ACMG Volume 26 Winter 2007 News Han Gmo er Inside... s s 1932 - 2006 New Code of Conduct by Chic Scott page 5 Hans Gmoser, the eminence grise of Canadian was ski touring near the Stanley Mitchell Hut in the mountaineering, died July 5th, 2006, from injuries Little Yoho Valley, near Field, BC. Here they celebrated sustained in a fall while cycling the 1A highway near their first Canadian Christmas and learned to love their 7 in 7 Banff. In recent years Gmoser had shunned the limelight, adopted country. Hans played the zither and Leo loved page 7 content to enjoy his two favourite activities – cross- to sing so the wilderness cabin was full of music. country skiing in winter and cycling in summer. But Hans’ mountaineering achievements during the fifties during the 1950s, 60s and 70s he laid the foundation of and sixties are numerous and a brief list would include President’s modern mountaineering in . He pioneered rock, early ascents of Mount and Brussels Peak, two alpine and expedition climbing, he popularized ski of the hardest challenges in the Rockies; a remarkable Prattle mountaineering and was largely responsible for creating ascent of the east ridge of Mount Logan, Canada’s highest our professional mountain guides association. Through peak; the second (and possibly first) ascent of Mount page 9 his films and later Blackburn in Alaska; and through helicopter a new route on the north skiing he made the face of Denali (Mount The Devil’s Canadian mountains McKinley), North Advocate world famous. America’s highest summit. Born in Braunau, As a skier he pioneered page 11 Austria, July 7, 1932, new high-level ski Hans grew up during the traverses in the Purcell troubled war years. As Mountains and along the Multi-burial a teenager he discovered crest of the Rockies from searching the mountains and a to the lifelong passion was . For page 23 kindled. With his friend young Canadian climbers Franz Dopf he climbed and ski mountaineers he and skied and developed was an icon and inspired Guide- his mountaineering several generations of skills. Then, in 1951, fledgling mountaineers. speak 101 Hans and Leo Grillmair The idealistic articles he page 27 immigrated to Canada. wrote in the Canadian Life was pretty spartan Alpine Journal were music for the pair and their first to young ears looking for job was logging near an alternative lifestyle: Whitecourt, Alberta. “What were we trying to Soon they made their do?Werewetryingto way to Calgary, where show off? Were we trying they were joined by to kill ourselves? – No! Dopf. Linking up with We wanted to inhale and The Alpine Club of breathe life again. We Canada they began to were rebelling against an discover our incredible existence which human mountain wilderness. kind has forced upon During the summer itself. We were rebelling months their passion against an existence full was rock climbing, of distorted values, against pioneering new routes an existence where a man on Mount Yamnuska in is judged by the size of the front ranges of the his living-room, by the Rockies. In the winter it Hans Gmoser amount of chromium on ACMG News 2 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Continued from page 1 his car. But here we were ourselves again: simple and pure. educational mountain outdoor experience. We want our guests Friends in the mountains.” to be comfortable and to feel at home in our lodges. We want But it was as a mountain guide that he really made his mark. to keep our lodges free of the electronic noises and images

He began leading ski tours for Erling Strom and Lizzie that invade our lives everywhere else. We consider ourselves News Rummel near in 1953. Lizzie became a to be intruders into one of the few large, contiguous natural close friend and confidant, as did Fred Pessl, one of Hans’ areas left in the world. Therefore, we ask our guests that they, first clients. Hans never forgot the early friends he made in along with us, respect the sanctity, silence and the spirit of the mountains. They supported him when he needed help and these natural wonders we are privileged to share.” he repaid their trust many times over. In later years Hans Hans was also a founding member of the Association of would host ‘Nostalgia Week’ at his lodge in the Bugaboos Canadian Mountain Guides and its first technical chairman. and invite his early clients and supporters to join him for a Throughout his career he took a keen interest in guides affairs week of heli-skiing. and for a number of years was the association’s president. In 1957 Hans founded Rocky Mountain Guides Ltd. He Hans’s pioneering efforts in mountain climbing, ski touring led mountain climbers during the summer but the real bread and heli-skiing created an industry that today employs hundreds and butter programs were the ski weeks in the winter, at of guides and thousands of support staff. Mount Assiniboine, Rogers Pass and of course at his beloved Beyond all these notable achievements, Hans was simply Stanley Mitchell cabin in the Little Yoho Valley. From 1957 a remarkable man who inspired loyalty and in return would to 1967 Hans made 10 ski and climbing films that he toured be your lifelong friend. He was a man who, in the words of all over North America, from Alaska to California and east the poet Rudyard Kipling, could “walk with Kings – nor lose to Montreal and New York. One year he had 53 lecture dates the common touch”. Gmoser numbered among his friends on his schedule and attracted a crowd of 2500 people in and clients Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (who he guided up Detroit. Hans accompanied these films with a romantic Bugaboo Spire), the King of Spain and the King and Queen narration that thrilled and inspired audiences. A critic in a of Norway, but during his tenure at the helm of CMH he Milwaukee newspaper wrote, “In narrating the film Mr. probably knew the name of every guest who skied at his Gmoser offered more than entertainment… there was a simple lodges and every staff member who took care of them. lesson in philosophy.” Hans was a gifted communicator, a Hans met his wife, Margaret MacGougan, skiing at the poet in fact, and wrote in the Canadian Alpine Journal, “In Stanley Mitchell Hut and they married in 1966. They have the end, to ski is to travel fast and free - free over the untouched lived all these years in the same modest house in Harvie snow covered country. To be bound to one slope, even to one Heights (near Canmore) and have two sons, Conrad (Lesley) mountain, by a lift may be convenient but it robs us of the and Robson (who is a ski guide like his father) and two greatest pleasure that skiing can give, that is, to travel through grandchildren. the wide wintry country; to follow the lure of the peaks which Hans has been greatly honoured over the years, receiving tempt on the horizon and to be alone for a few days or even honourary memberships in The Alpine Club of Canada and a few hours in, clear, mysterious surroundings.” the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations Although Hans loved traditional ski touring from small and an honourary doctorate from Thompson Rivers University. cabins in the wilderness, he is today known as the father of He was elected to the Honour Roll of Canadian Skiing and helicopter skiing. In 1965 he ran the first two commercial to the U.S National Ski Hall of Fame. He is a recipient of the heli-ski weeks from an old logging camp in the Bugaboo Banff Mountain Film Festival Summit of Excellence Award Mountains, near Radium, BC. Heli-skiing took off, for the and, in 1987, was awarded the Order of Canada. Just a few timing was perfect: the requisite jet helicopter technology weeks ago he was a founding inductee into the Canadian was just being developed. By 1968 luxurious Bugaboo Lodge Tourism Hall of Fame. He was Honourary President of the was open, welcoming blue ribbon clientele from around North ACMG. America and Europe. Hans’ Rocky Mountain Guides Ltd. Not long ago Hans commented: “Looking back, I’ve had grew to become Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), with a good interesting life. I had my time in the mountains. I had 500 employees and a dozen lodges scattered throughout the my time as a businessman. So what more can I ask for?” interior of BC. Hans was of course in the right place at the Hans’ passing will bring to a close a large, interesting and right time, but he was also the right man for the job. He very creative era in the western Canadian mountains. developed a heli-ski industry with strong ties to the traditional mountain guiding and mountain climbing communities, and he always felt that heli-skiing was a wilderness experience. Chic Scott is a Ski Guide, author and Honourary Member of He wrote: “Our primary aim is to offer our guests a safe and the ACMG. He lives in Banff. What happened to the News? You may have noticed the ACMG News was late for this ACMG News winter issue. This was caused by the theft of the editor’s “I love opportunity. I wave to it every time it passes me by” computer and the nearly completed newsletter contained on - Captain Jack Sparrow its hard drive. Fortunately most original documents had been Managing Editor backed up but a month’s delay occurred before time was found Mark Klassen to re-do the layout. Better late than never! Editorial Consultant Correction Mary Clayton Editorial Policy In ACMG News, Volume 25, Summer 2006, an error was We try to (eventually) publish everything submitted by ACMG made. Although this error was pointed out by the person members, excepting libel. Editorial, Opinion and other selected affected, the News was asked not to publicise it. The News articles are reviewed by the Editorial Consultant. Technical articles apologizes for this error, even though we are not allowed to are reviewed by the Chair of the Technical Committee, but are not say what it was. necessarily endorsed by the committee. Article submissions and advertising information: Hans Gmoser photo: Elsa Wyatt,Whyte Museum of the [email protected] Cover photo: Fidelity Bowl, by Mark Klassen Sidebar photos: Bruins Pass, by Mark Klassen

Volume 26, Winter 2007 3 ACMG News LIP Balm by Peter Tucker One of the responsibilities of the ACMG Membership Services typically make their living other than by independent guiding Committee is to monitor and rework the various services to apply for a lower price tier. There will be an application offered to ACMG members. The Liability Insurance Program process built into the dues in which these guides will have to (LIP) is arguably the most important of those services, as, provide sufficient information to convince the Membership without adequate and affordable insurance, nobody would Services Committee that they should be in this category. There guide independently and we would never get access to some will also be an auditing process by which we can determine of the land jurisdictions that are so crucial to guiding. if abuse of the system is occurring. More detailed information Several years ago Karl Klassen did an incredible job setting on all of this will be provided to you prior to having to pay up the program, and it has been stable for a few years. This your dues.

News year, the Committee asked me to look into tweaking the Class 3 includes a price for Incorporated Businesses. This program to try to make it a little more equitable for guides must be paid to list your incorporated business in addition to according to their earning potential. Jardine Lloyd Thompson your personal premium. This coverage allows you to insure (JLT), our broker, arranged for us to get 20 more spots on the non-guiding staff (cooks, drivers, etc), but not any employed policy with no additional charge. With this extra room, the or contracted guides. They must have their own personal Committee and I explored a variety of options to readjust the coverage. pricing scheme. After much healthy debate, the following is You’ll also notice that the insurance cost for visiting US what emerged and was passed unanimously at the AGM on guides has increased from $200 to $700. This is in response November 11: to a number of concerns you raised earlier this year about the sweet deal US guides seemed to be getting, given that there Class 1: $200: Visiting IFMGA guides – except US guides is limited access for us to guide in their country. We are (coverage for up to 2 months only) working in cooperation with the AMGA to try to improve the Class 2: $350: Hiking / Backpacking Guides / Assistant Rock situation, but, in the meantime, US guides will pay the same / Assistant Ski Guides as most seasonal specialty guides. We opted not to change Class 3: $500: Assistant Alpine Guides / Incorporated the fee for IFMGA guides from other countries, as we didn’t Businesses (listed in addition to member’s personal name) want to jeopardize the sound reciprocity that exists there. Class 4: $700: Seasonal Specialty Guides (Rock & Ski Guides) Our intention is to run this pricing scheme for a year and / Aspirant Guides (Assistant Guides in all disciplines) / gather feedback from you on how it is working. We’ll look Mountain or Alpine Guides who work independently for 21 at making changes for the following year to try to accommodate or fewer days per year / Visiting IFMGA guides from the US any inequities or holes in the plan. It is likely not yet perfect Class 5: $1400: Mountain or Alpine Guides who work but we believe that making premiums more proportional to independently for more than 21 days. earning potential is a step in the right direction. I strongly encourage you to let me know how this plan works As you can see, there are now two more classes than in the for you so that we can make further adjustments in the future previous structure. Most guides will pay less than they did if they are necessary. before, but those paying more are the ones with a greater earning potential (ie: they can work year round). Class 4 Peter Tucker is the Executive Director of the ACMG provides an option for Mountain and Alpine Guides who Stethem, Jamieson granted honourary membership Chris Stethem and Bruce Jamieson were both granted Canadian Avalanche Foundation in 1999; is current president Honourary Membership in the ACMG for their many years of the Canadian Avalanche Foundation; and provides of significant contributions to the fields of avalanche safety, continuous advice, training and mentorship to many guides education, training, standards and to the operational delivery Dr. Bruce Jamieson holds the Canada Research Chair in of winter guiding in Canada. Avalanche Risk Control, and leads the Applied Snow and Armed with a geography degree, Stethem began as an Avalanche Research team at the University of Calgary. avalanche forecaster and program manager for Whistler Jamieson is well known to the membership of the ACMG, Mountain in 1970, and shortly after began his apprenticeship as most guides rely on many of the decision-making tools under Peter Schaerer and the National Research Council of that he has developed. Rutschblocks, compression tests, Canada. Stethem’s involvement with public and professional fracture character and snow profile interpretation are basic avalanche safety has since spanned 35 years, and today he is tools that are used on a daily basis, and Jamieson is owed the an internationally recognized consultant and leader in his credit for taking these tools from the realm of voodoo to field. Stethem has always been an ardent supporter of the professional practice. His role in training is equally significant, ACMG, has trained hundreds of guides and been a mentor to and he has been teaching avalanche science to mountain many of us in this association. guides for over 20 years. As a past president of the CAA, A brief summary of some of Stethem’s contributions to member of the CAA Technical Committee, educator on CAA guiding and mountain safety include being a founding member professional training courses, and annual ongoing training of of the Canadian Avalanche ski and mountain guides – Association in 1981; he was Jamieson’s influence is felt President of the Canadian throughout all winter Avalanche Association guiding operations. from 1988-92; has been Jamieson is a continuous involved in the professional supporter of the role that training of guides since professional guides play in 1976; he was an Infoex the evolution of avalanche pioneer; has been a safety in Canada. Much of significant part of our legal his work had its genesis in safety net (standards, the needs of the guiding investigations, President Scott Davis (left) and Bruce Jamieson, new community and therefore representation); was a Chris Stethem at the AGM Honourary Member retains a particularly useful founding member of the Photo: Grant Statham Photo courtesy CAA and practical bent. ACMG News 4 Volume 26, Winter 2007 A new Code of Conduct by Peter Tucker

