PRO PATROL NEWS
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Issue One
Welcome to Pro Patrol News! This is the only real Professional Ski/Snowboard Patrol Webzine around! OK so here is the deal; each issue Andrew Maillot will bring you the latest in patrol news, issues, and all related avalanche conditions, First Aid techniques, Gear, and articles dedicated to individual contributions. Even some Volunteer Patrol articles will be added. Skiing stories and equipment topics. This page is updated daily, but articles will be updated weekly. Ok, here it is for all you radio packin', dawn patrolling hounds; Pro Patrol News!!! Enjoy!
Stuff:
1: Greenchain New people in the biz, read it and get into the "greenchain" rookie year...
2: Soup du Jour Article of the day...
3: Snow Load B.S.ing about all avalanche subjects...not to take lightly!
4: The Goods And the bads..all the low-down on rescue stuff, skis, boards, first aid stuff etc. This month it's "buyers guide topics"
5: Wine and Cheese As it sounds...
So you want to work the dawn patrol squad huh? Maybe take a crack at "Blowing" out some snow load? Well, are you familiar with Avalanche Terrain? How about some informal Avalanche awareness stuff? Advanced First Aid? Explosives? Well, let me assure you; most Pro Patrol positions start with having some strong background skills in First Aid, and usually a very solid skiing/snowboarding skill level (snowboarding being a hot topic in the Patrolling society!), and last but not least; Avalanche training (The formal kind!).
Well, as is with most great positions, a Paid patrol position at a good resort, or ski area is a tough position to come by. The Avalanche control positions are even harder! A good way to "bust " into the industry is joining a Volunteer Squad for a season. With them you can get the formal On-Mountain training with the actual rescue, first aid, and mechanical equipment involved with alpine Patrol. Volunteer teams usually take great pride and success in their members, team implementation plans, and pre/and during the season training. They are on top of their game and are there to save people's lives and control/ react to any on-mountain injuries/ accidents, with precision! Mountain management sees this and know that if you come from such a team, as well as having the good graces of the volunteer nature, they will hire those before any Jane/Joe Blow off the street with a first aid ticket.
More on Volunteer and on-mountain practices later. Now I can suggest looking into small mountain patrol units as a first (rookie) season approach. A small mountain system tends to have 1-10 Paid Pro Patrol members, and sometimes being the only one may give you the power of being on your own, but can really work against your relax time! You are on the move and it ain't always skiing! So looking into these small mountain options are usually where people start out before hitting the big resort style patrol/control teams.
Now, about Avalanche Control; There is a very different approach to becoming experienced in this biz...First a National Avalanche certification is required, then some actual "apprentice" type work would be a real asset. Some countries will require an Explosives' Licence, and those vary. Others will require a "top Level" of Avalanche training before having the actual right to put lives in your hands with your decision making, and control strategies. There could be an entire book written on certifications, techniques, skills, and how to apply them, and oh! Guess What? There Is!!! Here is the #1 Book going today on technical Avalanche training (Text Book Material) It is called, The Avalanche Handbook, and is written by, David McClung, and Peter Schaerer. GET IT!
All in All Paid Patrol is only separated from volunteer by a couple factors (excusing Avalanche control teams)...The "Boss", and The Paycheck (which will be minimal at best!). Oh yes, and depending on the country, if you are employed as a pro patrol member, you may be responsible for the actual employees and safety procedures for the entire mountain. (Example; the cook gets a burn...You would be responsible for the first aid materials he used, and the procedure in which he did this, the first aid practised on him, paperwork for the Workers Compensations Claims, and restocking of supplies including inventory...). So you see, Pro Patrol can be much more than rescuing injured school children.
This is the Greenchain, and there's more to follow next time...Don't come to work hungover on your first day!
Another summer day passes and those living under the rest of us are now enjoying pure winter bliss...North America, Europe, and the rest of us "up top"...Welcome to the heat! For most of my life I have been venturing off into the mountains of Canada's West Coast. Mostly in search of snow. Snow to ski...In doing so I became a mountaineer, and ventured deeper into a lifetime of grunt walking, hiking and climbing to get to the North Facing slopes still frozen in August, slowly rotting away, yet waiting to be skied.
