International Mountain Leader Winter Assessment

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Overview

You’ll be assessed on the skills and techniques required for an IML to safely lead groups in appropriate terrain in winter conditions. Your technical skills will also be assessed; personal movement with and without snowshoes, use of ice axe and ropes as emergency tools, transceiver use and search skills, snow pack evaluation, avalanche awareness and use of maps and guides for planning appropriate winter journeys.You’ll need to be familiar with, and prepared to demonstrate all aspects of the International Mountain Leader syllabus. A copy of the candidate handbook can be downloaded from the Mountain Training website.

The Objectives 

The International Mountain Leader scheme (IML) provides comprehensive training and assessment for individuals who aspire to work as leaders in Europe and further afield. It integrates training, experience and assessment in a variety of realistic situations. The scheme provides training and assessment in the skills required for leading and educating groups worldwide in summer conditions and also on easy snow-covered, rolling, Nordic-type terrain in the “middle mountains” in winter conditions.

Over the five days we will assess your understanding of:

• Winter leadership and group care in winter conditions
• Personal movement skills on snow (with and without snowshoes)
• Route choice, terrain evaluation, and safe travel
• Avalanche awareness and snow pack evaluation
• Transceiver use, search techniques and teaching TPS
• Snow craft and use of ice axe for safeguarding the party
• Emergency winter rope work, including simple snow belays
• Dealing with accidents, emergency shelters and cold injuries
• Use of maps, guides, and weather information for planning

Navigation skills form an integral part of each day’s assessment. Throughout the five days, your knowledge will be questioned on all aspects of the winter environment. 

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Experience Required

Logbook/Mountain Training registration number for Dlog that includes evidence of the following:

• Thirty quality winter mountain days (ten overseas)
• Further experience as appropriate
• Record of Summer Assessment pass and a 5 day IML winter training course
• Record of pass from timed navigation test (undertaken during the summer training course)
• A Leaders Resource pack for the Morgins area.
• Each candidate must produce a Leaders Resource Pack which details relevant information for them operating as a leader in the area of assessment. It should include information that would assist a leader (or potential replacement leader) working in the assessment area, such as transport information, hut information, emergency information and environmental facts relating to the area. This should be in a format that allows it to be carried during the assessment.
• Home Preparation Paper – completed Prepare three 5 minute Environmental Presentations

How Should I Prepare?

You need to be familiar with, and prepared to demonstrate all aspects of the International Mountain Leader syllabus. A copy of the candidate handbook can be downloaded from the Mountain Training website.

What Do I Need to Bring?

You should bring Equipment to look after yourself and a group in the winter Alpine environment. Overseas travel insurance and EHIC card. The map you need for the assessment course is 1304 1:25 000 Val d’Illiez (SwissTopo) useful website for Swiss online mapping – map.schweizmobil.ch  A Leader’s Resource Pack which details relevant information for them operating as a leader in the area of assessment. It should include information that would assist a leader (or potential replacement leader) working in the assessment area, such as transport information, hut information, emergency information and environmental facts relating to the area. This should be in a format that allows it to be carried during the assessment.

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