TheVolume 47, ArêteSummer 2017 Supervision of Apprentice Guides Page 10 High Sierras Trip Report Page 36

Airbag Pack Reviews Near Miss at the Page 42 Hilda Hut Page 40 Contents Editorial New Kids on the Bloc 30 President’s Perspective 4 The Pain of Perseverance 32 Tucker Talk 4 Give What You Do 34 The Himalayan Alpine Canine 35 News High Sierras Gamble - Trip Report 36 Canadian Mountain & Ski Guide Program Update 6 Near Miss Technical Director’s Report 8 Supervision of Apprentice Guides 10 Avalanche - Near Hilda Hut, South Selkirks 40 Reviewing Conduct Review - part 2 14 Technical ACMG Permit Update 15 ACMG Scholarship News 16 BCA Float 32 Airbag Review 42 MCR/Informalex Committee Report 17 Arc'teryx Voltair 30 Airbag Review 44 Professional Practices Committee Report 17 Black Diamond Halo 28 JetForce Airbag Review 46 Member Services Committee Report 18 DMM Pivot Belay Device Review 48 BORA AR PACK Adidas Tycane Pro Sunglasses Review 50 The classic Bora Pack is back. A Spotlight on ACMG Members revolutionary new suspension Member Updates system saves energy by gliding ACMG Member Profile - Scott McKay 20 Diapers and Vows 51 vertically and horizontally to Oral History Report - Profile on Bernie Scheisser 22 stabilize over uneven terrain. Remembering Dean Flick 52 Thierry Cardon Memorial 25 Changes in ACMG Membership 53 Features ACMG Officers, Directors, Advisors, Staff and Committees 54 How to Climb V10 28 The Arête “Not all girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice... Some girls are made of adventure and wine and all things fine...” - adventurouswomen.com.au

Editor-in-Chief: Shaun King Editorial Consultants: Mary Clayton, Peter Tucker, Marc Piché Editorial Policy The Arêteattempts to print every submission believed to be of interest to the ACMG membership including items that challenge the Association to examine its actions or direction. Ar- ticles containing insulting or defamatory sections will be edited or Proud Partner The lens that changes everything. not published at all. Technical articles are subject to review by the NXT + antiFOG + Photochromic + Colour Boost Technical Committee. Previous issues of The Arêtemay be found online at: acmg.ca/02member/communication/newsletter.asp Article submissions and advertising information Submission guidelines outlined on the ACMG members website. Submit articles and ads to [email protected]

Cover photo: A heli-hiker's unique view of Bugaboo Spire and the Howsers Towers in the Purcell Mountains. Photo: Lyle Grisedale

The Arête 2 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 3 The Arête Editorial President’s Perspective By Marc Ledwidge

Our job as guides is to safeguard clients as best lowing a serious incident. These include the mental stress, loss of we can, while providing rewarding experiences sleep, and lifelong memories following the aftermath of a serious in sometimes dangerous environments. That incident. The internal turmoil of second guessing, what ifs, and is a pretty tall order. To make this happen feeling judged by one’s peers, has implications that are not easily we need to have a good understanding of the dealt with. Lastly, something that has recently come up, is the potential consequences associated with the potential for criminal investigation following a serious incident. hazards inherent in mountain travel. We deal In some European countries, this has happened on several oc- with this reality daily when guiding, but if a casions, but here in Canada, it is relatively new. This is vastly serious incident happens, a different reality can really hit home. different from a civil case where a plaintiff is seeking compensa- We have liability insurance available to our members through tion following an incident. A criminal investigation in Canada a group policy to partially mitigate the aftermath if something is where the Crown looks to see if criminal negligence has taken goes badly, but it is worth considering the limits of that insurance. place. Penalties can vary between fines and jail time. I asked It should cover the defence of a claim, and eventually a payout to for a legal opinion on this and was told that, to prosecute suc- a plaintiff. For the insurance company, there are costs associated cessfully, the Crown would need to demonstrate willful intent to with investigating an incident. If a claim arises, and requires a le- cause harm. On the surface, this may seem absurd. However, gal defense, there will be significant costs incurred for that defense. the argument could be made that the wrong decision was made Even a claim that is successfully defended can get very expensive when there was overwhelming evidence that harm was likely. for the insurance company. If a payout is required, the costs can Should such an investigation take place, our liability insur- get into the millions of dollars. For the guide implicated, there ance will not cover that defence. There is no insurance available would undoubtedly be considerable personal time spent on the to defend against being charged under the Criminal Code. This defense. The “cost” of that time would not be covered by the means the guide would be paying directly for that legal defence. ACMG three year strategic plan for 2017 - 2019 insurance and the time required to deal with the aftermath of an Criminal lawyers don’t come cheap. In addition, depending on incident could mean a significant loss of income which could last the wording of an insurance policy, a successful criminal prosecu- The ACMG has worked through three 3-year strategic plans of your own! for weeks, months and possibly years. tion could void the coverage provided for a civil case. since I took on the role of Executive Director. These have largely Peter Tucker is the ACMG Executive Director living in Bragg At the recent IFMGA meetings, our colleagues from France The goal of course for all of us, is to minimize all incidents guided our direction over the past decade moving us from a Creek, AB. informed us that following several successful claims against French and especially serious ones. There is ample evidence showing that relatively unknown and primarily inwardly focussed group to guides, they are experiencing significant increases in insurance if we can reduce the number of minor incidents and near-misses, a technically sound, well-respected professional association that costs. This of course is expected and anyone who had made a the number of serious incidents will also go down. The ACMG is is sought out for advice, counsel and partnership by the public, claim on their vehicle insurance knows all too well of the implica- working to establish an incident reporting and learning system to government agencies, industry and other collegial organizations. tions on premiums. Our liability insurance costs are currently foster learning from all incidents. We hope that this will achieve This bodes well for you as members as you will be sought out for MOUNTAIN low. When they inevitably go up in the future, premium increases that goal. work more, based on the value of your certification. could impact the financial bottom line for guides. PERFORMANCE In the autumn of 2016, your Board of Directors, with in- There are unforeseen “costs” that insurance does not cover fol- Marc Ledwidge is the ACMG President and lives in Banff, AB. put from my admin team and the able facilitation of Isabelle EYEWEAR Daigneault of IDee Marketing, created the next strategic plan set to run from 2017 – 2019. Tucker Talk As you can see, the focus will be on continuing to increase By Peter Tucker the profile of the association with key stakeholders, developing a clearer process for working with and learning from incidents and When I managed Mountain Equipment Co- night before if he was to come in for work. When he told me that building greater capacity in all aspects of our training. op in Calgary, there was a long-time staff this wasn’t fair because it didn’t let him plan his time out, I told My admin team has prepared a series of supporting actions member who was much loved and respected him that I’d heard that planning was a myth. We shared a good to get us to our goals. These will be vetted by the Board in June, by other staff. One of his credos was, “Plan- laugh, had a good conversation and he agreed that he needed to and later shared with you via an e-Bulletin – which I KNOW ning is a myth” – something he believed be- provide a bit more context when sharing his motto with other you all read thoroughly.  cause things always seem to change before staff. any plan gets implemented. Because of his In many ways, my colleague was right – circumstances are This plan will largely drive our actions for the next three stature among the rest of the staff, several of always changing, necessitating revamping plans, sometimes in a years. Will it change? Hard to say. Twice a year the Board exam- them parroted this phrase whenever I tried to instill some forward wholesale way. That said, it’s critical to prepare a plan so that you ines the results to date and reassesses the priorities. In this way, thinking among the crew. After a few months of this, I decided and those who share an interest in what you do have a sense of the plan remains flexible to the ever-changing working, training to remove the fellow’s name from the schedule for the following your roadmap, all the while remaining flexible enough to change and legislative landscape of your profession. month. When he came to see me to ask what happened, I assured it as necessary. Want a piece of the action? Contact myself or President him that he was still on staff, but that we’d just let him know the Marc Ledwidge to get involved in one of our dozen or so com- mittees. Who knows, you may even get to bust a myth or two The Arête 4 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 5 The Arête News Canadian Mountain and Ski Guide Program Update By Dwayne Congdon Thanks The listed individuals and businesses provided operational support for the Ski Guide certificate and the listed climbing facilities generously provided their venue for at least one Climbing Gym Instructor course over the past year. This sup- port is critical to the successful conduct of Guide Training Skiing courses, Ski Guide exams, and the Climbing Gym Instructor Program.

Ski Guide Stream Climbing Gym Instructor Program Charlie Locke (Lake Louise Ski Resort) Elevation Place – Canmore, BC Revelstoke Mountain Resort The Boulders Climbing Gym – Sannichton, BC Sutton Place Hotel Climb Base5 Climbing Gym – Coquitlam, BC Whistler Heli-skiing The Edge Climbing Centre - North Vancouver, BC Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort The Calgary Climbing Centre (Stronghold) - Calgary, AB Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing Cliffside Climbing Gym - Kamloops, BC Great Canadian Heli-skiing Grand River Rocks - Kitchener, ON Silver King Helicopters Guelph Grotto - Guelph, ON RWDI Engineers (Environmental Services) Northern Rockies Recreation Centre - Fort Nelson, BC Peninsula Co-op Climbing Centre - Victoria, BC 2017 Guide Exam and Climbing Instructor Pass Rates Pass rates are posted below to allow ACMG members to monitor how effectively the CMSG Program is preparing students to meet ACMG standards. 2017 2016 2015 Qualification Candidates Pass Rate Candidates Pass Rate Candidates Pass Rate Apprentice Ski Guide 32 84% 27 82% 24 87% Ski Guide 28 82% 33 82% 21 76% Climbing Gym Instructor 1 75 (ytd) 96% 85 85% 117 96% Climbing Gym Instructor 2 7 86% 11 91% 75% Three technical re-tests are pending for the Apprentice Ski Guide qualification.

New Guide Training Partner – Rando Québec Claire Dixon & Cornelius Brenninkmeyer Award Rando Québec is a member based organization that promotes hiking This award is in memory of Claire Dixon and Cornelius Bren- activities in Québec; the organization also provides training courses ninkmeyer who died in a snow caving accident in January 2007. and certification for group leaders. Cornelius was a student in the Ski Guide Certificate. The ACMG and Thompson Rivers University are collaborat- The recipient is chosen by CMSG instructors and presented to ASK QUESTIONS ing with Rando Québec with the goal of Rando Québec assuming a Guide Training Skiing student who has demonstrated: TRY SOMETHING NEW STEP responsibility for delivering the CMSG Hiking Guide certificate in 1. Excellent leadership and people skills EXCEED EXPECTATIONS OUTSIDE Eastern Canada. 2. Excellent technical skills Once ready, Rando Québec will coordinate course scheduling, 3. Superior attention to safety during guide training Watch seasoned G3 ambassadors, guides logistics, instructor hiring, applicant screening, etc. TRU will provide and engineers share their personal field tips to The 2017 award recipient is Andrew McNab. take your backcountry riding to higher places. training, hiking program materials, and ongoing oversight. Successful GENUINEGUIDEGEAR.COM/STEPOUTSIDE exam candidates will still receive a TRU certificate and qualify for ACMG membership. Key representatives of Rando Québec attended Dwayne Congdon is an ACMG Mountain Guide and coordinator the Hiking Guide course based in Lake Placid (June 17-25). of the CMSG Program at Thompson Rivers University in Kam- loops, BC. The Arête 6 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 7 The Arête News

in question is very limited and often repeated. their Technical Director, Dale Remsberg, will be attending our Technical Director’s Report We will be extending variances for both the Mount Norquay training session this June. We will be working on developing a By Marc Piché and Sea to Sky Via Ferratas while we go through the process schedule for instructor observations over the next year. of running the beta course and completing the stand alone Via We are also working on having Gery Unterasinger, an Austrian Ferrata Guide course. The last half-year has been busy with numer- Via Ferrata guide training instructor living in Canmore, observe on the Guide ous projects which are gaining momentum. All current variances can be viewed on the ACMG website. Training Rock course in Canmore this spring. James Blench did a great job completing the Via Ferrata (VF) Although a significant amount of my time Guide training proposal over the course of the winter. The Via is spent dealing with member inquiries and Ferrata Guide beta course will be held at Mount Norquay this Apprentice Guide Timelines Russian Mountain Guides Association ‘putting out fires’, the Technical Committee spring by the CMSG program at TRU with some financial help has made progress on numerous fronts. The Technical Committee has fielded several requests for exten- The program with the RMGA has been going well with a very suc- and oversight from the ACMG. sions to the apprentice guide timelines. Most of these requests cessful session this spring. Christoph Dietzfelbinger and I hosted To ensure all candidates arrive with a certain level of knowl- are related to injury and granted without too much discussion. 16 students on back to back CAA Level 1 and Ski Touring Training edge and training, only applicants who have already completed A number of requests were denied because they did not meet courses in the Mount Elbrus region. This was the first time where Information Update & Current Activities the TRCI, Apprentice Ski Guide, Ski Guide, Assistant Hiking the requirement of stemming from a personal or family emer- we felt the students had benefitted from the mentorship of previ- Guide or Hiking Guide courses are permitted to attend. Once Manuals gency. The purpose of this policy is to ensure ACMG members ous students and had arrived very well prepared. The trickle-down we have completed the beta course and had an opportunity to effect of knowledge and skills is a strong sign of the health of the We have hired Derek Wilding (Rock Guide, CGI3 and CMSG complete their education and certification in a timely manner. implement feedback, the course will be developed into a stand- program. examiner) to provide content for the TRCI Manual and Susan alone certificate like the CGI and TRCI. We have been dealing with individuals who have missed their timelines on a case-by-case basis. A few have chosen to for- Another significant step is that IFMGA members will be vot- Chamney to do the publishing. Chris Miller and I will take care The Scope of Practice (SoP) for this certificate will be well feit their ACMG membership while others have been required ing on accepting Russia as a candidate country at the Fall General of photos and video needs. We expect this project to be complete defined and very limited. ACMG VF Guides will only be able by the end of the summer. to attend a pre-determined number of ‘upgrade’ days with a Assembly. Although this is not yet the status of ‘full member’ it to work in highly controlled environments, on privately owned is a significant step in that direction, as it is a statement of confi- Later in June, I will be meeting with several CMSG Course CMSG instructor and provide proof of registration for the next and operated installations, with easy access to rescue personnel dence in the Russian guide training program and their health as an Leaders at Mountain Guide, Kirk Mauthner’s facility in Inver- available exam to remain as active ACMG members. and equipment. They are required to do extensive staff train- association. mere for three days. The purpose of this meet is to review all ing yearly and must be working under appropriate supervision. technical applications taught in the mountain guide stream in There is also a requirement that the installation conform to Continuing Professional Development order to finalize what will be included in the technical manual. certain build standards in terms of quality of equipment, fall Activities Planned for Next Quarter This will give the group an opportunity to discuss new (and old) hazards and other environmental hazards. Although we see the First, a huge thank you goes out to Alison Dakin for her hard techniques in an environment where they can be easily demon- number growing in the future, there are currently only three work running the CPD program over the last few years. Alison’s strated and tested. This will set the foundation for writing the existing Via Ferratas in Western Canada recognized by the VF efforts produced significant gains in moving our CPD delivery Via Ferrata technical chapters of the manual, to be started later this summer. Guide SoP. There are many VF installations in Eastern Canada, towards a more professional and consistent program. We will continue to hire outside professionals for editing and • Complete curriculum for the stand alone course based on learning many of which would likely fit this definition. The ACMG has now hired Lauren Shearston as the new from the beta course publishing. Event Coordinator. Lauren will help us continue building on • Offer stand-alone course this fall or next spring the momentum we have gained in the last few years. Scope of Practice Instructor Training One of our efforts concerning the future of CPD delivery is As the various aspects of our diverse industries continue to grow, to provide sessions that fit under the three main topics of Risk Manual The ACMG has recently taken on the responsibility of delivering Management (decision making and human factors), Technical, we seem to be fielding more questions from members looking to • Produce visual materials for both TRCI and Technical Manual instructor training to CMSG Instructors. This year we will be expand their work opportunities. Much of the confusion comes and Workplace Responsibilities (WSBC, WCB). throughout the summer delivering three separate instructor training sessions as well as from mixing activities that are included in the scope of practice implementing a process requiring CMSG instructors to com- • Work on Technical Skills chapters after instructor meeting with others that are less clearly defined. IFMGA plete a minimum number of hours of specific training every two We dealt with a few scope of practice infractions over the years to continue working in the program. This would be similar winter, all of which stemmed from concerns about supervision. In recent years the Technical Committee of the IFMGA has Scope of Practice to the existing ACMG CPD program and hours accumulated This parallels a growing number of job offers on the Informalex put a greater emphasis on the importance of exchanging guide- • Start revision project this summer for instructor training would also likely count towards ACMG looking for apprentice guides. In most cases, the work being training instructors between different countries to learn from CPD. offered is inappropriate because the supervisor and apprentice each other. These exchanges occasionally include having the vis- In June, Executive Director Peter Tucker and I will be host- likely have no previous relationship. iting instructor work in a teaching or assessing role while most Core Skills Course ing two, two-day training sessions for ‘new instructors’. The first Please refer to the “Supervision of Apprentice Guides” article exchanges are purely for observation. will be in Canmore and the second will be in Squamish. These • Continue working on building a decision-making and human- in this edition for a better understanding of the responsibilities This winter I attended a five day ice climbing training course factors element for this future course sessions will include dealing with risk management, giving feed- of all those involved in a supervision situation. in Chamonix, based out of the French government’s guide train- back, coaching and instructor roles and responsibilities. ing facility (ENSA). This was a valuable experience and the lead The course leader meeting at Kirk Mauthner’s facility later in ENSA instructor will likely be coming to Canada next winter to June will serve as an opportunity for moving the manual proj- Variances observe on one of our courses. Marc Piché, a Mountain Guide and the ACMG Technical Director, ect forward as well as an intensive course leader training for all We have fielded several requests for variances to the Scope of Although the ACMG and the American Mountain Guides lives in Canmore, AB. aspects of the CMSG mountain program. One specific benefit Practice, many of which were denied. The Technical Com- Association have always been closely aligned, we have recently will be to significantly increase consistency, (both regionally mittee only grants variances in situations where it believes the decided to make a more targeted effort at cross-pollination. I and between individual instructors) in the delivery of training public interest can be protected with a large margin of safety. have attended one of their instructor trainings in the past and courses. These are generally in structured operations where the activity

