COVID-19 Operational Guidelines
Updated December 8, 2021
The safety of my family, guests, staff, and the vulnerable people in our society is my priority. We are operating for trips where we feel we can appropriately manage the risk of COVID-19. There are some new protocols in place. Please review the following to see how we can counter the risk of contracting COVID-19 while enjoying our trips.
These guidelines will be in place for the summer of 2020. I will review them regularly and update them as necessary. Additional protocols will be formulated for ski operations for the winter of 2020/2021. If you are considering an AST course or ski trip for next season, please contact me to get the most recent information on how operations will be affected.
Vaccination Requirement
All trip participants are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This includes booster shots should public health authorities require them for a person to be considered fully vaccinated, and if they are available.
When possible, accommodations will be made for participants who are unvaccinated due to religious or medical reasons. Other restrictions, such as masking and distancing, may be required from unvaccinated participants.
Screening
PRE-TRIP SCREENING
Clients and staff will be required to answer a health questionnaire prior to starting the trip.
ILLNESS DURING A TRIP
If COVID-19 symptoms develop during a trip, the client will be required to return to their residence.
If this is not possible in the short term, the client will be asked to isolate until evacuation is possible.
REFUNDS
Client payments will be refunded in the following manner:
Refund for any work not performed due to COVID-19 considerations. EG if a three day trip is booked and we climb one day before someone gets sick, two days will be refunded.
No refunds will be made for any non-recoverable trip disbursements. EG non-refundable credit card fees, camping payments etc.
Please review our Terms of Service, which includes our complete cancellation policy.
distancing, masks, and HYGIENE
Distancing
Distancing guidelines vary, with the WHO recommending a minimum of 1 metre, some European countries recommending 1.5 metres, and Canada recommending 2 metres. Although distancing is often easily maintained while in the field, there are exceptions. Examples would be:
Small belay stances.
Helping clients with their personal equipment (EG tying into the climbing rope).
Close interaction during instructional activities.
Applying first aid.
In situations where distancing is not possible, we can use the following methods to reduce the chance of spreading the virus:
Avoid facing each other directly.
If breathing heavily, stop well away from others until breathing is under control.
Talk in a low voice, avoiding shouting or exuberance.
Using masks.
Other distancing measures include:
Guides and participants will drive separately unless they are in the same cohort.
On overnight camping/bivouac trips, separate tents will be used unless participants are in the same cohort.
On overnight hut trips, individuals will sleep 3 m apart.
Masks
Alberta guidelines recommend using masks in “areas where it may be difficult to maintain a 2 metre distance from other people not in your household for prolonged period of times (e.g. 15 minutes or longer)”.
Masks are most useful when everyone in the group wears one. Using a mask properly requires that your hands are sanitized before putting it on or taking it off. Your face or mask should not be touched with non-sanitized hands. This is difficult to do in a climbing scenario and for this reason wearing a mask may increase your risk of contracting the virus, rather than decrease it. Although masks may be utilized in some situations, it is not our policy to use them in every situation where a 2 metre distancing is not possible.
If masks are used, everyone in the group will wear one.
Clients may request that the group wear masks in any situation they feel necessary.
Clients will be required to wear masks in any situation the guide deems necessary.
Masks will be made available to both staff and clients.
HAND HYGieNE
Hand hygiene is perhaps the most important way we can reduce the chances of viral transmission, and it is easier to accomplish than wearing a mask correctly.
If possible, avoid touching your face with your hands, unless they are sanitized.
If possible, avoid eating or drinking with non-sanitized hands.
Proper hand hygiene will be practiced and hand sanitizer will be made available to the client and staff when necessary.
FOOD Hygiene
Self-catering will be encouraged.
On camping trips and bivouacs, food preparation will consist of meals that only need hot water added. Individuals will handle their own food packages and utensils. One person will handle cooking pots while employing proper hand hygiene and wearing a mask.
If more involved cooking is required, only one person will handle food, cooking, and serving duties. Proper hand hygiene will be employed and the cook will wear a mask during meal preparation.
CLEANING
HAND HYGEINE
Proper hand hygiene will be practiced and hand sanitizer will be made available to the client and staff when necessary.
EQUIPMENT HANDLING
Both clients and guides may handle communal equipment. If this is the case, the equipment will be sanitized after use in one of the following ways:
Soft equipment (ropes, harnesses, etc): not handled for 24 hours, OR washed in hot, soapy water.
Hard equipment (EG carabiners, ice axes, etc): not handled for 72 hours, OR washed in hot, soapy water.
Hand hygiene will be employed after handling communal equipment.
RENTAL EQUIPMENT
Rental equipment will be assigned to one person for the duration of the trip, and others are not to handle this equipment.
Rental equipment will be sterilized after use.
Personal Protective Equipment
Alberta guidelines recommend using masks in areas where it may be difficult to maintain a 2 metre distance from other people not in your household for prolonged period of times (e.g. 15 minutes or longer).
Masks are most useful when everyone in the group wears one. Using a mask properly requires that your hands are sanitized before putting it on or taking it off. Your face or mask should not be touched with non-sanitized hands. This is difficult to do in a climbing scenario and for this reason wearing a mask may increase your risk of contracting the virus, rather than decrease it. Although masks may be utilized in some situations, it is not our policy to use them in every situation where a 2 metre distancing is not possible.
If masks are used, everyone in the group will wear one.
Clients may request that the group wear masks in any situation they feel necessary.
Clients will be required to wear masks in any situation the guide deems necessary.
Masks will be made available to both staff and clients.
Responsibilities
The lead guide will be responsible for all Covid-19 precautions.
All contact information for clients and staff will be updated every trip.
Clients and staff who are not compliant with COVID-19 policies will be asked to leave the trip.