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Hilda 2019 AST2+

February 28, 2019 by Keith Robine

Here are a few snippets of what daily life is like during our AST2+ Course at Hilda Lodge:

Sunday February 10, 2019, 10:45 a.m.: Clear skis and Grade A efficiency at Valkyr staging make for a record transfer. The group  settles in to their plush accommodations.

Sunday, 2:30 p.m.: Everyone has done 3 Companion Rescue drills, improving their search/digging time in each scenario. Time for a tour!

Sunday, 5:00 p.m.: Appetizers! Fresh Mussels!

Monday, 9:30 a.m.: Starting up the boot pack to Hilda East High Col:

 

Monday 11:00 a.m.: Avalanche! Alex ski cuts a size 1.0 avalanche on a steep convex roll. This was on the early February sun crust, which continues to be a persistent weak layer (PWL) through the rest of February and into March:

 

Monday 8:00 p.m.: The students are meeting in small groups to plan their self-guided day tomorrow.

Tuesday, 2:30 p.m.: On the way back from the Valkalla Zone:

 

Tuesday 5:30 p.m.: After a relaxing sauna and more appetizers, the group gets together for a classroom session to discuss the day’s learnings.

Wednesday 11:00 a.m.: After a surprise 20cm fresh overnight, Avalanche Danger is up to Considerable, but there is safe skiing in the Lower Norns. “Choosing the right terrain for the conditions” is the mantra:

 

Thursday 10:30 a.m.: Moderate-Strong winds have kicked up this morning, and everyone has scaled back their self-guided plans.

Friday 9:30 a.m.: Performing an Extended Column Test (ECT). This was followed by additional Companion Rescue practice. The students are really on their game:

 

Friday 12:00 p.m.: Our chef Janelle prepares a hot lunch for the group before we head out for a few more runs in the afternoon.

Friday, 2:30 p.m.: Magic in the trees:

 

Saturday 8:30 a.m.: The groups are out for their final self-guided day with sights set for a 600 metre fall line run called Burton Direct and a 500 metre line off the Norns.

Saturday 7:00 p.m.: Our final dinner together, lovingly prepared by Janelle. Final learnings and certificates of achievement follow.

Sunday 9:00 a.m.: One final group shot before the Heli arrives and we start our journey home:

 

Some comments from the participants:

Thanks for making me want to go play and be mindful in the mountains.

Discussions at the end of the day whether in the sauna or in front of the screen were super valuable.

Amazing course!

Filed Under: News

2018-19 Mid-term Report Card

January 22, 2019 by Keith Robine

What do you think? With some dire predictions in an El Nino Winter, I think we’re doing pretty well so far. The snowpack has gone through some periods of instability, but we have also had a fair amount of Low-Moderate avalanche danger. There have been some glorious periods of sunshine, but we haven’t had the big dumps of snow…yet. El Nino has kept things fairly warm, but most mountain areas are sporting between 1.3-2.2 metres of snow. Let’s look at some pictures:

Early December, looking good!

 

AST1 Course getting some of the goods pre-catskiing-season at Big Red Cats just before Christmas.

 

Stepping into bigger terrain during Danger Rating: Moderate/Low/Low

 

Climbing up a badass couloir (500 vertical metres)!

 

Longest couloir I’ve ever climbed/skied!

 

Long-term forecast for the rest of the 2018-19 winter has warmer than normal temperatures (El Nino), but average precipitation amounts. Hoping for some nice snowfalls in February, March, and April. My grade for Winter 2018-19 so far: B+!

 

 

Filed Under: News

Navigating Complex Terrain: Lessons learned while writing an avalanche book

October 22, 2018 by Keith Robine

This blog is a copy of an article I wrote and will be published in the November 2018 Avalanche Journal, the professional journal for avalanche workers in Canada. I introduce some content from the new Avalanche Skills Training Handbook, the text for AST students starting winter 2018-19. I wrote the book with James Floyer from Avalanche Canada. I will also share a couple of the personal lessons I learned while participating in this challenging project.

Human FactorsBehaviors?

That human factors often play a role in decisions leading to avalanche fatalities is widely recognized in our field. As an avalanche educator, it has been a challenge to teach human factors in a way that has real impact on students’ decision-making. By nature humans are susceptible to falling into the heuristic traps that can lead to accidents.

