Mountain Travel & Rescue

Mountain Travel and Rescue Training

Those taking Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR) courses will learn a variety of skills, including nutrition and how the body performs in a wilderness environment, weather patterns, survival skills, working with group dynamics, an introduction to search and rescue, rope rescue skills, improvised toboggan construction, and land navigation with map, compass, and GPS. The MTR courses are taught in classroom and field sessions, including mock scenarios to ensure the attendees can apply what they have learned to real life situations.

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast looking to expand your survival and travel skills in the backcountry environment or a ski patroller preparing for one of the worst possible scenarios a parent can face at a ski area (a lost child), the MTR courses can help you get prepared. There are three MTR courses:

Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals (MTRF)

This course provides students with basic knowledge and skills to travel and work in reasonable comfort and safety in an outdoor environment. Field practice includes basic navigation, travel, and survival, and an introduction to search and rescue. This course does not include an overnight campout.

Mountain, Travel, and Rescue 1 (MTR 1)

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to travel and work in reasonable safety and comfort in the outdoor environment and to assist a search and/or rescue team, including possible overnight operations. Field practice includes practice in navigation, travel, survival skills, basic search and rescue exercises, and an overnight campout.

Mountain, Travel, and Rescue 2 (MTR 2)

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.

If you are interested in taking an MTR course please contact Joseph Calbreath at calfam3@comcast.net for more information.

MTRF & MTR1 CLASSES

We have two MTR classes again this year an MTRF and MTR1.

Check the class descriptions above.

The schedule is as follows:

• MTRF/MTR1 classroom: February 22, 2014 at LCC 09:00-16:00
• Snow shelter building: March 2, 2014 Gold Lake Snow Park 10:00-14:00
• Classroom: March 8, 2014 at LCC 09:00-14:00
• Field Session: To be decided by class but in April.

MTRF students are not required to camp overnight and do the night search.

The coast is $10.00 (due at first classroom session) plus you must buy the MTR manual available in the NSP catalog for $19.50. There is a homework assignment that is to be done before the first classroom session so register early so you can get started on it. You can register by emailing me your name address and NSP number. The field sessions will be determined during class. Participants can travel on cross-country skis or snowshoes.

Joseph Calbreath
Oregon Region MTR Advisor
Willamette Backcountry Ski Patrol
calfam3@comcast.net