The Alpine Club of Canada
Calgary Section
Trip Leaders Handbook
This information is available
online at http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/documents/documents.html
Revised
September 2007
GUIDELINES FOR TRIP
LEADERS
The responsibility of leading and coordinating
a trip is a hard task, but it can have great rewards. It gives the experienced
mountaineer an opportunity to pass along all the things learned over
the years: how to organize the trip, how to set a measured pace, how
to read terrain and pick out a route, how to communicate with people.
We do not climb because we must; we climb because we love mountains.
A climbing leader helps others enjoy the sport, and that can be deeply
satisfying. Anyone who has technical skills, confidence, and a
sincere interest in the party’s welfare can succeed as a trip leader.
Just as every climbing party needs map
and compass, every trip needs good coordination. The leader’s goal
is to help the party have a safe, enjoyable, successful trip, with minimum
impact on the environment. A leader must be experienced, with technical
skills appropriate for the climb, but does not necessarily need to be
the most experienced in the group. A leader should be in good enough
shape to keep up, but need not to be the strongest in the party. A leader
does need an abundance of good judgment, common sense, and a sincere
interest in the welfare of the entire party. Interested??
Calgary Section trip leaders are responsible
for the overall planning and organization of their proposed trip. The
trip leader must be a competent individual with all of the required
skills necessary to successfully and safely run a Calgary Section trip,
however it is the group’s combined effort that ultimately contributes
to all aspects of the trip. It is important to note that we are
amateur trip leaders and not professional guides. Each participant
of an ACC trip is an equal player and shares a role.
Pre-Trip Responsibilities
Choose trips that are within
your personal limitations/comfort zone, and be prepared to commit the
time required to organize and complete the trip. Leading a route that
you have already done is most recommended.
Find out as much as you can
about the physical and technical demands of the trip by reading literature
and talking to experienced skiers and climbers. Find out current conditions
(weather forecast, trail restrictions, bear closures, route condition,
etc.) by contacting wardens and information centers.
When required, organize hut
space, campsites, transportation and ropes. Ropes can be borrowed free
of charge from the Calgary section. Contact Stan Bobrow at stanbobrow@shaw.ca to arrange ropes for your club trip.
Print a waiver form from the
ACC Website at http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/documents/ACCWaiverGroup06.pdf
in color ink
if you can. Bring this with you to the trailhead.
Only take as many participants
as will allow the trip to be done safely. Take people with sufficient
ability and equipment (this includes clothing, footwear, helmet, and
hardware). If you do not know a potential participant, ask them
about their experience in the mountains (see the “Screening Participants”
section below), and ask for references.
Leave a copy of the climb
itinerary with a responsible person, specifying when you expect to return
and how long the person is to wait before notifying the authorities
if you are overdue. Be realistic when estimating how long your climb
will take. Specify which authorities are to be notified if you are overdue.
If the group must be split
due to terrain or conditions, make sure that you have enough experienced
group and/or rope leaders for the trip.
If for some reason you cannot
lead a scheduled trip, it is recommended that you either postpone it
or find a replacement leader.
Read the avalanche bulletin
before heading out and know what you are heading into.
Review the required personal
and group gear with each participant (shovel, probe, beacon, rope, harness,
headlamp, etc.).
Trip Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the trip
leader to ensure that the activity for which the group is undertaking
is carried out safely. Although there are inherent risks involved in
any mountaineering activity, the trip leader should ensure that all
necessary precautions are undertaken to make the trip as safe as possible
for their participants and themselves.
Ensure that all participants
read and sign the Release and Assumption of Risk form (in the presence
of a witness) prior to departing on the trip - NO EXCEPTIONS.
Ensure that all participants
have the correct equipment with them before leaving town and the trailhead.
Keep the group together. If
it is not feasible, or if it is safer to split the group up (due to
rock fall, etc.), ensure that you have a competent co-leader to send
half of the group with. Arrange a meeting place to regroup further up
the trail.
Stay with your group. It is
sometimes necessary to scout around while route finding, but you should
never stray out of shouting distance.
Keep track of all of your
participants. Use the "buddy system" when traveling through
bush (pair people up and get them to watch out for each other).
