Please read all course information thoroughly and early.
Your preparation is the most important factor in course outcomes!

Course Description
The Rock Skills and Rescue session of the Diploma in Mountain Medicine will be taught by Remote Rescue Training, a division of the Center for Emergency Programs at the University of Utah. The course will take place in the rugged Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah and is designed specifically for doctors, nurses and paramedics pursuing their WMS Diploma in Mountain Medicine. The unique challenges for rescuers responding in rocky technical terrain will be thoroughly covered during our intensive, field-based curriculum. Individual on-rope skills will assist rescuers in designing and using personal safety systems for access and egress. Team rescue skills include single and double rope systems, managing patients with and without litters and varied systems to address challenges ranging from low-angle to vertical terrain. Rope system principles will be integrated throughout the curriculum, which will provide tools to assess safety and allow participants to adapt to new environments methodically.  The role of medical personnel in mountain rescue will be a consistent underlying theme: directing patient care, assisting in technical rescue, and leading the integration of both into one coordinated effort. The skills mastered during this course can easily be transferred to similar environments the world over.  

Tentative Course Schedule (Subject to Change)
Day Activity 
Day 1- 6PM Meet at Alpine Lodge in Brighton, Big Cottonwood Canyon, outside SLC, UT. Introductions, expectations, logistics, personal gear
Day 2- Personal on-rope skills; Anchors; Edge management; Single person belays 
Day 3- Intro to team double rope rescue systems; Rescue belays; Lowers; Scene size-up; Command and communication; Static system safety factor overview 
Day 4- Helicopters; Simple mechanical advantage; Pick-offs; Access and egress
Day 5- Moderate angle litter work; Less-than-vertical rope system physics; Mechanical advantage raising systems; Fixed line access; More belay and lowering options
Day 6- Complex mechanical advantage; Companion rescue; Traditional gear and anchors; Top-belay options; Escaping the belay; Optional advanced challenges; Rescue team preparedness; Hasty teams; Scene size-up
Day 7- Scenario; High-angle litter lower and raise; Optional advanced challenges

Expect full days! Ten-hour sessions daily are the norm and several after dinner classroom sessions will also be included. It’s a busy week; plan to focus all your attention on the class.   

Ground Transportation and Travel Logistics
Remote Rescue Training will provide limited ground transportation from the SLC airport to Brighton. First-come, first-served availability exists for a shuttle that will depart SLC airport passenger pick up 7C at 5 PM, so your flight must arrive in SLC before 4:30 PM, course start date. The return shuttle will depart the Alpine Lodge at 8 AM, so your domestic flight should depart SLC no earlier than 10:30 AM the following Friday.

 Please let us know ASAP if you plan to use the shuttle. We will also provide you with contact information for all course participants to arrange ride shares and carpools.

If you prefer to drive yourself to the Alpine Lodge in Brighton, please plan to arrive by 6 PM on Monday, course start date, and plan for the course to end late in the evening, the night before course end date. Room and board will be provided from dinner the first evening to breakfast the last morning. 

Please be prepared to share your travel plans and flight itineraries in the pre-course questionnaire. 

Daily field locations may require short drives.  Some ground transportation is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Food and Lodging
The WMS has arranged for all food to be provided. Please detail any food preferences/allergies in the pre-course questionnaire. 
The WMS has arranged for lodging at the Alpine Lodge. Located at 8,775 feet, at the base of Brighton Ski Resort, overnight temperatures may be cold and warm town clothes are recommended. 
The Alpine Lodge is a large mountain home with a few private bedrooms and some dormitory style sleeping arrangements. Linens and towels are provided. Expect close living quarters. Internet and cell phone service are available at the Lodge. The address is 8016 Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd, Brighton, UT 84121. Nearby services are limited. Individual Rooms are not available at the Alpine Lodge prior to the course.
It is possible to stay at your SLC/Park City home or in alternate accommodations, but be aware that the days will be full, some evening (after dinner) meetings will be required and all sessions will begin and end at the Lodge. Due to COVID restrictions, this may be limited. Please contact us if you are considering this.
There is limited space available for van parking/sleeping outside the Alpine Lodge. 