Working in the field of psychology, I have learned that helping people find their areas of strength is preferable to solely focusing on their areas of weakness. With that in mind, I have incorporated positive human behaviours into the lessons I teach to AST students. (ref: 2012, “Bringing Human Factors to AST Courses”, Canadian Avalanche Journal, vol. 102.) In the new AST Handbook, we describe human factors that lead to accidents as well as positive human behaviours that help make good decisions when choosing terrain: communication, leadership, patience and discipline.

Follow the Professionals

In the professional domain, we also limit the impact of heuristic traps by following a structured approach to decision-making. For example, at the ‘Guides Meeting’, conditions are discussed and some choices about terrain are made. By tapping into the expertise of the guide team in an environment where communication is relatively easy, the planning that happens at a Guides Meeting helps reduce the chance for errors caused by human factors in the field.

Decision aids such as the Avaluator have been developed to help the recreational public avoid similar heuristic traps. In the book, we wanted to highlight the Avaluator inside a larger decision-making process that mirrors the one used by professionals. We came up with a seven-step design that is called the Daily Process. Here is an excerpt:

“Surgeons, pilots and firefighters have one particular thing in common: they use structured and systematic approaches to their tasks to reduce the chance of human error. It turns out the higher the consequence of an error, the more important these well-defined processes are.

Travel in avalanche terrain is a high-consequence undertaking and as such, we benefit greatly from a structured approach to backcountry travel. In this course, you will learn a method similar to that used by avalanche professionals, who navigate avalanche terrain on a daily basis and are continually aiming to reduce the negative effects of human behaviours.

The daily process for backcountry travel in avalanche terrain (Figure 1) includes all the steps to go through to ensure you continue to enjoy your backcountry pursuits day after day, year after year.”

Great Minds (Don’t) Think Alike

I came into this project knowing there would be some challenges in the process of collaboration. However, at times I was astonished by how difficult collaboration could be! It was a real challenge to work through the sometimes-opposing ways that James and I looked at avalanche education. Luckily there were two areas where we thought alike. We both have an eye for detail, which is important when writing a book. We also brought a sense of humour to the project by laughing at each other’s jokes (or at least pretending to)!

Conflict is BadGood

I don’t like conflict. I try to avoid it. When James and I didn’t agree about an idea for the book, I started to get a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I recognized as fear of conflict. Eventually we would find time to discuss the reasoning for our different approaches. We always found a compromise without one person feeling he had to give up his beliefs. Instead, the compromise would create a new way of looking at the issue and forge a better way to write that aspect in the book. The fear of conflict never completely went away, but I learned to trust the process. I think we created a better book because we were able to face and resolve our conflicts.

It has been my great honour to write this book with James. I hope it will inspire students to enjoy the backcountry and make good decisions using strategies similar to what is practiced in our professional community. I also want to thank the more than 1500 students who have taken avalanche courses with me over 28 years. You taught me while I taught you, and I am proud to share our collective learning.

Filed Under: News

THE EPIC WINTER OF 2017-18

April 25, 2018 by Keith Robine

It is almost May, and although there are still several metres of snow in the high elevations, the low elevation snow is finally melting. Mountain bike trails are opening and we are moving toward another summer in BC. But looking back, everyone is still raving about this past winter! Here are a few pictures and reflections on some of the FUN:

Lina shredding the deep at Hilda.

The winter started with a lot of promise. My first real day of touring was at Kootenay Pass with my pal Jordy in mid-November with deep powder and a good base. We bailed on our long tour due to crotch-deep trail breaking, doing laps closer to the highway. Every turn was a blinding face shot, making it difficult to see the next turn!

Then the rains came in late November, washing away half the snowpack, all the way to the mountain tops. The next snowfall initially bonded well to the rain crust. However, cold temperatures in December and limited snowfalls set up a temperature gradient that faceted the snow over the crust, leading to the first Persistent Weak Layer (PWL) of the season. Several high pressure events in December and January set up surface hoar layers that resulted in additional PWL’s. This made for a snowpack that had numerous weak layers stacked on top of each other. Even during the lulls in January snowfalls, the avalanche bulletin refused to drop below Considerable due to the ongoing danger deep in the snowpack. This low probability/high consequence scenario required disciplined route selection. During our AST2+ week at Powder Creek, we continually chose low-moderate consequence terrain, avoiding big features that had a risk of serious injury or death. But sure enough, even though we did not see any signs of avalanche activity, later in the week we triggered a small/medium size avalanche that resulted in a partial burial of one of the students. This was a very real and scary event that also highlighted why we were avoiding major consequence terrain in these Considerable Danger conditions.

