out and returning to civilization

Prerequisites

No previous climbing experience is required for this course, it is an asset. A desire to learn along with a positive attitude will get you a long ways!

Good physical fitness is a must, comfort and experience with overnight backpacking and carrying heavy packs is very usefull. This course provide a good oportunity to learn how to walk off trails, in snow (at times deep), on glacier ice (with or without crampons) and on uneven rocky terrain.

Equipment

Mountaineering_Equipment_List.pdf

Weather

Due to the higher elevations, proximity to dominant winds and weather conditions, mountain weather is difficult to predict. It is most often worse than the weather in the surrounding valleys and can change quickly as it is really hard to predict for more than 24hrs ahead.

In summer you expect temperatures to be from 10 C to 28C in the day while overnight temperature can drop dramatically in the high alpine, even below zero. Temperatures are much colder at higher elevations, even in the summer. It is not uncommon to have overnight freezing temperatures in the alpine, outside a mountain hut or near a back country camp.

It is always an interesting challenge to know exactly what you are going to get, therefore is important to be flexible with timing and not too attached to a particular goal or objective. Be prepared by bringing all required items, this ensure you will be dressed for all variations as temperatures, wind, precipitation.

Location

This course is available in the Nelson area, the Canadian Rockies, the Coast mountains and the European Alps.

Some of the areas we often visit on the Nelson courses include; Kokanee Glacier ProvincialPark, Valhalla Provincial Parks & Goat range Provincial Park in the Selkirk mountains, The MacBeth Icefields, the Horseshoe Glacier and Starbird Pass near Glacier creek in the Purcell mountains.

Services Included

Pre-course planning support
Fully certified IFMGA and/or ACMG Alpine Guide or Mountain Guide services
15 years of experience in the area
Alternative plan based on current conditions
Rope use & all technical equipment
Park permits and Liability Insurance
Emergency response plan
Group safety equipment

FAQ

How experienced do I need to be?

On this course, students will benefit from previous mountaineering and rock climbing experience however it is not required. Good physical fitness is a must, comfort and experience with overnight backpacking and carrying heavy packs is very useful.

Is it safe?

On all our courses, SMG provides you with fully certified IFMGA/ACMG Mountain, alpine and rock guides. This guaranties you the highest safety standards in the industry. Mountaineering remains hazardous and while it is impossible to eliminate all the hazards, our guides will maximize your experience and greatly minimize the risks involved.

Can I rent some of the equipment needed during the programs?

On this program we offer participants access to all the technical equipment at no extra charge. This includes; harnesses, helmets, belay device, carabineers, ice axes, crampons and much more. Contact us for specific sizes and availability.

Where can I rent/buy climbing & outdoor equipment?

Here are a few outdoor stores in Nelson that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment and gear rental, please ensure you rent gear well in advance.

Rivers Oceans and Mountains 354-2056 www.roamshop.com
Valhalla Pure Outfitters 354-1006 www.shop.vpo.ca