COVID 
This course will follow the current WMS DiMM COVID-19 Safety Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures. Protocols may be updated to adapt to the state of the pandemic at the time of the course or to meet updated local regulations. This may include changing logistics or even cancelling the course. Updates will be approved by the WMS Board and WMS DiMM Leadership Committee and passed on to participants as soon as practical. At this point our expectation is to be able to run this course as described in this document. Current guidelines include: 

o All participants agree to pay extra attention and effort to good hygiene and minimize possible exposure to communicable illness immediately prior to the course, including physical distancing and masking as much as practical during travel to the course.
o Participants should not arrive at the beginning of the course with any signs or symptoms of COVID or flu like illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, chills, body aches, fatigue, headache, loss of taste/smell, eye drainage, congestion, vomiting or diarrhea), even with a negative COVID test. Any of the above signs/symptoms may require the individual to leave the program at their expense (cost of motel, subsequent care, and transportation home are participant’s responsibility).

o If you have a long-term condition that may present as a communicable illness, a note from your doctor stating that they do not feel that your symptoms are contagious may help trip leaders determine if it is safe for you to participate in the course. 
o All participants agree to pay extra attention and effort to maintain good hygiene practices throughout the course. Good faith efforts to protect ourselves, our peers and our community from communicable illness are especially critical during this time.
o Participants will be in close proximity to one another and the instructors during the course. Physical distancing will not be possible within course. Physical contact during the course is inevitable and inherent to the experience.
o Communicable illnesses including COVID-19, other respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness or other life-threatening illness may be contracted during the course due to the close proximity of learning space and living quarters.

Insurance and Cancellation/Refund Policy
All participants are required to carry evacuation and medical insurance coverage (we suggest Global Rescue) as well as trip interruption/cancellation insurance (we suggest IMG through Global Rescue). Cancellation prior to 60 days before the session begins will result in a 50% refund. No refund if cancelling within 60 days. 

ALTITUDE
All participants must be familiar with the WMS Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Altitude Illness (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31248818/ or https://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(19)30090-0/fulltext). The lodging for the WMS DiMM Rock Skills and Rescue seminar will be at 8,775’. All participants are required to determine their risk profile (e.g., history of altitude illness and home elevation), develop an altitude illness prevention plan and share these with instructors in the pre-course questionnaire. High risk individuals coming from low elevations are recommended to pre-acclimatize prior to meeting the group in Utah: many people come a couple days early, sleep in SLC and make day trips into the mountains to acclimatize. All participants are required to bring altitude medication for their own use, as needed for prevention and/or treatment: we recommend acetazolamide 10 x 250 mg. We also recommend participants consider bringing dexamethasone (12 x 4 mg oral) and nifedipine (8 x 30 mg extended release version) based on risk profile and medical history. Participants need to arrange a phone, virtual or in-person visit with their PCP well ahead of time to receive these prescription medications. Any signs or symptoms of altitude illness must be reviewed daily with the instructor team. 

Gear (Subject to Change)
The following is a list of items that will be required during this training.  Please spend time looking through your gear early. Some items may not be available in your local stores.  Allow time to return items, especially if purchasing on the internet.  All items will work best if the user has experience using them- for instance pack your pack and wear your clothes on a training hike in hot or rainy weather to see how your shoes feel, if your pack needs adjusting, and how your clothing layering system works.

Specific examples of the required gear are provided.  These are only examples.  Please compare things on this list with what you have or what you are buying.  There are many options out there.  You do not need to go buy all new gear for this training.  Feel free to borrow or rent from a local retailer anything that you do not already own.  If it is time for an upgrade, then purchase gear that will last. We just want to make sure everyone has the gear to stay safe and comfortable in this challenging environment and to be able to participate effectively in all sessions.

Personal gear for the day should be fairly small and lightweight- everyone will need to carry substantial amounts of group and rescue equipment in addition to your personal kit, so think lightweight, functional and durable.  Also, pack capacity should vastly exceed personal equipment.

Please start to gather your equipment early. Anyone not properly equipped may not be allowed to participate in course activities. There will not be time to go to town for supplies during the course!
 
