ITINERARY

5 FULL DAYS OF OUTDOOR TRAINING - CANMORE, BANFF, AND KANANASKIS COUNTRY

During During the Outdoor Training days, we’ll be exploring different local crags in the Bow Valley, no more than an hour’s drive from the town of Canmore. You can also add-on a 6th day in the Bow Valley for $445/student, with a minimum of two students required.

DAY 1

7+ HOUR TRAINING SESSION - SYSTEMS TRAINING

Our training Day 1 will focus on learning how to recognize hazards associated with traditional rock environments, understanding the strengths and limitations of traditional protection, as well as learn and apply professional level processes to traditional placements, traditional anchor construction, and racking. Skill sets learned on and included in Day 1 are:

• Intro to Hazard Identification in Single and Multi-Pitch Traditional Rock Environments
• Discussion on Specific Venue and Route Selection during & post-course
• Discussion on the strengths and limitations of all equipment used, and application
• Learn professional level processes for placing, removing, and assessing traditional placements
• Learn standard Anchor Construction including traditional uni- and multidirectional anchors as well as the use of in-situ terrain for anchor construction
• Learn strategies for racking to increase efficiency
• Learn strategies for visualization and rehearsal of placements prior to climbing
• Practice strategies for placement and removal of traditional protection while on simulated leads 

DAY 2

7+ HOUR TRAINING SESSION - LIVE LEADS AND ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS TRAINING

Continue applying the newly learned skill sets from Day 1 at a new climbing crag. On the second training day, the added layers will include the development of critical thinking skills and additional anchor configurations for resolving challenges on a route. Skill sets learned on and included in Day 2 are: 

• Hazard ID, Risk Management, and Route Selection on a new rock type
• Develop critical thinking skill sets to resolve and move through challenges such as protecting traverses, managing poor rock quality, runouts, protecting cruxes, protecting a following climber, and reducing rope drag
• Learn additional anchor configurations to resolve issues tied to limited placement availability, position of focal point, rockfall issues, and maintenance of proper communication and visual line of sight
• Live leads are not required but will be offered to students who in the guide's view have the ability to complete them with reasonable risk exposure (at guide's sole discretion)

DAY 3

7+ HOUR TRAINING SESSION - TOP-DOWN ROCK CLIMBING RESCUE TECHNIQUES

Our third day at a local crag will focus on what we call "top-down rescue". The day will focus on the skill sets required to provide assistance to a climber who is located below you. These skill sets then become the foundation for moving onto Day 4.

Please note that whilst we will be covering rock rescue scenarios in traditional climbing context, all the training will be completed with high-integrity protection (i.e., bolts) as backups. In addition, we strongly recommend reserving the use of these systems only for situations where professional rescue teams are not available.

Skills you'll learn:

• Review steps and procedures for initiating an external response from professional rescue teams (National Parks / Alberta Parks Visitor Safety Teams)
• Discuss potential hazards and the inevitable increases in risk levels tied to responding to an incident yourself
• Learn to recognize where these hazards exist and to consider the acceptability of these increases in risk levels to you as the rescuer.
• Review a variety of belay methods (direct anchor belay, redirected belay, fixed point belay)
• Learn to “escape the belay” by transferring the victim/load directly to an anchor above, freeing you from the system
• Learn a variety of raise/hauling systems (3:1 Direct Haul as a baseline)
• Learn a variety of lowering methods with backups/failsafes
• Learn the counterbalance rappel - a method for descending short distances while "carrying" a victim
• Learn tandem rappel and carry techniques to manage and descend with either conscious or unconscious victims
• Learn to seamlessly move from raise/haul into lowers and/or tandem rappels, and to interchange seamlessly between each system as changes in circumstances require
• Learn how to deal with stuck ropes, rockfall compromising the rope, and passing a knot on rappel

DAY 4

7+ HOUR TRAINING SESSION - BOTTOM-UP ROCK CLIMBING RESCUE TECHNIQUES

Our fourth day focus is to build on, and apply in tandem, the new skills taught on Day 3, which allow a rescuer located below a victim to ascend to the position of the victim, create secondary anchorage, secure the victim, and consider the next steps; whether further movement will be required and how (raise/hauling, lowers, tandem rescue rappels).

Please note that whilst we will be covering rock rescue scenarios in traditional climbing context, all the training will be completed with high-integrity protection (i.e., bolts) as backups. In addition, we strongly recommend reserving the use of these systems only for situations where professional rescue teams are not available.

Specific skills learned include:

• Hazard assessment process prior to beginning an ascent to a victim overhead (we teach this on high-integrity protection only - i.e., bolts)
• Transferring the load of a victim above to the anchor
• Techniques for ascending a loaded rope above your anchor
• Arriving at your victim: defining your priorities (first aid? build an anchor?)
• Secondary anchors
• Transferring an unconscious victim to secondary anchors using "short haul" systems
• Transferring an unconscious victim off a secondary anchor and into raise/haul, lowering, or tandem rescue rappel systems

Once the skills above have been practiced and delivered, your Guides will begin moving onto providing scenarios to practice and challenge our ability; to use all learned tools and skill sets to solve a given problem or scenario.

There are different views on the idea of "training to failure". This is something we believe in and will challenge you on during the course if you allow us to. Failure in this course context is simply running into what we believe to be an "unsolvable problem" in the moment. These scenarios provide two useful perspectives: they show each of us where our competencies in applying the systems lie and, in addition, provide areas for training focus in future practice.