Assign a competent tail-person
to ensure that there are no stragglers.
Encourage participants to
wear their helmets whenever it is logical.
Test everyone's transceivers
at the beginning of each ski or ice climbing day.
Make safe and prudent decisions
when it comes to avalanche terrain. There are no prizes for show-offs
or "summit-or-die" types.
Ask a trip participant to
write an article for the Chinook! Email this to our Chinook editor
at callanan@telusplanet.net
Ensure that no one leaves
the trailhead until everyone is out and all cars have been started.
Post-Trip Responsibilities
Upon completion of your activity, please
ensure that the following is carried out:
Forward copies of the signed
waivers to the Ski or Climbing Committee Chairperson for filing. It
is important that The Alpine Club of Canada retain these forms for a
minimum of six years.
Report to the Climbing Committee
Chairperson or the Calgary Section Chairperson the number of individuals
involved in your activity. It is important for statistical and funding
purposes that this is recorded accurately and consistently.
Return any equipment borrowed
from the Calgary Section (ropes, helmets, etc.) promptly and in good
condition. Be sure to dry the ropes out before you return them. Report
any problems with or damage to equipment, or any damage that may have
occurred on your trip (you will not be charged, but we need to know
for safety reasons).
Report any accident or
negative incident incurred on your activity to the Calgary Section Chairperson
and/or the Executive Director of the National Office immediately.
Leading in a Crisis
We hope it never happens, but sometimes
things go wrong: perhaps conditions turn dangerous or someone is injured.
Then the group focus shifts from recreation to safety and survival.
The leader’s role also changes to a decisive style. When an accident
occurs, there is no time for lengthy debate. Prompt, effective action
is needed, and it should be directed by someone with training and experience.
The leader should stay “ hands off” as much as possible, directing
others, maintaining an overview, and thinking ahead to the next steps.
The party should be guided by the three
rules of rescue in managing a crisis:
1- The safety of the rescuers comes first,
even before that of the subject.
2- Act promptly, but deliberately and
calmly.
3- Use procedures you have learned and
practice; this is no time for experiment.
It is easy to think that all climbing
mishaps are life-threatening situations and that the outcome depends
solely on what the rescuers do. In fact, neither is usually the case.
First, most accidents result in cuts and bruises, sprains, sometimes
broken bones, but only occasionally anything worse. Second, the outcome
is usually determined by factors beyond the rescuers’ control. All
that can be reasonably expected is that the trip leader draws upon training
and experience to devise an appropriate plan and then carry it out as
safely and effectively as conditions permit.
The best way to avoid trouble is to anticipate
it. Leaders should always be thinking ahead, asking: “What if?”
In camp, they think of the climb; on the ascent, of the descent; in
success, of retreat. They look for early signs of fatigue in participants,
mentally record bivouac sites, keep watch on the time, and note any
changes in the weather. Everywhere on trips, leaders mentally cross
bridges before reaching them. Trying to stay a step ahead, they hope
to avoid problems or to catch burgeoning ones before they become crisis.
Accidents are unexpected, but you can
prepare for them by taking courses, reading, and mentally rehearsing.
Anyone who proposes doing much climbing should get first-aid training.
Check out the seasonal course schedules of the section for more information
on current courses being offered at http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/summer/summercourses.html
Or
http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/winter/wintercourses.html
Also, you can benefit from studying the
experiences of others climbers. The American Alpine Club and The Alpine
Club of Canada jointly publish “Accidents in North American Mountaineering”.
This annual contains detailed descriptions and analysis of mountaineering
accidents and is instructive. The ACC Edmonton Section maintains
an up-to-date webpage of Alpine Accidents in Canada at http://alpineclub-edm.org/accidents/index.asp
GUIDELINES FOR TRIP PARTICIPANTS
The following is printed in the Chinook
along with the trip schedule. It is included here for your interest
and so that you know what you can expect from participants. All
trips listed in the Calgary Section's trip schedule are coordinated
by amateur volunteer hikers and climbers. When on a trip, participants
must act in a manner that is safe and responsible and participants are
expected to bring the equipment requested by the trip leader. Participants
should find out the requirements and demands of the trip well in advance
by asking the leader and researching the trip in guidebooks and other
literature. Further guidelines for participants are listed below.
