Ice Ax Refresher - Stevens Pass Ski Area

Monroe Park & Ride, 7:30am

This half-day workshop is primarily for individuals instructing at the Everett Scrambling Snow Field Trip, but is open to all scrambling & climbing graduates of all branches.  It’s a great way to sharpen and maintain your skills, to help others, and to give back to the club.

Participation in this workshop is highly recommended for instructing at the Everett Scrambling Snow Field Trip for the first time.  But all experienced instructors are also encouraged to attend, whether to refresh on field trip logistics, instructing policies, or to share your experience / expertise with new instructors. And any graduate from any branch is welcome to join for brushing up on ice ax skills.

Topics include:

> Fundamentals of how to teach and demonstrate physical skills

> Recommended sequence of skills to cover with students prior to having them hit the slopes (carrying ax, stowing ax, ascending & descending techniques)

> Recommended approach to introducing students to ice ax arrest

> Practicing & testing of self-belay

> Practicing ice ax arrest

Optional afternoon short scramble of Tye Peak (on Skyline Ridge - see separate activity) for those who want to burn some calories and get a summit in.