Wilderness First Aid Training and Certification
Our WFA class. A small but great group. Bob there on the right in front of his cabin on the ski hill.
I had a really fun and educational time last weekend up in Killington, VT getting trained and certified as a Wilderness First Aid responder with Bob of Killington Mountain Guides. He certifies under the auspices of SOLO SCHOOL (based out of NH).
Me and Bob with the make-shift splint and sling I made.
So great to have this safety training for the hikers I take out with TDG… and for hiking with friends… or hiking solo… or even accidents I may encounter whenever and wherever. Hopefully I never have to use it!
I don’t like to think of day hiking as a dangerous activity (it’s not… probably safer than many everyday activities we all do, such as driving), but it’s certainly a good thing to be able to assist in an on-trail emergency if the need should arise.
Leg splint. Bob was not only a great teacher, but also a great test patient!
I learned how to stop bleeding, to make a make-shift tourniquet. How to make a splint from branches. How do deal with allergic reactions. How to make a shelter. What to do in lightning. How to assess and deal with a person who has gone down or is unconscious, etc.
Building a shelter.
I’d also like to say a few words about the setting at Bob’s compound. Bob is not only a climbing guide, but also a back country skiing guide. He’s located in the deep valley along Rt 100. But what’s really cool is that he has built his own ski area on his property! He calls it “Mount Honcho.” It is quite steep and has a few trails coming down from the ridge. Must be at least 800ft of vertical (maybe more). I saw first hand as we hiked halfway up the the mountain to a sort of midway station where Bob has built a cabin.
View from the training site halfway up the ski area.
The training site/midway cabin
Bob has incredible stories of rescue operations and from his 20 years as a Vermont state police officer. He’s seen some wild things over the years. Great for students and his stories really make the training more real.
But he’s mostly an outdoors guide, leading climbers and backcountry skiers on amazing trips. If you are ever interested in getting a climbing or skiing guide, or doing some wilderness training yourself, Bob at KMG is your guy!
Thanks again to Bob and Killington Mountain Guides! (When I need to recertify I’ll definitely be doing it up there.)
Until next time..
-TDG
PS: I did a cool hike to “Maine Junction” from Sherburne Pass after the first day of training on Saturday. Maine Junction is the spot where the Long Trail (the trail that runs the whole length of VT from the border with Massachusetts (very close to where I live in North Adams) to the border with Canada. For the first 1/3 it is same as the Appalachian Trail (hence you see “AT / LT” signs), but then at Maine Junction near Killington, the AT heads East to New Hampshire, while the Long Train continues Northwards.
Nice hike, not too long or too much climbing (a bit at the start). There is a cool excursion that takes you to the dramatic Deer Leap cliff that overlooks the pass. A big spot for the proper climbers like Bob.