Avalanche resulting in partial burial. Sliding layer: January 05 Surface Hoar down 60cm.

The skiing was fantastic in January, but most recreationists were being patient and avoiding big terrain. The storms continued into early February, getting more intense, with increased wind, and warmer temperatures. These storms led to a climax avalanche period at the end of the first week of February. Size 3-4 avalanches were coming down all over the Province. Many avalanches were overrunning their normal slide paths and taking out mature forest up to 100 years old. Although the Avalanche Danger spiked to High and Extreme during this period, it was just what the doctor ordered for the fragile snowpack. The warm snows set up a bridge over the fragile December/January layers. The big avalanches of early February tapered off, setting up for a more stable period the second half of February into March. Temperatures stayed seasonably cold, and it just kept snowing! There were periods of Considerable-High Danger during the larger snow/wind events, but also many days with Low-Moderate Danger.

Jeff dropping in. First tracks on his birthday at the Outpost. What a week!

And it kept snowing and snowing…all the way into April, well after most ski hills shut down their lifts. Thanks Ullr, you rock! Thanks also to the 87 students taking AST courses, making a new record for Kootenay Avalanche Courses.

Stable snow, good powder, and sick lines at Vista. Centre, Left, Right, between the rocks!

 

Filed Under: News

Avalanche Accident March 9, 2018

April 25, 2018 by Keith Robine

This blog was provided by Paul Hoefer. Paul spends a good portion of the winter backcountry skiing in the Kootenays. Paul was part of a very strong group of AST2+ students that took their course at Hilda Lodge in February 2018. Thanks a lot to Paul for his thoughtfulness and bravery in sharing this story. You will read below that the Avalanche Bulletin was rated Moderate for March 9. One of the factors that the bulletin did not forecast were the very strong winds encountered that day.

Filed Under: News

BC’s Backcountry Ski Touring Lodges

September 20, 2017 by Keith Robine

Many people come up to me and ask, “What is your favourite backcountry ski touring lodge?” That is a difficult question to answer. I like different lodges for different reasons. In this article, I will try to explain what I like about each of the lodges. If I went into depth, the article would be too long, so I’ll just talk about the highlights when I think of all the lodges I have had the privilege to visit over the past 23 years!

 

 

HILDA LODGE

If you look carefully, you can see the uptrack climbing high ground on the right. Hilda Peak is an obvious big mountain destination while at Hilda Lodge, but the options for other big fall line descents seem limitless in this tenure. Hilda is not a place for the meek. The ascents are also big, fairly steep, and involve complicated terrain choices.

 

LEQUEREUX OUTPOST

The highlight of the Outpost for me is the intimacy of the building. Eight people fit comfortably in the one room chalet that includes kitchen, dining room, and beds. The newest of three lodges built in the Valkyr Range by Martin and Shelly Glasheen, this one gets back to the roots of simple lodges. The terrain is incredible too. There are so many options for treed and alpine zones. Make sure you have your avi savvy…you can go 50 metres from the front door and enter potential Size 3 avalanche terrain! The third lodge in the Valkyr Range is called Naumulten and has some great options for more Intermediate – Advanced skiers/boarders. Photo by Vince Hempsall.

 

KOKANEE GLACIER

Ahhh Kokanee! Backcountry skiers have been hanging out in the park for many years.  We used to spend weeks at the Slocan Chief Cabin. I can’t believe 12 people fit in that little shack! But now we have the Kokanee Glacier Cabin, which is more like a chalet. The terrain is the same fantastic mix of runs in all directions from the cabin, including the big runs off Kokanee Glacier. In order to stay at the cabin, you or your friend will need to win the annual lottery to see who are the lucky few that get a week for the following winter. Photo by Kelvin Saldern.

 

SELKIRK MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE

SME is the home of the Durrand Glacier Chalet and the place where long-time mountain guide Ruedi Beglinger runs his business. I took an avalanche and ski mountaineering course from Ruedi back in 1995.  The highlight of the trip was meeting the chef, who eventually became my wife! Other reasons to go to SME are for the long climbs and descents, glaciated terrain, and beautiful scenery. Guided trips only. Photo from Jim Mosher.