The Arête 8 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 9 The Arête News days in changeable conditions (such as mountaineering or ski • As an educator and mentor, remain professionally current and aware Supervision of Apprentice Guides touring). The venue should be chosen such that the effects of of best practices changing conditions (avalanches, snow-melt/rockfall, coverage • Choose when and where to use an apprentice based on public safety, By Marc Piché on glaciers) should have minimal impact on decision-making not on economics and the potential level of risk. ACMG members do a great job of self-regulating. The level of Direct Supervision means you can communicate by Measures must be taken to ensure that there are means for professionalism demonstrated on a regular basis by the vast ma- voice without the use of radios or phones. The supervising reliable daily communications and that daily check-ins with the Your Responsibilities as an Apprentice Guide jority of members is what has helped us attain our well-deserved guide is either leading or is in a position to take charge at a supervisor are recorded. The requirements for appropriate re- Apprentice guides play a significant role in this relationship. They reputation both in Canada and around the world. moment’s notice. mote supervision are purposefully very restrictive. It should only must be familiar with their Scope of Practice as well as their per- Intentionally, there are still some grey areas in the Scope of All new apprentice guides are required to ensure their first be used after careful consideration of all contributing factors. sonal level of skill and experience. It can be tempting to take on Practice (SoP) and it seems that most ACMG members are clear ten days of guiding work (not instructional) are done under more challenging work or to seek greater independence but this of- on what activities they are qualified to do given their level and direct supervision. The intent is to help facilitate a high level ten results in stepping over the line. Land managers, our insurance Institutional Supervision can only be used by type of training. It is my hope that there will always be a certain of mentorship during the early days of one’s career. There will company and the ACMG will likely consider your permits and TRCIs, Via Ferrata Guides and Assistant Hiking Guides in very amount of room for interpretation, allowing members to use likely be a change in the rock and hiking streams reducing these insurance invalid if you are working clearly outside of your SoP. specific situations. Many elements must be in place in order to their best judgment when deciding what kind of work to take required days to a minimum of five. The ACMG is also con- Apprentice guides should also hold their supervisors account- meet the requirements. By having several protocols and policies on. sidering making this mentorship requirement more formal in able for providing them with meaningful feedback in order to help in place, an institution may be able to provide supervision for There seems to be more confusion around the subject of su- the future. them grow. relatively low risk activities without having a qualified guide on pervision. In its simplest form, supervision is defined as the act Trips that involve high levels of complexity, commitment, staff. The following factors should be in place: of observing or directing the execution of a task. In the context multiple and difficult- to- assess hazards and changeable condi- • Insurance and permits supplied by the institution of the ACMG, it takes on a slightly broader role. Supervision tions are also strong candidates for direct supervision regardless Can an Apprentice Guide Execute Tasks Out- should not be viewed solely from the perspective of watching of the apprentice’s skill level and experience. • Annual, in-house training side of their SoP Under Direct Supervision? over someone’s activities but also as a crucial part of their train- • Site-specific protocols for risk management When hiring apprentice guides for the first time, it is recom- No. An Apprentice Rock Guide may not guide ice climbing under ing, education and career evolution. • Written communication protocols mended to work with them directly in order to build a relation- direct supervision from an Alpine Guide. An Apprentice Alpine Most of the complaints and questions I receive about the ship and to better understand their skills and experience. • Written emergency response protocols Guide may not guide skiing while under the supervision of a Ski SoP issues revolve around the different facets of supervision. In • Protocols requiring ACMG members to adhere strictly to the Guide, and so on… the following paragraphs, I will attempt to shed some light on ACMG Scope of Practice the most common points of confusion. Many of the questions Local Supervision refers to two or more guides working I receive could likely be answered by spending a few minutes within a few hours’ travel from one another. For example, one Long Term and Permanent Apprentice Guides having a close read of the supervision section of the SoP. I’ll try guide may be on Bugaboo Spire and the other on Pigeon Spire. Who Can Act as a Supervising Guide? Members who were apprentice guides prior to the implementa- to focus on the nuances in this piece. For the sake of simplicity, They have daily face-to-face meetings to discuss routes, condi- tion of the Apprentice Guide Timelines 2012 had the choice to I’ll refer to both apprentice guides and assistant hiking guides as tions and strategies to manage hazards (Bugaboo - Snowpatch All certified (often referred to as ‘Full Guides’) ACMG members become ‘Permanent Apprentice Guides’. These and other ‘very ‘apprentices’. Col) and are within radio communication throughout the day. can supervise apprentice guides who are performing tasks they themselves are qualified to do. A Ski Guide can supervise an experienced’ apprentices occasionally find themselves in situations Another example is the Wapta Traverse in winter conditions. Apprentice Ski Guide while working in a ski guiding context. where they are asked or inclined to work more independently or to Although the two guides may not travel together, they are able A Rock Guide may not supervise an Assistant Hiking Guide. take on responsibilities that fall outside of their SoP. Who Must Work Under Supervision? to have meetings morning and night to discuss changing condi- It is highly recommended that newly certified guides not It is important to note that despite this vast experience, these All Assistant Hiking Guides, Apprentice Guides in the Moun- tions and cruxes on the route. In both situations, the supervis- take on extensive independent supervisory roles until they have members have not yet completed their education, and there are tain Guide stream (rock, alpine, ski) and TRCIs must work un- ing guide is on site and able to make their own assessment of the gained at least two seasons of experience working on their own. limits as to what apprentices can do. More specifically, no matter der appropriate supervision at all times regardless of the type of conditions in a challenging piece of terrain. This is not to say that they cannot hire an apprentice guide to how familiar or experienced the apprentice is to the supervisor, or work they are doing. No exceptions. Local supervision should be used for moderately complex help them on a trip but they should not be running a business with the terrain, there are many conditions, situations and terrain routes where the supervising guide is comfortable with the ap- that is supervising several guides remotely. This timeline also where it is inappropriate for them to work under remote supervi- prentice guide’s skill and experience. Both guides should be does not apply to certified guides working within the framework sion. Nor is it appropriate for an apprentice guide to act in the What Type of Supervision is Appropriate? familiar with the objective. of an established guiding operation with multiple layers of su- role of lead guide in a mechanized ski operation regardless of their The SoP describes four different levels of Supervision. Decid- pervision and decision-making regarding staffing. experience. ing what type of supervision is appropriate can be difficult so Remote Supervision is where the apprentice guide If the apprentice guide seems ‘experienced’ enough or ‘better it is often best to err on the side of caution. Remember that a works without the supervising guide on site. The supervisor is than many certified guides you have seen’, this will be evident when supervising guide is ultimately responsible for the actions of the Your Responsibilities as a Supervising Guide only able to assess conditions and aid in decision-making based they pass the certificate exam. Once this is successfully complete apprentice. The level of supervision required is dependent on a on reports from the apprentice and other guides in the area. When taking on the role of supervisor, you are accepting re- they can work towards taking on more responsibility. combination of factors: sponsibility for the actions of the apprentice guide. Here is a 1. Severity and complexity of the trip Remote supervision should be reserved for relatively simple situations and objectives. The supervisor must be very familiar summary of a supervisor’s responsibilities: Does there Need to be an Exchange of Money? 2. Relationship and familiarity between supervisor and apprentice • Always have your name on the waiver, regardless of the type of guide with the apprentice’s level of skill, experience and decision-mak- ing style. Both parties must have a high level of familiarity with supervision or the business agreement No. In the spirit of encouraging mentorship, the ACMG does 3. Familiarity of terrain to both supervisor and apprentice guide the objectives, options and current conditions. • Review emergency response protocols prior to the trip not require there to be an exchange of funds in the supervision 4. Length of trip Remote supervision is generally used for instructional work • Ensure reliable communications are available throughout the trip relationship. That said, the relationship must still be conducted in a professional manner including documentation of meetings. The 5. Potential for changeable conditions during the trip in venues regularly used for such activities. The duration of the • Ensure all meetings are documented supervising guide must also be named on the waiver. 6. Availability and reliability of communications trip should be no longer than five days in predictable condi- • Debrief each section of the trip when possible and provide per- tions (such as hiking or rock climbing) and no greater than three formance feedback The Arête 10 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 11 The Arête News Use Of Practicum Students • Contact the Conduct Review Committee with your complaint Practicum opportunities are an important part of the guide train- ing process allowing aspiring guides to observe experienced practi- Can Apprentices Work in Foreign Countries? tioners at work. Practicums should only be offered by experienced, certified (not apprentice) guides working within their SoP. At no Maybe. Being an ACMG member is a 24-7 agreement. This time should a practicum student be used to increase the number of means no matter where you are in the world, you must be work- clients taken on a given objective. According to Canadian labour ing within your Scope of Practice and the ACMG Code of Con- laws, practicum students taking on more tasks than would be rea- duct. From the ACMG’s perspective, apprentices are required sonably expected of a client must be covered by workers compensa- to work under the supervision of a qualified ACMG, IFMGA or tion insurance and compensated accordingly. equivalent guide while working abroad. They are also responsible for checking with local authorities about laws and customs re- garding use of foreign apprentices. Can Apprentices have their own Business or Website? How Can Certified Guides Offer Valuable Yes. Apprentice guides are able to run their own businesses just as a Mentorship? non-member can own and operate a guiding business that employs ACMG members. As is the case with any company using ACMG As an experienced guide offering supervision and mentorship, you members, they must do so within the constraints of the scope of are having a profound effect on the formation of the careers of the practice and advertising policies of the ACMG. apprentices you are working with. Apprentice guides conducting regular guiding operations One of the most common comments I hear from apprentice through their own businesses should employ a supervising guide in guides is that they don’t get adequate and frank feedback from the role of lead guide. If only occasional work is being undertaken senior guides at work. A supervising guide once told me he wasn’t under the name of the business, the apprentice must secure appro- surprised that an apprentice he had worked with had failed his priate supervision for all of the work they do. certificate exam. When asked whether he had given the appren- Apprentice guides are also expected to represent themselves ac- tice this feedback prior to the exam he said no. I later learned he curately throughout the course of communicating with their clien- had even written a letter of recommendation for acceptance onto tele. This includes using the apprentice guide logo and referring to the exam. themselves as apprentice guides in their online bios. Being a good mentor includes having challenging conversa- A company employing experienced, certified lead guides does tions about performance, skills and expectations. Taking the Dif- not necessarily need to inform their guests of their guide’s specific ficult Conversations CPD offered nearly every session can also be level of training, as they are working under the management and a helpful way to get the conversation started. structure of an organization. It can also be helpful to make sure you are up to date on current techniques, best practices and trends in the industry to better coach apprentices on these subjects. Demonstrating a little Must Apprentice Guides Disclose their Level humility and asking them what is being taught can be a way to GRIGRI + of Training to Clients? break the ice and start a two way learning stream. There is information here that may seem quite different from As is the case with apprentice guides running their own businesses, the way you, or others you know, have typically operated. It has The newest member of when they are soliciting clients on their own they must inform them taken the ACMG a long time to fully understand the potential of their level of training and supervision requirements. the GRIGRI family. ramifications of improper supervision, but it is now clear that ad- hering to these guidelines is fundamental to working as a profes- Should I Report Apprentices Guiding without sional guide or instructor. Appropriate Supervision? It should also now be very clear that offering work to Appren- tice Guides on the Informalex is often inappropriate as the nature Yes. If an apprentice guide has an accident while working under of such requests implies there would be little or no familiarity inappropriate (or no) supervision, we are all at risk. This type of in- between parties. These job offers are absolutely inappropriate for cident could at the very least damage the reputation of our industry anything but direct supervision or simple instructional situations. and in more serious cases it could put our insurance and permits at There will always be cases where the answers are not so clear risk. and I encourage you to contact me with any questions you come Don’t panic. The GRIGRI + is equipped with an anti-panic handle, a belay- No one likes to be ‘that person’ but we all have a responsibility up with. In the meantime I hope this has added some clarity to an mode selector for lead and top-rope belaying, stainless steel wear plates, to hold ourselves and our fellow members to a high level of profes- often complex and fluid subject. smooth progressive braking, and accommodates single ropes 8.5 -11mm.

sionalism. There are three different possible approaches: Photo © www.kalice.fr www.petzl.com • Approach the member in question discretely and respectfully with your concerns Marc Piché, a Mountain Guide and the ACMG Technical Direc- tor, lives in Canmore, AB. • Contact myself or Peter Tucker so we can discuss the situation with the member The Arête 12 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 13 The Arête News Reviewing Conduct Review - part 2 ACMG Permit Udpate By Rod Gibbons By Janet Miller

