MOUNTAIN TRAVEL AND RESCUE 2 ("MTR2")
with emphases on pre-course preparation, backcountry travel, and hands-on practice
This course is designed for the motivated student willing to commit to significant pre-course study and preparation. The goal is to utilize the inherently limited in-person time only for those learning opportunities that are not available through published educational resources. The course also requires gear for backcountry skiing and overnight camping, an accompanying fitness level for sustained hiking with a loaded overnight pack, and the ability to live in backcountry conditions for a three-day/two-night trip.
All of this is toward fulfillment of the official NSP description for an MTR2 course:
"Mountain Travel and Rescue Level 2 is designed as a follow-up course to MTR F and/or MTR 1. This course provides more in-depth training and field work in land navigation, search and rescue, rope rescue, improvised toboggan construction, survival skills, and emergency shelter construction that students can utilize during the length of the course."
More specifically, this course will build upon the skills from the Western Mass MTR1 course in the following ways:
- The addition of another day and night spent consecutively in the field with further test the ability to live in backcountry conditions.
- GPS-based navigation skills will be introduced.
- The course will take place during winter weather conditions and will include practice of backcountry skiing skills, avalanche rescue, and climbing gear.
- The ropework extrication exercise will include a 6:1 mechanical advantage system (in addition to MTR1's 3:1 system).
- An on-your-own overnight in a snow shelter is required.
- An on-your-own emergency sled construction and extrication is required (and will also be practiced during the course).
The course will not provide any advanced avalanche safety training beyond the Level 1 course, but we will integrate avalanche safety concerns into some of our travel segments, plus all of our search and rescue exercises will be premised upon avalanche incidents.
