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SUMMER
Squamish Rock
– Mountaineering
Mtng Refresher
Mtn Skills Essentials
▫ Complete Mtng
Complete Mtng Plus
Alpine Skills Week
Intermediate Mtng
Advanced Mtng
Complete Alpine Exp
Crevasse Rescue
Expedition Skills NEW
Hiking
WINTER
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CWMS Guides and Instructors recommend these books as ideal reference for the Complete Mountaineering course:
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Intro level - no mountaineering experience required
Our Complete Mountaineering course sets the standard for instructional Mountaineering programs in mountain travel skills and climbing. Our most comprehensive and popular course for over 20 years, Complete Mountaineering is designed to build a comprehensive foundation in all aspects of mountaineering in order to help climbers develop the experience and skills required to become self-reliant in the mountains. Our 7-day format split between two different locations allows extra time to thoroughly cover all skills.
People interested in our Complete Mountaineering may also be interested in our Complete Mountaineering plus course. This version of the course includes all mountain food as well as tents, stoves and other communal camping equipment.
For those with Rock Climbing and previous Mountaineering experience, please check out our Intermediate Mountaineering course, or our Advanced Mountaineering course.
Details for Complete Mountaineering
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June *4, 8-14, 2008
July *2, 6-12, 2008
July *23, July 27-August 2, 2008
August *13, 17-23, 2008
September *3, 7-13, 2008
September *17, 21-27, 2008
All dates marked with an asterisk (*) are evening seminars held in Vancouver. If you cannot attend these sessions, please notify our office in order to make alternate arrangements to cover the required pre-trip material, including logistics.
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Includes pre-trip planning session, 7 days of mountaineeirng instruction by ACMG-Certified Guides; all specialized climbing equipment (ropes, harnesses, helmets, ice-axes, etc); course materials and handouts; emergency equipment including satellite phone; all organization; and, Park Permits.
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Prerequisites
Experienced backpacker. Must be fit & prepared to carry a multi-day pack. No previous climbing experience is required for this course. If you have previous Rock Climbing experience, consider the Alpine Skills Week, a Mountaineering course for people with Rock Skills.
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Location
The first 2 days of the Complete Mountaineering course are held in Squamish BC. Squamish is a one hour drive north of Vancouver.
The remaining five days are spent in an alpine region north of Vancouver within a 3.5 hour drive. The course locations for all of our Mountaineering programs are based on the current conditions in the alpine. Weather, snow and ice conditions all vary according to season and we choose our actual location as close to the course date as possible to ensure the best possible course for you. Typical locations include the Joffre Range, Cerise Creek and Anniversary Glacier, the Spearhead Range behind Blackcomb and the Sky Pilot region. Occasionally we will fly into the Tantalus Range, though this requires an added helicopter fee.
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Guides and Instructors
All the Guides and Instructors on our Mountaineering programs are Certified through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and are among many of the top Climbing instructors and guides in British Columbia. We ensure that you are being taught and guided by the best! For more details on the specific guides for your program, contact our office.
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Objectives
The first two days prepare you for the mountains by teaching rope management and rock climbing skills in Squamish, BC. Next, five days are spent in an alpine region learning and applying skills for mountaineering. Snow and glacier travel, ice climbing, rock climbing, map and compass, mountain navigation, route planning, weather evaluation, hazard assessment and crevasse rescue techniques are all covered thoroughly, in addition to summit objectives. After this intensive program, you should be ready to head out into the mountains on your own multi-day mountaineering trips.
At the conclusion of this course, students will have been taught:
The following is a brief possible schedule for the Canada West Mountain School 7-day Complete Mountaineering course. Many different variables (such as weather, snow conditions, group experience levels, etc) influence the actual day-to-day schedule and the order in which topics are presented, so the following should be considered a general outline only.
Evening session
Introductory classroom session (3 hours)
Skills covered: defining course objectives, trip planning and preparation, equipment needs, food and menu planning, logistics
Day 1
Meet in Squamish - Preparation and tone setting (1/2 hour) Skills covered: communication, safety awareness, logistics planning
Rock climbing and rope skills instruction (7 hours) Skills covered: rope handling, rock climbing, anchor building, hazard awareness
Day 2
Rock climbing, rope skills and rescue instruction in Squamish (6-8 hours)
Skills covered: rope handling, rock climbing, ascending/descending ropes, anchor building, rope-rescue principles, hazard awareness
Evening session - optional (2 hours)
Skills covered: logistics, navigation, equipment, pre planning for the out-trip
Day 3
Approach to Alpine region base camp (approx. 2-3 hours )
Skills covered: Navigation, map reading, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness
Camp set up (2 hours)
Skills covered: Camp selection, hazard awareness, sanitation, environmental awareness, food storage, water, campcraft tips
Introductory snow travel session (3-4 hours)
Skills covered: Hazard awareness, navigation, off-trail travel, basic ice ax use, walking on snow, self-arrests
Evening debrief (1 hour)
Skills covered: overview of day, tomorrow's objectives, pre-planning, sort and pack gear for next morning, weather
Day 4
Backcountry travel skills (2 hours)
Skills covered: Navigation, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness
Snow travel skills (6 hours)
Skills covered: Review of previous lessons, self arrests of all sorts, roping for snow, belaying on snow, anchors team travel, team arrests
Lunch time options: Navigation, route planning, glacier study, napping
Evening debrief (1 hour)
Skills covered: overview of day, next day's objectives, pre-planning, sort and pack gear for next morning, weather
Optional skills: Demo and discuss crevasse rescue basics
Day 5
Steep snow and alpine travel skills (3 - 4 hours)
Skills covered: steep snow climbing, team rope skills, navigation and route finding
Glacier travel and rescue skills (3 - 4 hours):
Skills covered: Rope skills for glacier travel, route finding on glaciers, travel techniques for "dry" glacier and for snow covered glacier, crevasse rescues, general glacier travel
Day 6
Peak objective/travel day (10 - 12 hours)
Skills covered: Application of all of above plus whatever else may come up. Focus on hazard assessment and use of skills/tools to achieve objectives. This is the "put it all together" day
Day 7
Wrap up of loose ends (4 - 6 hours)
Skills covered: Finishing off main objectives, ascending ropes, rappelling, more rescue, serac climbing, orienteering, whatever the instructors and/or students feel they need
Break camp/hike out (3 hours)
Skills covered: Navigation, map reading, pacing, group management, route finding, hazard awareness.