In the last issue of the Arête I reviewed the ba- available that is based upon the possibility that the review did not This is a reprint from the Spring e-Bulletin aid (FA) certificates on ACMG file. sics behind our conduct review process. Now follow proper process. You can find out more about this on the 12-2 published May 3/17. Did you miss that we will examine what it would look like if this ACMG website. Myth: if you did a course with the Canadian Mountain and one? It’s still available on the member web- process took us all the way to a hearing. I also Ski Guide program through Thompson Rivers University and In closing I will take this opportunity to tell the membership site, with a photo of me smashing my com- pointed out in the previous issue that, to date, submitted FA as part of your application, it means it’s on file that, by the time you read this I will have stepped down as Chair of puter with a mallet! the ACMG has not had a review proceed to a now with the ACMG. the Conduct Review Committee. After 12 years as chair, and a few It’s time to revisit some things that can full hearing. years on the board of directors before that, it is just time. It has been Fact: no, it means it’s on file now with the CMSG program delay your order when you apply for any of at TRU, based in Kamloops BC. The ACMG permit program What is the difference between a Prelimi- an honour to serve the membership in this capacity and I intend to the ACMG group permits. Yes - your order nary Review (PR) and a full hearing? One of the clear distinctions stay in the pool of reviewers for as long as I can. I am also pleased to isn’t connected to the CMSG program and is based in Canmore is an application; payment doesn’t imply you have anything in AB. is that, in a PR, the panel is considering a POTENTIAL breach announce that Jeremy Mackenzie has agreed to take on the role of place yet. But you can get your ducklings in order so time isn’t of the Code of Conduct without actually determining if there was Chair going forward. Jeremy has been on the committee for a long wasted while your name gets to the head of the queue. New in 2017: everyone on ACMG permits uploads their FA indeed a breach. Its purpose is to deal with frivolous complaints or time and I don’t know a better person for the job. He will serve the to their ACMG member records now themselves, and this Keeping documents current is each member’s responsibil- those that may have solutions that don’t require a resource-inten- membership well. Thank you for your support through the years and duckling is fully tamed! Pay attention, because you’ll need to ity, just as it is our own responsibility as grown-ups to keep our sive hearing. At the hearing level, a panel will actually determine don’t hesitate to contact Jeremy if you would like to be on the Com- do this every time your FA expires for as long as you apply for driver’s licence, registration, insurance and passport current. if there was or was not a breach of the code. If a PR ascertains mittee. The training is excellent and the perks are so… permits … Full disclosure: now that Alberta no longer mails out expiry that there may have been a breach, a remedy is often proposed Still on the Member Site, still in My Info, go to CPD Re- reminders of the first two in that list, your perfect Permit Man- to the member being complained of. That member may choose Rod Gibbons, an ACMG Mountain Guide and the Past Chair of the ports & First Aid > First Aid For Permits – On File tab. Read ager blew it this year, and enjoyed biking around Canmore in to agree to the remedy or not. In a hearing, the Conduct Review Conduct Review Committee, lives in Invermere, BC. the information on this page carefully and follow all instructions the snow for a few weeks : [ But I digress … Committee (CRC) will determine the remedy or to ultimately upload your FA to this page. Your ACMG documents live on your Member Site. Get fa- sanction, which is binding. Why? Each ACMG permit requires that each member on miliar with the site and all the tabs; the site is a great resource – it Also, the remedy of a Preliminary Review the permit has a current FA on file; a land manager can request can answer most member questions. Committee (PRC) is likely to have less “teeth” to see this FA at any time. It makes sense to store your FA on $ Member Site than that of a CRC which could, at the extreme Let’s go to www.acmg.ca, log in to the (user your ACMG member record in a digital format; not only is it 150 My Info My Info level, suspend or expel a member from the in rebates name and password) and go to . For permits, secure for you, it is available for permit use. But it will now be ACMG. In a nutshell, a PR comes to a mutu- is where member documents are stored and where all duck wran- up to you to keep this uploaded version current. gling takes place. ally agreed upon remedy and a hearing comes to YOUR FA MUST BE IN A JPG OR PNG FORMAT to My Info > Contact Info & Purchased a binding obligation. Because of this distinction Having clicked on upload. Honest, it won’t work if it is a PDF! A link to a free Services, Contact Info lawyers will likely be involved in a hearing. tab, below all your contact details you’ll online tool is on the page that will convert PDF’s to JPG’s; it has There are several ways that a Preliminary see your ACMG certifications, your Status, First Aid, and IGA a bunch of extra advertising (free tool, right?) but sift through Review might become a full Conduct Review (MPHIA) On File. Let’s focus on IGA, or Interpretive Guides the chaff and it will work. Patience. Association, certification (it was once called MPHIA). hearing. The PRC may decide that no remedy Okay, upload your current FA to your ACMG member re- would suffice to address the conduct they are re- IGA Certification Complete cord if you are buying ACMG permits, and update the details viewing. In that case, they would terminate the of provider and expiry dates. You will know right away if the PR and notify the Executive of the ACMG that The lack of IGA certification is the #2 reason that permit de- upload was successful by refreshing your browser – you should a hearing is to be struck on this matter. lays happen – we’ll get to #1, don’t worry. It’s only needed if see a small image of your FA at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, a proposed remedy may not be you are buying the NP licence but ya gotta have it then. It’s Heck, anyone can update details; real guides and instructors agreed to by the member being complained of; right on the NP order page in the online shopping cart, under upload. : } Done? Quack! Honk! or a member may not fulfill all the obligations Warning: in red “You must submit an IGA certificate.” See the of the remedy within the predetermined time Member Site > Member Services > Permits, Requirements tab Late Permit Reports frame, despite having signed an agreement. As for more information about the IGA requirement and how to above, the PRC would set the wheels in motion inReach get a certificate. Oh, almost forgot! One more thing will delay permits and ac-  tually ban you from accessing ACMG permits altogether: late for a hearing. 2-way text messaging In a nutshell, members buying the ACMG National Parks permit reports. This isn’t a duckling – it’s a gnarly big goose. A few more fun facts about a hearing:  2-way SOS licence for the first time must provide proof of, at a minimum, CONNECTED One of your responsibilities as an ACMG permit holder is If a hearing is required, the new CRC will  Navigation and tracking the Basic level of IGA certification; this is a Parks Canada re- to report either usage or zero use for the summer AND winter be made up of new members from the pool. The  100% global coverage quirement for all licensees. You can’t change or upload your IGA periods by the deadline dates. That goes for everyone holding a members that sat on the PRC will not be in- information to your member record but you can email it to me; valid permit, no matter their certification. The deadline dates are volved in that CRC. I note it on your record and keep your card/certificate/marks on October 31 for summer, and March 31 for winter. Hearings are similar in format to trials, Reach anyone. Anywhere. Anytime ACMG file. Note that you do not have to be an IGA member – with evidence presented to the Conduct Review inReach SE®+ and inReach Explorer®+. Rugged design combined with two-way messaging, SOS, just hold the certificate. Done. Quack! New in 2017: if your permit report is late, and a pattern of and GPS – inReach works where cell phones don’t. Send and receive messages, trigger an SOS, and late reporting is clear, or you fail to submit a permit report panel in much the same way as before a judge share your journey. Stay safe and connected in the backcountry with inReach. First Aid Certificate on File Expired or jury – perhaps with a little less screaming… altogether, you will be banned from ACMG permits for one Also, in a hearing there is an appeal process For a time-limited offer visit:http://www.inreachcanada.com/summer2017 Probably the #1 reason that permit delays happen is expired first year, without refunds!!

The Arête 14 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 15 The Arête News

Why? While there has always been zero-tolerance for non-re- MCR/Informalex Committee Report porters, it has become clear that the same late reporters consume By Larry Stanier resources every year. All three land managers now require the past The MCR/Informalex committee has been this project. Mountain Guide Brian Gould has been coerced year’s compiled use statistics before mainly chugging along through the process into stepping into the role of the new chair. Perhaps as the renewing our permits in April, or of fine tuning the ACMG/Arc’teryx MCR MCR chair Brian will be a rocker? The committee could really bill us interest on fees while we website. Marc Piché (Technical Director) use some new energy so if you are interested, please contact wait for late use reports to trickle and Elaine Powers (Administrative As- Brian Gould or Marc Ledwidge. They are in the phone book in. sistant) have been doing the lion’s share of (and in the contacts section at the back of this issue – Ed). What if you can’t remember the communication from the ACMG’s side I will stay on to manage the MCR summaries for the Rock- and John Irvine and Leah Nielsen from the which permits you bought??? Easy. KINETIC PLUS JACKET ies and Columbia Mountains for the time being. Personally, I Member Site > My Info > Con- A Pioneering new concept; a garment with the supple Arc’teryx side. There has been lots of input and feedback from still think a Coast Range Mountain Conditions summary for handling properties and stretch of a soft shell, with several other ACMG members, most notably Ken Belanger tact Info & Purchased Services the weather protection promise of a waterproof. the May to November period would be a beautiful thing. Any- > Permits Purchased tab. Ta da! (Partnership Coordinator) and Tom Wolfe (MCR/Informalex body need a project? Or, turn your ACMG member ID Committee). card over: which permit validation The MCR posts and informalex traffic have for a long time Larry Stanier, Past Chair of the MCR / Informalex Commit- stickers do you have and when do seemed very civilized, informative and well thought out. Many tee, is an ACMG Mountain Guide living in Canmore, AB they expire? Ta da!! mitted on time from prior permits. Then buy liability insurance thanks to all who have contributed to the quantity and quality Where do you submit your reports? One guess … Member and permits, knowing that things are just ducky!! of both those conversations. Site > My Info > Permit Reports and choose the appropri- I am stepping down as the chair (lazy boy/stool) of the ate park. Add Record and complete the form for each day you MCR/Informalex committee as it is time for some new eyes on used the permit (do not clump three months of climbs/skis on Janet Miller, the Permit Manager, and Assistant to the Executive one form); hit Submit. Done!! Goosed!!! No, wait, that doesn’t Director, is an ACMG Day Hiking Guide, living in Canmore sound right … AB. So there you go – take charge of getting your IGA (for a NP Professional Practices Committee Report licence) to me, your current FA uploaded and your reports sub- By Nathan Dahl

This spring, the Professional Practice Com- site selection, modeling, interpretation, etc. Teaching an Ava- mittee (PPC) completed its fourth audit. lanche Skills Training course comes to mind. Ideally, when we ACMG Scholarship News Of the twenty members audited, eighteen are conducting a Professional Practice Audit, we do expect to By Derek Wilding met the requirements of their certifications, see some actual “boots on the ground” guiding, whether it be one was issued a provisional pass, and one traditional guiding/instruction, or falls under the umbrella of chose to resign from the Association. Fur- public safety work, education, or risk management. This sec- It’s scholarship application time! • Arc’teryx Equipment Award ($2000 equipment credit) thermore, the four members who received tion of the document is perhaps a little vague, so if you have • Arc’teryx Mentorship Award (funded training for apprentice At last year’s AGM in Canmore, ACMG provisional passes in the audit of Spring questions regarding your work, feel free to get in touch with guides) members were awarded over $15,000 in 2015 were re-visited. Of these members, three were found to myself, the Executive Director, or Technical Director. CMSG course subsidies, funded training & • Gougeon Scholarship ($500 CMSG course subsidies) have met the requirements of membership, and one chose to In the autumn of 2017, the PPC will be updating its mentorship, and equipment credit, through • Robson Gmoser Mentorship Fund (mentorship funding for ap- become an inactive member, which exempts them from pro- current Professional Activities Record (which can be found on the various partner awards and memo- prentice guides) fessional practice and CPD requirements. As of this June, 79 the ACMG member site) to include space for apprentice and rial funds. This year looks to be no differ- Note that this year’s Arc’teryx Mentorship award has been ACMG members have been audited. assistant guides from both the mountain and hiking streams ent with our partners again committing to earmarked for Apprentice Alpine Guides, with the training One topic of discussion that arose from the most re- to include the details of their supervising guide. Supervision is support ACMG members in their on-going efforts to pursue scheduled for the spring of 2018. cent audit was regarding section 2.5 of the Professional Practice already required for assistant and apprentice guides, so asking certification. The deadline to apply for all awards is August 15, 2017 with and Continuing Professional Development document. This these guides to list their supervisors is doing due diligence. If If you’re an apprentice guide or instructor looking to further the exception of the Robson Gmoser Mentorship Fund, which section states that “related risk management, education, and you are an apprentice or assistant guide and are not already do- your training or certification, login to the ACMG website to has a September 30 deadline. public safety work including consulting and administration are ing so, please record the details of your supervisor in the event preview and apply for one or more of the awards that may be Completed application forms can be emailed to the ACMG considered valid workdays”. The concern was that some guides you are selected for an audit in the future. available to you, including the; Scholarship Committee at [email protected] may have full time employment in situations where the mem- At the time of publication, the committee will be in • Brian Ebert Memorial Fund (funded training for apprentice ber is not directly responsible for the members of the public the process of conducting its fifth audit. If you have any ques- guides) with whom they are interacting. An example would be work- tions or feedback regarding the audit process, don’t hesitate to Derek Wilding, Chair of the Scholarship Committee, is an • D’Arcy McRae Memorial Scholarship ($500 CMSG course ing at a Visitor Information Centre, or doing purely classroom get in touch with me at [email protected]. subsidy) ACMG Rock Guide and Climbing Gym Instructor 3, living in based instruction. While these forms of employment certainly • Arc’teryx Scholarship (CMSG course subsidies $500, $1000, Calgary, AB benefit from a guide’s or instructor’s training and certification, $1500) they are different than those which are run in the field that Nathan Dahl, Chair of the Professional Practices Committee, require a degree of guiding skills, including risk management, is an ACMG Hiking Guide living in Canmore, AB

The Arête 16 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 17 The Arête News Member Services Committee Report By Ben Firth

As the recently appointed chair of the mem- vides financial help to ACMG members in financial distress, ber services committee, this update has been typically from an injury related to their work. In 2016 the a long time coming. My only excuse is hav- committee and Parboosingh fund distributed $7230 in finan- ing a well-honed trait for procrastination. cial aid to members in need. First, I want to thank the outgoing In the summer of 2016, the committee met in person chair, Jorg Wilz for his long service to the (perhaps for the first time) to rectify a number of outstanding ACMG and member services. We are lucky items which included revising the Parboosingh fund applica- to have Jorg’s expertise going forward as he tion form and decision making guidelines (the new application will continue as a regular member of the committee. form can be found here). The committee also reviewed: liabil- ity insurance pricing, supporting member driven fundraising efforts, managing the Robson Gmoser fund, and preliminary Committee Members: ideas on foreign guide mentorship for visiting guides. The Parboosingh fund application form revisions centred • Chair - Ben Firth around collecting relevant information that could better help • Jorg Wilz the committee decide on the merit of the application in rela- tion to the spirit and scope of the fund. A disclosure statement • Janet Miller was added as well to ensure sensitive information would be • Derek Holtved treated in confidence by the committee. • Christoph Dietzfelbinger The Parboosingh fund decision-making guidelines revi- • Mike Welch sions came from a desire to better assist committee members process timelines, and assess whether applications fulfilled If you are not already aware, the ACMG Member Services the designed intent and vision of the fund. Changes to the Committee mission is to provide value-added benefit to ACMG guidelines increased clarity on: evaluating financial need, de- members by exploring and providing new opportunities for ad- termining the type of disbursements to be earmarked, setting ditional or improved member services. a baseline to ensure fund sustainability and setting maximum disbursement amounts. An emergency loan provision has been submitted to the board to allow funds to be made available to Committee Roles and Responsibilities: members right when it’s needed. The meeting also saw extensive discussion on liability in- • Make recommendations to the Board and the Executive Direc- surance rates and corporate insurance. Since there is a small tor concerning improvements to the ACMG Liability and Per- surplus accumulating, the committee recommended a 5% sonal Accident Insurance Programs decrease to member liability insurance rates moving forward. • Make recommendations to the Board, Executive Director and The committee is in continual discussion regarding corpo- Permit Manager concerning improvements to the ACMG per- rate liability insurance. Decisions and directions on this are mit system forthcoming. • Advise the Board and the Executive Director on proposals for changes to any ACMG member service Future Plans • Make recommendations to the Board and the Executive Direc- tor concerning the addition of new member services Many plans lay ahead for the committee in 2017. These in- • Decide on applications for the Simon Parboosingh Fund clude drafting a preliminary plan for supporting member • Provide a summary of committee activities to the Board and the driven fundraising efforts for ACMG members in need, as well Executive as how and if the member services committee may oversee the • Provide a budget submission to the Executive Director when re- Robson Gmoser Mentorship fund. quested and administer the approved portion of the budget that As the member services committee is really about you, pertains to this committee. and meant to provide for the needs of all ACMG members, I wholeheartedly ask you to contact myself on how we can better serve the membership in the future if you have any suggestions. Simon Parboosingh Fund Most of the work in 2016 for the committee revolved around Ben Firth, the ACMG Member Services Committee Chair, is a evaluating applications for the Parboosingh fund, which pro- Mountain Guide living in Canmore, AB

TNF_ACMG_PROGRESSOR_SUMMER_2017.indd 1 5/31/17 8:53 AM The Arête 18 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 19 The Arête Spotlight on ACMG Members

What is your most memo- rable guiding or instructional ACMG Member Profile - Scott McKay experience? Last summer I guided a long- and sometimes stressful but at the end of the day I believe that time family friend who intro- maintaining high standards not only makes us good at what we duced me to climbing. He took do but has earned us the respect of the public, government and me out scrambling, to the climb- other countries. ing gym, and was a willing su- I’m glad it’s a tough process, after all, there’s a lot of risk to pervisor and equipment supplier manage out there. during an early lead of mine up a What jobs / roles / positions have you had over the years related to large poplar tree in his backyard. the outdoors and/or climbing instruction? Over the last 30 years, Ken had I started working in climbing gyms when I was 14. I remember attempted Assiniboine 6 times trading in my first paycheque for my first climbing rope and but never managed to tag the then proceeding to measure the cost of other climbing gear in summit. We got together for his terms of the number of climbing birthday parties I’d have to seventh attempt and managed a work to purchase the next item. Back then a new cam cost be- successful summit in very chal- tween 5 and 6 hours of birthday party belaying. I worked hard lenging conditions. It felt very for my first rack. special to see things come full circle. I have worked in and managed climbing gyms for over a decade, worked as a Top Rope Climbing Instructor, Apprentice What does the future hold in store Rock Guide, and now as an Apprentice Alpine Guide. Having for you? the opportunity to teach Climbing Gym Instructor and Top Good question. Good summits, Rope Climbing Instructor courses for the CMSG along with good friends, and good times I Learning how to "short rope" at 14 in the Bow Valley. "I had nice neat coils but was still working delivering days under the Adventure Access Program have been hope. on tying them off." Photo: Scott McKay Collection some of my favorite types of work.

