[Author: Jordan Bell. Originally published March 2020]
Participants: Andrew Fehr, Chris Day, George Sutherland, Jeff Mccurdy, Michael Stensby, Rene Villeneuve
Mentors: Martin Schwangler, Dustin McLachlan, Jessica Ferguson, Jordan Bell.
On February 01-02, the BRMP hosted its first skills weekend for the 2020 season, gathering in Lake Louise for two-days of ski touring to focus on avalanche terrain management, evaluating hazard, track setting, and group management techniques. The weekend followed a couple of months of online discussions, a social night, and a companion rescue refresher the week before the trip.
Friday and Saturday brought new snow, some rain (up to 1800m), and extreme winds to the region. Paired with several persistent weaknesses in the snowpack, Parks Canada elevated the avalanche hazard to “high” for all elevations and aspects on Saturday. The decision to proceed with the weekend was not made lightly, but there was unanimous agreement among the group that the priority was the learning experience…if we ended up just going for a walk, it was still better than a weekend of Netflix!
Heading out into these tricky conditions granted us ample opportunities to observe an unstable snowpack and employ “extra caution” travel. Conservative route selection was the name of the game and we generally stuck to low-angle terrain while avoiding exposure to natural activity from above. After a well-deserved sauna on Saturday, the group retired to the comfort of the “guides room” upstairs to share our big takeaways from the day (by the way, the guide’s room at Lake Louise hostel is FREE for ACC use on section trips). As a bonus, we found great turns at Narao and Cathedral Glades on Saturday, and then up 93N at Crowfoot Glades and Pulpit 1 on Sunday. Overall, a great weekend was had by all and we are looking forward to our next skills weekend in March!
From BRMP participants:
“My biggest takeaway from the first field weekend was learning how to analyze a variety of avalanche problems in the regional avalanche forecast and apply specific decision-making tools, strategies, and field tests to guide safe terrain selection. Now I’m better equipped to identity where, when, and why it is safe to ride, and I have the knowledge to tour in new areas and to take on a more active leadership role in my own touring groups. The weekend also highlighted the importance of active listening and respectful communication when making decisions in avalanche terrain.”
“The BRMP provides just what intermediate backcountry skiers/boarders need: multiple days in a semi-structured learning environment in the backcountry with mentors. There’s just no substitute for being able to discuss assessments of avalanche terrain and decisions about group management and route selection with highly experienced people. The mentors focus on reviewing and honing foundational backcountry riding skills but keenly address the interests of participants. The program is volunteer-run, but feels professional.”
New to the BRMP this year is the addition of assistant mentors from the ranks of previous seasons. Jordan and Jessica, both active trip leaders, added immensely to the group discussions and offered the participants a more diverse set of experiences to draw on. It was exciting to see the enthusiasm of the new mentors and their passion for the program. Looking forward, we hope to continue bringing new faces into the mentorship team and are always keen to hear from folks that want to get involved.
To learn more about the BRMP visit accedmonton.ca/backcountry-riders-mentorship-program or email brmp.yeg.acc@gmail.com. Applications open in the fall!