At the AGM on November 11, the membership voted viable as a basis for a legally proper conduct review process. News unanimously to adopt a new Code of Conduct for the ACMG. The rationale for the changes is as follows: I wouldn’t be surprised if, right about now, you were asking yourself, “So what was wrong with the old one?” Quite - The original number 1 was split into two separate lines, simply, there was nothing wrong with the old one. It was as it isn’t possible to hold two things paramount. In this just a little, shall we say, legally soft. case, the safety of your clients became first priority. It all started this spring when we found ourselves in need Assistance to the public is important as long as the safety of a conduct review process. I had to produce something that of you and your clients is not jeopardized. would guide the Conduct Review Committee through a - In number 3, the term “competencies” was replaced by difficult review. It became clear that the process needed “level of certification” because competencies are too poorly further revision, so I enlisted the help of two lawyers: Jim defined to hold someone accountable to them. Bishop, an ACMG assistant ski guide and David Lech, a sport - As it is impossible to define honorable, responsible and lawyer from Ottawa who has a great deal of experience in ethical conduct, number 4 now refers to just the outcomes this area. When I proudly sent my new conduct review process of the conduct. This is still a motherhood and apple pie to David and Jim, it came back with the loud and clear statement, but it reads better than before. message that it needed more than a little work if it was ever - Number 5 is new. It reminds us that there are more to stand up to a challenge in court. Furthermore, the code of obligations than those outlined in the Terrain and Professional conduct on which it was based was worded too loosely to act Guidelines. as a disciplinary foundation, should that ever be necessary. - Number 6 now refers to a specific document, rather than With David’s encouragement, I looked at the codes of a a general requirement for continuing to develop professional variety of other professional associations. I tried to arrive at skills and knowledge. a series of specific actions that all guides need to abide by. The Board, however, was uncomfortable trying to pin down With the new Code of Conduct in place, I will continue to guiding activities to a series of “must do’s or “must not do’s”. refine the conduct review process. Other similar initiatives So, in one ear, I had the voice of the law telling me that the in the works include an application to trademark our logo code needs to be tighter, while in the other ear the voice of and our name as well as the development of a quality assurance the Board kept whispering that guiding is too complex to nail program, through which we can audit the actions of members things down in that way. Despite the bipolar tug, the final without waiting for a formal complaint. version became a good balance between the two. It retains the same spirit as the original, but the language makes it more Peter Tucker is the Executive Director of the ACMG

Old ACMG Code of Conduct Members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall: 1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of our clients and the public. 2. Perform services only in areas of their competencies and in accordance with the ACMG Professional and Terrain Guidelines. 3. Conduct themselves honourably, responsibly, ethically and lawfully so as to enhance the honour,reputation and usefulness of the ACMG and guiding profession. 4. Continue their professional development throughout their professional careers by engaging in professional practice and meeting continuing professional development standards.

New ACMG Code of Conduct Members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall: 1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of their clients. 2. Assist members of the public who find themselves in difficulty or distress in the outdoors, without jeopardizing themselves or their clients. 3. Perform services only in areas permitted by their level of certification and in accordance with the ACMG Professional and Terrain Guidelines. 4. Conduct themselves so as to enhance the honour, reputation and usefulness of the ACMG and the guiding profession. 5. Meet their obligations as an ACMG member as outlined in Association bylaws, policies and guiding documents. 6. Continue their professional development throughout their careers by engaging regularly in professional practice and meeting the required standards, both as outlined in the ACMG Continuing Professional Development document.

Permit News by Janet Miller Each permit held by the ACMG comes with its own special conditions. The Alberta Community Development Parks and Protected Areas (ACD) permit is unique in that it specifies the peaks and areas we can commercially use. It also lists areas that are closed to commercial use due to environmental sensitivity. All ACMG ACD permit holders are asked to review the areas that we can or cannot use with clients; continued respect for the conditions of our permit contributes to the healthy relationship between the ACMG and ACD. As well, when reporting use of the ACD permit, please specify the parks and the mountain or drainage where you guided each day. Two additional parks have recently been added to our National Parks Backpacking licence for 2007: and Mt. Revelstoke/Glacier National Park. This licence now covers five mountain parks, and is available to Backpacking Guide members. Janet Miller is a Day Hiking Guide and the ACMG Permit Manager. She lives in Canmore.

Volume 26, Winter 2007 5 ACMG News The ABC’s of CPD by the ACMG Technical Committee As members of a professional association, there is an inherent The focus will be to increase interest and attendance by expectation from our clientele and the general public that we consistently providing timely, educational and fun events that keep up to date with the current state of our art. Equally, will be aimed at each of the specific guiding disciplines. they’llbehappyifwealllearnabitofcoolnewstuffevery Our short-term goal is to provide an annual calendar of year. member-run events. Email reminders will be sent to you CPD sessions have taken on many different shapes in the shortly before each event and an updated schedule will be last few years with the most consistent turnouts in the east posted on the website. The Board has approved a doubling being the classroom day after the AGM. The west coast has of the CPD budget for 2007. Despite this, there will be a experienced a little more interest from its local members and, small fee (approx $20) for most sessions, which will help News in turn has had a number of successful field trip events in offset the cost of paying the guide who has organized the day recent years. In any case, we are all responsible for ensuring and any other costs such as facilities and outside experts. Our that we have met the required number of professional long-term goal is to develop a financially sustainable, development days every year. comprehensive program that enables all of you to meet your Although many past CPD field trips have experienced professional development requirements. limited success in terms of attendance, they have always The strength and value of these events come not only from proven to be great opportunities to connect with peers and the presenter, but also from the people who offer to organize friends. They give us a chance to learn new skills and gain them and all of the guides in attendance. We would encourage knowledge from the significant experience of all guides in you to get involved by showing up, organizing a session or attendance and also to share our own expertise. sending us ideas for events and topics. Please contact us at Several ACMG members are currently working to improve [email protected]. It will take all of us to make this a lasting and the ACMG Continuing Professional Development program. successful program that we can all benefit from. International women’s guide and apirant guide meet

Female ACMG guides and aspirant (full assistant) guides should clear your calendars for June 11-13, 2007, when Zoe Hart and Isabelle Santoire are organizing a women's guide and aspirant guide meet in Chamonix, France. It will be three days of climbing, networking and creating partnerships among like-minded women. ENSA will provide accommodations and they will also help full assistant guides to find work to make the trip more worthwhile. More information will be forthcoming in the near future. Please contact Zoe at [email protected] to let her know of your interest or if you have any questions. Remy Bernier Update In October Remy Bernier, a Rock Guide and Assistant Alpine Guide, suffered a brain aneurysm at his home in Canmore. He was rushed to Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where he has started making a slow recovery. He is able to understand someone speaking and is able to nod yes or no. He also has some movement in his left side, although his right side still has no sensory or motor function. If anyone would like to visit Remy, or make a donation to him and his wife Jacynthe to help cover their considerable medical bills please contact Yamnuska Mountain Adventures in Canmore, 866-678-4164. Spam, Spam, Spam, Green Eggs and Spam Recently, the ACMG has been receiving return e-mails from members who have installed or upgraded their Spam filters. These e-mails sometimes require the administration team to re-send the message or go to another server site, both of which take a lot of time and effort. Please ensure that your Spam filter permits the entry of both individual and bulk e-mails from the ACMG. You should be able to specify this in the rules that your filter allows you to create. Guides assist in rescue Kananaskis Country public safety personnel have acknowledged the help of three ACMG guides who assisted in a rescue on December 17. Guides Derek Holtved, Doug Latimer and Steve Holeczi were flagged down while traveling along the Smith-Dorrien Road and asked if the could assist in the accident of a kite boarder in the middle of Spray Lake. They called park rescue staff on their radio and gave first aid to the patient. They provided site safety for the rescue helicopter on both landing and take-off and assisted in loading the patient. George Field, public safety specialist for Kananaskis Country, said “These type of actions are to be recognized on an individual basis and also because they are ACMG members who have a high level of training…I was impressed with the actions of all the guides. Thanks again to the three of them for their commitment to assist members of the public and their attitude of safety and professionalism.”

ACMG News 6 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Dan Griffith finishesseven summits

Daniel Griffith has made Canada and the ACMG proud by finishing climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents within 187 days, which puts him in the Guinness Book of World Records. Dan, 55 and a Mountain Guide from Invermere, is News the oldest Canadian to have climbed Mt. Everest. The quest began on May 24 on the summit of Mt Everest at 6:30 a.m. Nepal time and was completed on November 27 on the top of Mt Vinson at 4:20 p.m. Chile time. Dan took three attempts to summit Mt Everest: his first attempt was with the Canadian Everest Light Team in 1986. He was able to assist Dwayne Congdon and Sharon Wood on their summit bid however the weather turned bad forcing the rest of the team off the mountain. Three children and 20 years later, Dan decided to try for his dream again but high winds once again forced him off the mountain in 2005, before finally succeeding last May. Dan climbed three of the seven summits with his 26-year-old son Luke (a Ski Guide and Assistant Alpine Guide) and was joined on the top of Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa by his entire family. Dan has been a mentor to aspiring guides for many years through his work and by being an assessor on guides’ exams. He would be the last one to boast about his achievements and the first to encourage others to reach out for their dreams.

7 in 7

Mount Everest Nepal May 24, 2006

Mt McKinley Alaska June 15, 2006

Mt Elbrus Russia July 4, 2006

Carstensz Pyramid Indonesia September 24, 2006

Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania October 3, 2006

Mount Aconcagu Argentina October 20, 2006

MountVinson Antarctica November 27, 2006

Volume 26, Winter 2007 7 ACMG News Tucker Talk by Peter Tucker When Janet Miller told me that we were going to hold the Scholarships were given out, new Mountain Guides were Annual General Meeting this year in St. Michael’s Church in introduced and there were recognition awards to Tom Wolfe Canmore, a number of things flashed through my head. Are (MCR and Informalex), Kimanda Jarzebiak (political we going to offend anyone? Would I have to (temporarily) consultation, crisis communications and media training) and renounce obscene jokes? Would it enhance or detract from Brian Gould (5 years of exemplary service on the Board). the apparent divinity of our President? Is it cheap? Janet could John Gow, Chris Stethem and Bruce Jamieson were voted in only answer the last of those questions, but her affirmative as honorary members. In an emotional presentation, Remy’s reply sufficiently assuaged my other concerns. I remembered wife Jass accepted a Distinguished Service Award on Remy’s that Barb Clemes had her 50th birthday party there and figured behalf. Dan Clark was elected (yes, there was a real race with

OpEd that if nobody was struck down for dressing the way they did platforms, secret ballots and everything) as the new that night, then we were probably safe. Hiking/Backpacking Director, Matt Peter was re-elected by Between 70 and 75 members showed up. It was great to see acclamation as Rockies Restricted Member Director and Dave so many honorary members, especially Eric Lomas who has Sarkany was introduced as West Coast Director, having been recently undergone quadruple bypass heart surgery (the full appointed for 1 year when Brian Gould stepped down. re-bore, as Linda likes to call it). There were also a good Finally it was time for my report. Standing before the altar, number of guests, including Bill Dunlop from JLT (our liability I wasn’t certain what approach to take. Born a Jew, living in insurance broker), Cam Roe and Bruce Keith from the Alpine sin with a Christian, teaching West African (read: pagan) Club, John Gillett (our accounting advisor), and Dave Butler drumming and having spiritual leanings somewhere between from CHM. Overall, the meeting was an excellent balance of Buddha and Daffy Duck, I decided it best to control my old and new, sadness and celebration, dialogue and decision. irreverence. I only mentioned erectile dysfunction once and There were moments of silence for Remembrance Day and managed to get away without a celestial singeing. to send thoughts of strength to Remy Bernier. Scott Davis Overall, it was an exceptional meeting. Every motion brought ignored my attempt to sandbag him by giving him only 5 forward was passed unanimously (financial statements, new minutes for his presentation – he seems to be getting a little Code of Conduct, new insurance pricing scheme, creation of too good at ignoring me. He spoke eloquently about the work an Environmental Committee). Given our locale, I could have he and Kimanda Jarzebiak have been doing with many levels put it down to divine intervention, but I prefer to believe that of the BC government, trying to build an understanding of the membership trusts the Board, having seen evidence of all what the ACMG is and how we can help protect the public the great work they have accomplished this year. The interest in that province. Paul Norrie talked about the Association has some excellent momentum and I think it was transformation of the Disability Fund into the Simon clear to everyone there that we’re moving in a very positive Parboosingh Guide Assistance Fund that is designed to help direction. There’s lots more information on the website guides who are sick or injured and have not been able to (director’s reports, meeting minutes, financial statements) as obtain sufficient support from the disability insurance. ACC well as elaboration on the liability insurance and Code of President Cam Roe gave an entertaining slide show of the Conduct changes elsewhere in this issue. ACC and Dave Butler gave an inspiring presentation describing some of the environmental initiatives that CMH has undertaken. Peter Tucker is the Executive Director of the ACMG There was lots of celebration throughout the meeting.

