Training

Idaho's mountains provide opportunities for snow climbs in late spring and early summer - and sometimes even late summer.  If your self-belay fails on an ascent or your glissade gets out of control on a descent, self-arrest using your ice ax may be your only chance to stop yourself.   Practice ahead of time will give you the skill to use your ax properly in this situation.

We will seek out a steep slope with a safe runout to practice self-arrest from different starting positions - feet first, head first, face up, face down.

This event is free and open to IMR members only.  Participants need their mountaineering ax and snow-proof outer layers.  Snowshoes or skis (with climbing skins) may be required to access practice slopes.

No dogs, please.

Basic Leadership Training (Part II)  

This IMR members-only leadership course will prepare you for posting and leading your own trips. Includes information on planning trips, trip classification, knowing your leadership ability, how to use the web-site for posting your own trips, ensuring participants know what they are signing up for, the IMR Essentials, group dynamics, decision making, and emergency procedures. Training will be held on Monday, Feb. 13 and Wednesday Feb. 15 from 6 - 9 pm. Please plan on attending both nights if possible. The club will provide pizza or sandwiches, etc. for attendees. Contact patricedavies1@gmail.com or eldredgek@gmail.com to sign-up.

Basic Leadership Training (Part 1) 

This IMR members-only leadership course will prepare you for posting and leading your own trips. Includes information on planning trips, trip classification, knowing your leadership ability, how to use the web-site for posting your own trips, ensuring participants know what they are signing up for, the IMR Essentials, group dynamics, decision making, and emergency procedures. Training will be held on Monday, Feb. 13 and Wednesday Feb. 15 from 6 - 9 pm. Please plan on attending both nights if possible. The club will provide pizza or sandwiches, etc. for attendees. Contact patricedavies1@gmail.com or eldredgek@gmail.com to sign-up.

Second day of the WFA class. See April 28th entry for details.

Cost: $110, checks made payable to the American Red Cross
Enrollment: 6 to 12, preference given to Idaho Mountain Recreation members
 

This 16-hour course focuses on first aid under conditions where the arrival of emergency responders or the patient evacuation may be delayed due to constraints of terrain, weather, and available persons or equipment.  It may be necessary to care for an injured person for several hours or days.  Topics covered include assessment, head (brain), neck and spinal injuries, heat-related emergencies, hypothermia, altitude-related illnesses, allergies and anaphylaxis, burns, bone and joint injuries, wounds, and wound infection.

 
 Participants will receive instructional materials and a Red Cross certificate valid for 2 years. 
 
All members, not just trip leaders, are encouraged to take this class.
 
Adult CPR/AED ($60) is a pre-requisite for this class. Several three-hour evening CPR classes are offered in Boise with 2-year certificates.   To register on-line go to http://www.redcross.org/en/takeaclass, type in your zipcode, select the type of class (CPR/AED), classroom delivery, and date range, and pick which date works for you.  The CPR classes fill up fast - don't delay! 
 
 

Today is the last day to register for the Standard Avalanche Level 1 course (see January 10th posting for details and the link for on-line registration).

The January 2012 Standard Avalanche Level 1 class has been filled and registration is closed.  If any IMR members want to take this class the next time that it is offered, please contact Judi or Carl at 859-2503 or jsteciak@hotmail.com with your email address to get advance notice.

The field sessions for this class.  See the January 10th post for details.

The second of the two evening class sessions.  Please see the January 10th posting for details.

Winter means that it is time to think about safe skiing and snowshoeing in the backcountry.  During the last few years thare have been significant advances in decision making, snow stabiliby assessment and rescue techniques.  To address this, the Mores Mountain Backcountry Ski Patrol is offering a 24 hour class in Standard Avalanche Level 1 training class (AV1). This certified National Ski Patrol course includes class room and field training sessions. Weather, terrain, route selections and techniques to determine snow pack stability will be taught. The class is offered for backcountry skiers, snowshoers, and slit boarders and is intended for backcountry enthusiasts or people interested in over-the-snow travel during winter conditions.

The class fee is $75 for non-ski patroller members and includes books. The class meets January 10 and 12 (classroom sessions) followed by field sessions on January 14 and 15. You must attend all four sessions to receive certification; please do not sign up if you cannot attend all sessions. Depending on interest, we hope this class will be offered annually. Class size is limited, so do not delay signing up before the January 5th deadline.

The evening of January 10 will be the first 4-hour classroom session, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm.

For the field sessions, it is required to have:

1. Touring equipment (split boards, alpine touring, tele touring, or snowshoes) including climbing skins for skis or split boards.
2. Rescue Gear: transceiver, 3 meter probe, extendable metal shovel.
3. Backpack with winter equipment: water, snacks, 1st aid kit, extra coat/gloves, compass, ...

This class meets the American Avalanche Association (AAA) guidelines, and the instructor of record is Chago Rodriguez, an AAA Certified Instructor.

In this class we'll go to a point in Boise that has good visibility of points of reference that are readily visible on a local map.  (This map will be sent to you for you to print out.)  For this class you'll need a compass.  Don't have a compass?  Lots of your friends do.  Just ask.  Failing that, I may be able to scrounge one for you.  During the class you'll learn how to find out where you are by cross referencing known points.  You'll also learn how to travel to a destination that you cannot see.

All in all, a very useful skill set to pick up.