​By Sean Soper, Teacher, Argyle Secondary

Late February, I took 28 students in Argyle’s Outdoor Ed 11-12 class on a field trip to Mount Seymour Provincial Park for an introduction to winter backcountry safety and avalanche awareness. Students were given the option to snowshoe or receive an introduction to beginner ski touring while on the trip.

The plan for the day was to head up towards Brockton Point and build winter snow shelters in the meadows, dig a pit to analyze the snowpack, and do a bit of skiing at the end of the day if conditions permit.

Leading up to the day, students had been learning about North Shore Rescue and about backcountry and avalanche safety. In addition to teacher chaperones on the trip, member of North Shore Rescue were invited to join the students on their outdoor learning adventure, to help teach students about winter backcountry safety and enhance the quality of their learning experience.

North Shore Rescue volunteers Eric Angus and Gordon Ferguson joined our group. All NSR volunteers are very experienced in the mountains, and in particular, winter travel and providing first aid/medical assistance.

Having North Shore Rescue team members on the field trip, sharing their knowledge and experience with students and reinforcing what students were learning in the classroom, was fantastic. Students were thrilled to hear directly from the experts in backcountry rescues.

I look forward to continuing to further our relationship with North Shore Rescue through future collaborative adventures.