AUGUST ON SKIS...yes 'tis the ultimate feeling, although the work involved almost not rewarding at the best of times. Many long hours spent grinding up extremely rocky terrain, and wait doubled by carrying what normally would be skied on, makes for hot hours under August's Sun! What would seem almost unreachable slowly becomes the closely accessed and guarded summer descents, and those with the time, begin to search out for more terrain as the avalanche season approaches these days seem surreal and often missed by many. Take the time and someone to enjoy it with, and August skiing can and is some of the best fun I've ever had!
THE DESCENT...Ok, so many people are content with counting down the days till season opener, but those of us that aren't can appreciate this effort in obtaining another ski day on the calendar. When finally reaching some sort of summit, or couloir entrance, the decent is in the works...Most skiers who descend anything close to being steep will climb it first, including performing some avalanche tests, like digging a pit, etc. Even in the summer time, avalanche is inevitable. After making such an ascent the heat is most likely burning at your body, and it's time for some beverages, and whatever else is your bag baby! Now, snow in August can be the same as any time during off season skiing; corn, slush, fresh skiff, and yes...Ice. Ice is not nice at 45 plus degree pitches, and can usually be downclimbed with crampons and axes easier than skiing down. (Of course you would know this after climbing it now wouldn't you!!) well the first turn is the best one...baby I know, OK OK Its such a sensation. Corn spraying off your sweeping skis, and then the hopturn into #2, and the sensation quickens you like the highlander after a fresh kill...Each following turn savoured more as you realise how short this summer run is, and you begin to lapse as the rust coloured rocks below approach with greater intensity, you try and pull back on the reigns, but each turn is fluid and a natural motion of things is set, but still you feel the sun, and mountain sun is hotter and brighter than valley heat, releasing pure energy within you begin the final couple turns till the crevasse at the bottom forces a full evacuation of pleasure and a speedy recovery into reality....Slishhhhh
THE EVER Descending 20 CANUCK BUCK....Yes Yes its true that the Canadian dollar stinks..But shit that's great for y'all out there who have anything but our currency!! OK OK what's the point you say? Well that was a place I skied a few years back located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and can be seen on an old Canadian Twenty dollar bill. Not the new ones though...Now there is some animal or something..I don't know, anyway it is a very beautiful spot, and rarely skiable during August...
JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!
This edition's Avalanche topic comes from the mad dash situation of many individuals this time of year. The great job hunt of 99! So I've decided to discuss Avalanche Control Positions in the next couple editions. This week; Highway, and Mountain Slide Control.
In British Columbia, Canada there are some very serious Snow Tech type individuals working amongst what would and may seem like an endless maze of mountains to the newly travelling person. These people are working in an "industry", directly related to Patrol/Avalanche Control positions, through equal certification, and experience.
As in Europe and other Snow Slide controlling countries, Canada has Military components directly involved in many control positions and situations in places like "Rogers Pass" and other infamous internationally recognized Snow Slide Control areas. However; a large proponent to these duties and positions are the select few that receive "civilian" training, through the Canadian Avalanche Association, and the very important Blasters Ticket, also known as Explosives Certification (a Government Certificate).
These people can and often do have University level training through well established schools, like University Of British Columbia, (the author of "The Avalanche Handbook" is a UBC professor), and other highly respected US and International Universities. These schools do not offer direct training, so if you are not looking to become a Civil Engineer or to do 4 years' of Geography, then a good suggestion would be to go through a respected Avalanche training school. Get in touch with local Government control programs for further suggested information regarding training and experience.
I don't know all the international training programs or standards, but expect nothing less than following a training tree and experience levels in the hiring of a Snowslide Control person. First contact your local Avalanche Training organization. They will have a really solid base from which to contact localand international organizations on standards of training. Also try Military, Government, Police, Parks, and Mountain Club Associations.
An example of Highway Control training outline:
Familiarization with the safety plan, rescue plan, rescue equipment, and personnel.
Familiarization with potential avalanche paths
Practice of Personal safety measures;for example; rescue practices and the use of rescue transceivers
Review of weather factors producing avalanches. (This outline has been used from "The Avalanche Handbook".