Appropriate outdoor clothing. Days may be hot and sunny, but we will continue outdoor activities through heat, wind, cold and rain/snow storms, as well. An appropriate clothing system will prepare you for long, hot days as well as possible cold, wet, windy, and even snowy weather. This time of year at this elevation is a transition time when we will likely see both warm and cold temperature every day, and we could have an especially warm or cold spell, possibly including snow, especially toward the end of the month.
• Lightweight durable long pants and long- or short-sleeve shirts. This will likely be what you wear the most.  These will get sweaty and dirty each day. We recommend a total of 2-4 sets with at least 1 set made of synthetic, quick-dry or wicking material. On many days, cotton materials will also be acceptable. Light-colored clothes can make a difference in hot sunny weather. A sun hoody such as the Prana Calder Hoody could be very useful when it’s warm.
• Socks. Comfortable cotton athletic socks are what you are likely to wear the most but you should have a few pairs of light- to mid-weight synthetic socks in case of cold wet weather or snow cover at our training sites.
• Insulating layers. A few insulating layers. Exposed high altitude cliff faces or shady canyon bottoms may be quite cool. Several options exist, the following list should suffice, although a rain/snow storm may require more insulation.
o Long-sleeve lightweight synthetic or wool shirt and bottoms. Patagonia Silk- or lightweight.
o Mid-weight synthetic or wool shirt or hoody. Rab Superflux Hoody.
o Mid-weight synthetic jacket. Arc’teryx Proton AR.
o Down jacket. (optional) North Face Summit L3 Hoody.
o Wool or synthetic ski hat and Buff. Hat should fit under your helmet.
• Rain gear. Lightweight and breathable rain jacket and pants. Arc’teryx Beta SL.
• Hiking/approach shoes. Close-toed shoes are mandatory. We strongly recommend approach shoes with both sticky rubber and sufficient padding to be comfortable walking on rugged terrain. Some people may prefer lightweight hiking boots with ankle support and these would certainly help if we get storms. La Sportiva TX4. Having both would help you to be prepared for any weather. 
• Sunglasses. Sunny days and altitude demand good quality shades.  Smith Chamber.
• Sunhat. Some ball caps can be comfortably worn under a helmet, others cannot. 
• Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF. At least SPF 15. A few smaller tubes are easier to pack.

Rescue equipment
• 6mm nylon accessory (aka Prusik) cord (6mm x 10-11.5m)- Any climbing store will have this. Soft and supple (as opposed to stiff) cord is nice. Cut into 4 pieces to make a Purcell Prusik system with an extra Prusik loop. The exact lengths don’t matter as long as they’re in the ranges provided- generally taller people like slightly longer cord while shorter people prefer slightly shorter. Tie your cords into the Purcell Prusik system before the course! (See Pre-Course Skills Preparation section below.) The correct lengths for your four pieces of 6mm cord:
o Long Purcell: 4-4.5 meters
o Short Purcell: 3-3.5 meters
o Two loops: 1.3-2 meters
• VT Prusik (optional)- One “BlueWater Ropes VT Prusik” or “Sterling Flex Hitch Cord Eye to Eye”. These are not commonly available in local stores. Buy on-line from the manufacturer. This specific product is for belaying a rescue load. Both the 7mm and 8mm options will work fine. These Technora open-end prusiks are only made by BlueWater and Sterling.
• Sewn sling (120-240cm). Nylon, Dyneema, or Spectra. Black Diamond 10mm Dynex Runner.
• Rock climbing harness. We strongly recommend one with a belay/rappel loop single clip in point and at least 2 gear loops. Some padding is nice. Black Diamond Technician. Harnesses should not be more than 10 years old.
• Helmet. Must be designed for climbing. Black Diamond Half Dome.
• Daypack. Medium-large. 40-60 liters. Pack capacity should vastly exceed personal equipment. Some people prefer a slightly larger pack, 60-80 liters, and that should be fine too. Arc’teryx Alpha FL 45 or Montane Fast Alpine 40. 
• Carabiners (6 small non-lockers, 6 lockers)- We recommend that you mark all your carabiners with colored electrical tape, nail polish, etc. to minimize gear confusion. If your carabiners are old, consider buying new ones- although your old carabiners may still be strong, newer designs are lighter and better. Black Diamond and Petzl are both great brands. BD Vaporlock and Livewire. Many folks like auto-locking carabiners.
• Gloves. Leather work/climbing gloves (non-insulated). Petzl Cordex.
• Belay/rappel device. We recommend a tube type device with a self-locking “plaquette mode.”  Black Diamond ATC-Guide.
• Radio chest harness. One that can be comfortably worn under a pack and isn't too hot/bulky. A pocket is nice but not critical. Coaxsher RP-1 Scout or Conterra Adjusta Pro II.
• Radio (optional). We have a supply of FRS/GMRS radios (aka family band or blister pack radio). If you have one you’d like to bring and use, feel free. Many people like the BCA Link radios and Rocky Talkies. We sometimes use the Baofeng UV-5R and UV-82HP and BF-F8 with good results- they have some higher end features and are very versatile, but they do require programming. (If you bring a radio that requires programming, make sure you know how to do it and that it can be programmed in the FRS/GMRS range. The Baofengs require the free but somewhat confusing "Chirp" software and the cable and correct driver to make it work.) 