Congratulations to new Mountain Guides By Helen Sovdat Congratulations to Conny Ameluxen, Conrad Janzen, Rich Prohaska and Kirk Mauthner, our new Mountain Guides and IFMGA members. These guides were honored at the annual ACC Centennial Dinner with speeches and the formal presentation of their IFMGA pins. In his presidential address, Scott Davis introduced the new full guides and reinforced the ACMG’s close connection to the ACC, with over 100 years of shared history. Sid Feuz, past patron and regular fixture at the Guide’s Ball, was on hand to present Conrad Janzen with his pin. Sid is the son of Swiss guide Walter Feuz and the grandson of Edouard Feuz Sr., who, in 1899, was one of the first Swiss mountain guides to work in Canada based at the Glacier House Hotel. Born in 1922, Sid is the last member of the Feuz family to work as a professional guide in Canada. He is now retired in Golden, BC. Helen Sovdat is a Mountain Guide and member of the Events Committee. She lives Sid Feuz (left) presents Conrad Janzen his new IFMGA Mountain Guide pin in Canmore. Photo: Lynn Martel

ACMG News 8 Volume 26, Winter 2007 President’s Prattle by Scott Davis

Greetings from Meteroa, Greece, where Todd Guyn and I are support of certification of commercial guides on BC Park OpEd attending the fall General and Technical meetings of the lands. This round proved very successful and we are hopeful IFMGA. to have some concrete policies to present to the membership The fall season has been packed with productive meetings sometime next year. The other equally important benefit of and well-attended social events. Things started with a short these meetings (so far I have met with 22 separate individuals) sabbatical from my fall rock climbing road trip, as I returned is an increase in the ACMG profile with the people that home to represent the ACMG at the Alpine Club of Canada’s ultimately make decisions that affect our ability to service the Centennial Ball held in Banff. I was honored to present Conrad public and earn our livelihood. Janzen (one of four Mountain Guides newly minted in 2006) The next weekend was spent chairing the fall Board and to a packed audience, which included over 100 international Annual meetings, held in Canmore November 10-12. Both delegates of the UIAA. I was doubly honored to have Sid meetings were well attended and supported by the members. Fuez come forward to present Conrad his IFMGA pin. Having Three significant motions were passed. These include an the two of them together on the stage underlined the history updated Code of Conduct (needed to empower our new that we have accumulated over this last century, part of which Conduct Review Policy that is still in draft at this time); a is our longstanding relationship to the ACC that has been a change to the draft Bylaws for Federal Incorporation that consistent employer and supporter of professional guides ever allows for two additional Directors at Large that may or may since their inception 100 years ago. not be members of the association (this allows us to fill these A quick return flight to Las Vegas with Peter Tucker and a positions with skilled and interested members of the public short drive to Bishop, California brought me to the American or other members that have interest in supporting your board Mountain Guides Association meetings, where we presented of directors); and a revised fee structure for the optional a proposal to reaffirm the ties between our associations as liability insurance policy. well as improve future communications. I have asked John The meeting was followed by a terrific social event and Bicknell, AMGA President, to forward us a document that tribute to Hans Gmoser’s life in the mountains. Special thanks clarifies the status regarding access for our members that we to Chic Scott and Guy Clarkson for providing such great will post on our website. Currently I would urge anyone that images from Hans’s many adventures and to Leo Grillmair isinterestedintheaccessissueintheU.S.tovisittheirwebsite for his personal commentary that accompanied Chic’s slide and look through the section that lists open permits. Of note show. There were many amazing images spanning many is the fact that one of our members applied and received one decades of life in the mountains. Also it was good to see so of the lottery permits for Red Rocks area – so there is potential many people from across our generations drawn together for access, but it does require some effort and work on your under one roof – to me this is the true value of our meetings behalf to secure it. Another significant change occurred within – to give everyone a good excuse to get together and share the concession structure of Rainer National Park. This change stories of adventures and lessons learned. Our sponsors were in policy allows for several individual single trip permits that once again very supportive, and the food and beverage that can be applied for by independent guides on a first-come first- came out of that little kitchen for all to enjoy was unbelievable. serve basis. This sets a precedent The group’s best efforts not for change within the park withstanding, a large amount permit structures that identifies of beer remained – this was the right of access for donated to the Remy Bernier independent guides as well as fund-raising event being held allowing for a larger number of in Canmore. Many people concession holders – though far played a role in organizing all from perfect it is a step in the of this and I would like to thank right direction and lends hope you all for your efforts in such for the future. a well-run show. Special The other items in the recognition has to go to Janet proposal include collaboration Miller for her organization and on the update to the Technical on-the-scene efforts that put it Manual; instructor/observer all together. I have to admit that exchange between training I can’t wait for the next one! programs; joint And now I am returning sponsorship/contact info home from Greece and the sharing; joint public promotion IFMGA meetings where the of guiding certification in North Technical Committee continues America; shared CPD to refine the guidelines that will Events/Schedules; and establish the IFMGA platform improved communication at the in regards to Aspirant Guides. Board level. From what I have seen so far I believe that both our Aspirant Guides (those that organizations have something have completed both the to offer each other and that it is Assistant Ski and Assistant time for us to renew our ties to Alpine exams) will easily meet the association that we helped this requirement. at the beginning of its journey Okay enough yadda yadda to the IFMGA standard. – time for all of you to go skiing Within two days of my return and ice climbing before it is too from the states I flew once again late. to Victoria to continue with a series of meetings with both Scott Davis is a Mountain bureaucrats and political Leo Grillmair speaks in front of a photo of Hans Gmoser Guide from Revelstoke and the officials in relation to during the ACMG’s tribute to Hans at the AGM President of the ACMG government recognition and Photo: Scott Davis

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ACMG News 10 Volume 26, Winter 2007 The Devil’s Advocate by Kobi Wyss

Global warming, climate change, greenhouse gas, CO2 period of time and now it is rising steeply. Problem is, the OpEd emission, runaway warming, melting glaciers. We read, hear graph usually goes back in time just far enough to make the and talk about it every day. It’s a catastrophe! Or is it? The point. If one bothers going back far enough and looks at long media love the doom and gloom stuff; it’s what they are good term studies, oxygen isotope stratigraphy of oceanic sediments at: “… the water tables in the prairie provinces are dropping, (1) for example, it becomes pretty obvious that after the because the glaciers are melting…” – pardon me? I thought fluctuating cold periods the warming trends have usually been when glaciers were melting they produced water. We still very rapid indeed. Melting the large, thick ice cap that extended have glaciers and they are busy melting, so perhaps the cause into what is now the US would have taken a heck of a lot of of the low water tables is something else. energy! Talk about meltdown. The traces are still pretty More quotes: “…scientists say that if the current trend impressive today. So, perhaps there were some earlier hockey continues…”, “…computer models predict that…”. The sticks, although there was no NHL in those days. scientists “know” and they can predict the future. Yeah right, they can’t even tell us what the weather will do tomorrow Glaciers, wood and peat with any kind of certainty. Of course, not all scientists say The , like many other glaciers in western the same thing, but only the juicy stuff will make it to print Canada, is ‘making wood’. Tormented, ground up trunks, and broadcast. shreds and splinters from trees are appearing in the gravel at The climate is changing, to be sure. It always has and it the toes of these glaciers. These trees grew in basins and on always will. We all know that. So, why are we so worried slopes upstream, in places that are now covered by ice. The that there is a significant change happening during our lifetime? same thing is being observed in the Alps. Besides wood, the It’s mainly because we believe that it is all our fault (well, glaciers there have also disgorged cakes of peat, telling a not really ours, it’s the other guys) and that the change is more story of wet bogs in the basins above. rapid than it has been in the past. There is also uncertainty A study has been done in the Alps to date the wood, the and a bit of paranoia mixed in, perfectly normal human traits. peat and the insects in the peat (2). They were looking at the past 10,000 years, basically the period since the end of the IceAge.Itwasfoundthatthewoodandpeatdidnotoriginate CO2 from only one warm period, but several. It appears that during CO2 is the culprit. Ever since we started burning fossil fuel, those 10,000 years, the glaciers in the Alps were smaller than CO2 levels in the atmosphere have gone up and then the temperature followed. Or maybe it was the other way round. now during several ‘global warming’ episodes. In the study There are other studies done by other scientists that show nine periods of “smaller than now minima” have been how during this warming trend, as in previous warming trends, identified, some of them lasting well over 1000 years. One of those periods coincides with the estimates of when a forest the temperature went up first, then CO2 followed. Approximately half the warming this century occurred prior grew where the Columbia Icefields are now, about 5000 years ago. to 1940, before the CO2 concentrations changed much. When we look at the maximum extent of the ‘Little Ice Age’, the Some of the balmy periods in Europe correspond with lateral moraines are way up the slopes now – that maximum migrations and exploration. The colonization of Greenland was about 150 years ago. Long before the Fords made cars. by Eric the Red and his drinking buddies comes to mind. The To this day, nobody has been able to explain to me the climate at the time was warmer than it is now. Unfortunately, their luck ran out about 400 years later, when it got cold and physics of just how CO2, an invisible gas, interacts with photons to result in the greenhouse effect. I wait to be educated miserable again. on that point. So far all I could find are correlations of parallel What do we really know? increases in temperature and CO2. So, why am I saying all this? It’s not because I subscribe to There are many sources of CO2, most of them natural. the “it does not matter what we do, let’s keep burning” school Anthropogenic CO2 accounts for 3-5% of the natural carbon cycle. That number depends on who is doing the measuring of thought. Quite the opposite. and what they are trying to prove. Is that really enough to I just feel that the issue is very complex and we really don’t control the global climate? I find it an arrogant notion. Just know enough about how it all works and interacts, even how important are we really? though there are plenty of people who will tell us they ‘do know’. I think it’s getting out of hand and many things get Temperature blamed on global warming that have very little to do with it. Temperatures are on the rise globally. By how much? That, There are folks out there that make a pretty good living on again, depends on how it is being measured and who is doing the Global Warming Gravy Express, and they don’t want their the measuring. The doomsday folks like to use measurements funding to evaporate. There are many other issues that urgently taken at weather stations that have been recording for a long need our attention and they are being neglected. We will time, like at airports, which used to be in the countryside, but probably run out of clean water and clean air long before we are now engulfed in the heat islands of cities. The oil guys turn into human jerky. Already, as a species we have evolved like to quote satellite based atmospheric measurements, to the point where we can’t drink from our streams and we because the temperature increase there is not as significant. can’t help each other without putting on rubber gloves and It’s probably somewhere in between. masks. Oh, I forget, it’s the beavers and the mosquitoes that For most of us, we feel it’s getting warmer. We actually are doing it. I digress. don’t know by how much, unless we do our own research. I think we need to use the same approach we use in guiding: Many times we perceive it getting warmer, even though we learn as much as we can, look at the problem from different are still within historical averages for the particular period – angles and come up with a reasonable plan of action. Not if we care to check. In this case ‘historical’ means, from the something based on emotion and fear. Just because there are time someone kept track in our particular area of concern. facets in the snowpack does not mean we are going to stay We feel it is “warmer than the past few years” because everyone home, even though we know facets in the snowpack are ‘bad’. says so. And sometimes it is warmer. It’s the Goldilocks Let’s try to figure out what is real and how we can work with syndrome. If only the porridge were perfect. it. The favourite way to prove the theory is the ‘hockey stick At times when I read or hear comments by some peers I graph’. It shows how temperature was steady for a ‘long’ get the impression that we all make a living guiding on glaciers. Once they are gone, I guess we will have to pack up please see CLIMATE on page 25

Volume 26, Winter 2007 11 ACMG News Leadership and Greatness by Ken Wylie Leadership is a moving target. The topics that one can focus him. With Hans we never came to a point where we felt like on when reflecting on leadership tend to vary so much that he had nothing more to teach us. His self-leadership allowed we may become overwhelmed and lose focus. Often, to help him to continually learn and therefore, we could continually get our heads around the notion of leadership, we find ourselves learn from him. looking at the people who have led us, and use their actions The notion of self-growth is exactly what we are striving as a template from which to better understand how to lead. to provide for others when we lead them. It is however, more Sometimes the actions of great leaders, when reflected upon, difficult to orchestrate for ourselves. When we are able to can go beyond what they themselves had to teach us. I would orchestrate this growth for ourselves we are truly ready to like to visit some concepts about leadership I have been lead others because we become open to more information. thinking about and bounce them off of my memories of one Traveling in the environments we do we have a responsibility

