Calling All Adventure Seekers: An Introduction to Mountaineering - By: Eric Dumerac

Most Calgarians would admit we have it pretty darn good here. Nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, our bustling city of over one million people enjoys a breathtaking view of majestic mountains to the west contrast against an equally beautiful, tranquil prairie landscape to the east. It’s a real haven for adventure seekers of all different kinds.

For mountain lovers in particular, Calgary is a scenic one-hour drive from Mountain Skills Academy in Canmore, Alberta, that offers mountain skills courses and privately guided trips in backcountry skiing, ice climbing, mountaineering to their unparalleled Technical Alpinism course, and both rock climbing and avalanche/mountain safety. The company is also a guide training school for the more serious of mountaineers.

Mountain Skills Academy is the only mountain school in Alberta that is owned and operated by a professional mountain guide. His name is Eric Dumerac and, when asked what sets his company apart from the rest, he provides an impressive list of advantages: a small guide to participant ratio for more personalized instruction; a specially designed curriculum and customized private trips designed by leading certified experts; high end courses and trips that are designed with fun, entertainment, high quality, and uniqueness in mind while still being affordable due to the company’s streamlined operations.

No matter what time of the year it is, Mountain Skills Academy has a full arsenal of courses for adventure seekers and aspiring mountaineers to choose from:

Mountaineering

Choose from a long list of courses in everything from basic mountaineering to both summer and winter crevasse rescue and glacier travel courses. In the specialized W.H.A.T. course, learn about handling the weather, hazards, avalanches, and all kinds of terrain.

Rock Climbing

Here you can choose from a wide variety of courses in multi-pitch rock climbing, trad climbing, and outdoor lead climbing. There is also an intensive, fully comprehensive rock rescue courses offered.

Ice Climbing

In this section of the website, Mountain Skills Academy offers introductory courses in ice climbing, multi-pitched ice and mixed climbing. The MSA Ice Climbing Experience is a fun and safe adventure for anyone—including families and people who have never climbed.

Skiing

Course participants who take the Back Country Skiing Super Course or the Introduction to Backcountry Skiing /Snowboarding Course already know how to ski but want to learn how to do this in the backcountry—a very different environment, equipment, and ski/board technique. These skiing and snowboarding lessons are offered specifically for the back country and are sure to be an adventure. The Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel Course is a fully comprehensive 32 lesson course that is the premiere crevasse rescue course of the industry.

Avalanche Safety

This AST1 (Avalanche Safety Training) course is a premiere introductory course that was designed for backcountry skiers or snowboarders in mind. When compared with similar courses, an important distinction for the AST 1 course is that it is offered on backcountry skis or snowboards only. Other instructors are known to offer the same course to cross country skiers—and even people in snow shoes and winter boots—simultaneously, and this seriously limits the amount of terrain the class can see for learning purposes. Mountain Skills Academy knows the more terrain one sees, the better; and this course exceeds the standards developed by the Canadian Avalanche Center (CAC) to ensure top notch safety skills are learned. It also serves as a perfect primer for those who have never skied or boarded in the backcountry before.

Mountain Skills Academy is selling private trips in all the mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing and backcountry skiing disciplines. The trips are not courses; rather, they are specifically selected for their high quality which are led under the safety of a certified guide.

Visit Mountain Skills Academy’s website today for even more information. Or better yet, contact them via their online form to book your adventure today. You’ll be glad you did.

About the Author

Eric has become an eminent figure in the ice and mixed climbing realm. As a professionally certified IFMGA Mountain Guide, Eric has years of ice climb guiding and instruction under his belt. He works both locally and internationally, he enjoys teaching and guiding ice/mixed climbing, ski touring, heliskiing and instructing avalanche courses

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Eric-Dumerac/132080

Additional Articles From - Home | Recreation & sport | Rock climbing