OPEN ROLLING REGISTRATION
Limited Spots
PHASE 3: Austere Phase
Canadian Rocky Mountains
IN-PERSON | 7-DAYS | JULY 25-31, 2024
The Strong Link (TSL) Ascend Program, in partnership with Alpine Air Adventures, is back for the second year.
Held in the pristine Canadian Rocky Mountains, The Strong Link Austere Phase challenges leaders to strengthen mental, emotional, and physical resilience through guided training, skills development, and the chance to summit a 9,000 ft mountain. We welcome 2 participant groups.
Group 1 is open for new participants (no experience required). You will complete Alpine Skill Training, where we introduce you to backcountry travel, rock, ice & glacier terrain movement, foundational scrambling and crevasse rescue skills. Finally, as a culmination of your resilience development, led by professional Canadian mountain guides, you will attempt to summit Youngs Peak, a 9,236ft glaciated mountain summit within the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia.
Group 2 is for returning participants who have completed the Alpine Skills Training Week. You will attempt a multi-day mountain traverse along Rogers Pass, within the Selkirk Mountains, overnighting on the Asulkan Glacier at the Saphire Col shelter. The traverse will see participants summit three mountain peaks - Castor Peak (9468ft), Pollux Peak (9110ft), and Leda Peak (8861ft).
Both groups will operate from the Asulkan Mountain Cabin, reachable after a 5-hour elevated traverse through the picturesque Asulkan Valley, based on the Rogers Pass ridgeline.
alpine
skills
TRAINING
SUMMIT ATTEMPT - YOUNGs PEAK
Jupiter Traverse
Group 2: Overview
tRIP
ITINERARY
Day 1 | 25 July | Thursday
- Arrival at Calgary International Airport (YYC) - Shuttle to Kananaskis Resort.
- Austere Phase Preperation & Equipment Issue.
AUSTERE PHASE
Day 2 | 26 July | Friday
- Move to Glacier National Park
- Sightseeing Stops to include: Moraine Lake & Lake Louise.
- Lunch at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
- Hike into Asulkan Hut
Day 3-5 | 27- 29 July | Saturday - Monday
- Group 1 - Alpine Skills Training, Operating out of the Asulkan Cabin throughout.
- Group 2 - Jupiter Traverse will start and end at the Asulkan Cabin, overnighting midway on a mountain bivy site and the Saphire Col Hut.
SUMMIT DAY | 29 July - Monday
- Both groups will conduct their summit attempts on the 29th of July, and re-group at the Asulkan Cabin.
Day 6 | 30 July | Tuesday
- Hike out and depart Glacier National Park by shuttle back to the Kananaskis Resort.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the on-site Nordic Spa & a Celebratory Dinner at the Cedar Room restaurant.
Day 7 | 31 July | Wednesday
- Shuttle lift to Calgary International Airport (YYC) for departures.
PHASE 3: Austere Phase
Austere Skills Learned
IN-PERSON | 7-DAYS | JULY 25-31, 2024
- Personal and group safety considerations for operations within mountain/alpine environments.
- Gain an understanding of weather considerations, route planning, and traversing over rock & ice.
- How to pack for a backcountry traverse and summit attempt.
- Learn basic climbing knots, including the Figure-8, bowline, overhand knot, and others.
- How to pack and utilize alpine technical gear.
- Team coordination techniques for operations in the mountains.
- Glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques.
- Scrambling and approach terrain traversing techniques.
- Being able to descend using a rappelling/abseiling technique.
- How to set rock and ice anchors.
- Alpine and emotional control breathing techniques.
- Testing your own resilience, self-leadership and discipline culminating with your summit attempt.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Whether you’re new or an avid outdoor enthusiast - we‘re bringing like-minded leaders together. Develop your skills, make new memories, and push your limits!
Ascend Program
Developing Grit-Proven, Resilient Leaders.
OPEN ROLLING REGISTRATION
Limited Spots