Learn as much as you can about
the trip before you attempt to sign up.
Sign up for trips that will
challenge you, but are not beyond your abilities. If unsure, ask the
trip leader and tell them your experience and fitness level. People
inexperienced in the mountains should start with easier trips.
Ensure that you have the right
equipment and that it is in good repair.
Bring your helmet on any trip
rated "Scramble" or "Climb", or any trip that involves
summer glacier travel (you may be asked to bring a helmet for winter
glacier travel as well.)
Be prepared to carry part
of the “group gear.”
Be prepared to complete an
insurance waiver form.
Share expenses.
SELECTION OF TRIP PARTICIPANTS
Who Should Go
Every member of a climbing party must
be up to the challenge, both physically and technically. Some climbers
will go only with proven companions when attempting routes near the
limit of their abilities. When considering inclusion of a climber you
don’t know, ask some questions. Experience is the surest indicator
of ability; someone who has climbed several times at a given level is
probably capable of doing so again. Expeditions sometimes even require
written resumes, but for a weekend climb a little survey is probably
enough to ascertain a person’s fitness. However, when dealing with
inexperienced people, be aware that they may not realize they are unprepared
for the climb you have in mind.
A party that includes novices, or even
experienced people who have never before climbed at this level of difficulty,
will need veteran climbers who are willing and able to coach.
The climb almost surely will take longer, and the chance of success
will be reduced. Be sure everyone in the party understands this
situation and accepts it.
How Many Should Go
The size of the party must be appropriate
to the objective. Both strength and speed should be considered and sometimes
they are at odds. As the minimum for safety, three climbers are recommended:
if one climber is hurt, the second can go for help while the third stays
with the injured person. Another good conservative rule recommends at
least two rope teams for safe travel on a glacier: if one team is pinned
down holding a colleague who has fallen into a crevasse, the second
is there to carry out the rescue.
Maximum party size is determined by considerations
of speed and efficiency, by concerns about environmental impact, or
by land-use regulations. A large group can carry more gear and offer
more helpers in case of emergency, but this is an error to think that
a bigger party is necessarily a safer one. A larger party tends to get
more spread out, can start bigger avalanches, and may kick down more
loose rock.
Sometimes speed is safety, and experienced
alpinists know that a larger group is always slower. On certain routes,
for example, the climbers must move smartly to ensure finishing before
dark or to be past an exposed area before the afternoon sun starts dangerous
rockfall. As a general rule, the more difficult the route, the smaller
the group should be.
Trip Leader's Screening Checklist
Remember, as a trip leader, it is your
responsibility to put together a reasonably compatible group of people
so that everyone has a safe trip and a good time.
The screening process is essential in
achieving this. Hereafter you will find information you might want to
collect:
Participant’s Contact Information
(name and phone numbers)
Emergency Contact Information
(name and phone numbers)
ACC Membership (number, expiry
date, and sections)
Experience (first club trip,
previous trip this year, hardest trips, etc.)
Outdoor Skill Courses Taken
(soft skills, hard skills, first-aid, crevasse rescue, avalanche skills
and transceiver search)
Health and Fitness (allergies,
medications, fitness program)
Alpine Club of Canada’s Policy Regarding
Waiver Administration,
Incident Management & Reporting
TO: All Alpine
Club of Canada Trip Leaders and Section Executives
FROM: National Office
These instructions are to be given
to all trip leaders along with blank waivers for all activities.
This policy and all related documents are on the Alpine Club of Canada’s
website:
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/activities/waivers
A. Waiver Administration
As trip leaders, you are required to
have participants in all activities sponsored by The Alpine Club of
Canada (ACC) sign the official Release, Waiver and Assumption of Risk
(hereinafter referred to as the Release) before the activity
begins. The importance of this document to The Alpine Club of Canada
cannot be over-emphasized. The way you conduct yourself in dealing with
participants signing the Release is of great importance to whether the
document "will stand up in court" later on. As a result,
the following steps should be followed when having participants execute
the Release:
How to get waivers signed properly:
Instructions you may need to give to
Participants:
Read and understand the Release
before signing and dating it. This Release is easy to read and is in
plain English. If you do not sign and submit the Release, you will not
be able to participate in your chosen activity.