 

MOUNT CARLYLE BACKCOUNTRY LODGE

KAC hasn’t been to Carlyle in a couple years, but we need to get back there. One of my favourite all time tours is the Circumnavigation of Mount Carlyle, a fantastic 5 run tour going all the way around the peak of Carlyle. The lodge is run by Brian (Bomber) Cross, a local Kootenay character that has found his nirvana seeking powder in the Selkirk Mountains of BC.

 

Well, I’m going to stop there so this blog doesn’t get too long, but there are many other British Columbia lodges that I have enjoyed over the years, including Powder Creek Lodge, Valhalla Mountain Lodge, Vista Lodge, Sol Mountain Lodge, Ymir Lodge, Sorcerer Lodge, Boulder Hut, Ripple Ridge Cabin, and the Asulkan Cabin.  Although this sounds like a pretty good list, there are many worthy destinations I have yet to visit. Where’s your favourite place to ski?  Feel free to comment here.

 

 

 

Filed Under: News

POWDER CREEK AST2+ January 21-28, 2017

February 27, 2017 by Keith Robine

Eight students took the AST2+ at Powder Creek in January.  We had some interesting avalanche conditions that made route finding important.  Below are some pictures and comments from students:

Spacing out on the way to Sunrise Ridge

The new course format is absolutely the BEST thing you could have done to improve the course!

Beautiful Larch trees at Powder Creek

I absolutely loved having the opportunity to self guide as it brought me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to put my skills to the test.

Two of the students volunteered to be actually buried adding a more real component to Companion Rescue

Time spent doing Companion Rescue was awesome and instilled more confidence in me.  I think this part of the course is essential.  I actively thought about this throughout every field excursion.

Practice doing an evacuation

Evening sessions were bite-sized and digestible.  You built on the knowledge but continually reinforce the learnings from the previous day.  The field sessions sync with the classroom sessions.

Nearing Mistletoe Peak, above the Kootenay Sea

I was impressed with the Trip Planner and Slope Specific Decision Tool.  I liked thinking about human factors and also consequences.

More beautiful larches

I think this course is so valuable and so well run!

Sunset after another perfect day at PC

Check out this Video, put together by one of the students, including Drone footage!

 

Filed Under: News

Idaho

September 23, 2016 by Keith Robine

I rediscovered some of the awesome outdoor opportunities in Idaho this past summer with separate trips bookending both sides of the summer.  Early summer saw us rafting the Middle Fork of the Salmon.  We had a solid group, 12 in all.  This trip helped inspire my recent foray into songwriting, “hot springs and whitewater rapids, so much fun it’s absurd”.

 

Anticipation

Anticipation at Pistol Creek Rapid

 

Taking the hit on Pistol Creek Rapid

Taking the hit

 

We're okay!

We’re okay!

 

Me about to hit the wall

Me about to hit the wall

 

At the end of the summer, my newly graduated daughter Sage and I headed to the City of Rocks in southern Idaho.  I hadn’t been there in 10 years.  I forgot about the quality of the granite cracks and the overall beauty of the City.

 

Sunset at the City

Sunset at the City

 

Sage led all 4 pitches on Theatre of Shadows, 5.7

Sage led all 4 pitches on Theatre of Shadows, 5.7

 

Descending off Jackson's Thumb

Descending off Jackson’s Thumb

 

Soloing on the back side of Bath Rock, 5.1. Impeccable granite!

Soloing on the back side of Bath Rock, 5.1. Impeccable granite!

 

Idaho has numerous hot springs, including this local's known gem.

Idaho has numerous hot springs, including this local’s known gem.

 

On the way back from the city, we stopped in the Sawtooth’s for an alpine climb attempt on the Elephant’s Perch.  Sage styled the Mountaineer’s Route, solid 5.9.

 

Pitch 6 Awesomeness!

Pitch 6 Awesomeness!

 

Elephant Perch Requisite Summit Shot

Elephant Perch Requisite Summit Shot

 

Note the skiffs of recent snow and remnants of a very good '15-'16 winter.

Note the skiffs of recent snow and remnants of a very good ’15-’16 winter in the Sawtooth’s.

 

Technical part over. Sage's nordic ski athlete training helps her kick my butt on the further 3 miles to hike out.

Technical part over. Sage’s nordic ski athlete training helps her kick my butt on the additional 3.5 miles we need to hike out.

 

Filed Under: News

Alpine Days

April 1, 2016 by Keith Robine

This is often a good time of year for days in the alpine.  The temperatures stay cooler and there are usually more days without fog.  During this time of year, we’re usually seeking out north aspects to get better snow and sometimes better stability.  I’ve been lucky to hit some great conditions around Revelstoke this winter/spring with good friends.

