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Course Syllabus

OLE 2550 Winter Technical Leadership

  • Division: Business and Applied Tech
  • Department: Business
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 2; Lab: 2
  • Repeatable: Yes.
  • Semesters Offered: TBA
  • Semester Approved: Spring 2025
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2029
  • End Semester: Fall 2030
  • Optimum Class Size: 10
  • Maximum Class Size: 11

Course Description

This course blends the theoretical and technical aspects of leading and managing groups in winter environments, with a strong focus on avalanche awareness. Participants will develop specialized hands-on skills and learn about appropriate clothing and equipment selection, care, and maintenance. The course will also cover equipment terminology, the technical aspects of avalanche awareness and assessment, backcountry travel and route finding, risk management, and avalanche transceiver search and rescue procedures.

Justification

A winter technical leadership course is crucial for students for several reasons, all stemming from the unique challenges and risks presented by winter environments:Safety:Hazard Awareness: Winter environments present unique hazards like avalanches, hypothermia, frostbite, and treacherous travel conditions. A leadership course teaches students how to recognize, assess, and mitigate these risks.   Avalanche Education: This is often a core component, covering avalanche formation, forecasting, terrain assessment, and rescue techniques. This knowledge is essential for anyone traveling in avalanche terrain.Technical Skills: Proper use of specialized equipment is critical for safe winter travel. This course provides instruction and practice in these skills.Emergency Preparedness: Students learn how to handle emergencies in remote winter settings, including search and rescue procedures, and self-rescue techniques.Leadership Development:Decision-Making: Winter travel requires careful planning and sound judgment. Leaders must make informed decisions about route selection, weather conditions, and group safety.   Group Management: Managing a group in a challenging winter environment demands strong communication, teamwork, and the ability to motivate and support others.Risk Management: Winter leadership involves a heightened awareness of risk and the ability to make decisions that prioritize safety without sacrificing the experience.Environmental Stewardship:Leave No Trace: Winter environments are particularly fragile. The course emphasizes Leave No Trace principles specific to winter travel, minimizing impact on the natural environment.   Personal Growth:Resilience: Winter travel can be physically and mentally demanding. Overcoming challenges in a winter environment builds resilience, self-confidence, and problem-solving skills.   Self-Reliance: Learning to navigate and survive in winter conditions fosters self-reliance and the ability to handle adversity.Appreciation for Nature: Experiencing the beauty and solitude of winter landscapes can cultivate a profound appreciation for nature.Career Opportunities:Professional Certifications: This course can be a stepping stone towards professional certifications in outdoor leadership, guiding, or instruction.Outdoor Industry Jobs: Employers in the outdoor industry value individuals with winter skills and leadership experience.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will learn outdoor leadership specific to a winter environment.
  2. Students will learn to identify and properly use winter-specific equipment.
  3. Students will learn about avalanche terrain, particularly from the perspective of stability analysis.
  4. Students will learn to identify how snowpack develops and metamorphoses over time and the factors that contribute to spatial variability.
  5. Students will learn standard snow stability assessments and guidelines to record factors that influence or indicate snow stability.
  6. Students will learn express knowledge of avalanche release and triggering mechanisms.
  7. Students will learn to apply snow stability analysis and forecasting framework.
  8. Students will learn to conduct avalanche transceiver searches and companion rescue skills including multiple and deep burials.
  9. Students will learn appropriate Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics specific to winter environments.

Course Content

Winter Technical Leadership covers the following key topics:Outdoor Leadership in a Winter EnvironmentCommunication and Group Dynamics in Winter SettingsWinter-Specific Clothing and Equipment (selection, use, and maintenance)Essential Backcountry Travel Skills Leave No Trace Ethics in Winter EnvironmentsThe Avalanche Equation and Mountain SnowpackSnow Pit AnalysisAvalanche Transceiver Use and Rescue TechniquesWinter Navigation and Hazard AssessmentWinter Safety Considerations