Glacier School Logistics

Organization Timeline

As far in advance as possible (just do it now)

• Decide when Glacier School will take place. It is best if this can happen either the 1st or 2nd weekend of the fall semester, before people start getting too overwhelmed with school.
• Book a room for the dry school on a night the week before the trip (Ideally somewhere with a stairwell for prussiking - Buchanan A100 is a great room, however trees work find for prussiking as well)
• Book the Aviary for prussiking (if you need it)

4-6 weeks before event

• Decide where you will be holding Glacier School. Based on this decision, decide if you want to hold both Glacier 1 and Glacier 2 at this location. Consider # of ppl, and if you want to cap numbers (this is important for high use areas, i.e. Cerise Creek, where other Backcountry users don't like to see big hordes of VOCers.) Post on other backcountry forums that a large VOC group will be in the area.
• Decide who you want for instructors. If you have no idea, ask other exec members, because they will have ideas from previous years. It is good to think about getting people who have a reliable reputation. If you don't know them, ask other execs what they think, sometimes there can be sketch issues.
• Decide what you want to have taught at glacier school, and structure the groups and day accordingly
• If you are going into a high use area, it is good to check with the owners/maintainers of the area (i.e. Cerise Creek = Scott and Erica Flavelle, 8286 Alpine Way, Whistler BC, V0N 1B8 604 932 8904) to ask if it is ok to have a large group come in that weekend.
• If you are going to an environmentally sensitive area, you should think about 'pack it in, pack it out' in relation to ALL human wastes - biodegradable dog poo bags are about $4/50 or so from IGA.
• Advertise on the message board at least 2-3 weeks before the trip.
• Money - usually there is a small fee associated with Glacier school, this is used for poo bags, wine, photocopying etc. Decide what it will be in advance of Dry school, and DO NOT ACCEPT IOU's.
• Set a time for the Instructor meeting

One week before event

• Usually there is mulled wine for Saturday night - try and organize how many litres of wine you need, (250mL/person is a good rule of thumb) and get the mulling spices to go with it (usually a few cinnamon sticks, a small orange (use juice and rind), a handful of raisins and some TBLSPs of sugar is good for 1.5L of wine. Or make it up yourself.
• Buy the prussik cord (130 cm + 150 cm per student - note not all student will buy prussik cord)
• Email out the Info Booklet or print them. There is also an Instructor Handout.
• Also available as Word Document

Agenda for Instructor meeting

• Discuss what should/should not get taught at Glacier 1 and 2
• Pair up instructors (with experience in mind)
• Find out who can be there at dryschool
• Decide who brings the ropes, screws, pickets, lot’s of biners, slings, cordelette (or short rope)
• Other?

Suggested agenda for dryschool

• 7:00pm Everyone on the student sign up list can pay
• 7:10pm Waitlist people can pay if still more room
• Go over expectations
• Remind everyone about the gear they need
• Encourage everybody to read the handout before the weekend if they haven't already done so
• Go through the handout
• Practice knots
• Refresh leaving time and location
• Organize rides, tent and food groups
• Form groups for instruction
• Practice prussiking