Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to provide students with special skills within the field of guiding winter outdoor activities, also under demanding conditions in arctic areas. The course will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills to a level where they will, with confidence, be able to plan and execute longer trips in winter in the high mountains and/or in arctic areas (possibly in Langfjella in Southern Norway, Finnmark, Northern Sweden or Svalbard).

Course Description

Skills and knowledge

• Planning trips in accordance with ability. Safety, responsibility and consequence analysis in relation to demanding conditions in extremely isolated areas.
• How to choose an area for trips.
• Preparations made by the team, forming a team.
• Trip procedures: didactics, organisation, tactics, working methods, supervision and leadership.
• Planning trips, going on expeditions under extremely demanding conditions, safety procedures and expedition norms.
• The guide as leader, understanding the guide’s responsibilities and tasks.
• Booking and organising trips, financial aspects, logistics etc.
• Further development of skills, knowledge and competence at a high professional level in the context of the mountains in winter: skiing skills, clothing and equipment, building and living in snow shelters, food and cooking equipment for winter use, hygiene and first aid, transport of injured group members, weather and weather signs.
• Further knowledge with regard to orientation of safe route choices, mainly in connection with expeditions on snow-covered glaciers and high mountain plateaus.
• Further knowledge of snow avalanches: ground and terrain forms which can form the basis for avalanches and avalanche pathways, degree of injuries in the event of an avalanche, searching an avalanche: methods, systems analysis, knowledge of snow, fracture mechanisms, stability tests and knowledge of avalanche dangers in high alpine areas.
• Problems at high altitudes.
• First aid for high alpine areas.

Learning Methods

The course is taught in the spring semester.

Teaching and learning methods include independent work, group work, lectures and practical / problem-orientated guidance on one or more trips with guide (in total, roughly 20 days). A high degree of initiative is expected of students with regard to preparation. There will also be a number of meetings and preparations during the autumn semester, which students are expected to attend. NB! All trip preparations are obligatory.

Assessment Methods

Completed expedition, pass / fail. Portfolio assessment. Students prepare a trip itinerary and a log which will be assessed as pass / fail. In order to receive a diploma students must have participated actively in all phases, including preparation and meetings etc.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean