Take your mountaineering skills to the next level with our Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course. Learn essential skills for traveling on a glacier.
Season
Spring through Summer
Skill Level
Beginner, intermediate and advanced
Duration
6-8 hours
Group Size
1 to 6 participants
Our Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely navigate glaciated terrain and respond to crevasse falls.
Led by AMGA certified alpine guides, the course covers a wide range of topics including glacier travel techniques, rope management, hazard assessment, and crevasse rescue systems. Participants will learn how to efficiently travel across glaciers, assess and manage risks, and how to perform crevasse rescue techniques.
The course includes both classroom instruction and hands-on practice in the field. By the end of the course, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques, and be well-prepared to safely and confidently embark on their own glaciated mountaineering adventures.
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Max Lurie - Owner of Alpine to the Max
Max Lurie is an American Mountain Guides Association certified Rock and Alpine Guide, as well as an accomplished alpinist. Max has been climbing since 2004 and traveling to the greater ranges in pursuit of his passion.
As an independently certified climbing guide based in Boulder, CO, Max provides custom education and mountain experiences in the Colorado Front Range and beyond. All of the climbing instruction offered through Alpine to the Max is customized to your goals, objectives, and skill level.
Morning Session
8:00 am - Introduction to Glacier Travel: Overview of the course objectives and basic principles of glacier travel.
8:30 am - roped travel: coiling a rope, spacing between team members, number of team members per rope.
10:00 am - Glacier morphology and seasonality: Identifying and assessing hazards commonly found in glacier travel, such as crevasses.
10:30 am - Crevasse Rescue Systems: Introduction to crevasse rescue systems, including rope work, hauling, and self-rescue techniques.
Afternoon Session
6-day1:00 pm - Lunch Break
1:30 pm - Crevasse Rescue Practice: Hands-on practice of crevasse rescue techniques in the field. Participants will practice different scenarios as rope teams.
4:00 pm - Review and Q&A: Review of course material and time for questions and answers.
4:30 pm - Conclusion: Closing thoughts, course evaluation, and next steps.
This curriculum is intended as a sample and may be adjusted based on the skill level and needs of the participants. It's important to note that one day is a short period for a comprehensive course, and it's recommended to take a multi-day course for an in-depth learning experience such as our 6 day Mount Baker Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Skills Seminar.
Technical equipment
Equipment
Having some prior knowledge of rope management, knots and hitches will greatly accelerate your learning in this course. Generally, this course attracts two types of people. Climbers looking to cross glaciers to access technical terrain and hikers looking to summit non-technical glacier routes.
Yes, the course will cover crevasse rescue systems and techniques. Participants will learn how to efficiently perform crevasse rescue and self-rescue techniques in a safe and controlled environment.
Having a physically and socially safe environment is a prerequisite for any sort of learning to occur. Safety is a top priority during the course, and instructors will take measures to ensure participants are safe at all times. This includes identifying and mitigating hazards, using proper equipment, and monitoring weather and other conditions. No one will be asked to do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.
Participants will need to bring personal climbing equipment, including a helmet, harness, mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axe, belay device, locking carabiners, and prusik cord. The course provider may also provide some equipment, such as ropes and carabiners, progress capture devices, belay devices, pickets, etc... If you have your own rescue kit or equipment you would like to practice you are encouraged to bring it.
The course involves a very small amount of hiking to access our field classroom. Participants should be in moderate physical condition and able to exist outside for several hours at a time.
Alpine to the Max is an independent certified guide with more than a decade of experience in a wide variety of terrain. No matter your current skill level, when you climb with us you get a top-notch experience that is fully customized to meet your exact desires.