DAY 5

7+ HOUR TRAINING SESSION - TRAD MULTI-PITCH ROUTE ASCENT

Day 5 will provide students the opportunity to either follow our guide on a trad multi-pitch route or apply newly learned skills in a live ascent of a trad multi-pitch route themselves. Note that the goal of the day is not to push or to be challenged by technical grades, but consolidate the newly learned skill sets. Your Guides will collaborate with you by observing your movement skills throughout the course and suggest a route for Day 5, which is well within your technical ability either as a leader or a follower. Our intention will be to ensure that the technical grade of our Day 5 trad multi-pitch route is such that its physical and mental difficulties take very little of your bandwidth - it should feel easy. This ensures that your focus doesn't narrow, reducing the capacity to maintain broad situational awareness as we apply a number of new and more technical skill sets. Please note that a live trad multi-pitch lead is not required but will be offered to students who in the guide’s view have the ability to complete them with reasonable risk exposure (at guide’s sole discretion).

Routes we often use for the ascent include:

• Yamnuska - a variety of routes 5.7-5.8+ / 3-8 pitches
• The Gooseberry - 5.8 / 7 pitches
• Mother’s Day Buttress - 5.6 / 8 pitches
• Geriatric - 5.8 / 8 pitches
• Ha Ling NE Buttress - 5.6 / 12 pitches
• Eisenhower Tower - 5.6 / 8 pitches

DAY 6

OPTIONAL ADD-ON DAY: EXTRA MILEAGE ON ANOTHER TRAD MULTI-PITCH ROUTE

An add-on repeat of Day 5, providing you with more mileage in the trad multi-pitch realm for only $445 per person. The guide to guest ratio for both Day 5 and 6 is 1:2, with a minimum of two students required for the additional day.

Logistics

Logistics to consider ahead of your Alpine Trad Climbing Course:

• ACCOMMODATION:

  Most students find it best to drive out to join us the morning of the course days. However, if you're looking to get a little closer to our field day location beforehand, we would suggest the following accommodation options in Canmore, Banff & Lake Louise.
   

  • CANMORE 
    ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA
    THE PAINTBOX LODGE

  • BANFF
    BUFFALOBERRY LODGE

  • LAKE LOUISE
    CANADIAN ALPINE CENTRE
    THE POST HOTEL
     

• TRIP FOOD & MEAL PROGRAMS:

  • Students are responsible for their own meals during both the indoor and outdoor components of the Alpine Trad Climbing Course.
     

• TRANSPORTATION: 

  • Students are responsible for their own transportation on the course.
     

• NATIONAL PARK ENTRY PASSES: 

  • Students are responsible for obtaining a National Park entry pass for their field days if required (Banff National Park) as well as to have their vehicle registered for a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

The following is a Gear, Clothing, and Equipment list. You will be required to arrive with these items on course. Feel free to bring as much of your own gear and equipment as you would like to review and use on the course.

• Water Bottle or Collapsible Water Bladder (1L)
• Rock Shoes
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen (min. SPF 50+)
• Camera, batteries, memory cards & accessories (optional)
• Daypack (at minimum, 1 x 35-40L backpack. In addition, a 30L option may be appropriate for some days)

*NOTE* - All technical equipment not listed above such as harness, belay devices, quickdraws, ropes, slings etc. will be packed out and provided by us for you on your program. Feel free to bring as much of your own gear to use as you'd like, and your Guide will review it with you when you arrive on the course.

ESSENTIAL CLOTHING

• Jacket
• Gore-Tex Jacket (for wet weather days only)
• Gore-Tex Pant (for wet weather days only)
• Buff Style Neck Tube / Headband
• Sun Hat (ball cap or full brim bucket style)
• Thin Insulated Gloves (multiple pairs [3 min] for rope work)
• Approach Shoes or Trail Runners (no need for heavy hiking boots, unless specifically requested by your Guide based on route or seasonal conditions)

OTHER

• Lunch 
• Water

TRIP CANCELLATION & INTERRUPTION INSURANCE

The best method to protect your investment with us should unforeseen arise, requiring you cancel your booking, is to purchase a Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance Policy. 

Acera Insurance has covered many of Cloud Nine Guests on trips all over the world, and we have first-hand experience seeing these policies activated by our Guests. 

Safeguard your trip costs and investment with us. Request a Quote from Acera Insurance.

Is this coverage required?

• For Canadian Residents, coverage is suggested but not required to register.
• For Non-Canadian Citizens, coverage is suggested but not required. It is strongly suggested that your policy includes Emergency Medical Coverage, unless you carry an alternative policy which will respond in the event of medical emergency.

WAIVER - Release of Liability & Indemnity Agreement

Prior to booking you will be required to acknowledge that you have been provided a copy of our Waiver of Liability Agreement for your review. All participants, or their legal guardians wishing to participate on any Cloud Nine Programs, must acknowledge that they have been presented this document, have read it in its entirety, and understand the agreement being entered into by signing. While there is no obligation to enter into this agreement with us, it is a condition of our service provision. 

    REVIEW OUR WAIVER OF LIABILITY HERE

Booking TErms & Conditions

Before you book your course, please review our Booking Terms & Conditions. We do not accept bookings without your voluntary acceptance of these terms. Please read carefully as these terms outline specific policies and guidance for both our staff and clients with respect to refunds, cancellations, rescheduling, credit forward, refund exemptions etc.

    REVIEW OUR BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS HERE

Book A PRIVATE ALPINE TRAD CLIMBING Course: 

For those who prefer our smallest and most focused learning environments. Private Groups can book on course dates that suit you and your crew best, and one of our ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guides will join you on your terms. You pick the Group Size, along with a Field Day venue and date outside those listed on the calendar.

How Do We Book It?

Contact our office to confirm availability for your preferred dates. We'll provide you with a private booking link for you and your group to register either together or individually.