Our Program

AF - Adventure Foundations

Instructors:

Scot Taylor
Phil Foster
Samuel Yates
Krista Gooderham

Course Description:

Setting the foundation for all field-based courses, Adventure Foundations looks at such topics as appropriate clothing and equipment, trip planning practices and backcountry etiquette from the perspective of personal and group travel. The fundamentals of navigation, health and safety issues in the field, minimal impact camping and wildlife encounters are also covered.

This is a very hands on course, with most of the classes being taught in the field.

Topics

• What gear is best suited
• Knots
• Tarp set up
• Fire lighting
• Leave no trace camping
• Wildlife encounter procedures
• Navigation
• Understanding and predicting the weather

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

• Plan and prepare for day and multi-day wilderness-based group trips.
• Understand the fundamentals of clothing, equipment, trip planning, navigation, backcountry etiquette, health & safety.
• Develop and present a sound code of conduct for appropriate guiding behaviour. This would include minimal impact camping and travel techniques, and expectations regarding wildlife, safety and health issues.
• Risk Assessment
  • Understand the basic issues relating to legal liability and risk management in the adventure tourism industry.
  • Identify and evaluate field hazards and apply risk management strategies to mitigate risk.
• Field Skills
  • Build and light different styles of fires
  • Understand the purpose and use of several knots
  • Set up a food hang
  • Demonstrate proficiency at route planning and land navigation using map and compass
  • Understand weather forecasts and apply information in trip planning and progression
  • Understand and apply Leave No Trace principles