The Release is available in
English & French.
If you have any questions
about the meaning of the Release, ask for assistance from the national
office of The Alpine Club of Canada and they will be able to explain
the document in detail.
You cannot change any terms
of the Release prior to signing it.
The witness to your signature
must be a non-family member. It is preferred that the witness is an
Alpine Club of Canada member, volunteer or employee. Each witness should
confirm that you have read and understood the Release.
Do not rush through reading
the Release - leave yourself ample opportunity to read and understand
its terms in advance of your chosen activity.
If you refuse to sign the
Release, you will not be able to participate in the chosen activity.
Instructions
for Trip Leaders:
1. You must ensure that the participant
has had time to read the Release before signing and dating it. Make
sure they are not rushed during this important part. If you are
able, it is often advisable to have participants read and sign the waiver
well in advance of the activity e.g. days or weeks before the activity.
The waiver is available for viewing on the Alpine Club of Canada’s
website and trip leaders should encourage participants to read this
and understand its contents prior to any trip. Be sure that participants
are aware that if they do not sign the Release they will not be able
to participate in the Activity.
2. You must ask each participant whether
they have any questions about the meaning of the Release and, if they
do have any questions, you should do your best to answer them. If you
can't, questions should be referred to the Executive Director of The
Alpine Club of Canada who will be able to explain the document in detail.
3. Nothing in this Release can be changed
in any way and it must be signed “as is” as a condition of participating
in the proposed activity.
4. You must understand the Release yourself.
Read it very carefully and make sure that you understand its terms.
If you do not understand any of its terms, or don't feel that you are
capable of explaining it to someone else, please contact the Executive
Director of The Alpine Club of Canada, who will provide you with an
explanation to address your concerns.
5. Should participants ask you to tell
them what the document says, be sure to emphasize that they are required
to read it and understand it before signing, and before they will be
able to participate in the activity. You can tell them that it is a
document which protects The Alpine Club of Canada from lawsuits in the
event that a participant is injured or killed or has any of his property
or personal belongings damaged or lost. The Release also protects The
Alpine Club of Canada from liability for not only natural hazards but
for the negligence of any of the other ACC member participants. You
should also tell them that the document includes a clause where each
participant agrees that, should evacuation or rescue become necessary,
each participant agrees to pay the cost of that evacuation or rescue.
6. The witness to the participants' signature
must be a non-family member. You can witness the person's signature
or one of the other participants can witness the signature. The preferred
approach, if possible, is to have the participant's signature witnessed
by an Alpine Club of Canada member, volunteer or employee. Each witness
should ask the participant if he/she has read and understood the release,
which is critical to its legal validity. Minors must have their
parent/guardian sign the Release and trip leaders must be satisfied
that the minor is able to and does participate in the activity safely.
7. If an individual refuses to sign the
Release, you must advise them that he or she will not be able to participate
in the activity.
8. The Release is available in the following
languages: English and French. The person should be provided with a
Release that is written in the language that he or she is most comfortable
with.
9. For "repeat" and virtually
“ identical” activities (e.g. weekly or monthly sessions at the
same climbing wall), participants need only sign the Release once per
year. For all other activities, including all outdoor activities, a
separate Release must be signed prior to each activity.
What
to do with the Release(s) after signing:
11. Assuming that an incident does not
occur during a given activity, signed Releases must be retained by the
Section for a period of six years, after which time they can be destroyed.
Please return all signed Releases as soon as possible following an activity
to the person in your Section who has been given the duty of looking
after these documents.
Note: In the ACC Calgary Section,
this is the ski or climbing committee chairperson.
B. Incident Management
If an incident results in injury, property
damage or loss (or if the trip leader feels that an injury or property
damage/loss situation could possibly be claimed at some later time),
the following process should be followed:
Administer
appropriate incident management procedures:
Trip leaders will have the responsibility
of carrying out or delegating whatever actions are necessary to manage
the situation until the victim has been turned over to the appropriate
rescue, health care or other authorities. Your incident report
will deal with the events up to that point.