Miscellaneous 
• Water bottles. At least 2-3 liters capacity. Whatever combination of bottles and bags you like.
• Notebook & pen/pencil. A clipboard, colored pencils, or a Rite in the Rain notebook may all be helpful. Simple and lightweight if you plan to bring it in the field. Rite in the Rain 371.
• Headlamp- Lightweight with fresh batteries. Petzl Actik.

Travel and town stuff
Travel Clothes. Clean clothes to wear at the lodge or in town.
Swim suit. For the hot tub. 
Duffel Bags. Whatever you need to transport your gear. The North Face Base Camp Duffel.
Toiletries, phone, book, etc. Extra stuff for use at the lodge.
Ear Plugs (recommended)- Can make for a better night sleep when it’s noisy.
Tupperware Container. A reusable container or two for sandwiches and other lunch items.

Optional
• Small camera.
• Small personal first-aid kit. Any personal stuff you need regularly.
• Any other devices that you have that relate to climbing or rope rescue- bring them so we can talk about their applications and limitations.

Weapons
Firearms and other weapons are not allowed on any WMS DiMM course. Please leave weapons at home.

Fitness
The “cliff and crag” rock rescue environment is varied and demanding. Some approaches will be short, some will be long.  All will be on rough terrain with a heavy pack. We’ll be carrying litters with patients in challenging terrain. The environment may be warm on some days, but mornings will likely be cool and we may choose to operate higher in the mountains where it is colder, or there may be storms. Or we may operate lower down where it could be quite hot. Your ability to care for yourself in difficult and varied conditions will determine course outcomes.  Physical conditioning is the single most important way you can help to ensure a safe and successful training seminar.  It is imperative that you undertake a rigorous conditioning program and arrive in good physical shape.  

Those unable to participate due to physical fitness limitations will be left at the lodge during daily training exercises and will be unable to complete the training.  

Each of our training days will be long- at least 10 hours in length- and will cover rough off-trail terrain with heavy loads.
Below are some suggestions to get you ready for the physical challenges of this course:
• Start training immediately. The more time you have to get in shape, the better.
• Trail running or hiking on rugged trails or off- trail is the best place to start. 
• Workout in a gym to compliment your hiking regimen. Core, leg and arm exercises will be helpful.
• Workout outside in varied temperatures and conditions. This will help you to understand how to layer appropriately and manage proper nutrition and hydration.

It can be difficult to set aside time for training. Use this as an opportunity to get in shape! Refer to your Mountain Medicine and Technical Rescue book for more detailed information on fitness and training.

PRE-COURSE SKILLS VIDEOS AND PREPARATION
We will move quickly through the basic curriculum, expecting that participants are prepared with some basic skills before the course starts. We have developed a series of skills videos that should provide you with the information you need to come with adequate skill preparation. The skills videos are posted and live on the University of Utah video host site.

Please be prepared to demonstrate your proficiency with the skills in these videos when we meet in Utah. We will refine the details and application of these skills during the course, but we expect that you come ready to demonstrate your proficiency.