Feature of the great leaders in our industry. Hopefully, through this to gather the most information we can in order to make the process, a clearer framework about leadership will emerge best possible decisions. This includes knowledge of that we can use to become better leaders and guides. self…warts and all. This year, with the death of Hans Gmoser, we all found Interpersonal leadership is where our minds immediately ourselves reflecting on what made the man such a great leader. go when we think of the concept of leadership. We are familiar I had met Hans on a few occasions. Although I never had with the notion but that does not mean that we are always the opportunity to work with him, the scope of his influence skilled in this area. Here lies the domain of interacting with was large enough for me to be quite familiar with his abilities. others. At the core of interpersonal leadership is truly caring Hans had an obvious natural talent as a leader but I don't about the people we are working with or guiding. Sounds believe that he solely relied on his natural ability. He also easy but it isn't. Truly caring about others requires that we possessed two other key elements for growth: reflection and see value in everyone and suspend our tendency to look at practice. This spring, via the informalex, many of us visited them through the lens of our personal values. The golden rule the aspects of Hans and his leadership that we found inspiring. applies: we treat everyone as we would like to be treated. In our dialogue we discovered that he was a dynamic, powerful When we care about others we have the foundation we need person who also cared about others, had great technical skill, to become free to say whatever needs to be said as the situation knowledge about the natural world, and the ability to be demands, without worry of damage, because our approach is inspired and to inspire others by being in the mountain grounded in a socially safe environment. environment. On closer inspection we can see that Hans, first The act of caring is the liberating factor that allows us to and foremost, led himself. He had the skill to communicate apply the appropriate interpersonal leadership technique which with and lead others, he was a technical leader who often ranges from self discovery to telling. When we care, those developed new methods, he was a wilderness advocate who we are leading are more likely to respond well because they understood and respected the wilderness, and finally he was know our efforts are coming from a place that is fundamentally a spiritual leader who inspired us to acknowledge the power good and constructive. We all witnessed this key element in and beauty of the environments we work in, and the great Hans. He cared enough to build relationships with everyone potential it draws out of each of us. and in the process created a loyal group of followers who Like the five fingers on our hand that give us a grip on the were willing to work hard for a common goal. concept, Hans possessed five key components of leadership. TechnicalleadershipiswhatHansdidandthepeopleinour In him I see self-leadership, interpersonal leadership, technical industry do best. It is the hard skills that we need in order to leadership, wilderness leadership, and spiritual leadership. complete the task of moving people over the terrain quickly, Let’s visit each of these types of leadership and through the efficiently and safely. We all know and practice these skills process of deconstruction build, for ourselves, a better to a standard that is recognized internationally. In Canada we understanding of what great leadership requires. excel in several areas and are noteworthy in our ability with Self-leadership is about developing a strong sense of a snow and on ice. Hans had the dynamic ability to create dynamic self. We have, as best as we can, an objective view technical systems, which captured the loyalty of the of ourselves, and more importantly, have a vision for becoming independent-minded guides he worked with and created an different and better. When we are leading ourselves we are internationally recognized heli-ski industry. He was a technical "a work in progress”. The process of self-leadership requires leader. We provide technical leadership for our clients, students that we divorce ourselves from the notion of serving and and candidates by honing our technical skills to the point protecting all parts of our self-concept. Protecting all parts of where we can demonstrate slick, efficient skills and systems our self-concept is static and we can only lead others when that are grounded in safety. This type of leadership is where we are moving ourselves. Each time that a challenging we focus our energies and as a result it is where we do our experience bumps into our notion of who we are, the great best work. self-leaders among us are able to take the experience and use Wilderness leadership is the ability to understand and know it to test our conventions and fearlessly address the notion the environment and all of its aspects. As a good wilderness that we may be flawed. This process requires that we take leader we become like a wine connoisseur. We are able to responsibility for the role we play(ed) and then be willing to articulate to others what can and should be sensed in the table the inadequate parts of tasting and in doing so create a ourselves and work to replace them dialogue that improves everyone's with something new and better. This depth of understanding. Sharing is where true power resides. In this our knowledge of the flora, fauna process of embracing the old and and human history with others building the new we are stepping has the power to connect us to into the unknown frontiers of place and to ourselves. Through ourselves to pioneer a new self. this connection to place we will Difficult to do yet this is how we enrich our and our clients’ develop as people, guides and an experiences, and in so doing, we industry. In our interactions with will all find the passion to act in Hans we observed that he was the environment’s best interest. always becoming more and, even In acting, we are not just saving in the end, we were learning from Manslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs a place; we are saving our

please see LEADERSHIP on page 13 ACMG News 12 Volume 26, Winter 2007 LEADERSHIP from page 12 industry and ourselves. Hans knew this well. skills. I am sure he had his struggles because, like all of us, The Spiritual leadership I am speaking of is not the brand he was subject to his own limitations and those of his era. where we don robes and sprinkle holy water. Our brand of But Hans strove to push beyond those limitations. He was on Feature spiritual leadership is an honest meeting of the exterior a constant quest for educational change. He strode away from landscape of the mountains and the interior landscape of our society’s and, more importantly, his own conventions (heli- thoughts and emotions. When these two landscapes meet skiing would never work). Having the guts to stand apart openly and are expressed in some way the experience becomes from convention creates a better world and a new reality. We powerful. We all have created experiences for ourselves, all have the power to lead ourselves and to create. This is willingly or not, (sometimes on frightening leads) that draw where Hans did his best work. He believed in his dreams so out our best qualities sourced from an internal power in powerfully that now, we all, in some way, are living in his response to the demands of the mountain environment. When dream. This is great leadership. we find ourselves hollering with elation, as we reach the belay, we then engage our partner in the experience. We often please see LEADERSHIP on page 24 facilitate these experiences for our guests, which is something that we witnessed Hans doing. He had the ability to recognize the power of the mountain environment and how it made us strong because it demanded that we be our best. He recognized and acknowledged these two landscapes and in the process made it special not only for himself but for his guests. When we arrive at a summit with our clients we have the same opportunity to address the meeting of the two landscapes. Back Packing Guides When we choose to celebrate these moments we feel more Assistant Alpine and Alpine Guides connected not only to the mountain environment but to Assistant Rock and Rock Guides ourselves and to each other. This Mountain Guides is an essence of what we need as humans: belonging to landscape, ourselves and each Yamnu ka i ookin for ACMG certified uide other. After safety, on his s s l g g s hierarchy of human needs, for the summer season of 2007 to work on the psychologist Abraham Maslow calls for belonging. Most of us Adventure Training program of the Rocky are very good at providing for the physiological and safety Mountain National Army Cadet Summer needs of our guests. Through Trainin Centre The po ition entai orkin leading the spiritual aspects of g . s ls w g our mountain experiences we with Cadet youth groups aged 16 to 18 on day can potentially provide and receive more of the needs hiking and backpacking courses. Fluency in expressedinMaslow’s hierarchy. French is an asset. All of these types of leadership are parts of a whole. I have broken them down so The po ition i for fi e da of trainin and i that we can view them and s s v ys g s x reflectonthemclearly.There five day courses totaling thirty-five days of are few of us who possess all of these attributes. In fact I have instruction and guiding, found myself woefully inadequate and, at times between July 2 to August 15, 2007. disdainful about some of these elements of leadership. I have been afraid to acknowledge the Contact need for some of the softer elements of being a great leader. Yamnuska Mountain Adventures This is how Hans can still provide some leadership for us Dave Stark even now. Hans was not afraid Director of Operations to care or to feel. These elements did not make him 200, 50 Lincoln Park Canmore AB.T1W 3E9 weak. They made him strong. Email resumes to [email protected] Hans seemed to us like such a connected person because he, 403-678-4164 to a greater and lesser extent, possessed all of these leadership

Volume 26, Winter 2007 13 ACMG News Chomo Lonzo - Submersion into Solitude by Valeri Babanoz translated from Russian by Yuri Lipkov

Solitude. How much do we know about it? How often are we forced to remain all by ourselves? If you call being alone in a city apartment solitude, then I want to correct you right away – that’s not solitude. Solitude – it is when you are alone, and there is not a human soul for a hundred kilometres. Solitude – it is some enormous, intangible force, ready to tear us apart from within by its vacuum-like emptiness. Solitude – it is a state that for us, city dwellers, is often unbearable. This state is difficult to describe to someone who has never experienced it. It is tough to fight against solitude, and often it simply overwhelms by its emptiness and despair. As hard as it is to believe all this, it is harder yet to live through it. It’s easy to talk about solitude down below, in a circle of friends, but not up here, in the Big Mountains, where everything is different. Here, life follows its own laws, those created by the very infinity, whose reflection we see in the frozen summits of the Himalaya. Feature Himalaya. The World’s Summit. It is that land at the edge of exceed some limit. At the same time, of course, I was conscious the world, where the sky comes down to meet the earth, and of the fact that the wall in the photos and in reality were two the earth rises toward the sky. Here, a human being looks like different things. But, it is possible to look at pictures of the a tiny grain of sand, thrown into the boundless, thundering, mountains and imagine one storming their summits over one’s and in one instant, suddenly frozen ocean of enormous, entire life, without ever having crossed the threshold of the blindingly white summits and ridges. Here, toward these house. I was always terribly scared of such a prospect. That majestic mountains, is where I was headed in the spring of is why I invented projects that were “crazy ” by their audacity, 2006. and moved on towards realizing them. I just did not want to Already more than two years had passed since my last visit stand still, I wanted be continually in motion, to strive for to the Himalaya. In the meantime, there were other expeditions, something. and other summits. But invariably, in my dreams and fantasies, This was my first trip to , and on April 12th I flew I always returned here, to the highest and the most powerfully into Kathmandu to finalize all the formalities connected with attractive mountains of our planet – the . All I obtaining the Chinese visa. During those days in Kathmandu needed was an idea and an objective, in order to return there I often thought about the fact that above the Base Camp I again. would have to be absolutely alone. The only person, who Everything came into motion in my head after I first saw would be below at the Base Camp, would be my cook. But photographs of Chomo Lonzo – all three of its summits. The taking into account the fact that he barely understands or insanely beautiful lines of ridges and pillars could clearly be speaks English, it could be said that my isolation from the seen and the summits gave way to huge, impressive walls. civilized world would be enormous. It would not even be That was exactly what I have been painting in my imagination remoteness, but just that – isolation. Isolation from everything: for a long time, and what is, for me, the nearest approximation from home, from people, from the language that I speak, and to the concept of a “beautiful mountain” at present. I know from many other familiar things. To be honest, I have never that if I have a strong dream, which is growing inside of me, had to experience such isolation as what loomed ahead in this then, with time, it will translate expedition. For me, it was in into action. And so it happened some ways a “step into the this time. An irresistible force unknown”. On one hand all this was pulling me to the served to somewhat frighten me, Himalaya; I wanted to butontheotherhandthevery immerse myself totally in this prospect of living through and wondrous world of interesting experiencing something new, experiences and heightened pushed me ahead – into the feelings. unknown. my head that seemed crazy at On April 17th, a caravan of first: to solo the gigantic West yaks, driven by porters, set off wall of the Main summit of for the mountains from the Chomo Lonzo - 7790 m. The village of . But right away photos clearly showed how the everything changed and we were massive, smoothed-out walls forced to spend three more days of yellow granite were spotted near Kharta because of early with areas of steep, bluish- snowfalls. hued ice. It was easy to The timing has shifted, and not imagine how this whole scene in my favour. We reached the wasaffectedbythehurricane- site of the Base Camp only on force winds, constantly the 24th of April. blowing from the west. The During these three days of bad wall scared and intimidated. weather so much snow had fallen But the more I looked at it, the in the mountains that when I more it attracted me. undertook an acclimatization trip Something once again called to the base of the West Wall of me forward; I wanted one Chomo Lonzo the next day, I more time to approach a managed to cover only half of certain limit. the planned distance. I was But do limits exist? – I asked discouraged by such speeds, for myself. Limits exist only the I was still faced with several mind, and in our sufficiently hard carries in order consciousness, something tosetupahighcamp,atthe inside me answered. What can altitude of 5900 metres. I was be done, for that is the nature The route on Chomo Lonzo counting on the high camp of man: he always strives to Photo:Valeri Babanov becoming my main base. please see CHOMO LONZO on page 24

ACMG News 14 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Volume 26, Winter 2007 15 ACMG News ACMG News 16 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Guides remember Hans

In the days and weeks following Hans Gmoser’s death many guides took part in an email discussion of his life on the informalex, Feature the guides information exchange. The following is excerpted from that discussion.