Complete
an incident report:
The trip leader or other designated individual
must contact the Executive Director at the Alpine Club of Canada’s
National Office as soon as possible regarding the incident. One
scenario would be for the trip leader to contact the Section Chair and
that person would contact the Executive Director. This must be
done as soon as possible after the incident occurs.
In addition, a complete, written incident
report must be prepared as soon as possible after the incident occurs,
sent to the Section Executive who will send it on via the Section Chair
to the Executive Director. The original, signed Releases(s) of all persons
who suffered (or might later claimed to have suffered) personal injury
or property damage/loss as a result of the incident must accompany this
report. In this report, it is important to record all relevant
information about the incident: times, location, activity being undertaken
at the time of the incident, etc. Opinions or speculations as
to how the incident could have been avoided should not be included.
It is the Section Executive’s duty to ensure that the report is complete
before submitting it to the Executive Director.
Under normal circumstances, it is
expected that an incident report will be in the Executive Director’s
hands no later than a maximum of 3 weeks after the incident.
Do NOT talk to the media about the incident.
Any questions from the media are to be referred to the Executive Director
of the Alpine Club of Canada. No copies of any Releases or incident
reports are to be provided to the victim or any other person.
Liability
Insurance
The Club's comprehensive liability insurance
is similar to the broad-based type of liability insurance most people
have as part of their home insurance. The Club's policy covers situations
where negligence on the part of an ACC employee, officer, director,
member or volunteer results in personal bodily injury or property damage.
The coverage is in place only when these
individuals are engaged in an official Club activity or are acting on
behalf of the Club. An official activity could be an Section sponsored
outing, the GMC, or a volunteer work party at a hut. The maximum coverage
is one million dollars per incident (including any legal costs awarded),
subject to $1000 deductible. There are of course certain exclusions
listed in the policy e.g. acts of war, acts of terrorism and nuclear
accidents.
An example of a situation where the policy
coverage would come into effect is when a National or Section camp or
activity is underway, and it is alleged that the negligence of an ACC
member in the group causes bodily injury to someone else, either in
or outside the group. If the injured person pursued a claim for compensation
for his or her injuries, the ACC's liability insurance policy would
come into play and the insurer would defend the individual against the
claim. In the event the claim was unsuccessful, the insurer (or the
other party) would pay the legal costs. If the claim was successful,
the insurer would pay the legal costs and the claim awarded (up to $1
million, less the $1000 deductible).
It should be noted that the ACC policy
is not meant to pay any of the injured party's medical expenses directly.
Similarly, if the member causing the bodily injury was also injured
in the process, any related medical expenses would be his or her own
responsibility.
If Club members are on a personal back
country outing (i.e. are not engaged in an official Club activity) and,
through negligence, cause someone bodily injury or cause property damage,
the Club's insurance policy would not apply.
Liability insurance is something we all
hope we never have to use. However, it's always a good idea to know
in advance what you're covered for, and what you're not.
Copied from: http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/membership/insurance.html
Participation Of Non-Members And Minors
On Official Acc
Section Trips*
*ACC Section trips are those that are
endorsed by the Section Trips Committee and are listed on the published
program of Section trips, camps, etc. For the balance of this document,
they are referred to simply as “trips”.
This information sheet is intended to
provide direction to section trip organizers, leaders, etc. regarding
the participation of non-members and minors.
Minors on Trips
The following information was issued
by Parks Canada in March, 2004:
______________________________________________________________________
New Rules
for Backcountry Trips with Young People
Group leaders planning backcountry trips
in the mountain national parks now have new obligations when they are
responsible for a custodial group.
A "Custodial Group" means an
institutional group where at least one person is below the age of majority
and that minor is not in the company of his/her parent. Institutional
groups include but are not limited to School Groups, Scout/Guide Groups,
Church Groups, Cadet Groups and Community Youth Groups.
To ensure appropriate backcountry leadership
and terrain choices, effective April 01, 2004, custodial groups must
obtain a permit and be accompanied by a certified mountain or ski guide
before they will be allowed to travel into avalanche terrain in Mount
Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho, Kootenay, Banff, Jasper and Waterton Lakes
National Parks.
