Each year ACC Squamish offers a variety of affordable, volunteer-run courses on different topics. In a typical year you can expect to see the following in our Groups Place calendar:
Intro to rock climbing: This course introduces participants to the basic skills required to participate in a club cragging session or to join more experienced friends for a day at the crag. Topics covered include top rope belaying, setting up a top rope anchor, cleaning the anchor, and, if time, rappelling.
- Typically offered over 4 evenings in May, and again over 4 evenings in June
Intro to sport climbing: This course introduces participants to the skills necessary to lead climb and lead belay safely. Over the three sessions, participants will learn the mechanics of lead climbing and lead belaying, how to fall (and catch falls) safely, and will progress from mock leads to live leads as they are ready.
- Typically offered over three evenings in June
Intro to trad climbing: In this 2-day course, participants will learn to place cams and nuts and how to assess the quality of their placements. Participants will practice placing gear on mock lead, and will have the opportunity to progress to live leads when ready.
- Typically offered on a weekend in June and/or July
Intro to backcountry skiing and splitboarding: This 1.5 day course covers the essential skills to start ski touring. This course is not a replacement for avalanche safety training (AST-1), rather, it complements AST-1 by providing more focus on the gear and efficient travel on skis or splitboard. The course also provides an introduction/refresher for avalanche safety concepts taught in the AST-1 course. Intro to backcountry skiing and split boarding includes an evening classroom session (which may be delivered virtually) and a field day (typically on a Saturday at Red Heather)
- mid-December
- mid-January
Trip Planning for Ski Touring (and Splitboarding): This 1.5 day course is designed for backcountry skiers and split boarders who have AST-1 and who have accompanied friends on a few trips and are ready to start taking a more active role in the trip planning. Topics covered include selecting companions, understanding the expected conditions, and selecting an appropriate destination. The course includes an evening classroom session (which may be delivered virtually) during which participants will select a destination and develop a trip plan for the field day (typically on a Saturday)
- Typically offered in late January
Risk and Decision Making for Ski Touring (and Splitboarding): This 1.5 day course is designed for participants who have AST-1, who are actively involved in trip planning, and who have at least 10 days of backcountry skiing/snowboarding experience. The course will examine the physical and psychological factors that affect decision making as well as strategies to support effective decision making in the field. The course includes an evening classroom session (which may be delivered virtually) and a field day in which participants will practice the strategies discussed.
- Typically offered in early February
Intro to Winter Camping: This overnight trip introduces participants to winter camping in a supportive environment. A pre-trip meeting will be held in advance of the trip to answer participants questions about gear.
- Typically offered in late February or early March