You will be expected to be able to perform these skills efficiently and consistently at the start of the course. The course progression is designed with base proficiency of these skills prior to the course starting. If you are not competent at these skills it will be difficult to keep up with the pace of the course.

Other technical topics that we do not expect you to have a firm grip on (we will cover all these) but may be helpful to review (or pre-view) include: multi-point anchoring systems, mechanical advantage systems (simple 3:1 and 5:1, and compound 9:1), fixed line ascension, litter rigging, rappelling, etc. The RemoteRescueTraining YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsk31OYIwUUOFUGzEJxRCZ_a-mopg-vXg) has more videos that will help you to preview many of the fundamental skills that we will integrate into exercises throughout the course.

Pre-Course Reading
The following required readings provide a good foundation for this course and are included in the online exam:     

Helicopters in Search and Rescue: Basic Level. MRA.
Mountain Medicine & Technical Rescue book chapters:
Chapter 15- Safety Systems
Chapter 16- Personal Rescue Equipment
Chapter 18 – Rescue System Fundamentals
Chapter 19 – Rescue System Physics
Chapter 20- Rescue Equipment Selection, Strength & Compatibility
Chapter 21- Organized (Large team) Rescue Techniques
Chapter 22- Companion Rescue Techniques
Chapter 25 – Helicopter Operations

Participant: Instructor Ratio
7:1. Maximum enrollment 14. This course will be staffed with 2 Lead Instructors. RRT instructors are highly skilled educators, mountain guides and rescue professionals.

Remote Rescue Training Instructional Staff

All Remote Rescue Training instructors have a strong background in mountain guiding, technical rescue and wilderness medicine.  Instructor teams are scheduled to maximize strengths.  Currently scheduled (subject to change) to lead the Rock Skills and Rescue Session are:

Andy Rich- is the Coordinator of the Remote Rescue Training program and an American Mountain Guides Association aspirant guide.  Andy has worked for NOLS and guided technical climbing and backcountry skiing all over North America for the last 20 years. He also works as an Alpine Rescue Specialist in the private sector in remote industrial settings.

Maura Longden- worked for 23 years as a SAR Coordinator and Team Leader for the National Park Service, with extensive time in Yellowstone, Yukon-Charley, Yosemite, Glacier and City of Rocks. Maura has been teaching in the WMS DiMM program for 9 years and brings a depth of experience rarely found, along with a contagious smile and laugh.

Evaluation
Participants will be evaluated by field instructors throughout the course in six categories: 
1. Demonstrates safe personal and group practices, 
2. Applies medical skills to the technical arena appropriately, 
3. Maintains appropriate rescue pace, 
4. Technical knowledge and application of rescue systems
5. Error correction, and 
6. Leadership, teamwork and communication. 

Participants will then receive a score of:
GREEN: Pass Without Concern; 
YELLOW: Borderline; or 
RED: Preliminary Fail. 
YELLOW or RED scores will be reviewed by the WMS DiMM Leadership Committee.

Candidates are also required to take a 100 question online exam. The exam is time limited to two hours and must be taken within 60 days after course completion. The minimum passing score for the online exam is 80%. No more than two attempts will be permitted to pass the online exam. The exam will cover information from the course, the Mountain Medicine and Technical Rescue book and any other materials provided during the course.

Inability to participate in all skills training for any reason (e.g. inadequate fitness, lack of appropriate gear, sickness, etc.), inability to meet course expectations (e.g. inadequate preparation, failure to demonstrate basic skill competence, etc.) or poor performance on the online exam may result in removal from the course and/or course failure. The WMS DiMM Leadership Committee will consider any borderline or failure cases, possibly resulting in removal from the program or retaking the course at a later date. 

Details on evaluations, board reviews and remediation as well as application criteria, communication guidelines and other WMS DiMM information can be found in the Summary of DiMM Candidate Process and Requirements document, available on WMS.org, on the DiMM page, under the Enrollment & Costs tab.

Questions
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you have.  
Contact WMS with questions regarding logistics, ground transportation, payment, food, lodging, etc.  
Contact RRT with questions regarding course content, equipment, food, fitness training, etc.

If you prefer to download this information as a pdf, click the file below.