AST 1 - Saturday, Dec 02, 2017

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: Training 
Event Location: Canmore - Dec 2, 2017 - Bow Summit - Dec 3, 2017 
Date(s) & Time:   Saturday, Dec 02, 2017 08:30 AM  
Registration Cut Off:   Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 04:00 PM  
Event Duration: 2 Day Event - Dec 2, 3, 2017 
Difficulty Rating:   D1 - See Conversion Chart  
Trip Coordinator(s):   Vi Pickering
 

Participant Info:
Who's Invited:   Members Only  
Attendee Screening:   Attendees are Pre-Screened
Maximum Group Size: 8
Maximum No. Guests: 0
Minimum Group Size: 5
Maximum No. Guests Per Member: 0
Number Registered So Far:   8 (View sign-ups, waiting list)
Are Dogs Permitted:   No

Itinerary:

AST1 – ACC Calgary Course Dates: December 2, 3 2017

Meeting Time: 8:30AM (There is a lot of material to cover so please strive to be on time.)

Meeting Location: Canmore, AB (Exact location TBA)

Instructor: Cyril Shokoples – ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide / CAA Professional Member / Avalanche Canada AST Provider Course Content -

TEXTS: Everyone will get a copy of the course text plus the Avaluator 2 which we will be using. These will be handed out on the first day.

CURRICULUM: We will be following the current Avalanche Canada guidelines for the AST level 1 course.

GENERAL PLAN: Our plan is to spend Saturday doing the required classroom work in Canmore.
Bring a lunch for EACH DAY of the course.
Saturday will be a long day so participants should try to be somewhat fresh.
Saturday - meet in Canmore 8:30 AM (location TBA and will be sent to participants prior to the course) – primarily indoor sessions / possibly brief outdoor session on transceiver search
Sunday is outdoors all day at Bow Summit (subject to change due to weather).
Sunday - meet in Lake Louise (Laggan’s Deli) 7:45 AM. Travel to Bow summit.
We will try to be back to the vehicles by about 5PM on Sunday at the latest. This course is not at all about making turns or extreme skiing in avalanche terrain. We will spend much of our time on easy terrain and focus on skills that will assist you to travel safely in avalanche terrain.

FIELD DAY: On Sunday of the course you should be packed and ready to go on our first ski tour. We will be departing shortly after we meet. If you have any questions, please call. The plan for that day will be a ski tour in the Rockies likely very close to the cars near Bow Summit (about a half hour north of Lake Louise). The field day is mostly spent engaged in practicing snow and rescue skills and you need very, very, VERY warm clothing for standing still in the snow. You have been warned! Our exact location for the field trip will be somewhat weather and avalanche stability dependent of course. Road conditions can be extremely variable on the Icefields Parkway. Even after Highway 93 is plowed it is often in fair to poor condition. If you are car pooling please be sure you travel in vehicles with good winter tires.

ACCOMMODATION: First and foremost, the Calgary Section DID NOT make accommodation arrangements for you and that is your own responsibility. Accommodation costs are not included in the course cost. I am personally staying at Lake Louise on Saturday night so that I don’t have a huge amount of driving on Sunday.

MAPS: If you have a map for the Bow Summit area please feel free to bring it. I will have copies of the new Wapta Icefields and area map available for our use.

PARK VEHICLE PASS: Be sure you are travelling in a vehicle that has a valid Parks Group Pass in the window. If you do not have a valid pass in your window you will not be allowed to attend the course. Make sure you have a pass before you come or pick up a pass when you enter Banff Park. Not only is it required as part of my business licence conditions, it is also your mountain rescue insurance in case of an incident in the backcountry.

Required Items to Bring:
SKI EQUIPMENT: With regard to equipment, on Sunday everyone should come equipped for ski touring (with AT skis, Telemark skis or Split board). NO skinny skis please. Split boards with skins and ski poles are definitely OK so long as you have practiced with them. Participants will require an AST1 equipment list when they enroll. GEAR: Every backcountry traveler in avalanche terrain should have a proper probe, good METAL shovel and a modern digital transceiver. Participants who do not have their own gear will be provided with a digital three antenna transceiver, shovel, probe, snow study kit and snow saw to use for the duration of the course. Participants are encouraged to bring their own items if they have them but DO NOT rent or purchase prior to the course... You may change your mind about what you should buy after the course! We DO NOT allow single antenna analog transceivers or older two antenna digital transceivers on the course as they are considered to be outdated or perhaps extremely outdated. GROUP GEAR: The instructor will provide a satellite phone, PLB, VHF radios, first aid kit, repair kit and two ski guide tarps that will be distributed among the group for the weekend. Be sure you have some room in your pack for one or two of these items of group gear.

How to Get There:
Event Directions:   Preference will be given to those registered with the BIT Winter Program 2018. Sign up on the wait list and once accepted you will be directed to provide payment via etransfer to treasurer@acccalgary.ca in the amount of $195.00.  

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:
Please review our participant responsibility guidelines!
ACC Calgary has a no cancellation policy. However, if you are able to find a suitable replacement approved by the Trip Coordinator you can receive the course reimbursement directly from your replacement.
*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 Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 04:00 PM.