Itinerary
Technical Rope Rescue Levels 1 and 2 Itinerary
Please keep in mind that this is a standard, yet loose, itinerary. It is subject to change depending on conditions, weather, group dynamics, pace, and learning strategies.
Program Details
Technical Rope Rescue 1
The Technical Rope Rescue 1 course at American Alpine Institute introduces participants to the foundational skills and systems used in technical rope rescue. Through classroom instruction and hands-on practice, students learn essential knots, rope equipment, anchors, belay systems, lowering and raising techniques, and fundamental rescue procedures. Designed for aspiring and developing rescuers, this course builds the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to participate in organized rope rescue operations.
Technical Rope Rescue 2
The Technical Rope Rescue 2 course at American Alpine Institute builds on foundational rope rescue knowledge and advances participants’ abilities to manage more complex rescue scenarios. Through hands-on training, students refine rigging techniques, develop advanced raising and lowering systems, and practice efficient team coordination, patient packaging, and rescue problem-solving. This course is designed for rescuers seeking to expand their technical capabilities and prepare for more demanding operational environments.
There is overlap between the last two days of Level 1 and the first two days of Level 2. For that reason, we include both itineraries here. Level 2 starts on Day 3.
Itinerary
Day 1
Students will travel to Bellingham, Washington, where they will meet at the American Alpine Institute at 8:00 a.m.
- Classroom Sessions: Course introduction, safety discussion/rules, NFPA Standards, scene management, systems overview, definitions, ropes and carabiners, friction devices, commands, physics of rope rescue
- Practical Application: Overview of basic knots and hitches, improvised harnesses, patient packaging with and without a harness, rope climbing with prusik system, classic rappel, main and belay demo.
Day 2
- Classroom Session: Introduction to the politics of rescue, simple litter lowering systems, belay systems, high points, tripod construction, physics of rope rescue, introduction of hybrid two tensioned rope systems.
- Field Session: High-angle lowering systems with a main line and a belay line.
Day 3 (Day 1 of Level 2)
This is where Tech Rope Rescue Level 2 starts.
- Classroom Session: Introduction to helicopter operations, understanding hauling systems, physics of rope rescue.
- Field Session: Low-angle litter hauling systems with three attendants
Day 4
- Classroom Session: Communications, introduction to guiding lines, physics of rope rescue.
- Field Session: Steep-angle litter hauling with guiding lines
Day 5
- Classroom Session: Knot pass with a litter, improvised high-directionals, physics of rope rescue, pick-off techniques (B.C. Pickoff, B.C. Tilt Lift, Panorama Pickoff).
- Field Session: Practical use of improvised highpoints, practice pick-off techniques
Day 6
- Classroom Session: Difficult edge issues, pike and pivot techniques, floating focal point systems, physics of rope rescue.
- Field Session: Practical application of pike and pivot
Day 7
- Classroom Session: Physics of rope rescue, introduction to highline systems including and introduction to reeves (English and Norwegian).
- Field Session: Practical application of highline systems