From Grant Statham: Marco Hi everyone, From Rob Orvig: It has been several days now since Hans Gmoser died – there was a notice of his passing in the local Bow Valley newspaper I agree with Grant, this is a great forum to honour Hans. this week… Last winter I saw him at the Nordic centre the same day The notice says “He requested that there be no memorial that Chandra Crawford won gold in the nordic sprint. He was service and that people remember him in their own way”. It so excited and enthusiastic about the performance of the seems a fitting tribute that we remember Hans on this forum, Canadian girls in Turino that he was practically vibrating. as every one of us owes him a debt of thanks. He really was A very vital and alive man, right to the end. the patriarch of mountain guiding in Canada, and this is a huge loss to our community. Rob Hans’ contributions to Canadian guiding and mountaineering are incomparable. What I always find so intriguing about From Barry Blanchard: Hans was his time “before CMH”. Of course I was not around, but by all accounts Hans was a total hardman. He climbed In the spring of ‘83 four of us took our written exam on the and guided the biggest routes, in the best style. He pioneered Assistant Summer Guide's course in a small room at the CMH long ski traverses. He skied with royalty, he climbed with office in Banff. It was late in the day and, most of the employees Prime Ministers, he was a member of the Order of Canada, had gone home. Hans was still there. I remember catching a and he seemed to remember the name of just about everyone snippet of a phone call he was on, someone calling about hemet.Ohyeah...andthenhestartedCMH. skiing and Hans assuring whoever was on the other end of He was a founding member of the ACMG in 1963, and the line that yes, they could probably get some good skiing after retiring from CMH he returned to serve as the ACMG in that area at that time of year. A busy man, running CMH President. He was then made an Honourary President. at that time, yet he still took time to meet the four of us, shake The last sentence of the notice reads “In lieu of flowers he our hands, and wish us many safe would be honored by a contribution to the Association of trips in the mountains. Canadian Mountain Guides.” Right to the very end, he was I got to serve under his second and third terms as president one of us. Thanks Hans. of the ACMG. I'd often get emails that had been sent between If anyone else has stories to share, lets use the informalex 11 at night and 2 in the morning. This after he'd retired from to honor this man. CMH. I am still amazed at the man's discipline. That amazement was driven home everytime I saw Hans at the Grant Nordic centre when it was -25, or below. Next time you climb Diretissima think about what it would have taken to work out From Larry Stanier: the traverse on the 7th pitch (Kallen's guidebook) in 1957, wearing lugged boots! Ok. It's spring 1987 or so and I am a freshly minted assistant Tom Raudashl told me about climbing with Hans and Leo guide from Whistler. I don't know anybody or anything but in Austria in the last decade, I'll paraphrase Hans when I am up at Battle Abbey with Roger Laurilla and Hans Gmoser. Tom offered him the lead - I've spent my whole I am so psyched but it is raining, again. In the afternoon Hans damn life making decisions, I'd don't mind following for now. says to me: "Come on, let's go do some digging". How cool I like that story, a leader passing on the lead. Through my is that, I am going to do a snow profile with the boss! eyes Hans Gmoser was born to lead. Ishowupinmybestandonlymountainduds,Hansis Happy trails Hans. wearing old coveralls. Hmmm? We spend the afternoon dealing with what seems like centuries of accumulated shit Barry Blanchard [from the outhouse] and it is a fabulous experience. Hans entertains and blesses me with stories and wise words that From Jeff Boyd: still bring me laughs and tears. I learn more about the mountains andthelifeIhavechoseninthosefewhoursthanIdoinmost Yeah Barry, years. Thanks Boss, Thanks Buddy Migrating to a foreign country with a foreign language. Guiding clients over the Illecillewaet in mid-winter. Daring Larry to use rattletraps to get up the hills. Banging in that Stubai peg on Louis. Embracing computerization thirty years ago. From Marco Delesalle: Employing gutsy guides. Negotiating with bureaucrats and politicians in defense of the profession. Hans was not only like a father to me, but a great person who Assiduously promoting homegrown guides. Laughing over I got to know over the years growing up as a kid. If there the noise as Frank landed with the skis still down. Defending was one thing that stands out, was one time before my guiding gutsy guides. Driving a Prius. Protecting his computer-guy career, he asked me to join him at Battle Abbey to prepare from dismemberment. Criticizing our Senatorial old-boys- for the opening week; this was in mid- March. We worked club for not representing the Canadian citizen. Being our but also made time to ski everyday. This is where he showed father figure and our friend. me the art of track setting. How grateful I felt to have had With the boundless understanding, patience and devotion the opportunity to be taught by the master himself. of Margaret, Robson and Conrad. Thanks Hans for all your support during my certification process and I’m glad that he was here to see me complete it. Jeff Boyd You’ll be dearly missed ...

please see HANS on page 25

Volume 26, Winter 2007 17 ACMG News Part II: The influence of human factors in avalanche judgment and decision making by Laura Adams Part I in this series appeared in the Technical Update insert in ACMG News, Volume 24, Winter 2006

Part II Highlights

- Human factors exert both positive and negative influences in the decision process. - Human factor influences include individual, team, client, organizational, and socio-political categories. - Avalanche decision-makers face conflicting challenges as they strive to achieve a balance between the widely varying goals and objectives within the realms of human influence, and the dynamically changing conditions in the physical and environmental systems of influence. Tech Notes Tech - Repeated experiences of non-event feedback or false positive events can result in dysfunctional strategies for future decision-making. - The fear of appearing incompetent and uncertainty regarding performance results in anxiety that significantly decreases judgment and decision accuracy. - The quality of communication within teams correlates directly with the quality of decision actions. - Avalanche decision-makers require a high level of personal mastery and strong leadership capacities to avoid being overly influenced by negative human factors.

Introduction perception and understanding, and result from how we interpret It is widely recognized that human factors heavily influence the current information and situation in relation to our mental the way we think and behave in life. As the findings of my model (Table 1). Mental models, which can be thought of as Masters research on avalanche experts suggest, human factors the lens through which we view the world, are developed exert a significant influence in avalanche judgment and from our life experiences. They are conceptual structures in decision-making. The decision process involves the integration the mind that drive our cognitive processes of understanding. of complex information from a variety of sources, and occurs In Part 1 I described how experience, knowledge and skills, within a dynamic interaction of human systems that brings and information relevant to the human, physical, and widely different perceptions and values to the decision process. environmental systems of influence were the foundation of Thus, decisions are not made as isolated events or individual sound avalanche decisions. Interestingly, deficits within this moments of choice, and understanding the human context core foundation were the fundamental factors contributing to that surrounds the decision process is essential. the close calls and avalanche accidents in this study. For Human factors exert both positive and negative impacts in example, a highways avalanche forecaster described to me avalanche judgment and decision-making. While human how his lack of specific knowledge and experience influenced factors have received considerable interest in high-stakes his decision-making: “My knowledge did not include snowpack decision-making domains, much of the focus has been on or weather conditions characteristic of the day of the their negative influence in judgment and decision processes. involvement.” In another case, a ski-area forecaster related It is curious how little research has been directed towards how “there was no wind and snowfall data available, and no identifying and examining human factors in light of their information regarding alpine conditions other than visual positive influences. In this article, I discuss the human factors observations that were limited due to weather.” This finding that negatively influence avalanche experts’ ability to make is consistent with those reported in aviation accidents where sound judgment and decision actions. In Part III, I will examine a lack of relevant knowledge and information led to the the positive human factors that support decision success, misdiagnosis of problems and to the choice of a poor solution. within the context of recent advancements in strategies for decision skills learning, decision support, and effective 2. Physiological Factors avalanche accident prevention. The first part of this series Physiological factors such as fatigue, mental, emotional, and (Vol.74) provides the fundamental background, in which I environmental stress impact our human functions, and described the processes and strategies that avalanche experts significantly degrade our capacities to execute sound judgments use to solve the decision problems they face in their profession. and decisions actions (Table 1). For instance, a ski guide related, “The accident happened Categories of Human Factorss late in the day. I was feeling tired, Avalanche-related judgments and but wanting to please the guests decisions occur within a dynamic and ‘squeeze’ another run in on context that is influenced by the way back.” In another internal and external categories of situation, a ski-touring guide human factors. Internal human described, “it is amazing how factors are directly related to the fatigue starts whispering, oh it will individual decision maker and be okay, the other, safer route is include cognitive, physiological, so long.” This theme had two and psychological influences. distinct timeframe characteristics. External human factors include In the first, participants described team, client, organizational, and the effects from a long day or socio-political human influences several days of challenging (Figure 1). decisions, and in the second, the cumulative effects throughout a A. Individual Human Factors Figure 1: Human factor influences season. 1. Cognitive Factors in avalanche decision making The theme of time-pressured Cognitive factors relate to our decisions also emerged within this

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ACMG News 18 Volume 26, Winter 2007 PART II from previous page finding, and was and dismissive of Tech Notes identified by a COGNITIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL input, then I am prone majority of to withhold participants in my Inadequate knowledge Time Pressure Goals and objectives information or take research. For Inaccurate perceptions Fatigue Emotional influences an observing role example, a ski- Limited processing Mental & Emotional Pride and ego rather than area forecaster capacities Stress Overconfidence contributing.” related: “We are Environmental Participants expected to open emphasized how the everything as atmosphere created quickly as Table 1: Individual Human Factors by the lead guide, possible, with as team supervisor, or little staff as possible, and under budget of course.” In another dominant member in the group often set the tone in which case, a ski area forecaster explained the critical effects of the exchange of information and resulting decision-making time pressure on his decision-making: “The clock is my occurred. They also described a culture of pride and self- personal nemesis. I am never more likely to put myself at sufficiency that existed within some operations, and expressed risk than when I pay too much attention to the time our the serious implications this had upon their ability to inquire avalanche control operations are taking. I never let the clock for information in order to reduce the uncertainty they were push my teams into danger; however, I sometimes let the experiencing during field and office-based decisions. One clock push me. That is my biggest weakness at work, but at participant expressed, “it was not until after the accident that least I’m aware of it.” Physiological factors have long been I really started pressing for information. Before this, I felt recognized as a key influence in our ability to execute sound like I needed to make my own evaluations and it felt like decisions. Recognizing their presence, as explained by this cheating to ask.” forecaster, is fundamental to reducing their impact. In another case, a ski touring guide described resistance to a differing opinion: “At the morning meeting, another guide 3. Psychological Factors was adamant about not skiing a piece of terrain. I found Psychological factors such as goals and objectives, emotional myself frustrated and trying to manipulate his decision. He influences, pride, ego, and overconfidence are a third significant was correct in his decision not to expose people to a hazard influence in our judgements (Table 1). For example, a national that was totally unnecessary in an unusual year. The human parks forecaster described how group goals influenced their element was definitely what failed me in this situation.” decision. “I believe the decision to enter the slope in the first place was influenced by our desire to complete the trip as 2. Client Factors planned. It would have been new ground for all of us and Client human factors were also a significant influence in my establish the aesthetics of the line we were attempting.” In research. I define clients as the people for whom avalanche another situation, emotional (affective) influences were safety services are being provided; for example, visitors to described by a ski guide who stated, “the beauty, snow, and national parks, public traveling on highways, film crews, or calmness that covers the mountains in winter shows little sign ski resort, helicopter, snowcat or ski touring guests. Pressure of the monster sleeping, and the white rush that we get is a from clients to access avalanche-prone terrain was the most powerful force that beckons us on.” commonly cited client human factor in this study (Table 2). Pride, ego, and overconfidence also have significant Participants described the tremendous pressure they psychological impacts, such as in the case of this participant experienced from ski resort guests demanding terrain to be who stated “the reward of being a hero led to taking opened, highways vehicle traffic needing to continue their unreasonable risk.” In another case, a highways forecaster journeys, or backcountry ski and snowboard guests requesting related to me, “I thought I had more ability to forecast the to be guided in more aggressive terrain. For instance, a ski- extent of the activity than I actually did. This misconception, touring guide explained how client pressure during high combined with an eagerness to serve the clients, led me to avalanche hazard resulted in him being seriously injured in err on the side of recklessness rather than caution.” an avalanche accident: “I chose to take my group into some As the findings of my research suggest, psychological conservative terrain where I had dug a snow profile several factors are inherent in avalanche decision-making. A high days before. The group was not very happy with that decision level of personal mastery and the use of mindfulness since they had skied there once before, and suggested I find (metacognition) and critical thinking are powerful strategies some different terrain where they had not been. I wanted to to ensure we are not overly influenced by these factors. stay conservative, but at that point was pushed into pleasing my guests on their last day.” B. External Human Factors In another case, a ski-area forecaster described the decision- 1. Team Factors making challenges he faced as a result of demanding clients The avalanche experts in my study described how team human during conditions of terrain closures. Even with guarded factors negatively influenced their capacity to gather critical control lines, aggressive skiers would jump the lines to access information and resources, to engage in critical thinking, and untracked powder, therefore placing themselves and his to arrive at an objective and well-informed decision (Table avalanche control teams who were working in the area in 2). For example, an avalanche safety specialist for extreme potentially perilous situations. Clients’ reluctance to follow ski events related, “this was probably the most stressful terrain use guidelines resulted in high levels of stress for these mountain decision of my life, due to enormous outside avalanche experts, since the safety of clients who are in pressures and lack of confident peer exchange.” In another avalanche terrain is ultimately their responsibility. situation, a helicopter ski guide explained, “I had asked the Inadequate communication with clients was a key factor in guides for advice on an alternate line I had been eyeing with the close calls and avalanche accidents in this study. A ski- little response. After the avalanche incident, another guide touring guide explained to me how a groups’ reluctance to said, ‘I never ski there unless the slope has slid.’ That single be guided influenced the quality of his communication. He piece of advice would have prevented my close call.” was given a group that had skied unguided at the same lodge Inadequate communication was also described within the for the previous five years. However, the lodge owners had context of the team atmosphere. For example, a ski area concerns regarding the groups’ avalanche skills and assigned forecaster explained: “It makes a huge difference if team them a guide that season. “On our first descent, they all took members are respectful and investigative, rather than self- off on their own. I take the blame for not being more clear focused and judgmental. If the environment is non-supportive about the experience of being guided even before setting foot

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Volume 26, Winter 2007 19 ACMG News PART II from previous page

TEAM CLIENT ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIO-POLITICAL Inadequate communication Pressure to access Lack of risk comprehension Collective sense of Resistance to differing avalanche terrain by management professionalism and pride opinions Inadequate communication Financial, logistical, and time Failure to challenge Loss of visual contact pressures assumptions about goals or values Being overly influenced by the judgments and decisions of others Social pressures to conform