Scott McKay is an ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide, Top Rope Climbing Instructor and Climbing Gym Instructor 3. He is also an Instructor / Examiner for the CMSG TRCI and CGI programs, the Director of Climbing Instructors for the ACMG, and the past chair of the Climbing Instructor Committee. He currently works as the Climbing Gym Supervisor at Elevation Place in Canmore, AB. Where did your love of the mountains come from? In grade six my school went to Camp Chief Hector for three nights. We slept in teepees, learned about the mountains and local flora and fauna, went hiking, and had a ton of fun. I had so much fun that I remember wanting to cry as we were leaving (but I didn’t, I was a tough grade six kid). After that I took every chance I could to spend time in the mountains. I guess that hasn’t really stopped since then. What was the inspiration that drove you to become a guide and instructor? Initially, being a climbing instructor was a fun way to earn a bit of money. From there it became a way to help people challenge themselves, feel a sense of accomplishment, and introduce them to a sport that I love. Climbing is super fun, but being able to inspire and help people to do something they otherwise thought they couldn’t is rewarding. How would you describe your experience going through the exam On the summit of Assiniboine with Ken, during his process? seventh summit attempt, in the summer of 2016. Still going through it! So far, so good. The exams are challenging Photo: Scott McKay Collection

The Arête 20 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 21 The Arête Spotlight on ACMG Members

With no transceivers, miraculously, Faure located Engler, by soon purchased the biggest saw he could to work as a faller, Oral History Project - Profile on Bernie Scheisser then a bit blue in the face and calling for his children. work he much preferred. That’s when he took his industrial first By Lynn Martel “His leg was twisted around in his bear trap binding,” aid course, but working at the Donald mill was frustrating. Schiesser recalled. “By the time I got there Robert had taken “You’re doing nothing, waiting for something to happen,” off the one ski, but when he tried to get the other out of the Schiesser described. “In a mill there’s very few accidents, your bear trap, Bruno would holler. So I made a fist and hit the toe biggest accident was taking sawdust out of somebody’s eye. of his boot and it knocked it out of the bear trap so fast that he With a swab.” couldn’t holler. He was in pain, but we all skied down. We were Working Lake Louise ski patrol in 1962 was more to his not happy, and we gave Gardner… told him what happened.” liking, with plenty of injured skiers to help on weekends. One Schiesser quit his job right there. co-worker, Hans Philippe, was a Swiss guide who invited him “In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have, but...” to climb Red Shirt, a new route on Yamnuska. Schiesser’s first The learning experience was a valuable one, and more than technical climb was an eye-opener, which he and Hans Philippe six decades of skiing later he remains grateful, typical of his op- followed two weeks later with Direttissima. timistic nature that’s served him well through a nearly 50-year “Once you get a quick introduction like that, you pick it up guiding career. pretty fast,” Schiesser admitted. By 1966 he was a rescue warden in Yoho, climbing on his days off with John Gow and Brian Greenwood, and tying in Apprentice with Sid Marty for the first ascent of the Takakkaw Falls rock Bernie Schiesser was born in Creston, BC in 1937. The family route. moved just west of Golden soon after, settling a large piece of Schiesser helped on the famous Tower of Babel rescue of land where Schiesser lives today. Greenwood and Charlie Locke, orchestrated by Walter Per- “In those days, a farm was everything,” he said. “You had a ren. When Perren ran his warden climbing school in the fall, few cows, a few chickens, a couple of pigs, and you had a big Schiesser was his youngest student. garden.” “The other wardens, they were cowboys,” he said. “Some of From grades one through four he walked two miles on a them were really competent, really tough old goats, like Billy bush trail to the one-room country school, sometimes through Vroom. At the warden school, Walter got me to do all the dirty metre-deep snow. stuff. Like, well, ‘we’ve got to do crevasse rescue, so Bernie, we’ll send you down, we’ll rescue you’. I really respected him, and “During the 1940s it was bloody cold,” he said. “Not just I guess he respected me because I never hesitated, I enjoyed because we were kids, but the old days were colder than now. doing it. Some of the wardens, even just the standard route on Bernie Schiesser shows how it’s done. Photo: Chic Scott I remember that very vividly, walking and suffering from the Victoria, were pretty nervous. That was neat, getting to know cold. We had those little ink pots – they’d be frozen solid in the Walter. I was fortunate, over the years, to meet some amazing In 2012/2013, professional mountain writer Lynn Martel was tablish the research hut still used today. morning.” commissioned to record video interviews with 12 of the ACMG’s people. Just fate, I guess.” “We even took a jackhammer up there to anchor the build- Riding the school bus to Golden in later years was much Honorary Members – “The Oral History Report”. This is the sum- ing,” he said. “It was probably close to 200 pounds. We took warmer. On the farm, he and his seven siblings chopped wood mary of one of those interviews. turns carrying it up.” for heat, milked cows and fed the pigs. Schiesser enjoyed help- High Horizons By winter they could skin up in less than two hours, usually ing his father with the butchering – the anatomy lessons proved For 19-year-old Bernie Schiesser, it was a plum job. Canada’s staying overnight to monitor wind, precipitation and tempera- valuable when he studied first aid. Running a summer camp was John Gow’s idea. He and Schiess- er earned their ACMG Mountain Guide certificates in 1967, government was rerouting the TransCanada Highway through ture recording instruments. His father, who’d immigrated from Switzerland, met examined by Hans Gmoser, Peter Fuhrmann, Hans Schwartz Rogers Pass to shorten the drive between Golden and Revelstoke Gardner wasn’t the only character there. Bruno Engler was his mother in Calgary through the Alpine Club of Canada. and Leo Grillmair. Then they launched High Horizons, a two- from five hours to 100 minutes. Schiesser spent the 1956 sum- a Swiss guide fondly remembered for his brilliant photography Schiesser and his siblings learned to ski on a nearby hill and he week mountaineering camp for teenagers. The first two sum- mer and fall working as an assistant surveyor, and having learned and his talents for having a “parrrrr-ty!” After one heavy snow- joined his father on mountain adventures, bushwhacking into mers were at Lake O’Hara, a terrific area, but subject to park Noel Gardner was developing an avalanche research program to fall, despite Engler’s reservations, Gardner insisted the team ski the nearby Purcells. Neighbour Ken Jones, the first Canadian- regulations. So, the camp moved to Burstall Lakes in Kananas- protect the new highway, Schiesser talked his way into a winter up to the station. With Engler breaking trail, Schiesser second born mountain guide, dropped by to share stories and pointers. kis Country. job. and Robert Faure third, they skied up to a steep pitch 500 verti- Young Bernie was all ears. His first ascent up Moberly Peak (of “Noel was quite a character, a tough old cowboy type,” cal feet below the hut. many) came at age 10, with a 13-year-old friend who pulled “It was bigger country, in a way, you could range further, and there were all kinds of new routes to do,” Schiesser said. Schiesser recalled. “He was pretty sharp and very knowledge- “We had the trail marked with ribbons but we couldn’t see him under a tree when an eagle swooped toward him. “Every time we did a new route or a first ascent we made sure it able, I must say. He would expect a lot from everybody. One anything, the tracks were gone,” Schiesser recalled. “Bruno got Graduating high school with the best marks in the district, was with the kids, which was sort of our policy. You get some, day there were some hundred pounder propane tanks down at maybe just a little bit off trail, on this steep pitch. ‘We’d better Schiesser earned four scholarships. He chose the University of 16, 17, 18-year-olds, they’re pretty competent. If you have the station. We could have started up the snowcat, but Noel stop there, Barney’. He used to call me Barney all the time. ‘It’s British Columbia, but only stayed one year – city living in Van- them for two weeks, the second week you can do damn near got us to pull them up. Just put a rope around them and in our getting a bit shteep.’” couver was not for him. He hired on for the summer in Yoho anything with them.” climbing skins, pull them up. We had to be doing something, Engler skinned another three steps and the slope avalanched. National Park, working with wardens who were good horsemen all the time.” and solid outdoors people he got along well with. They gave Among those teenagers were Diny Harrison and Rob Or- “I was fully buried, Bruno was fully buried, but it missed vig, who became ACMG Mountain Guides. After Gow lost his With train-only access to Rogers Pass, the crew lived in old Robert,” Schiesser said. “Fortunately, I was able to stick my him a horse and sent him to be a summer warden at Ice River CP houses on site. With no helicopters, they packed weather cabin where Bill Harrison was running the ACC’s annual camp. foot in a plane crash, Schiesser worked with other guides, but hand up and Robert dug my head out. Then he went to find after 13 years he was played out. monitoring equipment on their backs up Mount Abbot to es- Bruno.” Other years he worked bucking and trimming logs, and

The Arête 22 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 23 The Arête Spotlight on ACMG Members

“For two months, you’re virtually, 24 hours a day, respon- ince’s 1975 centennial. Today, Schiesser is an active member of sible, even when you were sleeping,” he admitted. “It was a lot the Backcountry Lodges of BC Association. Thierry Cardon Memorial of pressure that way. But it was the most enjoyable thing I’ve By Lyle Grisedale ever done, and the most satisfying thing I’ve ever done.” Campbell Retirement Plan In memory of Thierry Cardon, Forty-dollar Heli-skiing In 1982 Schiesser partnered with ACMG guide Eric Lomas to guides from the Canadian Moun- build the first of several Alpine Club of Canada huts. Beginning tain Holidays Bugaboo and Bobbie For four winters Schiesser worked for Mike Wiegele Helicopter with the Neil Colgan Hut, they followed with the Peter and Burns lodges teamed up to build Skiing as an instructor, then in the early 1970s kicked off his Catharine Whyte (Peyto), Freshfield, Lloyd MacKay (Mount two memorial cairns between the own heli-skiing Alberta) and Scott lodges on Grizzly Ridge in the Purcell business in the Duncan huts. Mountains. Spray Lakes area. These projects led The view shown above looks He’d give a slide to the establish- south towards the Bugaboo group of show at the Banff ment of the well- peaks. The two cairns are at the south Springs Hotel for used Schiesser/ and north ends of a traverse that as many as 1000 Lomas and Thierry created while guiding CMH people, collect the Schiesser Ledges lodge to lodge guests. We have named money, guide the routes. this route the French Connection. skiers the next day After earning We replace the prayer flags every and repeat. Stag- his pilot’s license ing from the Spray spring, when we first take guests out in 1986, Schiesser to this hike. dam, they’d ski flew his Piper Ar- Thierry Cardon was a veteran the Burstall area, row all over the CMH guide of over 25 years who the head of Rib- Rockies, Purcells passed away after a short battle with bon Creek, into and Selkirks seek- cancer in January of 2011. the Royal Group ing a location for and Palliser Pass. Lyle Grisedale is an ACMG Assistant his own lodge. Thierry Cardon Memorial Cairn. Photo: Lyle Grisedale When conditions He chose a high Hiking Guide and Day Hiking Guide, allowed they skied meadow in the living in Kimberly, BC Inset photo: Gery Unterasinger Sparrowhawk, a western Rock- 4,600-foot “good ies 40 kilometres run.” But at $40 a north of Golden. day, the enterprise Then when Parks Bernie Schiesser sets the pace at Campbell Icefields. Photo: Lynn Martel didn’t stay air- Canada decided to borne. Afterwards decommission the he guided for Wiegele, Purcell HeliSkiing and Selkirk Tangiers. Freshfield Hut, Schiesser railed at the suggestion it be burnt He also guided ACC trips and ran avalanche safety and cre- down. He and Lomas had the modular structure flown in pieces vasse rescue courses, often demonstrating his formidable igloo- to the site where it sat under tarps for three years while they building skills. waited out a moratorium on new huts in BC backcountry. In With an ever-active mind and substantial curiosity, Schiess- 2003, they began welcoming guests at their newly constructed er didn’t hesitate to embrace new roles, including serving as Campbell Icefield Chalet; the old hut still serves as a support ACMG President from 1977 to 1983. His priorities were to building. keep pace with the demands of the growing membership and Marking his 80th birthday in July this year and retired from increasing demand for guides spurred by the explosive growth guiding, Schiesser divides his time at home with his wife of four of the heli-skiing industry. Schiesser actively supported tech- decades, Teri, and at the lodge skiing his favourite lines and nical director Rudi Gertsch’s efforts to raise standards to the sharing stories with his guests. level that granted the ACMG entry into the IFMGA as its first “I like the non-mechanized type of client, or person, be- non-European member. He also pushed for the creation of the cause they have that same interest you have, they just love being Ski Guide as a certification in itself. Serving as president was a up in the mountains,” he said. “And Campbell is about as nice worthwhile experience. as any place you’ll find. You become friends in a week with a lot “It does throw some responsibility on you, you have to look of people, and they’re good people. And that’s nice.” not for yourself, but for the whole group or the industry,” he said. The position was not without some perks, including guid- Author of two books of adventure and nine ACC Summit Series ing then Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed and several family biographies, Lynn Martel writes about Canada’s mountains and the members up Mount Lougheed with ACMG guide Lloyd “Kiwi fascinating people who live, work and play in them. See her work Gallagher and Engler taking photos in celebration of the prov- at www.lynnmartel.ca The Arête 24 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 25 The Arête Spotlight on ACMG Members

ACMG Apprentice Rock Guide and Hiking Guide Daire Maguire leading "The Wraith" in the Ghost Wilderness Area. The futuristic Wilson Climbing Centre at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB Photo: Alix Turk Photo: @ualbertastudents

ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor 3, Lloyd King reaches for the rack at Carrot Creek, near Banff, AB. ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor 1, Kristine McKay cranking for joy Photo: Lloyd King Photo: Lloyd King Collection The Arête 26 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 27 The Arête Features

