EXPLORE THE MOUNTAINS AND LEARN HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” (John Muir, 1901).
Have you ever reached the top of a ski lift and looked in awe at the numerous untouched snowy peaks and valleys, adorned with fresh powder, and dreamed of how it would feel to ski there, away from the crowds while also learning about altitude expedition medicine?
Have you ever felt that niggling guilt about the environmental impact of ski holidays and pondered how you could make this incredible sport more sustainable?
If yes, read on…
Building on the massive success and demand for last year’s course, new for winter 2024 are two altitude medicine courses: a beginners and intermediate/advanced course. The different levels reflect ski ability, not medical content.
If you are considering being an expedition medic in cold and high environments, then these altitude medicine courses are designed for you. These 5-day high alpine expeditions will combine world renown ski touring, staying in a remote mountain refuge and incredible off piste skiing with contemporary scenario based wilderness medicine with a remote and high altitude focus by a field leading medical faculty.
Completing this altitude medicine course will not only equip you with the knowledge and skills to operate as a medic at high altitude, but also how to move safely and efficiently in snowy environments.
ALTITUDE MEDICINE COURSE – ENTRY LEVEL (COMPETENT SKIERS, BUT NO SKI TOURING EXPERIENCE)
Ski touring is skiing in its purest form. You will use a pair of skis with touring bindings combined with ‘seal skins’ on the underside of the ski, both designed for efficient uphill travel, to walk up the mountain and into the beautiful alpine wilderness, a unique setting for your altitude medicine journey. Once you have reached the summit, it’s time to take off the skins, clip down your bindings, and enjoy those guilt free well deserved powder turns with your new friends.
The European alps are incredibly well set up for ski touring adventures, with an unsurpassable network of high mountain huts and refuges. This means you can spend whole days ascending peaks, and traversing valleys entirely under human-power, without a lift in sight. The ascent is wonderful, but of course there will also be epic powder descents (weather dependent!) made even better with the thought that your weary body will soon be greeted by a warm cosy hut, and meal await you high in the French alps- sounds good, doesn’t it?
Requirements for your first tour: you should be a competent skier who feels confident and in control on French red pistes and you should reliably be able to get down a black piste, albeit ungracefully. You should have adventured into the softer side-of-piste snow, have a can do attitude and a passion to learn this amazing mountain sport.
ALTITUDE MEDICINE COURSE – INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (GOOD SKIERS WITH SOME SKI TOURING EXPERIENCE)
If you have already experienced how it feels to gracefully ascend towering mountains with the squeak of untouched snow beneath your skis. If you have felt how incomprehensibly hot it is touring in the alpine sunshine, high in the alps, lusting after that slightly squashed baguette in your pack, then this altitude medicine course is for you.
This trip will involve a 4-day expedition ski tour with a slightly more advanced flavour staying in a remote mountain refuge for 3 nights. This will mean longer days of touring with more ascent, but what goes up must come down and so for these more effortful days you will be rewarded with more unbelievable powder descents. Our French High Mountain guide with expert knowledge will give technical help to improve your ability and confidence, in order to introduce us to more exciting and varied terrain.
Requirements for this tour: You will get the most out of this trip if you already know how to use touring bindings, put on skins and know how to kick turn. Of course there is time built in to familiarise yourself, but you should have practiced these techniques before. You should be a confident and competent skier on red runs, well prepared black runs and have spent time on easy off piste.
Expedition Outline:
Arrive in St Jean D’Aulps (Morzine)
Watch online lectures if not done so prior to course.
Meet the Endeavour Medical Team
Collect ski touring equipment by 7pm
Dinner in St Jean
Morning
Meet Alpine Guide
Finalise equipment
Ski touring training day on and off piste.
Practice with ski touring equipment, boot and ski crampons.
Afternoon
Review weather, snow conditions and avalanche risk
Discuss expedition, risks, equipment, navigation and logistics.
Overnight in St Jean D’Aulps.
Expedition starts:
Early departure with personal and group kit for 4 days
Randonne to first hut
Teaching and training will take place both on the mountain and at the refuges. Timing of teaching will depend on weather and snow conditions and will vary day to day.
You will have access to online lectures prior to the course . The teaching content during the course will be powerpoint free and involve only scenarios, case discussion, practical scenarios and group peer learning.
Altitude medicine topics covered during the expedition include:
Avalanche rescue including leadership and non technical skills
Altitude illness: AMS, HACE, HAPE
Trauma: Fractures, splinting, major trauma and pain relief on the mountain
Hypothermia and cold injury
Expedition preparation, evacuation planning, communicaitons and medical kits.
Overnight in mountain refuge
Full day on the mountain.
Ad hoc training throughout the day and at refuge
Overnight in mountain refuge
Early start
Aim to summit high altitude alpine peak (conditions allowing)
Medical scenarios on the mountain and at the refuge
Course dinner in refuge
Return ski equipment
Depart Morzine (own transfers)
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LOGISTICS
DATES
3rd-9th March 2024
COST
Early Bird Price £1895 (1st December) then £1995
