Candidate Training

Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol provides training in Mountain Travel and Rescue, Avalanche for the Professional Rescuer, and Introduction to Ski Patrol. These courses are required for candidates new to ski patrolling and recommended for patrollers transferring from other areas.

Joining the Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol requires the following:

• joining the National Ski Patrol (NSP) and paying dues to the patrol
• completing the NSP Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course
• completing the NSP Avy1 and MTR1 courses

In addition:

• You are a proficient backcountry skier or rider (if in doubt about your skier/riding ability, contact patrol@tbsp.org)
• You have gear for single day backcountry tours or are prepared to put together the gear and daypack for single day tours
• You have the time and are committed to completing the course and becoming a TBSP patroller

Time commitment

The candidate training season is a major time commitment. Candidates for non-OEC candidates the commitment is 8 days. The commitment for a full patroller is 8 days.

OEC Candidates

For candidates who complete the National Ski Patrol's Outdoor Emergency Care before their candidate season, the candidate year is 12 days. Candidates become full patrollers at the end of this season with completion of the final. Training days consist of five Candidate Patrols, a three-day Basic Mountain Travel and Rescue course (1 classroom, 2 overnight field), a three-day Basic Avalanche for the Professional Rescuer (1 classroom, 2 field days), and one OEC Skills clinic.

The dates for the 2010/11 season are:

• 12/4/2010 Saturday MTR Classroom Session
• 12/5/2010 Sunday Candidate Patrol 1
• 1/8/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 2
• 1/9/2011 Sunday OEC Clinic
• 1/29/2011 Saturday Avalanche Classroom
• 1/30/2011 Sunday Avalanche Field / Beacons
• 2/12/2011 Saturday Avalanche Field
• 2/13/2011 Sunday Candidate Patrol 3
• 2/26/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 4 (tent.)
• 3/19/2011 Saturday MTR Candidate Overnight (full moon)
• 3/20/2011 Sunday MTR Candidate Overnight
• 4/2/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 5 (tent.)
• 4/9/2011 Saturday Candidate Final

Transfer Patrollers

Transfer Patrollers follow the same schedule as OEC candidates, though transfers who have already completed MTR1 or Avi may get approval from the training coordinator to skip redundant trainings.

Candidates without OEC

Candidates without OEC training are required to have a current certification in two-rescuer CPR (Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer or equivalent).

For candidates who begin their candidate training before completing the National Ski Patrol's Outdoor Emergency Care course, their first candidate season consists of 11 training days. Candidates take the OEC course during the fall and complete their training during their second season with the patrol. The second season will consist of eight training and patrol days.

First season:

• Five Candidate Patrol Days
• Mountain Travel and Rescue (1 day classroom, 2 day overnight)
• Avalanche Level 1 (1 classroom, 2 field days)

Off-season:

• OEC course

Second season:

• Operations and On-The-Hill refresher
• OEC Clinic
• Returning candidate final evaluation
• Patrol Days (at least 5 patrol days)

The training dates for non-OEC candidates beginning their candidacy in the 2010/11 season are:

• 12/4/2010 Saturday MTR Classroom Session
• 12/5/2010 Sunday Candidate Patrol 1
• 1/8/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 2
• 1/29/2011 Saturday Avalanche Classroom
• 1/30/2011 Sunday Avalanche Field / Beacons
• 2/12/2011 Saturday Avalanche Field
• 2/13/2011 Sunday Candidate Patrol 3
• 2/26/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 4 (tent.)
• 3/19/2011 Saturday MTR Candidate Overnight (full moon)
• 3/20/2011 Sunday MTR Candidate Overnight
• 4/2/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 5 (tent.)

Returning Candidates

The training dates for returning candidates for 2010/11 are:

• 12/12/2010 Sunday On-The-Hill Refresher
• 1/8/2011 Saturday Candidate Patrol 2
• 1/9/2011 Sunday OEC Clinic
• 1/22/2011 Saturday Returning Candidate Final
• ***** ***** Any Five Patrol Days!

About the training

Mountain Travel and Rescue

• Map and Compass Exercises
  • Dead reckoning
  • Resectioning
  • Route planning and finding
• MTR course materials

Introduction to TBSP / Candidate Patrols

• TBSP history, goals, and responsibilities

   * Familiarity with each of our primary patrol areas 
   * Radio protocols

• Morning patrol meeting and checkout

   * Care and use of radios
   * Care and use of TBSP group gear

• Evening patrol meeting, equipment care
• Mountain Travel and Rescue

   * Navigation with map, compass, and GPS
   * Personal gear, health, survival, and interactions with the public
   * Route planning & risk management 

• Patient Access Rope System
• Avalanche aware travel tactics/techniques
• Backcountry Skiing/Riding Skills
• Toboggan training

   * Patient Packaging, Hypo-wrap
   * Static and dynamic toboggan transportation (up, down, and cross-hill)
   * Care and handling of Cascade and Hegg toboggans
   * Construction and use of the Brooks Range sled 

• Megamid construction.
• TBSP Patrol Modules

   * Field repairs
   * Megamid patient pitch
   * Trauma & airway modules 

• Familiarity with backcountry & car caches
• Major incident handling and coordination

   * Familiarity with the incident command system(ICS)

NSP Avalanche Lev 1

• Beacon Searches
• Probe searches / guidon cord
• Safe travel in backcountry terrain.
• Route selection
• Hasty pits
• Snow Surveys
• Hazard analysis