which can be limiting. Some won’t try because they think it is too or ‘Thriller’ (Yosemite) will be much more satisfying… trust me. How to Climb V10 (or any grade for that matter) hard and others because they think it's “too easy”. Try everything! By Thomasina Pidgeon Train Determine Your Weaknesses and Strengths If you want to get better on rock, climb rock; just like, if you want Ask your friends what they think your weaknesses and strengths to improve on plastic, climb plastic. are. Work to improve your weaknesses and take advantage of your A golden rule is climbing trumps training. Understanding strengths when seeking out problems. movement is very important. I have seen plenty of strong climbers struggle on problems that ‘should’ be relatively easy considering Visualize their strength simply because they didn’t understand movement Visualize sending your project. Imagine how the holds feel, how Train your weaknesses. If you need stronger fingers, hit up much to weight each foot, how to move your body, and the effort the hang board for a bit but also mix it up with climbing many you need to release with each move. Go over the sequence again problems needing strong fingers. Need more power? Train power and again, not just with your mind but with your body. Breathe but also get on problems with powerful moves. in the feeling of satisfaction when you pull through to the finish. If there is a certain type of hold or movement on your project Imagine and believe. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview that is shutting you down, build a mimic in the gym that will of life’s coming attractions.” ~Albert Einstein work on this move specifically. If needed, get a coach or trainer that will help with technique, Want it climbing specific strength, movement etc. Try really hard, not because you have to, but because you WANT Avoid overtraining! Rest, relax and listen to your body. Inju- to. Want it like a passion that burns and won’t be satisfied until ries delay progress! you do it, but remember that when it's done you still won’t be satisfied. Try so hard that you aren’t scared if your tips bleed. Give Take a Rest from Your Project 101% on your send effort. Grunt. If all else fails, try harder. Despite the burning desire to return day in and day out to your Avoid excuses about conditions and performance that contrib- project, give it a break. The body will appreciate the rest as will ute to weakness and are limiting. You can’t change the external the mind. Often my desire puts a blindfold over the memory of state of things so focus on the internal and work with what you this lesson I had previously learned. Once, I spent eight straight have. days working a project. Falling off near the end on half of those Most of all; be determined. Be a fighter. Stick with it and re- days kept me motivated, yet the other days offered digression. My The author in competition. Photo: Thomasina Pidgeon Collection member why you’re doing it. The journey is the reward not the mental focus was diminishing and my body was building an over- For over a decade, my life has been weaving in and out of a no- The only way to climb V10 is to try V10. So be sure to try a destination. use injury from repeating the same crux move over and over. Did madic lifestyle whose main purpose was to follow a blue coloured lot of them but avoid limiting yourself to just V10. The world is I send? No. Lesson? Take a rest from your project. The chance of sky and a shining sun overlooking a field of boulders. Living such your oyster and every problem can teach you something. Embrace Failure actually sending will increase tenfold, and instead of offering a a life entwined with climbing has given me many invaluable expe- Climb with different people. Everyone has different climbing Be prepared to fail. It comes with the territory. When you fall, bitter, ‘thank god the torture is finally over’ type of send, it will riences, not only about the sport but also life lessons about myself styles, abilities and something to offer. Climb with people who get up, and try again. Find out why you fell. Ask others more feel much more like a happy, satisfying, enjoyable type of send. and the world. I often wondered how I could say thank you to a inspire and can teach. Be open to healthy criticism; be willing to experienced for advice. Be open to learn. Think Like an Athlete sport and way of living that has given me so much. So far, this is learn and to hear what you may not want. Avoid not trying a problem because you are afraid that you what I have come up with. If what you have been doing isn’t working, change something. may fail on it. You will never know until you try and it is better to For a long time I never considered myself an athlete and scoffed What is V10? It's the level of difficulty of a boulder problem Step out of the normal routine; go to different problems, areas, try and fail than not to have tried at all. If your emotions start to at those who did things like dieting, cross training and weight but it is also more than that. It’s a breaking point, a level perhaps gyms. Hell, even try a different mode of climbing like clipping take over, walk away but remember to walk back. lifting. But as I progressed and wanted to improve, I realized other not yet reached, but knowingly attainable. So how can one reach bolts! things had to be considered. Balanced training, cross training and this exactly? What skills and mindsets are needed that will enable No Expectations eating healthy would all come second nature to any serious athlete people to reach their next level, be it V5, V10 or V13? Below are Don’t Limit Yourself: Being close to sending a project can build hope which is good, but many climbers seem an exception to this rule. So, find out some tips I have gathered which have helped me and others push Self-limiting thoughts get you nowhere. As does not trying some- but can also lead to expectations and pressures to send. Before ap- how other athletes train and learn from them. through plateaus and reach the next level. thing because it is ‘too hard’. If a line entices you whether it is V0 proaching the problem, instead of thinking about topping out and Eat smart and healthy. Not only will it help you recover fast- er but your body will be happier, lighter and performance will Add Variety to Your World or V13, then try it. finishing, try to focus on each movement and the climbing itself. You have the power to make or break your own limitations As Bruce Lee would say: “Be like water”. improve. Try many problems, easy and hard, regardless of the grade, regard- but the limitations that others put on you, be it friend or foe, is Stretch on rest days; cross training for balance, remember less of the style. This way you get exposure and experience on none of your business. Try to not let the negative influences of Find a Problem in Your Style your core, stay on your toes and always listen to your body. many different holds and styles that will help you break through others bother you. It helps to find a problem in your style, be it crimps, slopers, slab, to the next level. Too often people limit themselves to the problems that suit big moves, tick tacks, steep, whatever. Often, with my small size I Remember, climbing rocks is more fun than climbing grades! It helps to travel to places so you can widen your base and only their strengths. Avoid doing this by working your weaknesses must hunt around to find harder problems without reachy moves, abilities even more. If you can’t travel then be sure to try those and widen your base by opening up to the world of slabs, slopers, but avoiding something with moves you may not be good at is obscure problems and lines that perhaps have overgrown or that pinches, crimps, roofs, etc. Eventually, improvement will come so limiting so try it anyway. It forces you to work your weaknesses. Thomasina Pidgeon is the first Canadian woman to have climbed you promised you will ‘one day’ try. If you are stuck in the gym, V10, V11 and V12. She is an ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor 1 just be patient. Some folks like to go for ‘soft V10s’ such as 10-10 in Hueco make up problems that are your anti style or that play on your living in Squamish, BC Often, people ask the grade of a problem before trying it Tanks, but aiming for a solid V10 such as ‘Power of Silence’(Hueco) weaknesses. The Arête 28 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 29 The Arête Features training tools blend in The New Kids on the Bloc with the coffeeshop. The walls are spa- By Thomas Gnyra ciously set to minimize the feeling of a crowded climbing cave. The texture is suited for smearing as the walls offer some of the best slab climbing in the city. A 45-degree train- ing overhang, a 40 degree Moonboard and a half dozen fingerboards stand ready for those yearning for steep, specific training session. Weights and cam- pus boards call to those who wish to push their climbing to the next level. “Climbing is becom- ing more like [other sports],” Zak tells me, ac- knowledging the growing trend of indoor climbing, “You have people now New Walls, Great Space. Photo: Michael Trudeau that just want to come to the gym and climb.” As the future of climbing seems that it may Thomas Gnyra is a Climbing Gym Instructor 1 living in Calgary, AB. The Bolder Climbing Community Rock Gym. Photo: Michael Trudeau revolve more and more around indoor climbing, Bolder is already ahead of the curve. As you step into Calgary’s newest climbing gym, a very distinct vibe Zak if he’d be interested in joining the team that would build a gym is felt. The aesthetic of a new-age startup is seemingly intertwined worthy of their own standards. Josh and Zak had both grown up with a sense of purpose and experience. Some of the best climb- climbing competitively and had seen each other’s dedication to the ers in the city are seen mingling on the mats, discussing beta and sport through hard ascents in the Bow Valley. In recent years, they body positioning, resting, and cursing the bright, polyurethane had become regular partners and had focused their time repeating holds. Others are here for the first time, drawn in by the promise some of the hardest multipitch routes in the valley and eyeing lines of improved athleticism and post-workout caffeine. Bolder Climb- like The Diamond Face on Mount Louis. As Zak had a knack for It Runs ing Community has undoubtedly found a way to draw this diverse marketing and artistic direction, he held a rare skillset that would crowd to their doorstep all while making it look effortless. make Bolder whole. “Everything has been a battle, since day one,” admits Zak Mc- Each of them bring their own specificity to the business. Craig Gurk, bluntly. The expectations of opening a climbing gym would is both a bookkeeper and a handyman who has been roasting coffee come to surprise him and his teammates, Josh Muller and Craig since 2013. The name, Bolder, came from Craig’s roasting business It Rides Doram, who have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of creating and was adopted as it fit well with the overarching ethos of their Bolder. “You can’t just rent any industrial building in the city, you new venture. Josh, on the other hand, is the face of operations and need very specific zoning [requirements],” he continued, explaining training. He’s spearheaded an ambassador program to sponsor local how difficult finding a space had been. From funding to parking climbers in hope of helping them achieve their training and per- stalls, everything seemed to require a special kind of commitment sonal goals. Josh’s wife, Regan Kennedy, is also head of the Alberta and perseverance. Climbing Association Youth Bursary (ACAYB). Bolder has so far It Climbs The gym was initially envisioned about a year and a half ago donated the proceeds of 2 events to the ACAYB, noting the im- by Josh and Craig during a training session at another bouldering portance of giving back to a community that has supported them facility. Noticing a sharp increase in the number of climbers in the personally and through the gym’s patronage thus far. (It Disappears) recent years, the duo teased the idea of opening a gym to alleviate As you walk through the gym, you get a sense of what has been Patagonia’s Houdini ® Jacket patagonia.com/opportunist Calgary’s thirst for indoor rock climbing. As winter and the train- brought to Calgary. The sound of Future’s Mask Off is heard play- ing season is long, Calgarians look to the city’s network of gyms to ing in the background as veterans and newcomers alike test them- train for their summertime objectives and maintain their climbing selves against the dozens of climbs at every V-grade. The owners abilities. are seen working and training, often conversing with the custom- © 2016 Patagonia, Inc. The duo knew, however, that they would need a third partner. ers and getting to know their community. The aesthetical choices During a casual ascent of Blood Meridian on Yamnuska, Josh asked almost disguise the serious nature of this facility, making ruthless

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from training known strengths to be “super strengths” and you do decide to re-examine, be ready for getting triggered, for The Pain of Perseverance from training weaknesses to become “consciously self-elevated making errors (everyone makes them), and train to improve choices” based on experiences. With consistent practice antici- weaknesses. Most importantly, know intimately what emo- By Merrie-Beth Board (with contributions from Dave Freeze, Sharon Wood and Cecelia Mortenson) pating, accepting and adjusting errors, the trigger will loosen tionally triggers you and have a plan for how you will respond and we can stop the bullet from firing. in a productive way. One of my triggers was simply hearing an It is a moment in time that many Arête readers have lived: you highly charged state, weaknesses get highlighted and confidence Without a doubt, exam stress plays a big part in mak- assessor say my name as a question. Once I figured this out, remember where you were, who you were with, and the racing wobbles because there is a part of us that realizes we are now ing poor decisions, especially the ones we would not normally I could practice managing my stress response. Whenever I of your heart. It is that moment where you have just received making mistakes. make while not being assessed. Stress is a reality and can drain heard my name in this same tone while training and guiding, I the results from your last guide exam. How does one stay confident and recover in this highly your energy bank on an already taxing day. In my situation, would stop, take a breath, smile and say, "Yes?" Ding! A lot leads up to receiving your exam results. For many, charged human state? Re-building confidence after making an I blew the extra energy necessary to deal with “exam stress” Perseverance can be painful, yet also rewarding, much like it's not the first time you’ve had to prepare yourself. Some have error can only come once we've addressed the shame of failure by overworking and overtraining before the exam had even working a hard sport climb or waiting for that alpine face to be had to face exam results multiple times. This moment becomes and the shame of having made an error. Confidence evolves started. As a result, I paid the price by waking up dreading each in prime ski shape. In the end, you've earned every move or your reality, and one which declares you to day and each lead. In essence, I’d already given up because I turn. The work is worth it to ensure YOU'VE got the reins to be either at the standard, or not. When the was exhausted, frustrated, and injured. turn that bucking bronco into a rideable pony. results of years of dedication and very hard So, it's no surprise my performance was below the ex- By sharing what helped me take on my 3rd (and final) work are determined to have come up short... pected standard. Rarely do I dread guiding work, and if I do, I alpine guide exam, I hope you will find some useful tools. It is what comes next? usually consider it a red flag and adjust decisions and objectives my wish that every “aspiring” or “already hard-working guide” The questions and self-doubt soon fol- to ease the feeling. However, “dialing it back” is not a luxury can cultivate happiness, success and more “pleasures than low: “I guess I’m not very good at what I do… one has on a guide’s exam, right? Wrong. It’s important to not pains” while living a life in the mountains. should I be doing this job at all? According get rattled to the point where you forget you're the guide. The to my last exam results, I need to find another back-pocket tools carried on everyday guiding objectives are career… but I've put years into this. Climb- the same ones you carry with you into the exam. Merrie-Beth Board is the 10th Canadian born female ACMG Mountain Guide and lives in Golden, BC ing and guiding are my passion. Guiding is Managing your response to change and inevitable errors how I make a living…” It all boils down to is a key tool. Whether errors escalate because of destructive the brutal reality that, for one reason or an- internal dialogue, overthinking the next decision, or wonder- other, I’ve “failed to make the grade”. What ing what the assessor is thinking, it can all lead to a bucking do I do now? bronco ride of poor decision making. Though they are dif- Did You Know? Luckily with time, and getting back on ficult responses to control, an awareness that this can happen By Peter Tucker the job as soon as possible, you reaffirm that is the first step to staying on point. Slowing down instead of you actually are very good at what you do. speeding up like your adrenaline and instincts are telling you, Indeed, you would never have made it this far • The CMGA (founded in 1963) was the first non-European breathing and reassuring self-talk like "I'm ok, it's ok" will help member of the IFMGA and that it sponsored the American if you weren't. Your employers tell you, your maintain focus. Even if some things aren't going perfectly, Mountain Guides Association for its entry into the international friends tell you, and your guests tell you. But trained "super strengths" like hard skills will still be at a high federation it's kind of hard to believe it yourself because standard. Eventually the moment shall pass; you will refocus • TheACMG currently has over 1200 members, seeing 16% your last report card was full of honest reports to the present, and as always, continue guiding. growth in 2016 of substandard moments and technical or Be attuned to what triggers your weaknesses and practice judgment based weaknesses. So, here’s what • TheACMG diverged from the standard platform of the IFMGA recognizing your reaction to errors. The habit of responding to create specialty guides which is an approach that has been ad- comes next. As hard as it is to do, you must calmly instead of an un-calculated reaction, makes handling opted by several other IFMGA nations face those weaknesses, and push forward to mistakes much more effective. One of the most useful ways to figure out how to fix them. • The number of CMGA partners has grown from 1 to 25 over figure out what your weaknesses are, is to re-read your written the past 10 years, representing revenue that is nearing $100,000 The reasons range from A-Z as to why a exam results (if you haven’t burned them yet). Re-living past per year weakness may be revealed. We make count- mistakes is not easy; it can take a lot just to decipher what the • The dventureA Access Program, a unique partnership between less decisions in the mountains. Error cor- print is telling you. Let go of your story and try to understand the ACMG and MEC that provides funding for youth groups to rection is at the heart of guiding. Many of what the assessors’ observations picked up on. Get clarifica- go on outdoor adventures with a certified guide or instructor, has our substandard moments occur when we tion if you still don’t understand. As professionals, difficult funded 1100 youth days and provided $37,000 worth of work didn't anticipate an issue, and therefore cor- conversations are essential to a high functioning association for ACMG members rect an error early enough. An error is not and examination process. Read your results until they don't • 97.5% of questions asked of the ACMG Permit Manager are a mistake if it’s quickly corrected and regains emotionally affect you anymore. Take the time you need to get already answered on the website (not that Janet doesn’t like talk- momentum at the acceptable standard. The back on the horse. Remember, you have up to three years to ing to you…) real problems start when a simple error trig- complete each exam, so don't keep banging your head against • The CMGA Awards Committee doles out about $15,000 worth gers a stress response and snowballs into a the mountain if you aren’t ready yet. of scholarships and awards each year mistake. Situations get rough when we are For me, I took a varied approach to work on my weak- • The CMGA has a Vimeo channel with a variety of technical vid- triggered. Do you overthink every decision? nesses. I went to India to study yoga, spent a summer season eos on it vimeo.com/acmg Is your internal voice harsh and negative? Do Outdoor Research is a proud supporter of the ACMG. working in New Zealand, climbed some big mountains just • Thecurrent ACMG Executive Director, having just returned you rush or freeze? Do you second guess your SARAH HUENIKEN AT HOME ON ICE AT JOHNSTON CANYON, BANFF NATIONAL PARK | PHOTO BY JOHN PRICE for the love of it all, and sought out performance council and from climbing in the Himalaya, promptly and very publicly first (usually right) instinct? When triggered, mentorship within the ACMG. It's not about anyone else but failed a belay test in a Vancouver gym we are often unaware of it happening. In this you, it's your choice to give it another go or not. When and if The Arête 32 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 33 The Arête OR_ACMG Ad_Full_052616.indd 1 5/31/16 11:54 AM Features Give What You Do The Himalayan Alpine Canine By Ken Wylie By Jonathan Oldenburger

Up, pup and away! High altitude canine rescue at it's cutest. Photo: Niraj

Trust and a sense of accomplishment are common experiences, along with being seen. Photo: Ken Wylie From September to April I lived in Nepal while completing a was one solo climber that rushed past all the others with no gear, two-term internship for my degree in international develop- not even mountaineering boots. After about one hour on the We know it when we feel it. When someone takes the time to was that, although climbing and hiking seemed extraneous, they ment. Of course, being in the country of the highest point on glacier, this puppy ran passed my partner and me. It looked no see us. Our souls connect, and for that moment we feel part of are not. Most humans need the opportunity to connect with na- Earth, I used my accrued vacation time to wander my way to more than eight months old but was incredibly eager to make something magical and bigger than we ever thought possible. ture, it feeds our soul. We also all need to know someone out the Himalayas, to take in the views, the lack of oxygen, and even the summit. Ironically, the person who takes the time to "see us" feels it too. there is willing to hold the rope while we make a few difficult a short trekking peak. The original plan was to climb an alpine It is as if having the courage to take the time to listen, be present moves. At approximately 7:30 am, on April 12th, 2017, the puppy rock route on the east ridge of Lobuche East (6119m). Route reached the summit of Lobuche East, which we believe to be the and see, rewards the giver. The gifts of these experiences have been huge for me. These information was sparse, but my partner and I knew that the first recorded canine ascent of the mountain. When my partner A few years ago, while going to a movie in Victoria BC, I lovely people have challenges, yes. But what makes them different grade was 5.8 A0, only climbed a few times and took two days and I made it to summit a half hour later, we found the dog walked past a homeless man for the last time without doing from others I encounter is that they are no longer pretending to to make the summit. curled up in a pile of snow shivering, with a rapid heartbeat and something. It aches when I see people on the street. It is wrong be someone they are not. There is a level of authenticity that I I obtained my permit from the Nepal Mountaineering As- difficulty breathing. We assumed the dog was not feeling well that these human beings must live without a roof and commu- think we can all learn from and it is steeped in powerful humility. sociation, and trekked to Lobuche village with my rock and due to the fast ascent at high altitude, and tried to feed him. nity around them. We all respond when loved. We are all responsible for our own journey it is true, and there mountain gear to meet my good friend and climbing partner, After little desire to eat or go back down the route on its own, we It seemed crazy, but I thought I would give what I do. I am are no rescues in life. However, life teaches us about pairs of op- Niraj, who happened to be guiding on Lobuche East that sea- decided to conduct a high mountain rescue. My partner, Niraj, a mountain guide so the natural extension for me was to invite posites. Dark and light, hot and cold etc. So, it is also true that son. After seven days of trekking, I met up with him in Lobuche made a sling out of his down jacket and carried him, unassisted, these people climbing and hiking. My notion seemed crazy be- we need support after we fall. The internal fight is ours but the and we tried to nail down our summit plan. down the glacier to the crampon point. cause it appeared so far from what they really needed. But I was externals don't need to be. This is a message carried by none other As we awaited the arrival of more rock gear needed for the After taking off my crampons and boots, I carried the puppy wrong. than J.K. Rowling, who in her integrity, has not forgotten to give route, we tried to find the base of the climb. Unfortunately, we down the slab to high camp. As we descended, the dog's energy credit to a system that supported her when she was down. Natu- I approached the local shelter in Victoria (Victoria Cool Aid received information one night that the additional gear was not returned and by the time we reached high camp, he was running rally, this fuels the question… how many geniuses have we failed? Society), and after a bit of paperwork was paired with a case going to arrive, making our ascent trivial at best. We decided around cheering climbers up and boosting morale. worker for a hike with three appreciative souls. My challenge to the rest of my community is this; "Give together not to attempt the route this season, but instead ascend Despite not attempting our original route, we had a memo- What You Do." If you are a Dentist, give what you do. If you Something happened on our hike that changed everything via the normal route from the southwest. rable experience, climbing with our canine friend in the shadow are a Hair Stylist, give what you do. If you are a Doctor, give for me. Chatting with one of the women while walking through We set out at around 3:30 am on the normal route, which of Mount Everest. what you do. If you are a Counselor, give what you do. Trust me the forest, I learned that she had a degree in literature and grew began with 2nd and 3rd class slab leading to the crampon point your hearts will be paid in full, and our community will prosper. up in a middle-class family in Ontario. My assumptions were just above 5800m, at sunrise. The glacier was fixed with ropes Jonathan Oldenburger is an ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor 1 shattered. On that hike, I learned how close all of us are to the all the way to the summit, for an easy ascent. In total, there were street. We all make good and bad choices and how deeply the living in Waterloo, ON Ken Wylie is an ACMG Mountain Guide living in Mill Bay, BC about 35 people climbing Lobuche East that day, however, there consequences play out is entirely up to luck. What I also learned

