Crevasse Rescue Skills
Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue – 1-Day Course
Modern Skills for Skiers & Mountaineers
Learn essential skills for safe glacier travel and crevasse rescue in this 1-day, hands-on course designed for both skiers and mountaineers. Whether you’re planning a ski traverse, a mountaineering objective, or preparing for glaciated terrain, this course provides the foundational knowledge and techniques you need.
What You’ll Learn:
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Modern crevasse rescue systems and hauling techniques
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Glacier travel skills: rope systems, route selection, and hazard recognition
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Team management on glaciated terrain
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Practical field time with expert instruction and feedback
Course Formats:
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Winter Edition: Tailored for backcountry skiers and splitboarders
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Summer Edition: Focused on mountaineering-specific techniques
Courses are offered in multiple locations across Western Canada and the European Alps, giving you the chance to train in real glaciated environments with experienced guides.
Travel smart. Rescue fast. Build confidence in glaciated terrain.
For dates, locations, and booking, scroll below or contact us directly.
- 8:00 AM meeting at local practice site
- Review of relevant skills & glacier morphology
- Glacier travel & roping up
- Introduction to snow & ice anchors
- Snow & ice anchor construction practice
- Crevasse rescue fundamentals theory & practice
- Rope ascending practice
- Additional skills if time permits
- Course debrief and wrap-up by 5:00pm
On this course, students will benefit from previous mountaineering and rock climbing experience. Good physical fitness is a must, comfort and experience with walking off trail and carrying a large day packs is very useful.
A desire to learn along with a positive attitude will get you a long ways!
This course is available in the Nelson area, the Canadian Rockies, the Coast mountains and the European Alps.
Some of the areas we often visit on the Nelson courses include; Kokanee Glacier ProvincialPark, Valhalla Provincial Parks & Goat range Provincial Park in the Selkirk mountains, The MacBeth Icefields, the Horseshoe Glacier and Starbird Pass near Glacier creek in the Purcell mountains.
Due to the higher elevations, proximity to dominant winds and weather conditions, mountain weather is difficult to predict. It is most often worse than the weather in the surrounding valleys and can change quickly as it is really hard to predict for more than 24hrs ahead.
In summer you expect temperatures to be from 10 C to 28C in the day while overnight temperature can drop dramatically in the high alpine, even below zero. Temperatures are much colder at higher elevations, even in the summer. It is not uncommon to have overnight freezing temperatures in the alpine, outside a mountain hut or near a back country camp.
It is always an interesting challenge to know exactly what you are going to get, therefore is important to be flexible with timing and not too attached to a particular goal or objective. Be prepared by bringing all required items, this ensure you will be dressed for all variations as temperatures, wind, precipitation.
What’s included:
- Pre-course planning support
- Fully certified IFMGA and/or ACMG Alpine Guide or Mountain Guide services
- 30 years of experience in the area
- Alternative plan based on current conditions
- Rope use & all group technical equipment
- Park permits and Liability Insurance
- Emergency response plan
- Group safety equipment
Services NOT included:
- 5% gst tax
- personal clothing, overnight equipment, mountaineering boots *see equipment list for more details
- mountaineering equipment (ice axe, crampons, helmet, harness, prussix, carabiners) *SMG rental $30/item/day
- personal lunch & snacks
- travel to meeting location and accommodation prior to field portion trip
- gratuities
- trip interruption, cancellation insurance, rescue or medical insurance
- additional costs incurred if changes made to itinerary due to weather
Is the equipment different on winter courses?
Absolutely! Winter crevasse rescue courses are usually done on skis. For this course you will need all the regular ski touring equipment plus crevasse rescue gear. Here is a link to our Winter Crevasses Rescue Course Equipment List:
Winter_Crevasse_Rescue_Equipment_List
How experienced do I need to be?
On this course, students will benefit from previous mountaineering and rock climbing experience. However, it is not necessary. Good physical fitness is a must, comfort and experience with walking off trail and carrying a large day packs is very usefull.
Is it safe?
On all our courses, SMG provides you with fully certified IFMGA/ACMG Mountain, alpine and rock guides. This guaranties you the highest safety standards in the industry. Mountaineering remains hazardous and while it is impossible to eliminate all the hazards, our guides will maximize your experience and greatly minimize the risks involved.
Can I rent some of the equipment needed during the programs?
On this program we offer participants access to all the technical equipment at no extra charge. This includes; harnesses, helmets, belay device, carabineers, ice axes, crampons and much more. Contact us for specific sizes and availability.
Where can I rent/buy climbing & outdoor equipment?
Here are a few outdoor stores in Nelson that supply good service and quality outdoor equipment and gear rental, please ensure you rent gear well in advance.
Rivers Oceans and Mountains 354-2056 www.roamshop.com
Valhalla Pure Outfitters 354-1006 www.vpo.ca
