Winter School Leader/Trip Ratings
Leader/Trip Rating Definitions
Winter School leaders are assigned a terrain rating and an optional activity rating. Leaders can be assigned full or co-ratings. Full leaders are expected to mentor co-leaders and take responsibility for risk management decisions.
Ratings by Terrain
- A: below treeline, within 1 hour of intensive care
- B: anything below treeline more than one hour from intensive care
- C: above treeline
Ratings by Activity
- I: single-pitch ice climbing
- I+: multi-pitch ice climbing
- S: backcountry skiing (not required for cross-country skiing)
Activity ratings are secondary to terrain ratings: a {B, S} leader can only lead ski mountaineering trips below treeline. A leader rated {A, co-B, co-I} can act as primary leader on A-level trips, can co-lead B-level trips with a full B or C leader, and can co-lead ice climbing trips as long as they qualify as B level or below.
Note that coS leaders can lead uphill ski trips within resort boundaries without a full S co-leader. Additionally, all A, B, or C leaders can lead downhill resort ski trips without an S or co-S rating.
Leader Requirements
All WS trips must have at least two leaders and one of these leaders must be a full leader for the terrain (and if necessary the activity).
A coB leader needs a full B leader to co-lead a B trip.
For A and B activity trips (climbing or skiing) one leader can be the full leader for the activity and the other leader can be the full leader for the terrain.
A B coI and a coB I leader can lead a BI trip together.
This is not the case for C trips. If you want to lead a C trip with ice climbing or skiing, the full C leader also needs to be the full I or S leader as the terrain itself and activity can’t be separated effectively from a risk management perspective.
A C coS and coC S can NOT lead a CS trip. A CS leader is required for a CS trip.