The Arête 34 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 35 The Arête Features

to hike the 11km and nearly 2km elevation gain, at 4000m? climbing on a stunning feature at the same elevation. I had High Sierras Gamble - Trip Report Elevation is always the trickiest factor to calculate. That night nearly given up when Rob gave in. We were going to give Rus- Story and Photos by Brent Peters Rob and I decided to gamble and committed to the fast and sell a go! light approach. I am always amazed Peter Croft writes at how the human body in Climbing Mt Whit- acclimatizes to altitude. ney that the alpine Only forty-eight hours glow and sunrise on the after our first hike to Whitney massif is one Iceberg Lake and we of the most amazing were already an hour mountain scenes in the faster. As we crested the world. This was our re- Whitney-Russell col we ward for an alpine start could see the Fishhook as we gained Lower Boy in the sun. As we ap- Scout Lake. It felt late proached I studied the but we continued at the arête. Wow! The first best pace we could mus- pitch was intimidating. ter given the thin air. Which crack did the de- Five hours after leaving scription mean for us to the parking we were climb? They all looked at Iceberg Lake. As we so steep. How was this measured and treated 5.9? I could tell Rob was our water, we studied feeling the same thing the route. The East But- when he asked, “How Alpenglow on the Whitney Massif from the Eersbacher ledges. tress was in the sun but Cathedral Peak stands proud from the approach trail do you know this is the it would go into the crack?” We compared When my climbing partner Rob said that I should keep Sep- Meadows looked like the perfect venue with camping at 2500m shade after noon. There ledges and cracks to tember open for a trip to California, I wasn’t tracking alpine and numerous classic 3000m summits. Forty-eight hours after was already a party on the topo as we procras- granite in the High Sierras. Rob’s goal was to climb Mount leaving the Rockies, we were hiking to our first objective, a the East Face, and the tinated. The pitch was Whitney (4,421m), the highest peak in the lower 48. His intent 5 pitch moderate on the south face of Cathedral Peak that climbing looked less stunning; definitely the was not to scramble or hike, but to climb one of the more tech- looked particularly aesthetic. interesting. The sunny most memorable of the nical routes in a day, instead of carrying camp to Iceberg Lake, Descending from Cathedral we both commented about corner on the first pitch trip. As one crack ended an alpine tarn below the east face. I remember hearing both how easy it had seemed. Why didn’t we have routes like this in of the Buttress enticed a flake appeared. The Merrie-Beth Board (Mountain Guide) and Corinna Strauss the Rockies? The short approach to an alpine rock climb was us skyward, but the beautiful lumpy granite (Apprentice Rock Guide) rave about the golden granite of the appealing. Our Canadian objectives always seem to have 3-4h warmth was short lived. provided featured feet Sierras, but because I had neither researched nor explored the approaches. Although Rob and I hadn’t trained specifically for At the second belay everywhere they were zone, I was somewhat oblivious to the possibilities. In recent this trip, we had climbed numerous rock routes in the Ghost the wind began to ham- needed. Reach inside years, training to finish my Mountain Guide certification, I had and Bow Valley, and alpine objectives on Castle Mountain and mer us. The cold front the crack and find a buried my head in the limestone and snow of the Canadian Mount Louis. I had had a full summer of alpine guide work. wasn’t leaving hap- jug! Place gear; repeat. Rockies. Rob had focused on multi-pitch rock and trail running. He pily. To compound our We were both excited I was excited to think about new possibilities, especially had finished his summer with a cross country run along the plight, we now climbed climbing this gem. The since this would be my first time climbing alpine rock at higher Floe Lake headwall, 55km and 2km vertical in a day. Maybe into the shade. I climbed following pitches were elevation. During the cold days of our summer objectives, Rob we were more ready than we realized? with light gloves; Rob an alpine rock climber’s and I chatted often about the season being longer and warmer The following morning, rain turned to sleet, which turned chose security in fro- dream. Challenging in California, though research showed we could either have a to snow. We cancelled our campsite and headed back to valley zen fingers. We raced and exposed; sustained great fall, or be sunk with early snow. As the Rockies season bottom and south. As we drove we agonized over the weather towards the sun that climbing and demand- ended I started watching the Sierras temps and wondered if forecast. It had to be snowing on the summits. Two hours we could see teasing us The 99 switchbacks on the Mount Whitney hiker's trail are a ing route finding led to we had made the right call. There had been an early snow fall. south, the forecast for Mount Whitney was for sun but still on the summit block. veritable highway, hard on the knees but easy to follow. our third summit. We Would it warm up enough at 14,000’ to make our trip a go? near freezing temperatures at 14,000’ for at least a couple of Thankfully, somehow, both felt better than Or would we end up passing the alpine objectives for warmer days. We would use one of those days to secure our permit and when we got there, it was calm and warm! We switched into we had on Whitney, which was important because the descent valley bottom ones? campsite at the Whitney Portal, and to reconnoitre the Ebers- our approach shoes and began the mind numbing and knee involved reversing the regular East Ridge ascent, an exposed granite ridge. The third week of September, Rob and I headed south. bacher ledges, one of the route finding cruxes of the approach grinding 18km descent down the hiking trail to the car. It looked like we might get a high-pressure window about 4 to Whitney. As we hiked, we debated strategy. The guidebooks We had earned a rest day; Rob was emphatic. Whitney had We studied the weather at dinner that night. There was days after arriving and we wanted to be ready to capitalize. We suggested camping at either Upper Boy Scout Lake or Iceberg been his main objective and he was quite happy with our two definitely more sun in the forecast, but summit temperatures needed at least one acclimatization climb before attempting Lake and climbing the following day. We didn’t relish carry- summits. Go back up to Iceberg Lake again? Why? Well… The were headed back down below freezing. Who were we kidding? Whitney because of its elevation, gain, and distance. Tuolumne ing heavy packs of overnight gear. How long would it take us Fishhook Arête on Mount Russell looked spectacular; harder We celebrated nailing what was the last weather window of our Sierra time. The Arête 36 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 37 The Arête Features Cathedral Peak, Southeast Buttress, 5.6 Climb: We climbed the route in 11 pitches. It is fairly sustained Guidebook: High Sierra Climbing, Chris McNamara, McKen- until a talus ledge 2 pitches from the summit. zie Long, 2013 (used for all 3 routes). Descent: There are 2 options for the descent, The Mountaineers Permit: No permit is required to climb Cathedral Peak. A Na- Route or the Hikers Trail. The Mountaineers Routes descends tional Parks Pass is required for all vehicles travelling through 3rd and 4th class terrain immediately north of the E Buttress. Toulumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park. The Hikers Trail is longer (18km vs. 11km), but is an obvious highway back to the parking lot. Approach: About 1.5h on well maintained climbers’ trails. Rack: A single rack of nuts and cams from #0.2-3 with doubles #.75-2. We were happy to have the small cams.

Climb: There are 3 variations described in the guidebook. The Athlete: Cody Barnhill right hand variation is more sustained and allows safe and easy passing of other parties on the left. There are no fixed stations on Fisher Creative Photo: Mark Fisher, the route. We climbed the route in 6 pitches. Descent: The initial 15m of the descent is exposed down climb- ing. You may want a belay. Another 50-75m of 3rd and 4th class down climbing leads to easier ground until it is possible to tra- verse to below the N Ridge and descend to the start of the route.

Mount Russell Fishhook Arête pitch 1

Mount Russell, Fishhook Arête, 5.9 Permit: As per Mt. Whitney. Approach: Approach to Iceberg Lake as for Mount Whitney’s E Buttress. Pass the lake on the west. Tedious travel up the granite moraine gains the Whitney – Russell col. Traverse easily to the base of the route. Rack: A single rack of nuts and cams from #0.3-3 with doubles #.75-2. The Keeler Needle and East Face of Mount Whitney from the approach Climb: Deciding where to start can be confusing. The route climbs the first crack system right of the arête proper. 30m of Mount Whitney, East Buttress, 5.7 delightfully steep crack gain the arête. We found it necessary to break up numerous pitches for more efficient rope management Permit: Permits are required for all day and overnight use in the and communication. Mt. Whitney Zone. Permits are available at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Centre in Lone Pine, California, or online. Descent: If you climb Mount Russell in a day you can reverse The Mountaineer’s Route (E Ridge) and descend to Upper Boy Approach: 11km, 1900m elevation gain. The approach starts Scout Lake. Continue down the mountaineer’s trail to the hik- 2 on the Mt. Whitney Hiking Trail, and then ascends the North er’s trail and the parking. Creek drainage via the Ebersbacher Ledges to Lower Boy Scout RADICAL Lake. The trail continues towards Upper Boy Scout Lake before TÜV CERTIFIED – EXPERIENCE A NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY AND LIGHTNESS Brent Peters is an ACMG Mountain Guide living in Canmore, skirting a granite headwall to the south to gain Iceberg Lake. WE GUARANTEE THE PERFECT BOOT BINDING COMPATIBILITY WITH DYNAFIT CERTIFIED INSERTS®. With careful route finding it is possible to stay on the trail. AB INCORPORATED BY SCARPA, FISCHER, SCOTT, ROXA, HAGAN, MOVEMENT AND DYNAFIT. Rack: A single rack of nuts and cams from #0.3-3 with doubles

#.75-2. 20150910_dyn_az_radical2_us_final.indd 1 14.09.15 08:31 The Arête 38 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 39 The Arête Near Miss aspects in the Hilda basin during the week. Wind slabs and storm Attention deficit. It’s possible that my complicated personal life Avalanche - near Hilda Hut, South Selkirks slabs size 2 to 2.5 were estimated to be between 30-100cm in depth. this winter may have influenced my decision making. During the Most of these were cornice triggered. evenings at the hut, my mind was distracted by other events in my Story and Photos by Ramin Sherkat Local snowpack investigations at treeline indicated a strong up- life. In more `normal’ circumstances, I may have spent more time per snowpack with no significant shears in the upper mid-pack. investigating current and past conditions and records in order to These snowpack tests concurred with similar results from neigh- better understand the avalanche problems. bouring operations. Analysis: While it was obvious that the alpine snow- We didn’t forecast pack was quite different that a cycle associ- from what we observed ated with a Deep at treeline, we couldn’t Persistent Slab access alpine start zones avalanche problem to assess. It’s possible was upon us. The that some of the slabs effect of weather were deeper than es- inputs on deep slab timated. Some may instabilities cannot have failed on a PWL be underestimat- in the mid-pack (Feb 2 ed. The size and facets). runout potential There were warn- of avalanches as- ing signs from neigh- sociated with these boring ops indicating kinds of problems the possibility of deep demands respect. slab avalanches. In our If we had correctly guide meetings before understood the the event, we rated this true nature of the avalanche problem, Size 3.5 to 4 avalanche off the ESE face of Mt. Prough. deep slab avalanche problem as unreactive, we certainly would Context and the Event continual loading, warm temperatures and cornice failures. On with avalanches size 2.5 Google Earth image showing first runs above the hut on climber's left, followed by the upvalley have continued to March 15, a significant rain event loaded the snowpack and ava- to 3.5 unlikely. up track that was hit by the slide. Up tracks - red, down tracks - green, avalanche - yellow. avoid the upper On March 16, 2017, we were four days into a guided week of ski lanche hazard reached a peak. Previous investigations of easterly Hilda valley. touring at the Hilda Hut in the Valkyr Range of the South Colum- alpine aspects had revealed a weak snowpack with basal facets. The Human Factors The inputs that we use to produce the best possible decisions bia Mountains. This backcountry lodge is located at 1920m on a East slopes of Mt Prough threaten access to the upper Hilda valley. can become flawed in a small guiding team. Deep slab avalanche bench above the upper Hilda Lake, which feeds into Burton Creek Terrain Options and Guest Experience: We had spent most of Temperatures started dropping early in the morning of March releases are difficult to forecast, and diligence is required to main- and then Arrow Lake, SE of Nakusp. It’s classic Kootenay terrain, the previous day in the hut due to rain. Ski quality was poor at 16. We awoke to temperatures of -7 at the 1920m hut, with 8cm of tain adequate margins of safety. Patience and conservative decision steep and confined. The upper valley features a NE-NW facing treeline and below. We were looking for low angle smooth terrain new snow over a developing crust. The crust was supportive to skis, making are the fundamentals of safe mountain travel in times of cirque dominated by 2639m Hilda Peak. for the best skiing given the conditions. These terrain features ex- but not to the foot, and there was moist snow below it. uncertainty. At around 11:30 am, our group climbed from the valley up the isted further up the Hilda basin, the access to which crosses under- We began our day skiing a semi –protected treed shoulder that lower track of an avalanche path and traversed a bench to access low neath Mt Prough. offers good views of Mt Prough. After two runs and an assessment angle alpine terrain in the headwaters of the Hilda Basin. About Misinterpreting the Significance of Weather Input: of conditions and the face of Prough, I felt that it would be safe to We gave the What Next? 30 minutes after traversing the bench, we witnessed a large natural cooling temperatures too much significance in our avalanche fore- access the upper Hilda valley. In the physical sense, we kept guiding. Retracing our route over avalanche release from the face of Mt. Prough. Possibly triggered by cast. The effect of the rain on snow event was underestimated. Cer- the avalanche debris, we returned to the lodge to debrief with the a cornice failure, the avalanche crossed our uptrack and slammed tainly avalanche hazard was on the decline since the previous day’s guests. As some folks wanted to continue skiing that afternoon, into the valley below. The size 3.5 to 4 slab started dry and picked rain event. However, Prough start zones were still being loaded by Factors Contributing to the Decision Making we went out and skied breakable crust in the forest. I continued to up moist snow in the track. There were several deposition zones on the HN transported by moderate winds. The strength of intermit- Error guide for the next 2 weeks straight. the bench and along the track, including channelled deposits up to tent sun also likely weakened the cornice which failed and triggered Internally, the range of emotions that I experienced after this 4m deep in terrain traps low on the mountain. The slab dimensions Uncertainty associated with a complex snowpack the slab. were estimated at 30-250cm deep x 400m wide x 1300m long. The event were overwhelming: Anger, fear, sadness, guilt and confusion Experience in the Terrain: The assistant guide and I hadn’t worked start zone was an ESE asp at 2400m on a slope of approximately 40 The snowpack in the Southern Interior was typically complicated, all had their turn. With confidence at an all-time low, there is no together before, but we had both spent several weeks at Hilda in degrees. The slab likely failed on basal facets deep in the snowpack. with a multitude of avalanche problems varying from location to choice but to rebuild. previous years. Early in the week, we discussed how neither of us location. Nearest neighbors on the Infoex reported elevated ava- Thanks to my peers, family and friends who’ve supported me. had been present at Hilda during a significant avalanche cycle. We lanche hazards, with wet slabs, storm slabs, wind slabs, cornices, There’s a lot to learn by examining Near Misses, and I was inspired had reasoned that a size 3 avalanche on Prough would likely stop on Conditions and Terrain Choices and the Feb 15 PWL being the problems associated with avalanche to write this article by others who have shared their experiences the bench above our intended traverse. Also, we had discussed the activity. A basal weakness in thin rocky alpine areas was a problem before me. We had avoided the upper Hilda headwaters early in the trip, and history of Prough’s face with the lodge owner, who had indicated noted with isolated activity reported in the region. had been skiing less exposed terrain at treeline further downstream. that he had only seen the feature slide in May in past years. An ongoing natural cycle was producing slabs up to size 2.5 from There had been several natural avalanches on Alpine SE-NE Ramin Sherkat is an ACMG Ski Guide living in Nelson, BC