This applies to both day trips and overnight
trips between October 15 and May 31. The application process takes about
two weeks; pre-trip planning is essential. For more information please
contact the nearest mountain national park office, or visit park web
sites via: www.parkscanada.gc.ca
______________________________________________________________________
ACC Sections must adopt this policy
on all trips regardless of where they take place (in a National Park,
on provincial lands and elsewhere).
To summarize, Sections cannot allow
children on any backcountry ski trips that have exposure to any avalanche
hazard unless either a UIAGM guide or at least one parent of the child
is also on the trip.
Non-Members On Trips, Minors On Summer
And
Non-Avalanche Terrain
Winter Trips
Note: The ACC Calgary Section does endorse
non-member participation in club trips and activities.
There are key points trip organizers,
etc., need to note when making such choices:
participant safety is the
paramount factor in deciding whether or not someone should be allowed
to take part. If there is any doubt as to whether or not a potential
participant might be a safety risk to themselves or anyone else on the
trip, they should not be allowed to go. While this is always the case
it is particularly so with minors.
all trip participants (regardless
of membership status or age) must sign the ACC waiver prior to participating.
The parent/guardian of each minor must also sign the waiver. For more
details, see the waiver form and accompanying guidelines available from
your section, or see the ACC National website www.alpineclubofcanada.ca
parents/guardians of minors
participating on trips need to be specifically informed prior to the
trip:
of the gravity of the trip
(nature of the activity, risks, etc.); and,
that, by signing the waiver
for their minor, they are agreeing to their minor participating in such
activity.
NB: Having participants sign
the ACC waiver before a trip serves to protect the Club and trip organizers,
leaders. etc., in cases where an accident occurs. However, signing an
ACC waiver does not protect a participant from the risks associated
with a possible damage claim. Rather, this risk protection is provided
to ACC members through our liability insurance coverage - coverage which
does not extend to non-members. This is a great reason for trip
participants to join the ACC!!!
New Trip Leaders
We are always encouraging members to
move their club activities up a notch by leading a club trip to the
mountains. Becoming an ACC trip leader can be a beautiful and rewarding
experience and we hope that you will enjoy it as much as we do.
In the case of new leaders, we would like you to go through these
three steps:
Attend a New Leader’s Orientation
Day. These are held seasonally and publicized in our monthly
newsletter “The Chinook” and the weekly email service “The Breeze”.
To receive the Breeze, apply online at http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/news/emailarchive.html
Review your trip coordinators
handbook and direct your questions to any member of the training and
leadership committee, the climbing or ski committee chairperson.
Have a first aid certification.
If you don't have one, then you need to take a Standard first aid course
(level A CPR). If your certification expired, then you need to re-certify.
Because you are volunteering for the Calgary section, the section will
pay for 100% of the Standard First Aid (level A) St Johns Ambulance
or equivalent, or if you want to take Wilderness First Aid, an even
more intense albeit more valuable course, we will put the $100 towards
it. For more information, see the Subsidy Policy for Trip Leaders.
Access our mentorship program.
With a mentor, you can coordinate your first trip, preferably somewhere
you have already been, with a more experienced member coming along to
help you out as required and to give you feedback at the end of the
day. The training and leadership or climbing committee can arrange this,
please get in touch with any one of us.
As usual, if you have any comments or
questions or require clarification, please feel free to ask any member
of the executive. See you in the mountains!
ACC CALGARY SECTION
ROPE POLICY
Climbing ropes shall be down
graded to ‘Top Rope’ or ‘Glacier Rope’ status within five years
of purchase.
Top or Glacier ropes shall
be retired within ten years of purchase.
Biners and slings shall be
retired within ten and five years of purchase respectively.
Retired ropes will be available
to members after signing a release.
5.Rope Keeper Responsibilities:
Record rope usage and maintain
log.
Store ropes in dry dark area.
Manage rope inventory, purchase
and retirement.
Label ropes for usage.
Manage other ACC section gear,
purchase and retirement.
Manage trip leader rope requests
and returns.
6.Trip Leader Responsibilities:
Advise rope keeper in writing
of any known damage.
Advise rope keeper in writing
of any falls.
Return ropes within 4 days
after trip.
Ensure proper usage of ropes.
Dry ropes before returning.