Tech Notes Tech Table 2: External Human Factors on the slopes.” example, a mountain safety specialist described the pressure Loss of visual contact was another related factor, as described he experienced: “Our professional pride is what cranks up by this ski-touring guide: “I went a bit too far down the run the pressure to venture forth into the fine line where the and realized I had lost sight of the group. I called back up to acceptable risk is blending with the unacceptable risk. That the group to let them know that I was coming back up. All is why we are hired – to make the ultimate decision. Can we they heard was an incomprehensible voice so they assumed do it or not?” it was a go. A skier began his descent above me and triggered an avalanche on his second turn, which caught and partially The Impact of Human Factors buried me.” As the findings of my study suggest, human factors exert significant influence in both the internal and external realms 3. Organizational Factors of avalanche decision-making. While human factors encompass Avalanche programs that were managed by people who did both positive and negative influences, I have limited my not understand the phenomena presented great challenges to discussion to the negative impacts in this article. These effective decision-making by the avalanche experts in my negative influences can produce a narrowing of attention, a study (Table 2). For example, an avalanche forecaster described failure to search for new alternatives, and may interfere with to me how difficult it was to secure management support for recognizing the inappropriateness of our actions. In addition, his decision to close a mine access road during a mid-winter our judgments are subject to systematic biases that result from storm cycle. “No avalanches had reached the road through time pressure, spatial variability, incomplete information, December and most of January, and the new foreman of the limited cognitive processing capacities, and a lack of operation became more and more sceptical of the avalanche understanding regarding methods to reduce uncertainty. Under program.” A safety specialist working on a mountain film these circumstances, decision accuracy is often decreased related a similar experience: How about using a box or italics through faster and less discriminate use of information, and for the following quote so it stands out to the reader? the increased use of heuristic strategies. Heuristics are cognitive “I told the boss the risk was too great. There was a cornice shortcuts that enable us to make evaluations on the basis of overhanging a steep rock face directly above. If it fell off, it one or a few simple rules or cues. However useful heuristics would probably sweep across the upper glacial bench with can be in complex decision-making, they can also result in enough momentum to carry on down the ice tongue to where sacrifices in accuracy and severe errors and biases in judgment. 80 people were destined to be. My opinion was the likelihood Stressful conditions may also result in high levels of anxiety of it occurring was possible, that the magnitude of destruction as we assess our personal resources that are available to meet could be a large number of fatalities, and that the risk of being the task demands. Greater uncertainty regarding task under it with an 80 person crew for 12 hours was unacceptable. performance increases our anxiety, and, when coupled with He thought it would have fallen by now if it was going to, the fear of appearing incompetent, significantly impairs our and that besides, it probably wouldn’t reach the film crew decision performance. location. I disagreed because it felt like a decision based on A failure to simulate consequences (mental simulation) “by guess and by god”, that the likelihood of a disaster was when experiencing time pressure or increased cognitive 50/50. I was overridden by the boss and moved on to the next workload was an additional related factor in my study. This task – minimizing the risk now that we were going there.” was particularly prevalent when conditions in the human, Financial pressure was an additional organizational human physical, and/or environmental systems of influence were factor influence. As a helicopter ski guide related, “We’d been undergoing subtle changes. This concept is consistent with dodging clouds all day, when the pilot saw a stake and said Klein (1998) who reported that failure to simulate outcomes he could put me there. In order not to burn more $’s we landed frequently leads to errors in choosing decision actions. there, got out, and the helicopter headed for the bottom.” These findings suggest that limitations of cognitive and Participants also faced logistical pressures, as explained by emotional processing are inherent in avalanche decision- this forecaster: “There was great pressure on the avalanche making. As I discussed in Part I, situation awareness, crew to keep the road open. I allowed this pressure to override mindfulness (metacognition), and critical thinking are powerful safety concerns.” In another case, a ski-area forecaster strategies to counter the influence of these negative human explained, “It was logistically difficult to close off this slope factor influences in the decision process. in the middle of a busy spring day, which added weight to keeping it open.” Coping Strategies When faced with difficult choices and negative human factor 4. Social / Political Factors influences, I found participants adopted several strategies to Social and political human factors were another negative cope: (1) Managing the uncertainty (2) sticking with the status influence in the judgements and decisions of the avalanche our goals and mental models are integrally linked and are experts in this study (Table 2). Participants described how a critical to the formation of accurate situational models. Endsley collective sense of professionalism and pride in accomplishing (1997) argued that decision-makers often make the correct the complexities of their craft influenced their decisions. For decision for their perception of the situation, but that perception

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ACMG News 20 Volume 26, Winter 2007 PART II from previous page Tech Notes may be in error. within the physical and environmental systems of influence. In Part I, I identified experience as the key element in the It also highlights the fact that avalanche decision makers formation of mental models and the fundamental component need a high level of personal mastery and strong leadership of the avalanche expert’s decision foundation. Repeated capacities to avoid being overly influenced by these factors. experience develops mental models and expectations about future events that predispose us to perceive information that Concluding Remarks is in agreement with our mental models. However, all Avalanche judgment and decision-making must be examined experiences are not equivalent in their capacity to develop in a holistic manner in order to discover efficient, adaptive, good judgment and decision capacities. As I found in this and satisfying solutions to the decision problems we face. study, repeated experiences of non-event feedback or false As I found in my research, human factors exert both positive positive events can result in dysfunctional strategies for future and negative effects in the decision process. It was how the decision-making. For example, snowpack instabilities exhibit decision maker recognized, considered, and managed the spatial variability in the terrain, and areas within which it is presence of negative human factors made the critical difference possible to trigger a propagating fracture for a slab avalanche between decision success and human error. I suggest that a may be as small as one metre. If a skier does not make contact more complete understanding of the influence of potentially with this area, the slope may not release resulting in a false negative human factors will enable avalanche decision makers positive result for the decision-maker. As one participant and stakeholders to recognize and manage their presence, related to me, “positive reinforcement is a powerful learning therefore reducing the frequency of human factor decision impetus.” errors in avalanche accidents. However, human factors also Avalanche accidents and close calls are infrequent; therefore, have a positive side. In Part III Developing Expertise in they are an insensitive indicator to the quality of our decisions. Avalanche Decision Making, I examine the positive human False positive feedback experiences may reinforce poor factors that influence successful judgments and decisions, decision actions, and may lead to overconfidence or inaccurate and discuss these findings in light of recent advancements perceptions. Research has shown that if a person repeatedly in strategies for decision skills learning, decision support, makes dysfunctional decisions, those dysfunctions would and effective avalanche accident prevention. become automatized. For example, Orasanu et al. (2001) found that pilots’ experience and success in risky situations Acknowledgments in the past, (e.g. making a landing in poor weather conditions), My research is dedicated to the group of Canadian avalanche influenced their expectations to succeed the next time. In a professionals who took the time to reflect upon their study of recreational avalanche accidents in the United States, experiences and relate their insight to me. We can all learn McCammon (2002) found the familiarity that resulted from a great deal from their experiences of decision success and past experiences and actions led avalanche accident victims human error. My thanks are extended to the Canadian to believe their behaviours were appropriate in the current Avalanche Foundation, Selkirk College, and the Social situation. Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for The impact of goals and mental models on judgment and providing financial support, and to Arc’Teryx for outdoor decision-making is particularly problematic in the high-stakes clothing and equipment. I wish to acknowledge Bruce avalanche domain. The avalanche decision-making Jamieson and John Tweedy who offered valuable insight and environment is often not structured to provide effective good thinking in their role as avalanche expert advisors to feedback or to show our limitations. I suggest the use of my research, and to Roger Atkins, Ian McCammon, and Kim critical thinking and mindfulness (metacognition) can correct Kratky for reviewing my draft. these biases by requiring decision makers to think about the reasons and assumptions that underlie their judgments and References and Further Reading choices. In addition, it is of critical importance to seek external Baumann, M., Sniezek, J. A., & Buerkle, C. A. (2001). Self- feedback when available, and to reflect upon our judgment evaluation, stress, and performance: A model of decision and decision actions in order to build accurate mental models making under acute stress. In E. Salas & G. Klein, (Eds.). to support future decision-making (a point I will discuss Linking expertise and naturalistic decision making. (pp. 139- further in Part III). 158). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Endsley, M., (1997). The role of situation awareness in Understanding Decision Errors naturalistic decision making. In C. Zsambok, & G. Klein Decision actions do not stand alone as events that can be (Eds.). Naturalistic decision-making. (pp. 269 – 284). judged independent from the broader situational and task Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. features. While the biases and decision traps that I have Jannis, I.L., and Mann, L. (1977). Decision Making. New reported may appear to be an irrational response, we must York: The Free Press. consider the strong influences of the individual, team, client, Klein, G. (1998). Sources of power: How people make organization, and socio-political realms in these processes. decisions. Cambridge, USA: The Massachusetts Institute of Cognitive limitations, spatial variability, physical and Technology Press. environmental stress, fear of appearing incompetent, social McCammon, I. (2002). Evidence of heuristic traps in pressures within teams, pressure to open avalanche prone recreational avalanche accidents. Proceedings of the terrain by clients, logistical and financial pressure from International Snow Science Workshop, Penticton, Canada, organizations, and desires to maintain cultural cohesion within 1-8. associations are several examples that resulted from my study. McClung, D.M. (2002). The elements of applied avalanche Additionally, varying perceptions of risk, and varying levels forecasting: The human issues. Natural Hazards 25, 111 – of acceptable risk exist within these human realms. 129. The successful reduction of uncertainty and negative human Orasanu, J., & Salas, E. (1993). Team decision making in factor influences is cognitively taxing, and requires time, complex environments. In G. Klein, J. Orasanu, R. motivation, and the use of structured thinking processes such Calderwood, & C. Zsambok, (Eds.). Decision making in as metacognition and critical thinking. While in retrospection, action: models and methods. (pp. 327-345). New Jersey: a majority of the participants in my study recognized the Ablex Publishing. human influences present; they simply succumbed to the Sexton, J.B. (Ed.). (2004). The better the team, the safer the excessive pressure they faced. My research illuminates the world: Golden rules of group interaction in high risk conflicting challenges that avalanche decision-makers face environments. Ladenburg: Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz as they strive to achieve a balance between the widely varying Foundation, & Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue. goals and objectives within the internal and external realms of human influence, and the dynamically changing conditions Laura Adams is a Ski Guide who is presently living in New Zealand

Volume 26, Winter 2007 21 ACMG News The Avaluator - recreational decision-making madeeasier

The Avaluator is a hand-held card developed to help Once a trip has been chosen that suits the user’s comfort backcountry users make safer decisions in avalanche terrain. zone, the other side of the card is brought into play. It’s designed to be used in two stages: planning the trip at home and making decisions on the trip. The first stage—the Side 2: Obvious Clues Trip Planner—guides the user in choosing an objective The Obvious Clues side of the Avaluator is designed to give appropriate to the individual’s comfort level and the current the user a systematic method for making decisions while conditions. The second stage—Obvious Clues—gives the traveling in avalanche terrain. The user collects information user a method to assess whether specific slopes are safe about the condition of the snowpack by observing seven key enough to cross. By incorporating easily collected critical clues and using a checklist to keep track. When an avalanche information, the user can avoid situations that have lead to slope is encountered, the user adds up the checklist. The total accidents in the past gives the user an assessment of how similar the current

Tech Notes Tech Over 1400 North American avalanche accidents were conditions are to past accidents. The higher the number, the analyzed by the Avaluator project team. The data revealed closer the similarity. that, despite a wide range of training and backcountry Only two percent of all reported avalanche accidents experience, there were distinct patterns in the crucial decisions happened during conditions with one or two clues. Normal made by the victims. caution is advised under these conditions. Three and four Essentially, the number of fatalities could have been vastly clues indicate the conditions are becoming increasingly like reduced if a simple and consistent decision-making system those of past accidents. Travel decisions should be made very had been applied. That system has become the Avaluator. carefully and require significant training and experience. When five or more clues are present, backcountry travel is Side 1: Trip Planner not recommended without professional-level guidance. Using the Trip Planner requires two pieces of information: the avalanche danger rating for the day and the avalanche Booklet terrain rating for the trip. This information is found at An accompanying booklet has been produced to give www.avalanche.ca. The two ratings are plotted on a simple instructions on using the Avaluator. This 30-page booklet graph that shows, in a colour-coded fashion, whether the trip gives step-by-step guidance, along with a concise overview requires normal caution (green), extra caution (yellow), or is of other useful tips on travelling in avalanche terrain. not recommended (red). Avalanche danger is rated on the five-point scale—low, History and Future moderate, considerable, high and extreme. Avalanche terrain The Avaluator is part of a three-year project called the is rated on the three-point scale public model of the Avalanche Avalanche Decision Framework for Amateur Recreationists Terrain Exposure Scale —simple, challenging and complex. (ADFAR). The ADFAR project began in the spring of 2004, Currently all the popular backcountry ski trips and ice-climbing a result of the terrible winter of 2002/03 when 29 people were trips within the mountain killed in avalanches in Canada. Charged with developing a national parks are rated decision-making tool for amateurs, project manager Dr. Pascal with this scale. Work began Haegeli has steered the research and development throughout this summer to rate the the project. popular skiing and The Avaluator was beta-tested last winter by a group of sledding trips outside the guides and avalanche instructors. It will be publicly launched national park boundaries. in October. The curriculum for Avalanche Skills Training To date, close to 250 ski courses is currently being updated, with the Avaluator at its touring trips and 50 centre. This coming winter we will be evaluating the success sledding trips outside the and effectiveness of the Avaluator in terms of its use by the park boundaries have been public. For more information please contact the Canadian rated and posted at Avalanche Centre in Revelstoke. Grayscale image of Side 1 www.avalanche.ca. The cornice cord By Peter Amann Coming from an avalanche control background, I have always cornices, just tie a knot behind the handle. DON’T WRAP looked for the perfect backcountry bomb. We have all had a THE CORD AROUND YOUR HAND! If the cornice fails number of times when we want to test a slope, and often you want to be able to let go. Sometimes I will clip the end cornices offer the best back country bomb. I don’t want to into some piece of terrain in case both cutters have to let go. get into the safety issue of playing around near cornices, This way you may not loose your cord. Always make sure needless to say this cord is meant for smaller cornices, and there is an open v to the edge, no cord behind you that could always done from a safe location. snag you if the cornice fails. The cord described below also works as a rutch block cord. The weight including stuff sack and one locking biner is The rope can be used in your kit as well for rescue purposes about 300gms. This is just something to play with. I know a like tying someone onto a improvised toboggan..etc. few places I tour where there are opportunities to do slope I went with 4mm cord and a length of 20 metres. I used testing and get some more information. 3/16 inch washers to put in between knots (you could try This could be a valuable tool if you are in places where slightly bigger ones too). The distance between knots is not small cornices form, or where knocking them off on skis is fixed, but closer together makes more sense. The washer just not safe. It actually does a pretty good job even in harder slightly sticks out beyond the overhand knot. snow. On the ends I have put wooden handles to aid in holding the rope. This is so that you don’t wrap your hand around the Peter Amann is a Mountain Guide from Jasper cord. You can move the handles up the cord for smaller ACMG News 22 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Instructing students on multi-burial searching Tech Notes using the micro-strip method by Steve Blagbrough and Jesse De Montigny

