Page 39 - AMA Spring 2023

become qualified and promulgate the same offering to their successors! It is not difficult to run a skills session in an appropriate place and then continue to a summit or include a named route, even if just on a couple of the days.
Structure. Following the course syllabus is a good way of maintaining the tempo and keeping enthusiasm high. Most Foundation courses have a sample programme and it is a good idea to formulate clear objectives for each day, based on the prevailing conditions, weather forecasts and group dynamics. On a daily basis, briefing these objectives allow people to fully engage at the start of the day and reflect on the experience and what they’ve learnt at the end of the day. This also means that by Day 5 participants can still feel fresh in their approach to the day, potentially still being introduced to something ‘new’, rather than feeling like it is just a repeat of the previous day. It is useful when routes are planned (and land clearance sought) with this approach in mind, rather than indis- criminately selecting established routes from a guidebook.
Professional delivery. Whilst it may suggest noble undertones, I find that striving to deliver training in a professional manner just makes life so much easier. As an instructor or exercise leader, once you start to undermine your own training, it actually becomes quite hard to keep people engaged and this usually remains your problem over the multi-day training period. It is very easy to overlook the importance of teaching and practising skills that are ‘second-nature’ at instruc- tor-level, such as packing an expedition rucksack or using a stove; many partic- ipants have only done these activities a few times at most and have much to learn from some experienced coaching.
Clear briefing/debrief. Clear commu- nication with people in training is critical. After sorting through a year’s worth of
scribbled-on bits of paper, realising that most of them said the same thing, I have switched to Powerpoint slides for briefings at the start and end of the training day. After the daily weather (and possibly avalanche) brief, having a single slide to show the timings for the day, with a map and any equipment notes works very well. If nothing else, this demonstrates planning and allows you to discuss timings, deci- sion-points, route or training options and safety considerations; a series of consid- erations that need to be conveyed but are not well understood by novices. On return from training, the same initial slide is a good stimulus for group reflection and can be supplemented by another slide with a
series of considered feedback points. Unsurprisingly, many of the points remain the same across groups, so again, time is often saved. Participants who have had a full day of training often like structured, succinct feedback rather than lots of unbounded discussion. This process also creates a valuable record of your briefings, should there ever be an incident.
Well-delivered foundation courses will build a strong future for adventurous training in the Army, as well as allow others to develop as individuals and instructors, benefiting from seeing good practice and positive experiences.
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 39
Day 1 – Snowcraft – Glencoe Ski Equipment Notes – QMD kit, helmet, old
0845-1000hrs – Equipment/Admin 1000-1045hrs – Drive to Glencoe ski centre
waterproofs, ropes (1 between 2), STP in veh, group safety kit.
1045-1200hrs – Walk up to ski area - Admin, Basic nav confirmation, Pace setting, conditions observations
1200-1300hrs – Kicking/cutting steps, Carriage of axe/Self belay, Ice axe arrest, use of crampons
DECISION POINT (Weather/Conditions)
a. 1300-1500hrs – Snow bollards/improvised abseil, Tying-in/use of rope, Bucket seat/buried axe, belaying in ascent/descent
b. 1300-1500hrs – Ascend to Meall A’Bhuiridh
DECISION POINT (Time)
a. Continue to Creise
b. Return from Meall A’Bhuiridh (same/alt route)
1600-1645hrs – Drive to Kinlochleven