ADVENTURE TOURISM LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Sample Schedule
Please note that dates of activities are subject to change depending on weather and conditions.
Day 1-4: Advanced Wilderness First Aid
Location: Canmore or Sherwood Park
Raven Medical – This is the first 40 hrs of the Wilderness First Responder certification that you will achieve in June. You will learn how to deal with medical emergencies in a remote setting until an evacuation to a medical facility can be initiated.
*You are responsible for your own accommodations and meals during this course.
Day 5: Day off and Travel to HeLa
Get settled in at your accommodations at HeLa Ventures basecamp and enjoy a welcome dinner.
Day 6: Orientation
Location: HeLa Ventures
Learn about HeLa Ventures policies & procedures, incident response, and review expectations for the program.
Day 7: Introduction to Canoeing
Location: Twin Lakes
Students will learn to canoe in calm waters and perform basic land and water rescue techniques. This is the foundation for both the lake and moving water certification
Day 8-9: Paddle Canada Waterfront Instructor Course
Location: Twin Lakes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to safely implement a Waterfront Program for novice level canoeists in a designated calm flatwater environment.
Day 10-11: Intro to River Canoeing
Location: North Saskatchewan River
Students will learn basic river caneoing skills including ferrying, eddy turns and hazard identification.
Day 12-13: Days off
Day 14-16: Swiftwater Rescue Technician
Location: HeLa Ventures, North Saskatchewan River
This certification is internationally recognized as an industry standard from both instruction and guiding perspectives. “This comprehensive swiftwater course prepares personnel to enter moving water to perform “go” rescues. It emphasizes identifying risks, self rescue, and the various options for rescuing others, as well as the decision-making process required to choose the most appropriate rescue approach.” ~ Raven Rescue
Day 17: Intro to Mountain Biking
Location: Crimson Lake Provincial Park
This course introduces students to basic trail biking skills and maintenance.
Day 18: Day off
Day 19-20: Intro to Rock-Climbing
Location: Cavalcade Group Site, Kootenay Plains
This 2 day course will introduce participants to top-rope climbing and site setup. Students will learn about anchor building, teaching climbing and rappelling skills, group supervision and risk management. We will camp at Kootenay Plains for 2 nights.
Day 21: Interpretive Ridge Hike
Location: David Thompson country, west of Nordegg. Exact location TBD
Students will learn to navigate mountainous terrain, group management and hazard assessment. The location will depend on weather and terrain conditions.
Day 22: Orienteering
Location: HeLa Ventures
Upon completion of this course provided by the Alberta Orienteering Association, students will be certified Community Coaches. Terrain navigation and map & compass reading are some of the many skills that will be achieved during this course.
Day 23: Day off
Day 24-25: Moving Water Canoe Skills Introduction Tandem
Location: North Saskatchewan River
This course introduces the canoeist to many of the fundamental skills, knowledge and manoeuvres of canoeing in whitewater.
Day 26: Day off
Day 27-28: Paddle Canada Moving Water Skills Intermediate Tandem
Location: North Saskatchewan River
Students will learn how to perform shore and water-based river rescues, perform eddy turns and ferries with proficiency. They will be introduced to more complex tandem whitewater river manoeuvres in Class II rapids.
Day 29-30: Paddle Canada Wilderness Camping Skills
Location: TBD
Students will learn the competencies necessary for wilderness travel as well as develop basic leadership and risk management skills. Throughout the course, students will be expected to lead the group in various activities including navigation, meals, and camp set-up and take-down.
Day 31-32: Days off
Day 33-34: Paddle Canada Moving Water Instructor Tandem
Location: North Saskatchewan River
Upon completion of this course, students will achieve the national certification for the instruction and administration of Paddle Canada’s Moving Water Skills Introduction Tandem course. This will involve creating and delivering lesson plans, as well as assessing participants.
Day 35-36: Tope Rope Site Set Up and Releasable Rappel
Location: Cavalcade Group Site, Kootenay Plains
Students will review top-rope site set up and and the releasable rappel system.
Day 37: Day off
Day 38-39: Bike Skills
Location: HeLa Ventures, Nordegg trails
This course builds on the Intro to Biking course. Students will ride more technical trails in mountainous terrain and be introduced to more in-depth bike maintenance techniques.
Day 40-41: Paddle Canada Lake Intermediate Skills Tandem
Location: Twin Lakes
Students will paddle on open lake waters and perform skills and manoeuvres with greater refinement. Students will develop greater awareness of environmental hazards and how to avoid/react to those hazards.
Day 42-43: Paddle Canada Lake Instructor
Location: Twin Lakes
This is the basis for nationally recognized canoe instructors. The certification involves both theory components in addition to the skills component.
Day 44-46: Days off
Day 47-48: Raft Guide Leader
Location: North Saskatchewan River
Students will learn all the areas involved in delivering a safe and enjoyable rafting program. Topics covered will include: storage, care and transportation of rafts; operating a raft - steering, utilizing your team and righting a flipped raft; rescue techniques and incident management.
Days 49-52: Wilderness First Responder (bridge)
Location: HeLa Ventures
Raven Medical – This is the continuation of the WAFA taken at the beginning of May. This certification is internationally recognized as an industry standard and is a necessity for employment in the outdoor industry. Raven Medical is an industry leader. The 80-hour course will provide the knowledge required for emergency response in outdoor leadership.
“… This comprehensive wilderness first aid course is designed for professionals or other individuals who work or play in austere environments for extended periods of time, particularly when transportation to a medical facility will take an extended period.” ~ Raven Medical
Day 53-54: Days off
Day 55-57: Camping Basics Instructor
Location: North Saskatchewan River
This course will consist of a 3 day canoe expedition on the North Saskatchewan River. Upon completion of this course, students will be certified to instruct and administer the Paddle Canada Camping Basics skills course.
Day 58: Debrief and graduation dinner
Location: HeLa Ventures
Debriefs with each participant will be conducted and a celebration dinner will follow.
Day 59: Depart
Graduates of ATLEP will have the opportunity to assist as a guide on an outdoor educational trip with high school students. A variety of trips and dates are available in July and August.