Level 2 Ski Assessment Course
Participants may be assessed on any topic of the Ski Guide syllabus at any stage of the course and will be requred to teach and supervise revision sessions and practical exercises.
It is expected that only minimal training will need to be given in any topic.
Ski Guides Courses will include both Level 1 and Level 2 participants. Level 2 participants are expected to have a sound knowledge and high standard of ski guiding techniques and the instruction of ski mountaineering. They should be able to teach guiding and instruction techniques to participants who are on their Ski Guide Level 1 course.
Level 2 participants should be able to demonstrate that they can take leadership roles in team situations and provide quality feedback to other course participants.
For Ski Guides the guided mountaineering standard is Grade 1 and only to access skiing. Personal mountaineering competence should be at least Grade 3.
Participants should be able to:
Act as lead guides for ski touring, heliski, and glacier skiing operations.
Direct ski mountaineering instruction courses in glaciated terrain.
If this is the final IFMGA Course, the participant should be considered a worthy ambassador to any IFMGA country.
STATUS
On successfully passing a Ski Guide Level 2 course and ratification by the Technical Subcommittee, the participant attains the status of NZMGA Ski Guide.
To be allocated a place on a Ski Guide Level 2 Course, you must have met the following criteria:
- New Zealand resident or have a current work permit.
- Have completed the Ski Guide Apprenticeship.
A written record or logbook must be presented on application as proof that experience and supervision requirements have been met.
- Avalanche Course Level 2.
- Current PHEC qualification (40 hours).
- Paid a deposit of $500 to the NZMGA.
- Current financial membership of NZMGA or other IFMGA membership country.
- The course will take place in one of the high alpine areas of the Southern Alps. Typical venues are Aoraki/Mt Cook, Westland, and Mount Aspiring.
- Ski Guides Courses are 14 days long and are held around the end of September.
TOPIC / POSSIBLE MARK & COMMENTS
| Client care | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trip preparation and planning | 10 |
| 2 | Communication with client | 10 |
| 3 | Route selection | 20 |
| 4 | Terrain analysis | 20 |
| 5 | Pace setting | 10 |
| 6 | Cooking and camp management | 10 |
| 7 | Shelters and bivouacs | 10 |
| 8 | Application of guiding technique | 10 |
| 9 | Group management | 10 |
| 10 | Heliski guiding | 10 |
| 11 | Client control | 20 |
| 12 | Client safety | 20 |
| Subtotal | 160 | |
| Personal skills and knowledge | ||
|---|---|---|
| 13 | General mountain movement | 10 |
| 14 | Fitness and stamina | 10 |
| 15 | Professionalism and personal appearance | 10 |
| 16 | Personal equipment | 5 |
| 17 | Reaction under stress | 10 |
| 18 | Leadership and decision making | 10 |
| 19 | Rope handling | 10 |
| 22 | Snow and ice climbing | 10 |
| 23 | Step cutting | 5 |
| 24 | Belays on snow and ice | 10 |
| 25 | Navigation | 10 |
| 26 | Snow safety skills | 20 |
| 27 | Mountain weather | 10 |
| Subtotal | 130 | |
| Subtotal | 50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction | ||
| 31 | Speech and contact with students | 10 |
| 32 | Structure of the lesson | 10 |
| 33 | Site selection | 10 |
| 34 | Support material and demonstration | 10 |
| 35 | Ability to motivate | 10 |
| Search and Rescue | ||
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Crevasse extraction | 10 |
| 38 | Stretchers | 10 |
| 39 | Avalanche rescue and transceivers | 10 |
| Subtotal | 30 | |
| Skiing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Downhill skiing (Alpine) | 20 |
| 42 | Laying a skinning track | 20 |
| Subtotal | 40 | |
| Course Total | 410 | |
| Mandatory non-assessment topics | |
|---|---|
| These topics must be covered in a discussion format | |
| - | Radio use |
| - | Aircraft safety |
| - | Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| - | NZMGA Harassment Policy |
| - | NZMGA Accident Investigation Policy |
| - | NZMGA Terrain, Supervision and Professional Guidelines |
Trainers/assessors will give a written summary with comments and recommendations.
Important information before you attend this course:
Technical Syllabus Analysis of Topics Assessment Advice Assessment and Certification