Mountain Travel and Rescue Program
In 1951, there were 15 reported accidents and three fatalities related to
mountain travel in the U.S. In 2008, the number of mountaineering-related
accidents was 112, with 15 fatalities, according to Accidents in North
American Mountaineering 2009. With the rise in the number of people
participating in outdoor activities such as skiing, climbing, mountain biking,
and hiking, outdoor accidents and fatalities will also rise, based on
statistics.
NSP released its new Mountain Travel and Rescue Manual in fall 2012.The book is published by The Mountaineers Books, and is also available at Amazon.com and many outdoor stores like REI. An addendum has been created, which can be downloaded here.
Attendees taking Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR) courses will learn a variety
of skills, including nutrition and how the body performs in a wilderness
environment, weather patterns, survival skills, working with group dynamics, an
introduction to search and rescue, rope rescue skills, improvised toboggan
construction, and land navigation with map, compass, and GPS. The MTR courses
are taught in classroom and field sessions, including mock scenarios to ensure
the attendees can apply what they have learned to real life situations.
Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast looking to expand your survival and travel
skills in the backcountry environment or a ski patroller preparing for one of
the worst possible scenarios a parent can face at a ski area (a lost child), the
MTR courses can help you get prepared.
Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals (MTR F)
This course provides students with basic knowledge and skills to travel and work in reasonable comfort and
safety in an outdoor environment. Field practice includes basic navigation, travel, and survival, and an
introduction to search and rescue. This course does not include an overnight
campout.
| Prerequisite: |
None |
| Time Commitment: |
Adequate classroom instruction to prepare students for a field session.
There is no overnight campout included in this course curriculum. |
| Fees: |
National—none; Division—varies; Local—varies |
| Credential: |
NSP Certificate of Achievement |
| Continuing education/refresher requirement: |
Attend local on-the-hill/trail refresher,
audit/retake course, or attend continuing education seminars offered by MTR instructors. |
| Instuctor of Record: |
NSP Mountain Travel and Rescue instructor |
| Required Text: |
|
Mountain, Travel, and Rescue 1 (MTR 1)
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to travel and work in reasonable safety and
comfort in the outdoor environment and to assist a search and/or rescue team, including possible
overnight operations. Field practice includes practice in navigation, travel, survival
skills, basic search and
rescue exercises, and an overnight campout.
| Prerequisite: |
None |
| Time commitment: |
Adequate classroom instruction to prepare students for a field
exercise that lasts through one night. |
| Fees: |
National—none; Division—varies; Local—varies |
| Credentials: |
NSP Certificate of Achievement |
| Continuing education/refresher requirement: |
Attend local on-the-hill/trail refresher,
audit/retake course, or attend continuing education seminars offered by MTR instructors. |
| Instructor of record: |
NSP Mountain Travel and Rescue instructor |
| Required texts: |
Note: Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals and Mountain Travel and Rescue 1 are
parallel rather than sequential courses. Students may select one or the other course, depending on area
needs and requirements. |
Mountain, Travel, and Rescue 2 (MTR 2)
Mountain Travel and Rescue Level 2 is designed as a follow-up course to MTR F
and/or MTR 1. This course provides more in-depth training and field work in land
navigation, search and rescue, rope rescue, improvised toboggan construction,
survival skills, and emergency shelter construction that students can utilize
during the length of the course.
| Prerequisites: |
- Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals, Mountain Travel and Rescue 1, or a basic search and rescue course
from an approved agency may substitute, as determined by the division MTR supervisor.
- Level 1 Avalanche, Avalanche Fundamentals and Rescue courses, or any equivalent avalanche course from an
approved agency, as determined by the MTR division supervisor.
|
| Time commitment: |
- Adequate preparation training prior to field session.
- Minimum two days and one overnight with adequate practice for field session.
- Up to two additional days and nights may be used, not necessarily consecutively,
to better prepare students for the final field exercise.
|
| Fees: |
National—none; Division—varies; Local—varies; Permit fees—if
applicable |
| Credentials: |
NSP Certificate of Achievement |
| Continuing education/refresher requirement: |
Attend local on-the-hill/trail refresher,
audit/retake course, or attend continuing education seminars offered by MTR instructors. |
| Instructor of record: |
NSP Mountain Travel and Rescue instructor |
| Required texts: |
Note: Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals and Mountain Travel and Rescue 1 are
parallel rather than sequential courses. Students may select one or the other course, depending on area
needs and requirements. |
|
|
Mountain Travel and Rescue Enhancement Seminar
The MTR Enhancement Seminar is designed to provide patrollers with the ability to acquire additional and more in-depth training in specific topics within the MTR program. The extended training of specific skills taught in Mountain Travel & Rescue courses allows the patrollers and instructors to focus on one to two topics based on their area needs.
This course provides patrollers and their areas of operation a source to customize their training based on their needs. If an area of operation is prone to having more guests lost on trails, such as backcountry skiers or snowshoers, the patrollers may require additional training in Search & Rescue techniques or the area may have more ravines or gullies and require patrollers to be more skilled at rope rescue and need deeper training in Low Angle Rescue.
The premise of the course is to allow one to two topics to be taught. If only a single topic is needed, then the course will last eight hours covering field and/possibly class work. If two topics are desired then the course will be divided over the two topics covering field and/possible class work. The extended training will allow a more in-depth study of the topic(s), allow more hands on practice, additional practice scenarios, and more real-life experiential knowledge transfer and discussion from instructor to student.
| Potential Course Topics |
| Search & Rescue |
|
| Low Angle Rescue |
|
| Land Navigation |
|
| Survival Skills |
|
| Extended Backcountry Care |
|
|
|
| Prerequisite: |
None |
| Time Commitment: |
Eight hours of class and field exercises |
| Fees: |
National—none; Division—varies; Local—varies |
| Credential: |
NSP Certificate of Achievement |
| Instuctor of Record: |
NSP Mountain Travel and Rescue instructor |
| Required Text: |
Mountain Travel & Rescue Manual |
TEXTS
Mountain Travel and RescueThe required text is available on the NSP website catalog, or can be purchased from Mountaineer Books, Amazon, or REI. NSP members receive a 25 percent discount.
Mountain Travel and Rescue Instructor's Manual
This manual is available as a PDF under MTR Instructor Resources. If you are mentoring a candidate please download the Instructor Manual for the instructor candidate.
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