Improvised Rescue Clinic

April 27 & 28 (two day clinic)

8am - 4pm

Squamish Smoke Bluffs

Whether you are leading or following, basic rescue skills are crucial to learn and practise. If you, your partner or an adjacent party have an injury, stuck ropes, rappel past your anchor (the list of reasons is endless) or you simply want to gain overall efficiency and add to your technical toolbox, this course will provide you with ACMG best practises of common climbing systems and real world applications of them.

This clinic is for folks who want to increase their confidence while on the wall; decision making, planning, preparation, communication and the technical elements of improvised self and partner rope rescue.

If you don’t use it you lose it… refreshers are recommended annually especially if you haven’t been practicing!

Learning Outcomes: Two days of focused instruction followed by coached practise.

Foundations (day one)

• Equipment strengths and limitations.

• Preparation: equipment selection, packing, communication.

• Decision making in light of rescue scenarios.

• Rappel extensions & backups.

• Belaying from above using guide ATC and munter hitch.

• Load strand direct lower.

• Hauling using a 3:1 mechanical advantage.

• Carabiner brakes (if a rappel device is dropped).

• Tandem rappel (two people, one device).

• Discussions on stuck ropes and ‘defensive’ rappelling.

Progressions (day two)

• Rope ascending

• Adding mechanical advantage (5:1)

• Rescue lowers

• Block and tackle

• Counter-balance rappel (pick off)

• Review and practise of day one

Prerequisites:

Experience belaying & rappelling using a backup is essential. This is a fast paced learning environment. Participants will be responsible for arriving to the clinic with competency of some concepts, knots and hitches. Upon registration you will receive a list of links to youtube videos teaching these skills, some pre-clinic home practise is strongly encouraged.

Included: pre-clinic study, take home notes and technical equipment.

The clinic will take place rain or shine in the Squamish area.

Review Booking Policy and Waiver here