The Arête 40 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 41 The Arête Technical a guest accidentally deploy his BCA airbag when a BCA Float 32 Airbag Review tree branch caught the trigger on the uptrack. For fear of being in avy terrain higher up with no more By Shaun King deployments available, he just left the bag out all day to get caught up in the trees, and flop around Overview in the in the air canister pouch and you can route a mic through one of the zip- like a sad bean bag chair on the open slopes. An- BCA has always impressed me with their pered shoulder straps. It would be great other guest does a ceremonial deployment at the innovative design features that give skiers to have a radio sleeve on the opposite end of every trip, knowing that he will have to refill what they need, so I was excited to try side of the main compartment for use again after flying. out this pack. Given that it is the only when the airbag is installed. Accessory Carries canister pack in our review lineup I was At first the lack of a hydration curious to see how it measured up. pouch seemed to be an oversight, but The variable helmet carry is well thought out and will hold a helmet in three positions – up, down, or on Fit & Volume the two built in clips solved the prob- lem at a fraction of the weight and bulk the side (for ski carry). The quick and easy clip sys- I assume that, in an effort to simplify and did not interfere with the airbag tem worked well with gloves on. production and keep manufacturing costs components. There are ice axe carries for long and short axes low, BCA went with a “one pack fits all” The “mud room” pocket is roomy (although shorter than 50cm like the Petzl Ride approach by using a sliding Velcro hip enough for shovel, probe, saw and skins might fall out). A clever hole in the bottom of the belt. At 5’8” the large setting was com- and just long enough to fit my 320cm avy pocket allows a long axe to hide inside. The fortable for me but I wonder how taller probe that measures 53cm when folded. pack won’t stand up on hard ground, but in the folks would find it. Unfortunately, the probe and shovel snow the shaft sticks in nicely and helps to secure The pack carried well and sat close handle sleeves are too narrow to fit a the pack in place. The external, short axe carry is to my back with no unnecessary shift- saw as well. My G3 bone saw would very cool but seems overkill as a short axe fits eas- ing while going up or down. The metal stay put when I slid it into the ice axe ily inside. The outside will hold two 50cm axes but waist buckle took some getting used ladder lock webbing but I risked sawing you only need two short axes when ice climbing, to but seemed secure and relatively Image: www.backcountryaccess.com the webbing when I slid it in or out of and leashless tools with pinky triggers won’t fit. The straightforward. However, the crotch it’s sheath. The avy pocket also has a red external axe carry can’t be used simultaneously with strap was a pain to slide on and off the waist belt every time, and zipper to differentiate it as an emergency pocket but there are five the helmet carry as the elastic net is in the way. isn’t removable. Also, the adjustment buckle, and extra webbing different zipper pulls on the top of the pack that are all the same Multiple, light weight tuck away straps allow for is at the far end of the crotch strap, which if it got outside the heli colour. I can’t understand why BCA went to the trouble of colour a variety of ski and snowboard carries. basket could slap around and damage the machine. The buckle coding the zipper, but not the zipper pulls! Canister Refills should be right on the pack so the extra webbing can easily be I appreciated the insulated, zippered sleeves on both shoulder tucked away behind the hip pocket and the whole strap can easily straps to simultaneously house two of the following: airbag trig- I feel this is one area where the electronic airbags have be removed along with the other airbag components. A small ger, water bladder hose, radio mic cable. There seemed to be a a huge advantage. When I received my demo bag I PRO PURCHASE PROGRAM built in carabiner on the end of the crotch strap would make at- lot of space in the sleeves to house a small mic but the stitching is thought it would be easy to find someone to fill the taching / detaching it to the waist belt quick and easy and allow designed to keep the pleats flat while wearing the pack so I found canister. There was a link on the Float Resources page To Apply Visit: dpsskis.com/pros attachment to the main grab loop for secure storage in the basket. it a bit annoying to try and squeeze the airbag trigger back inside of the BCA website with a long list of refillers in the (A DPS representative will contact you upon review) I found the 32L volume fine for heli-ski guiding and recre- the zipper without removing my gloves at the end of every heli Bow Valley. After calling all of them I came to the re- ational ski touring but I had to remove the airbag components run. I would prefer a design that didn’t need to be stashed away alization that none of them actually filled the bottles. +1.801.413.1737 // [email protected] to fit my guide pack contents (shovel, probe, saw, radio, 1st aid, every time it went in the basket. Some of them no longer even carried BCA airbags. splint, repair, sled/tarp, Neo-Air, guest puffy, extra jacket & This erroneous list still exists on the BCA website, P: OSKAR ENANDER gloves, eyewear, thermos, food and skins). Airbag months after notifying them and asking for a correct list (which I never received from three different BCA Pocketing Making the airbag removeable was a brilliant idea. There are enough times when I don’t need it but want the extra space and weight sav- employees). Regrettably, in conjunction with several Hip pockets on both side are nice and necessary as there is no ings. The components remove very quickly and easily (except for other issues I faced with BCA last winter, I received some of the lot of thought into the design features of this pack, and the versatil- “brain” pocket on top. I feel that a fleece lined eyewear pocket in the trigger which has an annoying little screw that requires a tool worst customer service I have ever experienced (despite full trans- ity is impressive. Currently its low price and light weight make it any ski pack is paramount and allows either sunglasses or goggles and could easily get lost). Reinstalling the airbag components takes parency that the info would be included in this gear review). a strong contender when compared to the electronic competition. to be easily stowed without the bulk and hassle of protective cases. longer but once I knew my way around, I could do it in under 10 I understand that fear of liability is preventing some earlier The real question in my mind is how much longer canister The eyewear pocket on this pack is nice but sadly the opening is minutes. players like firehalls from refilling canisters now. MEC doesn’t technology has left in the airbag market. Once the price drops much too narrow to get goggles in and out without worrying about The Velcro holding the airbag zipper closed, did pull open on even do it. I finally found a dive shop in Calgary that filled it, and manufacturers are allowed to lighten up the batteries, I think scratching your lenses on the zipper (especially when the pack is me once and I’ve seen that this happens more and more on older (and said they were the only dive shop in town that would) but it the electronic versions will take over. If BCA could incorporate full). This pocket is deep enough however to store a few other little packs as the Velcro ages, or the pack is stuffed and the zipper was such a hassle that I have never actually pulled the trigger to that technology into their pack designs I think they would have things (that won’t scratch your lenses). There is also a flat mesh stressed. This seems to be an inherent fault in the design which inflate, and test the bag. I am just trusting that it will work when a real winner. pocket in the main compartment to store more items but it needs may be why Arc’teryx went with a more secure latch system on I really need it. to be much deeper to make up for the lack of a top “brain” pocket their packs. Conclusion Shaun King, an ACMG Mountain Guide and The Arête Editor, lives and swallow the field book, map, inReach and radio. For me, the limitations of canister technology are obvious, es- in Canmore, AB When not carrying the airbag components, a radio fits nicely pecially when compared to the electronic alternative. I once had Although there is room for improvement, BCA has generally put a The Arête 42 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 43 The Arête Technical Arc'teryx Voltair 30 Airbag Review By Cliff Umpleby Overview keep the bag topped up in the event of a I product tested this puncture. pack for a total of five Charging the weeks of heli-skiing battery pack is easy with days of up to with a nice little side 50,000 vertical feet. pocket to access the battery. Apparently, Fit & Carry a single charge will provide up to eight The pack carried ex- deployments (less in tremely well and I very cold weather) had no issues with it but due to paranoia I shifting around on me was charging it twice while skiing. The fit for a week. my 5’11” frame was Indicator lights fine, but I did notice on the battery give that larger people had charge status, and an a hard time getting the external LED indica- shoulder straps around tor light on the back their upper body as Images: www.arcteryx.com panel shows when the lower attachment the system is ready. points are narrow. Even when this light turns from green to red the bag will still inflate The strap system is simple and comfortable, using a traditional one last time. The battery is removable for passing airport security, plastic buckle on the waist belt that incorporates a clip which ac- or to lighten the pack on days it is not needed. cepts a metal tab on the crotch strap. This system negates having to It would be great to see a lighter commercially available version thread the crotch strap through the waist buckle and is definitely of the battery that didn’t need to conform to the current high stan- the easiest airbag pack to put on. I found the tab difficult to handle dards which increase the weight so much. A battery that provided with gloves on, so I replaced it with a micro ‘biner, which worked two inflations in cold weather would be sufficient if you could re- well. charge it at the end of the day.

Volume & Pocketing Construction Personally, I found the 30L volume was big enough to hold all the The pack seemed durable. It survived the abuse of a ski basket fairly gear required for a day of heli-ski guiding and then some. There well and I think the material will stand up to the test of time. The was room to fit additional items into the main compartment such entire shell is waterproof and keeps gear dry no matter what the as skins, and a pot. weather is throwing at you. Yamnuska Mountain Adventures is currently accepting applications for a full time, permanent position Getting into the avy compartment was simple and fast for ac- I am aware that Arc’teryx had an issue with the activation cessing shovel and probe. There is a small internal compartment to mechanism starting to come apart on a pack or two but I think that for an IFMGA Mountain Guide. Work involves both instruction and guiding on public, private and hold a phone and keys but no hip pockets. this may have been addressed. military programs. The successful candidate will also be responsible for supervising Apprentice guides and contributing to the continued improvement of Yamnuska’s programs and risk management system. Airbag Conclusion Applicants must be members in good standing of the ACMG or their member countries association. A The trigger mechanism is easy to use and simple to turn back to the Thanks to the ACMG and of course Arc’teryx for allowing me to unarmed position. Even if you forget to arm it, it only takes 20 de- try it out. It will be my next pack for heli-skiing work. Class Four Driver’s License is an asset. Wage range is between $300-350 with 2 weeks of paid vacation. grees of rotation to simultaneously arm and pull it in an emergency. I kept mine armed the whole time just to see how often it would go Access to a group health, dental plan and other benefits is also available. off by accident (which was only once, when I was being lazy while Cliff Umpleby, an ACMG Ski Guide and the Director of Operations unloading the basket). for Last Frontier Heli-Skiing, lives in Cumberland, BC Apply with resume by emailing [email protected] Repacking the airbag is simple and fast; during my accidental inflation, I had the bag repacked before my guests had their skis on. After the initial inflation, the fan pulses every five seconds to

The Arête 44 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 45 The Arête Technical find me in the trees. As guides we go to great lengths to make our Conclusion Black Diamond Halo 28 JetForce Airbag Review jackets bright and identifiable, so why not our packs? Overall, I enjoyed this pack and was sad to see it go. If Black Personally, I would like to see a full-strength hip belt and By Lucas Holtzman Diamond made a few changes I would buy one. crotch strap that connect all the way through the pack, allowing you to clip in for security if you were part way in a crevasse or into super steep terrain. A few of the guides I’m working with Lucas Holtzman, an ACMG Ski Guide, Apprentice Rock Guide, have resorted to wearing the waist belt of a climbing harness and Lead Guide at Last Frontier Heli-skiing, lives in Smithers, BC always, just for this reason. Access Deflation Pack Volume Pack Ice Axe Carry Ice Axe Kg (complete) Airbag Volume Hipbelt Pockets Eyewear Pocket Eyewear Inflation Method Inflation MRSP $ (complete) MRSP Removeable Airbag Removeable Main Compartment Main Compartment Inflations per charge Inflations Puncture Reinflation Puncture Helmet Carry Positions Helmet

BCA Float 32 32L 150L Canister 2 3 1 long, Yes clam shell Yes Manual No 1 3.22 850 2 short Arc’teryx Voltair 30 30L 150L Battery 0 0 1 No top load battery Manual Yes <= 8 4.26 1800 zipper only BD Halo 28 JetForce 28L 200L Battery 2 1 1 Yes backpanel No Auto Yes ~ 4 3.4 1395 Images: www.blackdiamondequipment.com

Full comparison of all airbags tested. Overview Airbag We had a choice of airbags to use at work last winter. This was I liked the low-profile trigger which felt unobtrusive while wear- not the lightest pack, but after putting it on and realizing how ing the pack, and I liked the indicator lights. I was sure the well it carried, I didn't want to wear anything else. zipper was going to break but so far so good. I would like to Fit & Volume be able to access the trigger at all times though. If you forget to unzip the pocket and expose the trigger when you need it, The shoulder straps were comfortable, and the way they hugged you’re screwed. I got to the bottom of a couple runs this year the back and attached to the hip area of the pack fairly wide, with it still zipped up. The Arc’teryx trigger, while being ugly meant there was no pack sway like I experienced on the ABS and and stupid looking does probably function better. Arc’teryx packs. The Swing Arm Technology allows the pack to I never had to deploy the pack in desperation but I did test move in sync with your body effortlessly while skinning up and pull the pack on a few occasions to make sure it worked and skiing down. never had any problems. I also really like how the pack deflates I found the ABS style metal hip belt buckle very easy to put itself. It makes for a quick and easy clean up. on and take off, but the crotch strap should just be attached with a carabiner to a clip in point on the waist belt. This whole Construction threading the crotch strap through the waist belt is silly. The The material of the pack seemed to be durable, but it needs compartment for the crotch strap also needs to be bigger. more reinforcement around the frame. There was a small tear Pocketing in our demo pack on the top of the frame. The hard material underneath makes it prone to wear in this location. I really liked the compartment layout. There were just enough Also, the material separator for the avy tools needs to be a The Sharp End Shell : pockets, while not having too many. I found it to be a super tougher fabric. On our demo pack, the fabric had basically worn Constructed with lightweight and durable GORE-TEX® clean pack with all the ski, helmet and ice axe carry loops tuck- out by the end of the season. I would also like to see a heavier Pro for waterproof breathable protection. ing nicely out of the way which made for a clean pack in the zipper. The thought of surviving a big avalanche, only to discov- basket and while skiing through the trees. er that all your tools are gone to help the others is discouraging. I felt the avy tool compartment was too small. It needs to I love the red colour, I left it on the snow in the distance a be longer with more volume. I was barely able to fit my 320cm few times when the helicopter was landing on me in flat light BlackDiamondEquipment.com probe and my small G3 shovel inside. Nice to see that it had conditions to improve reference. Also, the guests could easily three sleeves for probe, handle and saw though. The Arête 46 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 47 The Arête Technical DMM Pivot Belay Device Review By Chris Miller

Background vided by the Pivot; combined with a manual braking tube. This would be the ideal addition to the guides rack. When I started rock climbing, gear options were limited, most of it coming from Europe. The exception was Clog from Wales. Their Stats: gear was functional and durable, I still own a locker and some of the Weight 72g. first nuts and hexagons produced for rock climbing. DMM shares Compatible with half ropes from 7.3mm to 9.2mm some of the Clog DNA and maintains the early traits of function Compatible with single ropes from 8.7mm to 11mm and durability but adds attractive esthetics to their innovations. Check out their video: https://vimeo.com/122737551 Their equipment is appealing in both looks and feel, this is a case where form complements function. Over the years we have seen many iterations of the manual Chris Miller, an ACMG Mountain Guide, CGI 3 and the ACMG braking device, from the original Sticht plate, to the early Lowe Web, Graphics and IT Coordinator, lives in Canmore, AB Tuber and ultimately the current standard that combines the auto-braking ability of devices like the New Alp Magic Plate WWW.DMMWALES.COM with a manual-braking tube. State of the Art Most of the dual mode braking devices look and act similar in manual mode. They vary somewhat depending on the specific milling or rope size allowance but they are more the same than different. In auto-braking mode, differences be- come more apparent. Creating slack or lowering with these dual mode devices in auto-braking mode can be problem- atic. Although ratcheting the braking biner or levering with a carabiner in the biner cavity might create some slack or allow you to lower a short distance, it is a bit hit or miss bca_arete_summer BCLink.indd 1 5/17/17 10:50 AM with neither option working with some devices when deal- ing with a heavy suspended load. This often meant rigging some sort of load transfer to release the device and probably installing a separate lowering system. A Better Mouse Trap PIVOTAL PARTNER The DMM Pivot changes that approach. Its unique design shifts the lever arrangement, bringing the point of rotation closer to the load. In all the tests I’ve done, this design allows Pivot for a much easier and more controlled reversal, be it to give slack or to manage a full lower. Other devices under similar Used in guide mode, the Pivot gives easily initiated and controlled lowering of one or two seconds. Whether belaying in guide mode or from the harness, high load were either less manageable or in some cases jammed, performance internal geometry gives confident control over a wide variety of making it impossible to give slack, let alone lower. I suspect rope diameters. A perfect partner for multipitch climbing in any season. that an additional aspect of design contributing to the ease of use, is the shape and depth of the rope channels and braking FEATURES cleats. Devices that jammed had longer deeper rope channels and more pronounced braking cleats. > Multi-use lightweight belay device The DMM Pivot is a better mouse trap and advances > Gives confident belaying whether used in guide mode or from the harness the state of the art. This is no small feat and DMM is justi- > Easily initiated and controlled lowering of seconds in guide mode fied in singing its praises. The Pivot is well-designed, highly > Suitable for ropes from 7.3mm to 11mm functional, and has become my go-to device. > 72g The Future I believe there is still room for improvement in dual mode devices. We need something that provides the effortlessness of rope movement attained in an auto-braking plate device such as a Kong GiGi, along with the ease of lowering pro- The Arête 48 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 49 The Arête Technical Member Updates Adidas Tycane Pro Sunglasses Review Diapers and Vows By Monte Johnston By Lilla Molnar

