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The Alpine Club of Canada

Intro to Multi-pitch

Kick Your Climbing Career Off Right With the Second of the ACC Weekend Climbing Courses

Have you started to venture outside to the local crag but wish you could get up some of the taller walls or to the top of a peak?

Our Intro to Multi-pitch Climbing course is our second level of four climbing courses that will help you gain the confidence to climb trad multi-pitches outside. The multi-pitch course focuses on rope management, switching leads, what gear to bring, how to be efficient in switch-overs and different systems for groups of two, three and four.

No matter your background, our Intro to Multi-pitch Climbing course will teach you the required skills. Many experienced climbers will tell you that when it comes to safety, it is important to get into the right habits from day one. Taking one of these courses will ensure just that. And who better to teach you than long time Bow Valley climber Kris Irwin.

Get professional orientation to the spectacular rock climbing on offer in the Bow Valley and kick off your climbing career right this summer with the ACC!

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BOOKING INFORMATION

Date:
JUNE 10TH – 11TH, 2023

Price: $350 + TAX

Before registering, please review our Waivers and Liability page.

MORE INFORMATION

Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please try to have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

OR Call: (403)-678-3200 ext 213

Rock Climbing Hazards

  • Rockfall
    • Rockfall can be caused by natural forces, or by people travelling through the terrain (Climbing/Scrambling/Hiking) 

What are the risks

    • Impact from a falling rock can result in injury or death and can also damage equipment such as ropes.

Hazard Mitigation

    • Our ACMG certified guides have experience and training to manage this risk
    • Your guide will ask you to put on a helmet when in the mountains
  • Terrain
    • Cornices
    • Crevasses
    • Trees, tree wells, and tree stumps
    • Creeks
    • Rocks and Boulders
    • Variable and difficult walking terrain
    • Impact or collision with other persons or objects
    • Encounters with domestic or wild animals
    • Contact with poisonous flora or fauna
    • Loss of balance or control
    • Slips, trips, and falls

Hazard Mitigation

    • Our ACMG certified guides have experience and training to manage this risk
    • Radios and/or other communication devices
  • Falls and belaying
    • Rock climbing present the risk of falling from the wall causing the climber to collide with the wall or ground 
    • There is also the risk of a belay failure, which can contribute to a ground fall

Hazard Mitigation

    • Your guide will review best belay practices with you or will control the belay
  • Communication, rescue, and medical treatment
    • Communication can be difficult and in the event of an accident rescue and treatment may not be available
    • Adverse weather may also delay the arrival of treatment or transportation out of the field,
    • Alpine weather conditions can be extreme and change rapidly without warning making travel by helicopter
    • If an injury occurs in challenging terrain movement to an evacuation point may be slow

Hazard Mitigation

    • Your guide is trained in both backcountry first-aid and rescue techniques
    • Satellite communication tools
  • Other
    • Slips trips and falls indoor or outdoor
    • Infectious disease contracted via direct or indirect contact, including but not limited to influenza or Covid-19
    • Equipment failure
    • Negligence of other persons, including other guests
    • Negligence of the guide Including failure to to take reasonable steps to safeguard or protect you from or warn you of risk, dangers, hazards, oh participating in ACC activities

Hazard Mitigation

    • Your guide is trained in both backcountry first-aid and rescue techniques
    • Emergency response plans
    • Satellite communication tools

Your “classroom” could be anywhere from the front range crags in Kananaskis all the way through to the “back of the lake” crags at Lake Louise. The climbing areas will be determined by your guide(s) based on a number of factors i.e. weather, distance, group size and dynamics.

Wherever the location the camp will start with going over rope techniques on the group and then transfer onto the wall with the guide to eventually the guide just supervising as you do your own small multipitch with other participants. The course will go over what gear to bring, how to manage the ropes while climbing, how to climb in a party of 2, 3 and more, what to check while your climbing to stay safe and other considerations. By then end of this camp you should feel confident to go up a multipitch climb with a partner.

Saturday:

  • Meet in parking at 8:00 am (MST). The location will be emailed to you one week before the course start date.
  • Guide will review gear before the group hikes in to the crag.
  • Review safety and basic climbing skills.
  • Go over rope techniques and practice with your guide at the anchor.

Sunday:

  • Meet in parking at 8:00 am (MST). Location will be decided and communicated on day 1.
  • Hike into the crag.
  • Review lessons from previous day
  • Mock multipitch leads to real multipitch leads

Novice

For those that already lead climb sport and with rope-handling and belay skills, this is the course for you. Difficulty of grade is not important for this course as hard skills will focus on rope management development. This course is designed for those that already sport climb and want to develop multipitch skills.

Food

To keep the cost of this course as low as possible for participants, food will not be provided as part of the course. So please brink along your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or favoured alternative), a packed lunch and some snacks for both days.

Accommodation

If you are traveling from out of town we recommend staying in Canmore. There are various hostels and hotels to choose from including our very own clubhouse with hostel style accommodation. Located on a high bench overlooking the Three Sisters, Ha Ling and Mount Rundle, our purpose built hostel is the perfect place to relax while completing your course.

For full details on the Canmore Clubhouse accommodation click here

Guiding

This camp will ensure a maximum 6:1 participant to guide ratio to ensure you get sufficient one-on-one coaching. Our guides know the Bow Valley inside out and will be able to recommend future routes and crags to further your skills.

The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!

 

 

 

Rentals

If you don’t have everything on the gear list and aren’t ready to invest in your own, there are many awesome local businesses that rent out all of the equipment you will need. Be sure to reserve your rentals ahead of time to make sure everything you need is available for you when you need it.

  • Coming from the Bow Valley? Check out GearUp in Canmore. ACC members get 10% off all gear rentals!
  • Coming from Calgary? We recommend renting your gear from MEC, the University of Calgary Outdoors Center, or the Norseman.
  • Coming from the Revelstoke? Give Revelstoke Powder Rentals a try.

KRIS IRWIN

Kris is an ACMG Alpine Guide and lives in Banff with his wife Ellen and their daughters Aria and Annie. He is certified to lead all types of rock, ice, and mountain climbs and has been climbing in the mountains at home and abroad since 2004. Although he feels most at home on the classic ice climbs in the Rockies he has also made several first ascents in Alaska in the past few years. Kris is one of the most active waterfall ice climbing guides in the winter and in the summer can be seen leading guests throughout the Rockies, Bugaboos and Rogers Pass. An excellent instructor and personable guide, Kris always gets rave reviews from his guests

We sell Tugo® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips:

INCLUDED WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

  • 2 days instruction by ACMG certified alpine guides
  • Group gear such as ropes and first aid kit

PARTICIPANTS MUST PROVIDE

  • Transportation to and from the field locations
  • Accommodation
  • Snacks and lunches
  • Personal gear (see gear list)

ORGANIZING FANTASTIC ACC ADVENTURES FOR OVER 100 YEARS

  • Local Knowledge – based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
  • Dedicated resources – full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
  • Not-for-profit – any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community