Wrap up and student assessments (1 - 2 hours)
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Equipment list for Complete Mountaineering
To view or download a printer friendly .PDF file of the Mountaineering equipment list, click here. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
- Boots - full-leather or plastic mountaineering boots. If leather, they should be well broken-in and waterproofed
- Backpack - 60-80 liters capacity, big enough to hold all gear for the trip plus some extra communal gear
- Sleeping bag - good to approx. -5 or -10 degrees celsius
- Sleeping pad - therma-rest style or closed-cell foam
- Day-pack - 30-40 liters capacity (optional, your backpack can also work as a daypack)
- Light weight hiking shoes or runners (1 pair optional for around camp)
- Outer layer jacket with hood - Gore-Tex style
- Outer layer waterproof pants or bibs, full-zip legs are ideal - Gore-Tex style
- Lightweight thermal layers - top & bottom, Polypro, Capilene, etc.
- Climbing/hiking pants - nylon, fleece, Schoeller, etc. (1 pr)
- Gaiters (1 pr)
- Gloves (medium weight) - wool or poly-pro (2 pr)
- Waterproof gloves or mitts w/removable liners (gloves work best for rope handling and ice axe use) (2 pr)
- Warm parka/jacket - down, synthetic, fleece or pile (1)
- Sweater or vest - wool, synthetic, fleece or down (1)
- Socks - wool or synthetic blend (2-3 prs)
- Toque/warm hat - wool or fleece (1)
- Sunglasses - 1005 UV block and with side shields (1pr)
- Ski goggles (optional)
- Headlamp with extra set of batteries and extra bulb
- Personal eating utensils - cup, bowl, spoon, etc
- Personal 1st aid (blister kit, toothbrush, blister kit, toilet paper, medications, etc.)
- Misc. personal items (camera, journal, etc.)
- Sunscreen - minimum 30 spf
- Water bottles/hydration system - minimum 1 litres
- Small "thermos" for hot drinks (optional)
- Knife - Swiss army style
- Insect repellant
- Walking pole(s) - Optional but helpful for the approach/descent to your base camp
- Compass and map (map #'s to be detailed at pre-trip session)
- Crampons - adjusted to your boots (1 pr)
- 2 x 5 meter lengths of 7mm accessory climbing cord
- 1 x 1.75 meter length of 7mm accessory climbing cord
- 1 x double shoulder sling, full strength - sewn or non-sewn
- 2 or 3 person tents (as necessary)
- Single burner stoves and fuel (1 stove per 2-3 people)
- Cooking sets (2 pots per 3 people)
Technical equipment:
(required by participants)
Communal equipment required:
(this may be shared among the group participants)
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Technical equipment:
- Ice ax and technical climbing tools
- Climbing harness - seat harness only
- Helmet
- 3 locking carabiners
- 1 belay device
(supplied by CWMS if required)
In addition, Canada West Mountain School supplies all other technical and safety gear, including ropes, carabiners, protection, etc.
Here are a few stores in the lower mainland region that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment. If you need to purchase or rent equipment, please contact the store well in advance of the course to ensure that what you require is available!
Altus Mountain Gear
137 West Broadway, Vancouver 604-876-5255 (rentals available)
Climb On Equipment
Squamish 604-892-2243
Coast Mountain Sports
2201 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver 604-731-6181
Park Royal store - West Vancouver 604 926-6126
Mountain Equipment Co-op www.mec.ca
130 West Broadway, Vancouver 604-872-7858 (rentals available)
1341 Main St, N. Vancouver 604-990-4417 (rentals available) Valhalla Pure
Station Square, Squamish 604-892-9092 (rentals available)
3 Vets
2200 Yukon Street, Vancouver 604-872-5475
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Logistics and transportation
The first two days of this course are held in Squamish, BC. Squamish is a 1 hour drive north of Vancouver. This portion of the course consists of day sessions only, so participants are responsible for their own accommodation during the first two evenings. Many people return to Vancouver each night, or alternately there is a good selection of hostels, hotels, motels and campgrounds in Squamish. The final five days are spent camping in an alpine region, with the trailhead within 2-3 hours drive of Vancouver. All participants are required to supply or arrange their own transportation on this course. Usually ride sharing can be arranged with other participants. Bus transportation into Squamish from Vancouver is also an option, see the Greyhound Canada website for schedule and fare information.
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Related Programs
Mountain Travel Essentials
Complete Mountaineering plus
Alpine Skills Week
Guided Adventures
Ice Climbing Essentials
Intro to Winter Mountaineering
Please contact the Canada West Mountain School office by phone or email directly for more details.
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