The Adidas Tycane to sitting on your sun Chris Adshade (Apprentice Rock Guide, Climbing Gym Instruc- line of sunglasses are glasses or crushing them tor 3) and his wife, welcomed their son Wesley Everett Fox Ad- specifically designed in a pack. The hinges at shade into the world on Jan 15th. He was 7lbs 8oz. Healthy and for climbing, skiing, the temples come apart happy since day one! mountaineering and but can easily pop back Crosby Johnston (Mountain Guide) and his wife Rosie were watersports. While not into place. blessed on May 6th with the arrival of their strong healthy baby a household name in With the Facefit boy Timo Johnston who had a natural birth after 22hrs of labour. eyewear, Adidas boasts foam pad, the glasses Crosby made sure to include that Rosie made everything he has ever done seem a wide range of high feel bulkier. I had to insignificant next to her 22hrs of labour endurance! quality, sport-specific adjust the angle of the Josh Smith (Apprentice Rock Guide) was stoked to share that he married Lou- and casual sunglasses temples to keep the ise McWilliam in Austria on June 7th. with top notch optics. frame from moving Pablo Arsenault (Apprentice Ski Guide, Hiking Guide, Top Rope Climbing I tested the Tycane (lifting when I smiled). Instructor) and his wife Lisa are extremely pleased to introduce to their clan; June Pro sunglasses with the While not needed to Raoul Sofocles Boyer Arsenault Red Bear, son of Little Feather (daughter of Aus- Light Stabilizing Tech- keep light out, the Face- kachawishes), aka “Ralph”! He was born 7lbs 3oz on April 29th, 2017 fit foam pad works very nology (LST) Active Geoff Ruttan (Mountain Guide) and his wife Sasha had a baby girl named well at sealing out wind lenses. The same frame Brooklyn Eliana Ruttan born on Feb 23, 2017, at 9lbs 10oz. They are loving her Complete kit including Facefit Foam. Photo: Monte Johnston and powder snow, much is used for all Tycane and loving it! models, just with dif- like goggles. ferent extras included. Because of the wide range of lens choices Lens Quality & Longevity available, I will focus more on the lens material, coatings and dura- Diapers and Vows is a regular column brought to you by Canmore, AB Mountain bility than any specific finish, color or lens category. The lightweight polycarbonate lenses are clear and crisp and, even Guide Lilla Molnar. after eight months of use, still in great shape. The coatings on the Frame Features as Tested lenses have not suffered at all from repeated cleaning and there are Top right: Geoff and Sasha Ruttan with Brooklyn. Facefit foam pad, and head strap (both removable) no scratches on them. This is partly from good care but also due to Bottom Right: Timo Johnston. Side vents the quality of the coatings which have stood up exceptionally well. Lens changing system Fogging Removable hinge at the temples With the anti-fog coating and side vents, the mirrored lenses didn't Temples adjustable up & down typically fog up, even for slow-moving, high-output activities like a Flexible frame steep up-track, despite little room for air circulation with the con- Lightweight: 28g (+4g for Facefit foam) touring frame. However, fogging was an issue with a cheaper pair Features of the LST Lens as Tested of clear lenses I tried. Also, the Facefit foam caused fogging as it closed the side vents, leaving only small perforations around the Lens: Scratch Resistant Polycarbonate edge for airflow. Finish: Mirror Light transmission: 16% Pros - Great fit, lightweight, wide range of good quality lenses available, durable Lens category: 3 UV Protection: UV 400 Filter Cons - Fogging with some lenses (worse with the Facefit foam). Hydrophobic coating (outside), Anti-fog coating (inside) Lenses are hard to change without smudging them a bit. NEW Frame Fit & Feel Overall TRANSPORTER SERIES Without the Facefit foam pad, the glasses fit snugly and securely A fantastic pair of sunglasses for just about everything from cycling in place with no movement. The adjustable temples allow the to ski touring to summer glacier travel or SUPing. The interchange- Haul everything, and more! able lenses ensure that you can get the right lens for the right job angle of the glasses to be adjusted and can compensate for uneven Ruggedly built for the most challenging of environments and ears. The thin, wrap-around frame keeps unfiltered light out while and with the lightweight and comfortable frame is easy to forget objectives, these are the bags you choose to haul everything maintaining good peripheral vision. you’re wearing glasses at all. Unless you plan to use them as a pair and more to the ends of the earth. The updated Transporter The frames and temples also flex so there is little pressure on of emergency goggles I’d skip the Facefit foam pad. the sides of the head, allowing them to be worn all day without a Series features enhanced durability and weatherproofing combined with an effective and comfortable carry system. headache. Their light weight also keeps the bridge of the nose from Monte Johnston is an ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide, Apprentice Ski getting sore over time. Guide, and Assistant Hiking Guide living in Squamish, BC ospreypacks.com The removable hinges at the temples are handy if you’re prone

The Arête 50 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 51 7-1/4 x 4-3/8 The Arête Member Updates Remembering Dean Flick Changes in ACMG Membership July 11, 1967 - June 5, 2017 1 December 2016 to 30 June 2017. Compiled by Member Services The following list of changes in the ACMG membership includes new members and their certification level as well as qualifications achieved by ACMG members dur- By Janis Hooge ing this specific time period. Due to Thompson Rivers University privacy concerns it is not a list of all candidates who have been successful on CMSG-TRU training programs nor is it necessarily a complete list of ACMG member qualifications. Always check www.acmg.ca for up-to-date current status. Please do not hesitate to contact Dean lived his whole life in Rev- ered middle age for most people) [email protected] if you have any queries or if there are any errors, omissions or you have been missed. Italicized names indicate new ACMG members. elstoke. In his early teens, he eased up. Two years later, nerve embraced bicycle racing, then damage related to spinal stenosis Mountain Guide Climbing Gym Instructor 1 Pereschensky, Boris Reinstated Prior, Dana to the ACMG earned a black belt in Tae Kwon kept him from completing the Peters, Brent Abel, Dylan CGI1 Do. The fluid movement and easy Apprentice Alpine exam. Because Aspden, Stacey Budd, Jason TRCI grace that showed in his climbing, it progressed rapidly despite strict Apprentice Ski Guide Bailey, Laura Top Rope Climbing Instructor Stewart, Grant TRCI Teoh, Zenn ARG evolved from a lifetime of stretch- rest, Dean underwent a laminec- Barjaktarovic, Lori Abel, Dylan CGI1 Austerman, Carey Tuffin, Josh CGI1 ing and discipline; at almost fifty tomy, which involved removing Ayotte, Audray Boudreau-Alguire, Patrick Baggaley, Nicholas CGI1 Bradbury, Spencer he could still do the splits. portions of a few lumbar vertebrae Blarowski, Mike Carmichael, Darin Burch, Trisha Dean was an early adopter, al- and implanting a cable/screw sys- Buekert, Angela Clynes, Alex Cadman, John Dooley, Shane though not in the tech sense of tem for stability. Unable to walk Cochrane, Sean Resigned Crerar, Dave Campbell, James Dow, Kyle the word. When he first spotted fifty metres post-surgery, he was Cowan, Reid from the Davies, Rupert ARG Ferri, Rebecca CGI2 ski-touring gear in Klaus' ski shop, off work for a year. With gradual Ebner, Markus Drotar, Gerry Fortin, Luc ACMG improvement in the spring, he Edifizi, Giacomo it went home with him that day. Feleki, Christine AHG Frid, Teige CGI1 Barrs, Nathalie found that slow, cautious climb- Ferreira, Mario With both feet, he jumped in and Guptill, Jason ARG Goodine, Austin Boila, Aaron before he had a driver’s license, ing was good therapy for his back, Halliwell, Conor Fraser, Carly Hughes, Nick CGI1 Freudenthaler, Ivan Budning, Sean teenaged Dean had uptracks all and he applied for the Rock Guide Hogg, Alasdair AHG Kokuryo, George Grasby, Logan Charest, Mathieu over Mt Macpherson. He bought exam that summer. He passed the Hood, Jaime AHG Kusnierz, Peter AHG Harris, Lida one of the first-gen mountain exam – a year to the day after sur- Macfarlane, Ruari ARG Lightman, Josh Charest, Mathieru Hart, Sherry gery. After regaining endurance Mackaness, Will RG Mathar, Stefanie Dowse, Carl bikes in Revelstoke, although that Hu, Sarah went by the wayside when he real- over the next winter, he earned Martland, Brendan Middel, Raylene Guptill, Jamie Jewitt, Carson Neufeld, William CGI2 ized that his early '80s Norco did Apprentice Alpine certification Petersen, Jesse AG Harrison, Mark Robb, Dan Keillor, Heidi O’Brien-Kelly, Paul not, in fact, allow him to ride up last summer. Manson, Chris Lalonde, David Rohn, Kevin AHG Pentland, Charlie mountains. Although Dean was known Merringer, Andrew Matsunaga, Junichi Ross, Tim AHG Reimer, Rachel AHG A weekend rock climbing as a quiet person, it was less that Shynkaryk, Michael Milner, Phillip Reston, Ian MacDonald, Scott course in Revelstoke in the late 80s he had nothing to say, and more Stemaschuk, Matt Moy, Brandon Reston, Peter Slam, Johann Muirhead, Greg spawned his lifelong love of climb- that he was too polite to ever con- Woods, Will HG Toth, Danielle Vincent, Shaun Murray, Dominic ing. After an initial summit of Mt sider interrupting someone if they Tse, Angela Norris, Kevin Yamada, Toshiuki Sir Donald, (within a month of wanted to speak. He was eternally Ski Guide Unger, Shaun CGI1 Dean at Waterworld near Revelstoke, BC. Photo: Alex Geary Ogden, Shannon learning to climb) he committed considerate of others; always mak- Vanderpyl, Daniel CGI1 Corbett, Mark Pfeifer, Mark Vollmers, Shayne more and more time to climbing. He loved everything about it; ing a point of doing the little things that would make someone feel Dahlberg, Eric Renwick, Jesse Westmore, Owen better and encouraging people to make their best effort. Clients the movement, the technical gear, the freedom it gave him to go Grandi, Thomas Riggs, Evan Williams, Valerie AHG anywhere in the mountains. For most of his twenties, he worked spoke of his remarkable ability to build trust. He liked to see oth- Haraldsson, Robert Rurak, Kyle trail crew or fought fires so he could climb in the winters. He was ers enjoying themselves, he radiated warmth, and he had an ability Herbison, Mark Schellenberg, Eli Joined ACMG for the first time an explorer, and would always choose a new destination over the to make others feel good. Jungen, Florian Sherkat, Tosh (not through course during above period) familiar, preferring to develop new climbing areas rather than re- The flip side of this unshielded quality was that he was exquisite- Kamink, Isaac Sparshu, Ryan peatedly climb the same routes. ly sensitive. In a competitive world, criticism and negativity were Kelly, Larry Spurrell, Christy Ammerlaan, Jason ARG Konik, Steve Talbot, Margo TRCI Bykov, Igor CGI1 About fifteen years ago, Dean joined the avalanche control sec- difficult for him, and on a day when the world seemed especially Leahey, Troy Tash, Atiyeh Del Bigio, Milo CGI1 weighty, Dean ended his life. tion in Glacier Park. In conjunction with his summer position, Lambert, Kenton Taylor, Mark Giroux, Frederic ARG this gave him a few months off spring and fall, and allowed him to I don’t know whether there are degrees of difficulty in grieving. McKoy, Samuel Tombs, Kieran Goddard, Penny MG spend his winters in Rogers Pass, which he loved. The same physical I ask myself whether this would be easier if Dean had fallen off a Mignault-Dionne, Louise-Charles Unger, Shaun Goulet-Boucher, Amelie AHG abilities and technical expertise that shone through in his summer mountain, or been caught in an avalanche. He was very capable Porter, Lisa Vaughn, Palmer Lerchs, Alan AHG pursuits showed in his winter position. Patient and encouraging in those environments. But then I think that is exactly what hap- Sharp, Barb Villegas, Bastien Majorossy, Josh ARG with new team members, he was very skilled, had amazing endur- pened - he did fall off a mountain, but it was a different kind of Sharp, Eirik Nagasako, Meil CGI1 ance, and an innate understanding of mechanical systems. What- mountain. Sofer, Olivia Nemeth, Alexis AHG Spicer, Chris Climbing Gym Instructor 2 Raurell, Alejandro TRCI ever the challenge, he would find a solution. In memory of Dean, please try to always be kind to others – it Tutt, Graham Farrelly, Kimberly Speedie, Emily CGI1 In 2012, Dean undertook a longstanding ambition to become a is often not easy, but after knowing Dean, we know it is possible. Vesely, Mark Fukada, Tadashi Walsh, Evan CGI1 Mountain Guide. His first exam was the Apprentice Rock Guide, Wainwright, Peter Grasby, Logan Walter, James ARG and instructor feedback described his climbing skills as 'inspiring'. Kelly, Corey Janis Hooge is Dean’s partner from Revelstoke, BC His apprehension at starting along this road (at what was consid- Nelson, Keith Neufeld, William The Arête 52 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 53 The Arête ACMG Contact Information Subject to change: for current information, see www.acmg.ca > Contacts Board of Directors - Officers of the Board President Vice-President Secretary-Treasurer Marc Ledwidge Ross Berg Director, West Coast Kevin Dumba Director at Large, Public Director at Large, Public Harvie Heights, AB Squamish, BC Calgary, AB Rick Cowburn [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Calgary, AB Board of Directors - Elected Directors [email protected] Director, Specialty Guides Director, Apprentice Guides Director, Climbing Guides Director, Hiking Guides Director at Large, Member MG Derek Wilding Madeleine Martin-Preney Scott McKay Chris Kaipio Cecelia Mortenson Calgary, AB Revelstoke BC Canmore, AB Whistler BC Revelstoke, BC [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Director, West Coast Director, Interior Director, Rockies Director, Eastern Canada Director at Large, Member MG Ross Berg Kirsten Knechtel Jordy Shepherd Philippe Gautier James Madden Squamish BC Golden BC Canmore, AB Montreal, QC Canmore AB [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Board Advisors Organizational Contractors The Arête Newsletter Communications Finance The ACMG has a variety of independent The Arête is a semi-annual publication focusing contractors who fulfill the required ad- on the relevant technical and political issues and GET Kimanda Jarzebiak John Gillett Ascent Public Affairs Canmore, AB ministrative functions of the association. member news for the professions of mountain Victoria, BC guiding, hiking guiding, and climbing instruction.

Legal Technical Director The TD chairs the Technical Editor-in-Chief G W Kent Scarborough Marc Piché Committee, oversees all matters Shaun King Scarborough Herman Bluekens Canmore, AB relating to technical standards Canmore, AB New Westminster, BC [email protected] and reports to the President. [email protected] FUNDED ACMG Administrative Support The Administrative Support Group, led by the Executive Director, is responsible for matters relating to membership, member services, accounting, IT, sponsorship and promotions. The ED reports to the President. Executive Director Permit Manager, Administrative Assistant Member Services Web, Graphics and IT Partnership Coordinator Events Coordinator Peter Tucker Assistant to ED Elaine Powers Manager Coordinator Ken Bélanger Lauren Shearston Bragg Creek, AB Janet Miller Rossland, BC Laura Young Chris Miller Canmore, AB Canmore AB [email protected] Canmore, AB [email protected] Canmore, AB Canmore, AB [email protected] [email protected] In April 2016, Madeleine Martin-Preney,

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Noblet Douglas Stephen Senecal, Douglas Noblet, Sam ACMG Committees McKoy and Mark Grist became the first Committees are groups of volunteers who assist the Board of Directors and Executive Director with some operational work and decicion making for the Association. As a member-driven organization with limited resources, the ACMG looks to its committees for insight and energy. Board members typically, but not necessarily, chair team to ski traverse the entire Canadian each committee and the President and Executive Director are ex officio members of all committees. If you would like to join one of the committees, please contact the Selkirk Range. 16 months of prep, 8 food President [email protected]. caches, 520km, and more than 30 Awards Caroline Marion (public) MCR/Informalex Steve Holeczi self-propelled days resulted in a new Chair: Chris Miller - Dave Stark Chair: Brian Gould - Matt Peter [email protected] Larry Stanier [email protected] Veronika Vackova Canadian expedition benchmark. Lloyd Gallagher Leslie Taylor (public) Larry Stanier Helen Sovdat Marni Virtue (public) Steve Holeczi Scholarship Sylvia Forest Rupert Wedgwood Conrad Janzen Chair: Derek Wilding - By supporting innovative outdoor exploits Marc Piché Tom Wolfe [email protected] across Canada and around the world, Governance Jason Billing Kirsten Knechtel MEC Expedition Support helps Canadians Brad White Chair: Rick Cowburn - Membership Services Jordy Shepherd [email protected] Chair: Ben Firth - Sharon Wood turn ambitious goals into inspiring realities. Conduct Review Steve Blagbrough [email protected] Chair: Jeremy Mackenzie - Pierre Hungr Christoph Dietzfelbinger Technical [email protected] Kent Scarborough (legal advisor) Jorg Wilz Technical Director: Committee members added Paul Vidalin Derek Holtved Marc Piché - [email protected] as necessary. Pool includes: Janet Miller James Blench Want to know more? John Bell Incident Reporting & Learning Mike Welch Dwayne Congdon mec.ca/expeditions Paul Berntsen Chair: Mark Klassen - Todd Guyn Barry Blanchard [email protected] Professional Practices Kirk Mauthner Gillian Calder (public) Kent Scarborough (legal advisor) Chair: Nathan Dahl - Craig McGee Nathan Dahl Larry Stanier [email protected] Helen Sovdat George Field Ben Firth James Blench Rod Gibbons Ian Tomm Alison Cardinal Neil Haggard (public) Scott McKay Brent Goodman The Arête 54 Summer 2017 Summer 2017 55 The Arête ACMG Print PDF included into email version of publication

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GREAT NORTHERN WAY, VANCOUVER, BC V T E    COLOURS CMYK Partners The following companies contribute financial support to the ACMG and its membership at the highest level. We would like to thank these outstanding companies for their excellent support, and their commitment to professional guiding in Canada. Logan

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The Arête 56 Summer 2017