Introduction distances from the searcher. Most other beacons will indicate This paper looks at the system we have adopted for teaching if there are multiple burials. We are teaching students that if multiple burial searches to Yamnuska students. Because the there is more than one beacon in the search area then go majority of our students are novices, we wanted to implement straight to a micro search strip method. If there is only one a method of teaching that was effective, efficient and produced beacon then use the induction method. successful results with the least number of steps. We considered Before commencing with the micro search strip various search systems, but found the micro search strip method some beacons range/ volume controls can be preset. method the easiest one to teach and for students to learn. The Table 1 describes these settings. Beacons should be kept in micro search strip method is a systematic search method used the same orientation throughout the search. Students should in avalanche multiple burial scenarios (Genswein and Harvey, be carrying a probe and markers for indicating found targets. n.d.). The micro search strip works well for the wide variety Students should also be encouraged to keep the micro search of beacons that students often bring to courses. This paper strip lines as straight as possible and strip widths 3 m to 4 m will discuss the method for set up, teaching and merits of the apart. Comparing this distance to two ski lengths or two arm micro search strip for teaching to novice students. spans gives the students a visual clue for judging distances and keeps the strip widths more accurate. Method Students switch from the micro search strip to A debris area, 25 m to 30 m2 is marked out with two or three pinpoint method when their beacons’ distance read-out, audio beacons buried at least 6 m apart and no deeper than 50 cm. or lights indicate a burial nearby (see Table 1). The pinpoint Probe targets are buried with the beacons. is Students start at one corner of the debris area and proceed carried out and the target is found using a systematic probing using the micro search strip method, with strip widths of 3 method. At Yamnuska, we teach either the spiral or box m to 4 m wide (See Figure 1). Once a beacon is located, it probing system with successive probes being 20 cm distance is pinpointed, probed and marked. The student then returns apart. Comparing this distance, to a hand span, from the to the last point on the micro search strip line before continuing thumb to the little finger, gives the students another visual to find other beacons. clue. When found, the target is marked with a ski pole, glove or hat. Marking the target helps orientate the students on the Teaching Points debris and avoids returning to beacons that have already been As an introduction, we often discuss other methods of multiple located. beacon searching and their various merits. On completion of the pinpoint search, students must then Students should be very proficient at pinpointing before return to their last position on the micro search strip line. starting multiple beacon searching. Students who do not have Beacons with range/volume control must be returned to the a good understanding of pinpointing will struggle with this original setting before returning to the micro search strip exercise, as it is essentially a series of pinpoint searches linked method (See Table 1). Students continue with the micro together. search strip and pinpoint search methods until the whole area A demonstration of the micro search strip method is is covered. worthwhile to start with. Leaving the beacons on the surface, during this demonstration, assists the students to see the Findings methodology and search patterns being used. Beacons with a range/volume control are very useful in the Having previously taught the students to use the direction initial stages for identifying the number of beacons and their indicators on the beacon for the induction search, we are now distances within a search area. Beacons with audio signals asking them to ignore these and use the distance or audible appear to be more effective at aiding students’ orientation signal only. It is important to get them to think of using the during the search, as their attention is not entirely focused on beacon in a very different way by likening it to using a metal the visual distance display. Students must have a good or mine detector and homing in on the target, only when they understanding of all the steps involved in performing avalanche get close to each one. A diagram of the number of intersecting rescue. Teaching students how this particular exercise fits in flux lines in a multiple search is a useful visual aid to help to a large-scale avalanche rescue is essential. At an introductory students comprehend the difficulty levelwearenotteachingclose of using the induction line search at proximity or deep burials. By this stage. keeping the search pattern fairly Dividing the group up and getting simple, students are successful and one student to set up a search area gain confidence in this seemingly for two or complicated rescue scenario. More three other students will give complex exercises can be introduced maximum practice time. Students are on longer courses or to students with encouraged not to rush this exercise. more advanced knowledge and Compare it to a first aid incident experience. where a little time spent assessing Conclusion the situation can make things far We have had good results teaching more efficient. the micro search strip method to If students have a beacon novice students. Students like the with a volume control (e.g., Ortovox systematic approach and straight line F1, M1, M2, SOS or Barryvox in Table 1: Beacon settings and indication to start searching that this method uses. This analog mode) then 10 or 15 seconds pinpoint search system also seems to be effective can be spent adjusting the volume * Range setting for starting micro search strip ~ 5 m. for the wide variety of beacons that control, identifying the number of + Aural and/or visual display indicate commencement of students often bring to a course. beacons and their approximate pinpoint search beacon technology continues to please see SEARCH on page 25

Volume 26, Winter 2007 23 ACMG News LEADERSHIP from page 13 So through reflection on his leadership I see that Hans is Arbinger Institute. (2000). Leadership and Self Deception. Berrett- still giving. He has provided some answers for me as I search Koghler for the components I need to be my best. In Hans we saw Glasser, W (1998). Choice Theory. Harper Collins Lopez, Barry (1989) Crossing Open Geround someone who always went beyond the standard, every-day Mantz, C & Neck, C (2004) Mastering Self Leadership. Pearson operation. He was driven to find ways to become someone Prentice Hall. exceptional in more than just one way and our memory of Vanier, J (1998). Becoming Human. House of Anansi Press. him can teach us a great deal. Hans, and what he stood for, http://images.google.ca/images is still the future of the ACMG. Ken Wylie is a Mountain Guide from Revelstoke

CHOMO LONZO from page 14

Feature IonlymanagedtosetupthehighcampbyMay2nd.The thirty metres or so up the rock-and-ice couloir, by which time weather window, or rather lack thereof, was not conducive to it became completely dark. I understood, that this was it for relaxation. In the mornings it was usually still sunny; by today. midday, the clouds rolled in, and by three o’clock, it was I never did manage to find a comfortable spot for a bivouac. already snowing. The unstable weather, and running behind Half sitting, half lying, I survived that night without ever the original schedule made me reconsider the chosen ascent managing to fall asleep. By 8 in the morning I climbed out of objective. the hammock, boiled the water, and began to prepare for All the same, on the morning of May 3rd I started the ascent departure. An hour later I was ascending the rope that had of the west wall of the main summit of Chomo Lonzo. been fixed the previous evening. The plan called for several days of climbing, and the pack Following my estimates, the climb from the bivy site to the turned out to be heavy. But everything ended very quickly, summit should have taken around 8 hours. For this reason, I after barely having started: only three rope lengths above the decided to leave all the bivy gear behind, and to take only the bergshrund, the snow began to come down thick. I descended bare necessities. But, the distances in the mountains are often to Base Camp. I needed a rest. deceptive. So it was this time as well. By 8 p.m. not only was The next time I returned to the wall was May 9th. That day I still not on the summit, but not even on the ridge. In the I managed to reach the height of 6500 m and bivouacked in latter half of the day, the sleepless night and the increasing a semi-sitting position. But the next day, having gained another altitude made themselves felt: the body felt as if stuffed with 100 vertical metres, I understood I would not be able to cotton balls, the legs filled with lead, and the consciousness conquer this wall. It was relentlessly steep and required became altered with a subtle sense of unreality of all that was protection everywhere. Steep, hard-as-glass ice gave way to happening around me. Furthermore, the upper part of the route smoothed-over slabs of yellow granite. Consequently upward turned out to be much more technically difficult, than it looked progress was slow, something that I just could not accept. I from below. At times, the sections of steep ice were as hard simply was not in the mood for that. For a solo climber, the as granite. Several times I had to hang on by the ice tools route required at least 6 days of work and there were few alone. The blunted points of the crampons skidded off into places even for a sitting bivouac. A portaledge was necessary, emptiness without finding purchase. which was also not a part of my plans. The higher I climbed, the greater was the worry that overcame I descended to the high camp and thought about the me. I understood that the descent would have to take place in developing situation. Not so much time remained until the the dark. This prospect I definitely did not like. I was end of the expedition. The walls surrounding me required particularly concerned about the sloping traverses on the many days of work and the weather was crap. That’s when descent. They were unpleasant enough on the way up. I know theideacameintomyheadtoclimbthenorthsummitof how dangerous is a nighttime descent on a wall, but when Chomo Lonzo (7200 m) by a new route from the west, from you are alone and very tired it is doubly dangerous. There is the same glacier where my high camp was located. From the no one to control your actions from the side, you are already glacier, the route could be easily seen as a steeply rising ice quite spent, and the mind works poorly. In this state, it is easy couloir, topped by a cliff belt. The wall’s elevation gain from to commit a fatal error. the bergshrund to the summit was on the order of 1200 m. I climbed the last rope length to the ridge over the snowy Several options of exiting through the cliffs onto the ridge cliffs in the already thickening twilight. The clouds enveloped were apparent. The ridge itself did not seem problematic. the mountains several times and it snowed. So, when I climbed The proposed line looked logical and safe. As the route was out onto the ridge by 9 p.m. it was as though some switch had mostly ice, the speed of the ascent would be fast. I was planning clicked in my over-tired head: “That’s it, enough – stop! You to use no more than 2 or 3 days for the entire climb, and are already at the limit. Go down.” I did not resist this command. therefore did not take along too much food. It was also possible I simply listened to the inner voice and followed it. At that to save on bivy equipment. moment, I had no feeling of regret that I did not manage to Having packed two 60 metre ropes, rock gear, hammock- reach the summit itself, but only the ridge. The entire body tent, light sleeping bag, gas burner and a jacket, at 7 a.m. on was filled with all-enveloping fatigue, and the thoughts kept May15thIcrossedthebergshrundandbegantheascentof getting lost between the reality and unreality of the the wall. Up until the altitude of 6400 m I climbed without a surroundings, the result of the colossal work that was rope. Then the ice became harder and steeper. The backpack, accomplished over two days. In this semiconscious mode, I as much as I tried to lighten it prior to setting out, was still descended to my backpack, which was secured below. Having pushing 16 kg. Under its weight, it was becoming dangerous reclaimed it, I continued my endless descent into the night. balancing on the steep ice. I took out one of the ropes. The I reached the glacier by five o’clock in the morning, crazy other rope continued to drag behind me for the duration of with thirst. the entire climb. It was put to use only on the descent. The entire climb, from tent to tent, took 47 hours. The actual In the couloir, the protection was purely symbolic: two screws climbing took 26 hours. Perhaps this is not such a great stretch at the lower station and two screws at the upper, 60 metres of time, but by the sheer intensity of experiences it could equal away. In between, I put nothing in most of the time. several years of a lifetime. As customary, after 2 p.m. it began to snow. Nevertheless, my motivation on this climb was sufficiently high as to continue the ascent. By 9 p.m. I had approached the cliff belt that began Valeri Babanov is a Mountain Guide from Calgary. This article at a height of 6800 m. The dusk began to fall. During the was reprinted with kind permission from Gripped Magazine. remaining minutes of daylight, I managed to gain another

ACMG News 24 Volume 26, Winter 2007 CLIMATE from page 11 and start new careers as surfing instructors and such. I think In the meantime I propose we work with what we have, there is guiding work off the ice as well and we will learn to learn to deal with it in a constructive way and stop whining deal with it. and lamenting with everyone else. We don’t really know and Feature What about all the other changes that will come with we should stop pretending we know, but consider possibilities. disappearing ice? Well, there will certainly be changes if the Somehow, the “act accordingly” part has not happen yet. ice disappears from our mountains. Changes to flora and We need to walk the talk. As long as we pull up with a V-8 fauna, not to mention climbing routes. Many of those changes banging away under the hood and print only on one side of are already affecting us. What about the goats and the polar the paper we can’t point fingers, or ask anyone else to do the bears? Somehow they seem to have managed during the warm right thing for us. And remember, “properly disposed” does periods in the past, as when there were trees on Snowdome. not always mean flushing it down the toilet, instead of leaving The polar bears and goats of the day had a leg up on their it behind in the right kind of place. There are folks downstream modern descendants, though: Homo Remingtoni had not who need to drink the stuff. evolved yet. Believe me when I say this is not directed at anyone in particular. This has been on my mind for quite a while and Goldilocks, again it seems now that we are talking about striking an Just for the heck of it: how many of us have actually spent Environmental Committee, the time is right. a decent amount of time thinking about what it would be like if we were headed for another glacial period instead? The 1 W.S. Broecker and J. van Donk, 1970 kind of climate that would grow our glaciers back? Our summer seasons would probably look quite different, as would 2 C. Schlüchter et al, University of Bern, 2001 our heating and grocery bills. I can see mornings spent at the coffee shop, staring out the window at the lowering snowline Kobi Wyss is a Mountain Guide from Canmore who says you on the surrounding mountains, wondering what I was going can send hate mail to [email protected] to do with my client (if I had one) that day. Perhaps a Snowshoe Guide certification would become more important then. Cold porridge might not be that great either.