Only after initial "awareness training" has been studied and used in practical manner, would a person begin advanced avalanche control training, including embarking into a Blasting/Explosives Certification. These advanced courses and certs (Level 2 Avalanche training, through CAA in Canada) are high level and demanding. Confidence associated with taking part in these courses are a combination of years' experience, good training, and much practical time spent monitoring and practising safe avalanche activities. Explosives courses and following certifications, are usually either obtained via military training, or through the government and come with a good 6 month initiation, or practical working time, then examination..
Jobs in this industry can be very rewarding. Working a "seasonal" position during the ever so sacred "ski time" winter can be good in a new way. These positions, particularly with entities such as "Provincial Governments", offer seasonal positions if not year round with replacement seasonal. For instance. snow falls, you have three or more "areas" of monitoring, and control: These areas need to be accessed often, leading to a busy schedule in heavy dumping seasons.
If in remote areas (what mountain is not remote?) a helicopter will be used. Hence the term..."freeriders"...U C. Pilots will gladly offer extended rides beyond the control perimeters, and leading to nearby peaked heliskiing on ...yep, you guessed it...The Governmen's bill, or for all the good folks in the States: Uncle Sam. Besides free heliskiing from time to time, riding helicopters is cool!!!
These positions are great, and available internationally. Again...it's seasonal too. So I'll end this issue's Snow Load with this in mind...If your mother and father are on your back about not working a "real" job 'cause your up at the ski hill all winter long - tell e'm you're going to work as an Avalanche Control Person.. Then tell 'em the pay is triple if not more than the pay at your position at the local ski hill!
For More information on training and/or courses please contact: Andrew Maillot
This week, and season, I am very interested in Fatties...Yes the big bad fat muthers that all the companies are marketing now. All the big names are dishing out the fattest most unshapely pigs I have ever seen in all my time of skiing (except for the mono boards HA HA!!) Yes it seems as the Millennium comes to a halt so does the desire to keep the skiing tradition alive...Ever so quickly does the temptation for skiers and ski builders alike to turn to the fat, undeniable snow board! U Know What??? I LOVE IT!!! I'm totally sucked in. Like a kid again reading the local buyers guides two-three months before lifts open! So many options so little money/time/whatever...Its all the same revolving concept..Market it properly and they shall buy buy buy!!!
Yes that's what I'm planning on this season..A new set of Fat boards. Except..there's only one problem...The companies in the past few years have fallen upon a great new concept called Parabolic shaped skis..Ok that's ok...However, they have conveniently rotated in the same "fat cat" seats as the oil and gas companies who get together and "market" the best ways to raise the prices on fuel! YA MAN! Its the same and one conspiracy! Ski companies know that people are buying, and always will. They know that as long as they all make relatively the same kind of skis, people are left only with the choice of which company to shell out for a pair of sticks...OK; does this sound normal to you? Yes it is....until the companies start abusing the concepts of "changing" the ski shapes and lengths from the old school "all mountain" ski, to three or four different makes and models. In the scheme of things this is really cool, but look deeper...like when it comes time to reach into your pocket and those two pairs of (cleverly marketed) skis you are going to buy are a little out of your range!(like $700-$900 US) Why are you buying two pairs you ask?? Why? Because the "clever marketing" chaps have created such a huge fat ski, that naturally there fits in a "Mid-Fat" ski, and wait? Oh yes...A "Regular" Fat ski...and then ..Oh yes, its time to choose your actual groomed running ski...well now. What the hell was an all mountain ski anyway? Yep that's why I'm exited because I always thought the classic "all mountain" ski was for the intermediate skier, and under my abilities...now I have just what I wanted...and yet no sponsorship to supply the 12 pairs I would need for every skiing application...I think I'll have some serious deciding this fall season...I would go Telemark full time but the higher up people are on to that one as well..X-Files will return after these messages.
I want your comments and suggestions on what you think about this Webzine news. I am currently accumulating information and data on international Ski Patrol Systems respectively, and would appreciate any info you may have on any Patrol Systems regarding suggested contact people for employment, recommended certifications, other contact people, and local customs and practices etc..If you have a story or article you would like published...Please send your (small) pictures (of Patrol stuff etc) and information To amaillot@goldcity.net
Thank You
Useful Links
Canadian Avalanche Association
Australian Ski Patrol Association
Canadian Ski Patrol - Atlantic West Division
British Association of Ski Patrollers
Andrew Maillot, Pantheon Adventure Expeditions in association with Natives