 
 
CONTACT:
info@cdnalpine.com
Box
40087
Canmore, AB
T1W 3H9
[About our Guides]
[Prices & Booking]
"Thanks a lot for
the courses! They were great.... I learned tonnes, and they far
exceeded my expectations. Thanks for putting so much effort into your
teaching/leading and sharing so much of the Rockies!"
Colin - Vancouver, BC
Alpine Skills Course Blog postings:
June
2010
August
2010
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Dates 2012:
June 11 - 15th; July 16 - 20th
(FULL)
Cost:
$995 + GST - includes guiding, equipment use, all camping fees, and one
backcountry dinner.
Maximum Group Size:
4
Custom Dates:
Available May - October for groups of 1 to 8. Inquire for pricing.
To Register:
Please e-mail
us for a registration package. A $250 non-refundable deposit will be
required to book your place on the course.
CRAG's 5 day Alpine
Skills Course is the perfect way to kick start your mountaineering
career! The course will be run with a small group of just 4 keen
participants and one guide. This small group size allows all team
members to learn the skills that are most relevent to their goals
& abilities. Under the direction of the guide, everyone will
participate in the decision making, route finding, leading, and all the
other skills required to safely climb mountains. A unique aspect of
this course is that there will be at least two attempts on major
Rockies peaks, climbs that would not be possible with a larger group!
Below is some more
information about the course but if you have any questions please
contact us at info@cdnalpine.com
at any time.
Skills Covered
There are many possible topics and we pride ourselves on having small
enough group sizes to customize the instruction to meet the needs of
all participants. The main goal of the course is to help participants
become self-sufficient in a variety of mountaineering terrain. Some of
the specific topics covered will include:
- Alpine rock
climbing
- Glacier travel
- Snow &
ice climbing
- Anchor building
& belaying on snow, ice, and rock
- Rapelling snow,
ice, and rock
- Rock protection
- Route finding
- Ropework skills
for mountaineering
- Weather
& avalanche basics
- Conditions
forecasting & assessment
- Map &
navigation skills
- Light &
fast techniques
- Gear selection
- Resources
& ways to continue learning
Agenda
Weather, conditions, and participants abilities may affect the order of
activities and climbing objectives chosen. However, here is a sample
outline of the course:
Day
1 - Glacier travel circuit at
the Columbia Icefields. Participants will have chances to lead the rope
team and participate in decision making. Along the way we will practice
some ice climbing, more advanced crevasse rescue, navigation, anchor
building, and many other skills. The night will be spent at the
Columbia Icefields Campground.
Day
2 - Mt. Athabasca attempt!
Athabasca is one of the best climbing peaks in the Canadian Rockies and
has been many climbers first big mountain. This will be a long day with
a pre-dawn start. See our Mt. Athabasca
page for pictures & information. The most likely route we will
climb is the Silverhorn but of course it depends upon snow &
weather conditions. The night will be spent at the Columbia Icefields
Campground, or you can choose to book a room at the Saskatchewan River
Crossing resort.
Day
3 - Rock climbing &
alpine rock skills. The day will be spent at a rock climbing area where
we will learn the basics of rock protection, anchor building, ropework
in alpine rock terrain, and doing some rock climbing. The night will be
spent camping near the Saskatchewan River Crossing (45 minutes from the
Icefields), or you can choose to book a room at the Saskatchewan River
Crossing resort or David Thompson Resort if you are in need of a warm
shower.
Day
4 - Start of overnight
expedition to Mt. Cline. After packing up our gear we will make the 4
hour trek into the spectacular Mt. Cline basecamp. We have a secret
camping area we use that has excellent rock climbing for those with
extra energy in the afternoon!
Day
5 - Mt. Cline attempt! Another
Rockies 11000 foot peak, Mt. Cline has an excellent route with a little
bit of everything. Participants will take turns leading throughout as
we ascend a snow coliour, cross a small glacier, scramble up a ridge,
rock climb a short section, and do a rappel before continuing up the
final slopes to the summit. See our Mt. Cline
page for pictures & information. After descending we will hike
back out to the highway and say our farewells.
Prerequisites
- Fitness:
The Alpine Skills Course is a physically demanding week in the
mountains with not a lot of time for rest. Therefore, the biggest
prerequisite is good physical fitness! You don't need to be an Olympic
athlete but you must be able to complete long days on your feet while
carrying a light pack. If you are unsure about your abilities, please
contact us at any time.
- Outdoor
Experience: All participants
must have basic hiking, camping, and general outdoors skills.
- Glacier
Travel & Crevasse Rescue:
All participants must have basic glacier travel & crevasse
rescue skills. A 2 day Glacier
Travel Course is scheduled
immediately prior to the Alpine Skills Course for those without
previous experience. Almost all participants combine the two courses
and this is highly recommended.
- Climbing
Experience: No previous climbing
experience of any sort is required. However, if you do have some
climbing skills, the small group size will allow plenty of
opportunities to improve & learn new techniques! Those with
more experience may want to consider our Alpine
Skills Level 2
course.
Gear List
All technical equipment is provided free of charge except for boots.
Contact us for a registration package which includes a detailed gear
list.
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