Prerequisites:
Previous mountain climbing or scrambling.
Highlight Skills:
Roping up for glacier travel, haul systems and snow anchors.
Whether you're looking to summit the local volcanoes of Mount Garibaldi and Mount Baker, or the Bugaboos' alpine rock splitters - all climbers need the skills to travel over glaciers safely and perform a rescue if your partner ever takes a plunge.
Book NowHow to Travel on Glaciers and What to Do If It Goes Wrong
Our Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue provides the fundamental skills for any aspiring mountaineer or backcountry skier. The course covers how to approach a glacier, travel across safely, and how to execute a quick crevasse rescue. We spend one night in the backcountry to maximize field time, using practical skills in real mountain terrain.
This course is now available online! Click here for more information.
Previous mountain climbing or scrambling.
Roping up for glacier travel, haul systems and snow anchors.
Participants will be immersed into the field for two full days of hard skill training. We'll cover all the required gear for glacier travel and crevasse rescue, a wide range of glacier travel techniques, glaciology, and how to perform crevasse rescue in various scenarios.
Understanding Mountain Hazards
How Crevasses Are Formed
Glacier Travel
Short Roping for Glacier Travel
Pitched Snow Climbing
Self Arrest
Crevasse Rescue
Although our Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue course is an introductory course, basic scrambling or mountaineering experience is required. Participants must also be able to hike uphill for approximately 3 hours to access glacier terrain.
Previous Scrambling or Mountaineering Experience
Understanding of Basic Climbing Knots
Moderate Fitness (hike uphill for 3 hours)
Comfortable in Rough and Undulating Terrain
Warm Up Session
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Squamish Accommodation
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Day 1
8 am-9 am: Meet at the gondola (in Whistler or Squamish, depending on conditions and time of year). Check gear, review trip plan, and upload the gondola.
9 am-4 pm: Practice Crevasse Rescue and Rope Skills
Understanding the required gear
Snow Anchors
Haul:Drop Loop 3:1, 6:1
Rappel and Rope Climbing
Lowering/ belay into a steep line or cornice
Setting up a rappel
Roping up for glacier travel
Day 2
9 am-4 pm: Glacier Travel and Navigation Skills
Understanding glacier/ alpine environment
Identifying mountain hazard
Snow assessments in big or steep terrain
Assessing glaciers
Navigation
Route planning
Managing cornices
4 pm-5 pm: Return to the gondola for download and debrief