NOTE: Damaged ropes
will be replaced at the cost of the Alpine Club. Members are encouraged
to report damage for the safety of other members. Rope use is on a "no
fault" basis.
7.Climber Responsibilities
Ensure proper usage of ropes,
e.g. crampon or boot damage.
Advise Trip Leader of any
known damage.
Advise Trip Leader of any
falls.
Examine rope to ensure it
is in suitable condition for trip.
14 April 03
Course
Subsidy Policy
for Calgary Section
Trip Coordinators
Alpine Club of Canada
– Calgary Section
Policy Document - February
2007
Title: Training and Leadership
Training Subsidy
Purpose: To provide financial
subsidies to leaders and potential leaders to ensure trip leaders have
the first aid and mountaineering skills required to lead safe and interesting
trips for Calgary Section Members
Definition: Calgary Section
Members who take a mountain skills and/or first aid course and, six
months before or after the completion of the course, lead a trip for
the Calgary Section, can apply for a subsidy under this program within
the following parameters:
Subsidy amount will be the
cost of the course, up to $100 per course. (See examples below.)
The trip must be lead within
6 months (before or after) of taking the course to be eligible.
This time period can be waived at the discretion of the executive if,
for example, bad weather for a prolonged period of time forces cancellation
of trips and does not allow for rescheduling. Otherwise, if a
trip is cancelled for any reason, it is the leader’s responsibility
to reschedule the trip within the 6-month period.
Any course on the Section’s
Course Schedule (Winter or Summer) is automatically eligible for a subsidy.
Any course NOT on the Section’s Course Schedule should be pre-approved
by the Executive to determine eligibility. Courses should be related
to First Aid training or Mountaineering skills (for example: ski, ice,
rock, alpine, mountain safety & rescue).
Each person can apply for
one subsidy per year. They can apply for a second subsidy if one
of the courses is a first aid course. The maximum number of course
subsidies per person is two, within these parameters. In order
to be eligible for two subsidies, the member must lead two trips, each
within 6 months of each course.
To apply, please give to the
treasurer a copy of your invoice and a copy of the waiver of your trip.
The person must be a paid
member of the Calgary Section at the time they take the course, at the
time they lead the trip, and also at the time they apply for the subsidy.
Program can be cancelled at
any time.
Exception: The North
Face Course (winter and summer) and the Marmot Women’s week (winter
and summer) will be assigned a subsidy of $200 each instead of $100.
These courses will count as one of the two courses that leaders can
apply for.
Examples:
Member takes a First Aid course
at a cost of $90.00 and leads a trip 6 months before or after of completing
that course…. Subsidy amount is $90.00
Member takes a Crevasse Rescue
Course at a cost of $150.00 and leads a trip within 6 months before
or after of completing that course… Subsidy amount is $100.00 (the
maximum amount)
Member takes a First Aid Course
at a cost of $90.00 and an Introductory Recreational Avalanche Course
for $110.00 and then leads two trips, each within 6 months before or
after of completing each course…. Subsidy amount is $190.00 ($90 for
the First Aid, maximum of $100 for the IRAC)
Member takes an Ice Safety
Refresher Course for $90.00 and also takes a Mixed Climbing Course $240
then leads two trips within ±6 months… Subsidy amount is $100.00.
Only one course is eligible (the one of highest cost will be accepted)
since the other course is not a first aid course.
Member takes the North Face
Leadership Course for $695; and also takes the Advanced Adventure Medic
Course for $625.00; and also take a Crevasse Rescue Course for $150
and then leads three trips, each within ±6 months of taking each course…
Subsidy amount is $300 ($200 for the North Face Course and $100 for
the first aid course. No subsidy is given for the Crevasse Rescue
Course since the maximum number of subsidies is two).
Limits: Every fiscal year,
a different amount (limit) is budgeted to finance this program. This
limit is based on budget available and amounts paid during prior years.
Once the limit is reached, no more subsidies will be paid out that year.
At the executive’s discretion, this threshold can be raised if the
budget will allow it.
Term: This policy will remain
valid until further notice and will be reviewed at each annual budget
planning meeting.
