The Maine Wilderness Guides Organization, of which I’m a lifetime member, is offering a winter guide training course running from Wednesday December 19 to Saturday December 22, 2007. If you lead trips in the winter you should consider attending.
From the MWGO website:
This workshop is designed to cover the skills needed to safely guide in the winter. Whether you are guiding snowmobile, dogsled, ski or snowshoe/toboggan trips there are a lot of skills required of a guide that are specific to the winter environment. The following topics will be covered in depth:
Hypothermia – recognition, prevention, treatment
Frostbite – recognition, prevention, treatment
Ice Reading – characteristics, formation, safe route selection
White-out navigation – map & compass, GPS, traditional Inuit techniques
Minimal Equipment – for any type of winter travel – human powered or snowmobiles
Snow machine Travel – off trail, freighting loads with quamotiks & toboggans, dealing with slush, the “well outfitted” snow machine, tow ropes vs. tow bars
Winter bivouac – Spending a night out with the clothes on your back, snow & bough shelters
Client Concerns – Looking after your “sports” in the winter
Winter Camping Techniques – Setting up a safe, dry, warm traditional winter camp, fire building with and without matches
Dog & Human Powered Travel – Depending on snow/ice conditions we will also cover the basics of snowshoe and dog team use
The cost is $300 for MWGO members and $450 for non-members.
For more information, contact Kevin Slater or Polly Mahoney at Mahoosuc Guide Service at (207) 824-2073
