Intermediate Canyon Equivalency - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

APPLICATION

This assessment typically takes 1.5 days. Plan for it to be the entire weekend. We’ll most likely go from 7:30-6 on Saturday, and 8-1 on Sunday, but the final schedule will be determined by forecast, so please do not make other plans from 7am-7pm both days

Intermediate EQUIVALENCY 

The timed assessments are part of Intermediate Equivalency (but not Assistant Leader Assessment) because they are the entrance assessments to the Intermediate Course. Those who took the Intermediate Course already completed these assessments.

Assessment Objectives:

Students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the following skills. Proficiency means you are a 4 out of 5 on the Mastery Hierarchy (1=failure, 2=insufficient, 3=sufficient, 4=proficient, 5=mastery). Proficiency = fluid execution, a clear understanding of concepts, quick self-correction, depth of knowledge, and includes application and supporting concepts.

Participants will have a total of four (4) attempts to pass the two timed assessments. To pass, all must be completed without any major safety errors, and with a maximum of two minor safety errors.

1. Timed Assessment - Single-Strand Timed Conversion - Using a frog system with mechanical ascenders: ascend, pass a knot, convert to rappel, descend, pass a knot, rappel to ground, disconnect from the rope (5 min or less). Two points of contact must be maintained with the rope at all times. Methods of passing a knot such as passing the knot through a rappel device or using a VT prusik are not acceptable in this assessment.
2. Timed Assessment - Anchor Rigging (max time will be based on 1.4x instructor demonstration time) This assessment must be completed without any major safety errors, and with a maximum of two minor safety errors.  
   1. Time starts when the traverse line rope touches the first bolt. Rig a retrievable traverse line from two unlinked bolts to access an unlinked bolted anchor
   2. Rig the unlinked bolts with an alpine draw. Rig releasable with an MMO, setting the rope length to 0-1' above the ground
   3. Clean the traverse line and anchor, rappel, and retrieve rope (time stops when the end of the rope hits the ground)

INTERMEDIATE EQUIVALENCY & ASSISTANT LEADER ASSESSMENT 

Those seeking Intermediate Equivalency and Assistant Leader Badge will complete these.

Assessment Objectives:

Students must be able to demonstrate, at minimum, sufficiency in the skills being assessed. Sufficiency = 3 on the Mastery Hierarchy: (1=failure, 2=insufficient, 3=sufficient, 4=proficient, 5=mastery).  

These skills are not expected to be done quickly or perfectly, but rather showcase that students are able to demonstrate the required technical skills without assistance, and without any major safety errors. They must be executed effectively in a reasonable amount of time. Sufficiency means a student is at a suitable level of skill for independence.

Guidelines

Candidates may use any piece of equipment on their harness to complete the techniques being assessed. Additional equipment will be provided by the assessors if necessary for specific techniques.

How to Pass Each Assessment

1. Complete the task without any major safety errors (errors that have a high probability of leading to serious injury or death), and with 2 or fewer minor errors (errors that, with other compounding factors,  could lead to serious injury or death)
2. In the event that you commit a major safety error, you will be asked to meet 1x1 with a different assessor at the end of the day (after assessments are complete), and correctly demonstrate the skill where you committed the error, and explain to the assessor the error you made, and why it’s a critical safety error. If you cannot do this, you will need to take the entire assessment again another day.
3. In the event that you commit 3 or more major errors in a single assessment, you will need to re-take the entire assessment at the end of the day (after assessments are complete). If you do not pass, you’ll need to take the assessment again another day.

INDIRECT RESCUE: ROPE CUTTING (TIMED)

As the anchor manager, cut the primary rope and lower a teammate with a rescue rope. Students must approach the system with their harnesses racked as they would be normally. Time starts as soon as the student clips their lanyard into the anchor. Any safe method is acceptable (1 min. 30 sec. or under) Maximum 3 attempts.

PERSONAL MOVEMENT - QUICK-RELEASE ASCENDING SYSTEM

Ascend and convert to descent using a VT and Italian 8 on a single rope system

SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Provide a belay from the top, and then from the bottom, to protect a rappeller

GUIDED RAPPEL TEST

Rig, manage & clean a guided rappel

• Rig using an Italian 8
• Use a conveyor belt system to lower a stuck rappeller

NATURAL ANCHORS 

Build a series of natural anchors, including building and managing a cairn anchor

• Redundant Basket Hitch around a rock pinch
• Single strand around a tree
• Build & manage a cairn anchor

CONVERT STATIC RIGGING TO A LOWER

CONVERT RELEASABLE RIGGING TO A HAUL

PICK-OFFS

Use a VT Prusik as a pickoff strap

CORE SHOT MANAGEMENT

As the anchor manager, respond to a teammate communicating that there’s a core shot, manage the anchor for the remainder of the team, and manage abrasion as the last person down.

• Tie two ropes together with stacked overhand or other safe method
  • Creep the rope with ropes tied together
• Isolate  a core shot with a safe clip-in point
• De-rig and descend double strand to mitigate abrasion
  • Pass a knot double strand on descent
  • Manage ropes to keep them from twisting

RIG & MANAGE A REBELAY

Rig a rebelay, and anchor-manage at the rebelay

TWIN SYSTEMS

Rig and retrieve both twin static and twin releasable systems

• Special rigging plates (eg. Totem, double-8, etc…) are not acceptable for this assessment

LOWER JOINED ROPES PAST  AN ANCHOR

While lowering a teammate, safely transfer two ropes joined together past the anchor to continue lowering.