HANS from page 17 From Brian Gould: I instantly felt like I was more than just the hired muzak - I was welcomed as one of the family! This is how he always I first heard about Hans at a ski show in Calgary when I was treated all his staff and guests, and is one of the reasons CMH 10 years old. CMH had a booth with a bunch of photos and has been such a success. brochures. Eye opening for a 10 year old kid who thought I never got the chance to spend much one on one with Hans, Summit T-bar at Lake Louise was the be all and end all. I but our paths crossed several times since then, and always knew that I had to meet this Hans Gmoser guy! the same smile, and welcoming nature. So 10 years later, there I was heading into the CMH One other time - the last time I saw him - a few of us from Adamants for their second week of opening ever. But not as theBoardofDirectorswenttosee2004convocationatUCC a guide...Since it was a brand new lodge, and I was a budding (now TRU), where Hans received his honorary doctorate of musician from Vancouver, I was invited to play guitar at the Law. He was with 4 or 5 others on stage, all being bestowed lodge for the week over New Years, in exchange for a bit of similar honors. When he was given his chance to accept his the heli-ski lodge experience, and the chance to get a ski run award, the audience of 1000 (or so) fell completely silent as or two in (a gig that my sister set up for me as she worked in he got up and gave one of the most inspirational speeches I the kitchen at Mica that year). For me this was like winning have ever heard. After relaying some of his life story, he spoke the lottery. to the group of young pups, 'Follow your dreams, and don't So I pull into the staging area during the exchange, right ever try to live up to what somebody else or society wants next to a car with the hood open. A guest was standing by, as you to be' (I can't give it justice, but you get the idea). A it was obviously the guest's car. Some guy all greasy with resounding applause ensued. I would hope many of those coveralls was under the hood fiddling with the carburetor, lucky kids packed that valuable bit of advice into their brains, trying to get it going. When he finally pulls his head out, I and have taken it to heart. I know I have. recognize him instantly - wow there's the man! He turns and Thanks for all the inspiration Hans! sees me. And right away he gives me the big smile, takes his glove off, sticks his hand out and says 'You must be Brian'. Brian Gould

SEARCH from page 23 As beacon technology continues to evolve, so must our References teaching and training methods. Currently, Yamnuska has only Genswein, Manuel and Stephan Harvey. (n.d.) been teaching this system for three seasons and we are Statistical analyses on multiple burial situations and search strategies continually striving to improve and streamline the methods for multiple burials. Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche used for avalanche safety training. Research (SLF), Davos, Switzerland. 7 pp. Steve Blagbrough is Mountain Guide and Jesse De Montigny is an Assistant Ski/Assistant Alpine Guide. They live in Canmore.

GUIDE SPEAK from page 27 discuss with each person about my choice of rental, since I Thankfully, all my recent training about clarity has taught would settle for nothing less than a good to very good movie. me two things in order to avoid instability within our After all that planning however, I had to adapt because I relationship. First, it’s important to have leftovers waiting on remembered that there was a super weak chance that my girl the table when she arrives and secondly, I have to listen would be coming home later this evening. Even though she intently when discussing her latest course, otherwise I won’t said she wouldn’t be home, it could still happen. So I got in know what the hell she’s talking about. my machine for the quick hop to the video store so that I could get back and start making dinner. Steve Ogle lives with an aspiring guide in Nelson

Volume 26, Winter 2007 25 ACMG News Guideexam update by Terry Palechuk and Dwayne Congdon Hiking Guide Venues Jeff Storck Lucas Rosnau Lydia Marmont Canmore, Pemberton Sean Gryzb Sandy Sauer Ross Berg Gillian Calder Sebastion Carrasco Day Hiking Guide Backpacking Guide David Cusack Tim Stephens Instructors Instructors Christie Harvie Dave Smith Dave Smith Tyler Louie Assistant Alpine Guide Peter Oxtoby Peter Oxtoby Kersti Vaine Venues Derek Holtved Lake Louise, Banff, Kobi Wyss Successful Backpacking CGI 2 Instructors Columbia Icefields News Daniel Bonzi Guide Candidates Brain Spear, Kelly Drager, Rob Davidson Dale Roth Matt Peter Assistant Alpine Guide Steve Ludwig Greg McDougall Instructors Mitchell Sulkers Successful CGI 2 Mark Klassen Successful Day Hiking Trevor Lescard Candidates Keith Reid Guide Candidates Wayne Robinson Michael Cummings Scott Davis Andrew Abrahams Alex Faid Marc Ledwidge Brad Towle CGI Venues Renee Lavergne Brian Cruikshank Calgary, The Stronghold; Tedi Lockwood Successful Assistant Alpine Jeff Zukiwsky Victoria, The Boulders Tim Mang Guide Candidates Leah Zoobkoff Dung Nguyen Kirk Becker Matt Dellow CGI 1 Instructors Micheal Prystajecky Remy Bernier Michiyo Adachi Jake King, Deryl Kelly, Nigel St. Louis Jesse de Montigny Mike Earl Derek Wilding, Brian Spear, Colby Appleby Al Ducros Naoto Motoyama Matt Peter Kimanda Jarzebiak Luke Griffith Stephanie Chris Larson Tim Haggart Susan Boyd Successful CGI Level 1 Sebastian Powell Sean Isaac Taichi Ishizuka Candidates Jeremy Mackenzie Rick Richards Graham Ernst Assistant Rock Guide Matt Mueller Tomo Fujimura Joey Fedoruk Venues Alison Cardinal Scott Hodgins Canmore, Squamish Alpine Guide Venues Akira Kawaguchi Eric Hsiung Lake Louise, Bugaboos Fred Amyot Meaghan McInnis Assistant Rock Guide Justin Farquhar Chris Muzzillo Instructors Alpine Guide Instructors Marc Bourdon Colin Zacharias Keith Reid Rich Marshall Scott Davis Greg Golovach Dwayne Congdon Todd Craig Todd Guyn LUV 2 SKI CUSTOM SEWING Chris Miller Successful Alpine Guide (formerly Osprey Clothing Company) Alison Andrews Candidates Brett Lawrence Successful Conrad Janzen Schoeller pants $165 – 190 Assistant Rock Kirk Mauthner Guide Candidates Matt Peter Custom fit James Madden Mike Adolph 2 styles to choose from Jason Billing Rich Prohaska Jeff Bullock Rob Owens John Freeman Rescue Toboggan/Tarp $115 - $135 Mike Trehearn New Mountain Guides Weighs only 350 g David Sproule Conrad Janzen Quick ‘n easy to use Eric Hughes Kirk Mauthner Geoff Hill Rich Prohaska Kathryn Holm Field Book Covers $15 - $17.50 Great stocking stuffer! Holds pencil, ruler, thermometer & more

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ACMG News 26 Volume 26, Winter 2007 Guide-speak 101 by Steve Ogle Humour As a part-time writer and average citizen of the world, I have at a writer’s pace and while stepping down I totally ate shit always valued clarity as an important tool, both in work and on a convexity, this time on some variable firnspiegal. The every-day life. First off, clarity—it is such a clean word, but result was a sympathetic release of my coffee all the way to aside from that, it makes important stuff such as ground. communication and understanding that much easier. Because Obviously, my day was not going according to plan, so I without being clear and understanding communicators, we pulled the plug on myself and my pre-conditioned routine, are all doomed to a life of confusion, misapprehension and knowing such things can be dangerous, and decided instead other unclear stuff. to go out and rent a video. But before giving myself the green And that’s one of the reasons why I’m so happy that my light for that, I went on-line to check the regional consensus girlfriend has decided to become a certified guide. Not only to see which movies were out there. Just to build some does it free up all this time for me to hang out by myself and redundancy into the system, while en route I would stop and write important articles like this, but also it helps me become a better communicator and therefore a better boyfriend. On the odd occasion when she’s please see GUIDE SPEAK on page 25 at home, we’ll actively discuss some of the terms she learned from her latest course, or more often when she’s not around I’ll study some of the course manuals that lay strewn about all over the house. As a simple lay person, I used to have a hard time understanding all the terminology found within those loosely-bound, hand-written anthologies, but after an all- encompassing training routine I have finally become more accustomed to the language. In fact, today while bumming around the house, I was thinking about how important this lexicon could be when placed within a context of everyday life—how it might even help to simplify the world… I woke up this morning, rolled over and checked my altimeter watch, which I never remove, and noticed it had gone up, so I went down to grab some breakfast. Still pretty out of it, as soon as I left the bed surface I triggered a class 2 slide over an unsupported carpet feature, but I fought like hell and walked out of it. Amazed at the power of that carpet, I mentally recorded the incident as a sleeper- accidental and re-evaluated my terrain guidelines before traversing to the deposition zone. Once there, I carefully avoided the bowl until after breakfast and instead opted for a tooth-brushing event, a shower and a shave. I always feel more situationally aware after a clean shear, and so I continued to the kitchen for some cheese, sausage, pancakes, eggs,toast,bacon,somemore bacon, and a couple cups of coffee (i.e. breakfast). Although the wx was variable and the freezing level fluctuated at or below the house, it was only S-1, so after breakfast I layered up, filled a thermos with coffee and transported myself to the solar aspect of the building to evaluate the day’s objectives. Knowing that speed is safety, I was walking

Volume 26, Winter 2007 27 ACMG News ACMG Board of Directors January, 2007 Officers of the Board (Executive Committee) President Vice-President Secretary-Treasurer Scott Davis Paul Norrie Jörg Wilz Revelstoke, BC Canmore, AB Canmore, AB home: (250) 837-9630 home: (403) 678-5276 home: (403) 609-2146 cell: (250) 814-8452 work: (250) 423-3700 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Directors Chair, Technical Committee Director, Director, Rocky Mountains Director, Day Hiking and (appointed) West Coast Restricted Peter Amann Backpacking Guides Todd Guyn Members Jasper, AB Dan Clark Canmore, AB Roger Sarrasin home: (780) 852-3237 Kimberley, BC home: (403) 678-6247 Garibaldi Highlands, BC [email protected] home: (250) 427-3687 cell: (403) 678-9452 home: (604) 938-3825 [email protected] [email protected] redbull@telus,net Director, Rocky Mountains Restricted Members Director, Director, West Coast Director, West Columbias Matt Peter Climbing Gym Instructors Dave Sarkany Jeff Honig Golden, BC Brian Spear Whistler BC Revelstoke, BC home: (250) 344-4610 Calgary, AB home: (604) 938-4056 home: (250) 837-2215 work: (250) 344-0108 home: (403) 284-1140 [email protected] cell: (403) 678-7843 [email protected] cell: (403) 804-1112 [email protected] [email protected] Director, West Coast Director at Large Chris Atkinson Director, East Christoph Dietzfelbinger Past President Squamish BC Columbias/Membership Smithers BC Diny Harrison home: (604) 892-5501 Rod Gibbons home: (250) 847-3351 Revelstoke BC cell: (604) 803-0457 Invermere, BC work: (250) 847-2854 home: (250) 837-5445 [email protected] home: (250) 342-0462 [email protected] cell: (250) 837-0080 cell: (250) 342-1675 [email protected] work: (800) 661-6060 [email protected]

Administrative Executive Director Administrative Consultant/ Permit Manager, Webmaster Peter Tucker ACMG Office Assistant to the ED Chris Miller Support Bragg Creek AB Linda Heywood Janet Miller Canmore, AB The administration reports tel: (403) 949-3587 tel: (403) 678-2885 Canmore, AB (403) 678-2815 to the President [email protected] fax: (403) 609-0070 tel: (403) 678-2815 [email protected] [email protected] cell: (403) 609-1253 Box 8341 [email protected] Canmore, AB T1W 2V1 ACMG Committees

Technical Communications Conduct Review Membership Services Chair: Todd Guynn Chair: Jeff Honig Chair: Rod Gibbons Chair: Jorg Wilz James Blench Grant Statham Other members added as Marc Bourdon Colin Zacharias Marc Piche necessary Derek Holvsted Brian Webster Chris Atkinson Mark Klassen Marc Piche Kimanda Jezerbiak Sponsorship Mike Welch Dwayne Congdon Chair - Matt Peter Janet Miller Sub-committee: Mountain Peter Harvey Christoph Dietzfelbinger West Coast Conditions Report Dave Sarkany Chair: Dave Sarkany Chair: Chris Atkinson Diny Harrison Events Roger Sarrasin TechCom Rep: James Brian Gould Chair: Peter Amann Chris Atkinson Blench Advisory Position: unnamed Sub-committee: Events Keith Reid BOD rep: Scott Davis non member with marketing Helen Sovdat Craig McGee Webmaster: Chris Miller and sales experience Lloyd Gallagher Brian Gould Tom Wolfe Sharon Wood Larry Stanier Sub-committee: Pro Deals Ferdl Taxbock Environment Roger Sarrasin Rudi Gertsch Chair: Dan Clark Matt Peters Daniel Bonzi David Lavalee Peter Furhman

ACMG News, Volume 27, Summer 2007