 

web The Dome

Nice deep snow on The Dome as high pressure starts to settle in.

 

web Illecillewaet

Jim and Crystal breaking trail.  The Illecillewaet Glacier is massive and best appreciated by walking across a good portion of it.

 

web Young's headwall

Getting chased by the sluff on the Young’s Peak Headwall.

 

web fixed line Banana

Getting gnarley with some Revelstoke locals, descending a fixed line to access the top of The Banana.

 

web lower half Banana

Steep and narrow, the lower half of the Banana.  The Trans-Canada Highway down in the bottom.

 

web Forever Young2

One more track added to the popular Forever Young Couloir.

 

Web Eagle Pass Heli Skiing

Surprised to find such good powder on steep north slopes during the warm days of late March.  It was a fun day of guiding at Eagle Pass Heli Skiing.

 

Thanks to Ullr for providing the great snow this winter and to all my partners for helping me stay safe.

Filed Under: News

Kootenay Powder by Joe Stock

March 5, 2016 by Keith Robine

Joe is a professional AMGA/IFMGA Guide, Writer and Photographer.  He is based out of Anchorage, Alaska.  His website is:  www.stockalpine.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2016 AT 8:11AM

Last spring, on a BC Ski trip with Cathy, I realized I had much to learn from the Canadians about avalanches. If I poached that knowledge, I could bring it back to Alaska to share in avalanche classes and while guiding.

This year, Cathy I spent a week in Rossland, British Columbia with guide and avalanche instructor Keith Robine and his family. There I guided a couple days at Big Red Cats with Keith and shadowed/taught an AST2 avalanche course with him through his business Kootenay Avalanche Courses.

Rossland attracts adventurous people. Cathy and I visited with friends Steve Bros, Jim Mosher and Mike Cummings who I skied with in Denali last spring. We had dinner with Kynan Bazley, a Kiwi who I climbed with in New Zealand and hadn’t seen in years. We also visited with Jessie and Tami Brown who we climbed with in Kalymnos. Cathy injured her leg early in the trip, so the Rossland friendliness was extra-appreciated.

 

First day in BC, getting the grand tour with Ann Quarterman, Keith’s wife, on Mount Roberts, an off-piste area near Red Mountain resort. Through fog and thick trees I followed Ann to fields of what’s called “Kootenay Powder.” It’s deep and untracked, the density of Alta snow. Not too light that you’re hitting bottom. Not heavy like Cascade Concrete or Alyeska Ready-Mix. Just right for addiction.

 

 

Morning guide meeting at Big Red Cats.

 

Big Red Cats operates four cats with 12 clients per cat. That’s a lot of people, but they have the terrain and powder to handle it.

 

Keith ski cuts a size 2 on Mount Mackie. Overnight the slab had stiffened and took extra thumping to release into a tree-rattling avalanche.

 

The biggest thing I learned at Big Red Cats was how to guide in thick trees. It’s a whole different set of techniques:

  • Use the buddy system.
  • Hoot to stay in vocal contact.
  • Ski in pairs on either side of the guide tracks.
  • Trees increase consequences of an avalanche. Select terrain with extra caution for the snowpack.
  • Stay close to your buddy because sound doesn’t travel well in trees.
  • Tree wells are the greatest hazard in thick trees. Make turns below trees to avoid falling in.

 

Kootenay Mountains, Britich Columbia, Canada.

 

Keith demonstrating the Canadian Avalanche Association Trip Plan Form before touring on day two of the AST2 course. Avalanche Safety Training is the recreational avalanche education track in Canada. This year, the US will split into professional and recreational tracks, so we can act more Canadian.

 

Trees re-define avalanche terrain. By the fifth day of tree skiing I could see trees as something besides baseball bats.

 

Keith demonstrating the beacon fine search along a probe. This keeps the beacon at a uniform height and helps students visualize a grid.

 

Canadian Avalanche Association billboard at Kootenay Pass. Those Canadians are dialed.

 

Backcountry skiing at Kootenay Pass, Kootenay Mountains, Britich Columbia, Canada.

Skiing at Kootenay Pass for our final day on the AST2. Mountains of Kootenay Powder.

Thanks for a great trip Keith, Ann, Big Red Cats, Jim, Steve, Mike, Kynan, Barb, Jessie and Tami! And thanks Jim, for connecting me with Keith!

Filed Under: News

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