Avalanche Safety Training - Skills Refresher Weekend Dec 17 & 18 - For current Ski Leaders - with Cyril Shokoples - Saturday, Dec 17, 2016

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to read this page in its entirety before signing up.
The Basics:
Event Type: Course 
Event Location: Day 1 Canmore (Classroom location TBC) & Day 2 Backcountry (Guide's choice) 
Date(s) & Time:   Saturday, Dec 17, 2016 07:00 AM  
Registration Cut Off:   Friday, Dec 16, 2016 08:53 AM  
Event Duration: Two days 
Difficulty Rating:   D3 - See Conversion Chart  
Trip Coordinator(s):    

Participant Info:
Who's Invited:   Members Only  
Attendee Screening:   Attendees are Pre-Screened
Maximum Group Size: 6
Maximum No. Guests: 0
Minimum Group Size: 6
Maximum No. Guests Per Member: 0
Number Registered So Far:   6 (View sign-ups, waiting list)
Are Dogs Permitted:   No

Itinerary:

Avalanche Safety Training - Skills Refresher Weekend

Attention Ski Leaders! This is sure to become another popular course offering from your Training and Leadership committee. Have your Avalanche Safety Skills picked up some rust over the year? If your AST courses were a few years ago and you recognize the need to refresh your technical skills, this course may be for you.

This is NOT a ski course per se, but rather it is a comprehensive update on avalanche skills. This course is for people who have already taken an AST 1 / 2 or an older basic / advanced RAC course and want to catch up on what has been going on with: the Avaluator 2, the new Avalanche Canada web site, new tests (PST, ECT), analyzing fracture character and its importance (with both CT and RB results), more on the ATES scale (advanced or technical model), managing persistent weak layers, Yellow Flags and Lemons for interpreting snow profiles, digital beacon technology advances, what’s new with avalanche balloons and the Avalung 2, shovel recommendations and new designs, tactical avalanche triage, refresher on the strategic / conveyor belt shoveling, new multiple and deep burial search strategies (i.e. micro-search strip), human factors research and more additional snow safety skills.

Length: TWO days (One day of theory INDOORS and one field day OUTDOORS). The first day is at a location TBA in Canmore. The second day will be a ski tour, likely in the Bow Summit or Lake Louise area depending upon road conditions. The intention is to practice terrain management, some of the field tests and their interpretation and some of the new avalanche search and rescue techniques.

Level: For existing trip leaders. If you are not a trip leader, here's yet another perk to becoming a trip leader with our section. ;-)

This course is designed to improve leadership skills and build confidence of those leading Ski Touring trips for our section.

Prerequisites:

    AST 1 / RAC plus experience are absolutely essential; AST 2 or ARAC highly recommended; must have good ski skills in variable ski conditions with a pack on.

    Food/ accommodation: meals and accommodations are the responsibility of participants. Bring a bag lunch for both days. All day Sunday will be spent outdoors.

    This course is arranged through Rescue Dynamics and is taught by Cyril Shokoples, an internationally certified mountain guide and Past President of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Cyril has received the Distinguished Service Award from both the ACC and the ACMG. In 2013, Cyril was inducted as an honorary member of the ACC. He has taught the ACC's North Face National Leadership Courses for the past 15 years and has a long history of instruction with the Calgary Section.

    The cost for the weekend course is only $122.50 as it is being subsidized by the ACC Calgary Section with the Ray Normand Fund. See additional notes for payment instructions.

    Ray Norman, an ACC member since the early ‘80s, passed away in an avalanche in 2011. A fund was set up to provide funding for members to improve their skills in the area of avalanche awareness. Part of this fund, in conjunction with subsidization from the Calgary section, is being used to put on this course.

Required Items to Bring:
Required equipment: skis, boots (AT or telemark), poles, skins, large day pack.

Some handouts may be provided at the course.

Pencil and Paper: please bring a pencil and notebook or paper for making notes.


Recommended Items to Bring:
Equipment: Avalanche transceiver Shovel Probe Snow study items (ruler, crystal screen, magnifier, snow saw, Rutschblock cord)

Appropriate clothing for a variety of weather conditions that might be encountered.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:   Waivers: Participants will be required to complete an ACC and a Rescue Dynamics waiver and medical form as part of this course.  

Notes:
This course will be for existing ski touring leaders as it is being subsidized with the Ray Norman Fund.

Those interested in attending, please email the course coordinators with a short email confirming your status as a trip leader and plans to lead ski trips for the Section this upcoming season.

Upon being accepted and moved from the wait list, participants must pay $122.50 deposit and should send an INTERAC e-Transfer to the ACC Treasurer using the Treasurer@ACCCalgary.ca email address.

Please also send the e-Transfer password to the treasurer and a payment confirmation email to the trip coordinators.


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:
Please review our participant responsibility guidelines!

Cancellation Policy: Once accepted on the course, full payment will secure one's spot on the course. Refunds will only be provided if the participant can find a replacement before the course.
*Cancellation Policy*: If a participant is unable to attend a paid course or trip, there will be no refund unless the participant finds a suitable replacement that is acceptable to the trip coordinator. Acceptable waiting list candidates will have priority. It will then be the participant's responsibility to recover funds from the replacement. If the coordinator cancels an event, participants get a refund (less any non-recoverable costs). Note that ACC National does not refund hut fees due to weather, delay, closures, or any other reasons. The Calgary Section of the ACC is a not for profit club and we only charge attendees what it costs us to provide courses or trips.

Trip Feedback
If you have any feedback, positive or negative, concerning this trip or any other, we want to hear from you!
Click here to be directed to our "Contact Us" page and contact the appropriate Chair person or the Section Chair. This is also a simple way to make your section executive aware of any praises, suggestions or problems you may have with any area of the Calgary Section of the ACC.
Thank you for your response.

Registration for this event closed on Friday, December 16, 2016 at 08:53 AM.