15
Things That A Trip Coordinator Should Think About
Before, During,
and After A Club Trip
(Excerpts taken from
the "Spring 2005 Leadership Round-Table" discussion)
1. Take the time. Be prepared
to commit the time needed to research and organize the trip. Know
where you are going. Write down the trip description and plans
and take this with you. Leave this information with someone responsible
back in town. Ask for recent trip beta, and check weather
and avalanche forecasts in advance.
2.
Waivers. Ask participants if they have not only read but
also understood the waiver. At the carpool location get the waivers
signed. The waiver protects the leader and trip participants as
long as they are ACC members. Have participants bring their membership
cards to the trailhead.
3. Screening. Ask
participants about trips they have done in the past. Sending
out a quick screening questionnaire to participants can be useful.
Some questions to ask include participant and emergency contact info,
trips/climbs done in the last 6 months, first aid certification, vehicle
and license, what grade are they comfortable leading and seconding,
skills specific to that trip (e.g. transceiver/rock rescue/crevasse
rescue reviews). Be clear with what equipment the participants
need to bring.
4. At the Carpool Location.
Check the equipment list for yourself and participants before you leave
town. You may be able to recollect missing items or find spare
items among participants, and save the trip. Not having the right
equipment = no go. As a leader it is always a good idea to bring
along extra equipment.
5. Equipment. Consider taking
a short rope, a few pieces of gear, pitons (can always find a rock to
hammer it in). Conditions change and can become icy overnight...
take the 'just incase' gear! Make sure there is enough emergency
equipment within the group (tarp, first aid kit, warm jackets, candles
to start fire, cellphones). Make sure everyone in the group always has
a working headlamp.
6. Group
Management. Keep the most inexperienced member closest to
you. You can have different leaders for different sections (rock
pitch, river crossing, snow travel), but the trip coordinator need to
be the overall leader for the day, and has the final responsibility
for the trip. Assign a tail person to stay at the back of the
group. Set expectations for travelling together with the first
contact with participants (screening), and the outset of the trip.
If the group gets spread out, set frequent waiting points to reassemble.
Be careful with splitting the group, make sure each group has a leader
and set clear expectations. Never leave anyone on their own to
wait!
7. Holding Hands. If participants
are nervous on certain terrain, take their hand and march down it.
Don't let that person to come down last and alone. Leading is
not always from the front. Consider getting someone else to take
the lead if you want to be at the back of the rope or group. Forget
your personal ambitions for the day.
8. Do hourly checks. Weather,
energy of the group, the return route (look behind you) harnesses done
back up after breaks.
9. River Crossings. They
can be very dangerous. Go across in columns, link arms or hold
onto packs. Waist belts should be undone.
10. Short Roping. Learn
how to short rope from guides, courses, or manuals. Be prepared
to use this skill, as it can save time and help participants move faster
if nervous.
11. Clothing. Participants
should wear helmets, gloves, and long pants when going down scree slopes,
as this can save minor injuries.
12. Sun. Encourage the use
of sun protection- hats, sunscreen, glasses, and long sleeves.
Remind participants to reapply sunscreen at breaks.
13. Ropes on Glaciers. This
is easy not to do, but what if someone goes in? The difficulty
and time of the rescue increases dramatically when unroped.
14. GPS and radios. Consider
getting a GPS and taking it with you as an adjunct to a map and compass.
Radios can be an invaluable tool on multipitch climbs, and are worth
their weight in gold.
15. Adventure/exploratory trips.
Generally it is more comfortable to lead a trip that you are familiar
with. If you want to do an exploratory trip, screen participants
carefully and keep the group small. So more research so you are
more familiar and tell participants at the outset. Remember you can
always turn back, so assess your return route continuously.
Count your lemons! Bad weather,
broken gear, time, etc. When you get to 4 lemons- call it a day!
What is the most important half-hour
of any trip? The first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes. In
the first 15, you set the pace of the trip. Better to start slow
and pick up the pace than start fast and pick up the pieces. At
the end of the day, make sure no one comes down alone.
More information can be found in the
Calgary Section's "Trip Coordinator Handbook", which can be
found on the Website under 'documents/waivers/manuals' at http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary/documents/documents.html
ACC Calgary
Trip Participant
Information
Name
Emergency
Contact
(name,
telephone number)
Allergies/Medical
Conditions