ACMG Alpine Guide Training

The guide training course for the alpine program was in the Rockies in early July this year. Of course, I didn't turn down work until the day before the start of the course. My last day on the coast consisted of a day of work with Will, dropping my new friend Sandra off at the airport, then back to work - this time to de-rig an enormous show at GM Place. I was up early the next day to pack, then I swung by my buddy Sonnie's new home. He needed a ride to Canmore to teach a youth climbing camp. Off we went in a straight-shot to the Rockies.

The course was based out of a campsite near Banff. I lucked out and got two of the best instructors in the business - Colin Zacharias and Marc Piche. For most of the week I was paired up with Kris Irwin, a rock-solid dude and fellow hooligan, so spirits were always high.

Kris lowering Colin off Castle Tower

Crossing a river at 6am on our way up the mighty Mt. Lorette in K-country

Kris on some righteous rockstone partway up Lorette

Lowering Kris and Colin down some glacier ice on the Icefields Parkway

Kris posing between glacier slogging on Mt. Huber

Kris and Olivier doing what I tell them on Mt. Victoria

The rock is soo good here I hardly miss the granite...

Icefall navigation

More icefall nav

An unnamed instructor being placed supine during a rescue exercise on the last day