Site Management Courses
Introduction
Staff
training, local operating procedures, safety policies, and even
industry standards have historically focused on acquiring activity
specific skills. If management strategies are taught they also tend to
be specific to the activity and, in many cases, to an individual site.
While the actual skills and techniques required to safely operate a
climbing site radically differ from those required to run a rapid or
lead a hike, the concepts behind the management of each activity remain
the same. A solid grasp of site management theory coupled with a
educational model and field training connects the dots between seemingly
different activities and promotes a consistent thought process for
assessing and managing hazards. In outdoor programs where site
management theory forms the foundation of the staff training, staff are
proactive, able to think on their feet and react quickly and
appropriately to anticipate and prevent potentially dangerous situations
from developing. In short, these programs have few incidents and are
considered safe and of high quality by their participants.
Site Management Theory
Site management is continuous process that begins when the students arrive, ends when they leave, and occurs in the present tense. Regardless of the activity or the presenting hazard(s) site management can be conceptually subdivided into stationary site management, moving site management, and the transition zones between them. As they progress through a program, students are either relatively stationary as they engage in an activity or moving as they travel towards a destination. Stationary site management refers to the management strategies and practices utilized by the staff anytime a group or individual is in camp, cooking, or otherwise participating in any type of “stationary” activity. Moving site management is the opposite and refers to the management strategies and practices utilized during group travel.
 | There are two fundamental differences between stationary and moving site management. In stationary site management the hazards and safe zones are known and exist with in clearly defined boundaries; in moving site management both the hazards and terrain are constantly changing as the group moves. The position of instructors and their physical relationship to the students and the terrain during any activity is crucial to safe management of the activity’s hazards. Mistakes are usually associated with an inaccurate assessment of the outdoor and/or human skills of the students and instructional staff, a flawed hazard and/or risk assessment, and inappropriate instructor positioning. Injury or death may occur when the level of actual risk is high and the site management plan fails. Ideally no activity where the consequence of a mistake is serious injury or death should be managed as a moving site. If the hazards cannot be safely managed as a stationary site, cancel the activity or move it to a safer site.
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Stationary Site Management
Stationary site management is limited by physical boundaries: the bottom of a rapid, a specific rapid, a top roped climbing site, a surf zone, a first aid or rescue simulation site, a camp kitchen, a flint napping station, etc. Instructors identify local hazards and position themselves and their students in order to neutralize or minimize any actual risk the hazards present. Common characteristics of stationary sites are a high degree of communication (between all participants), the ease and availability of feedback, and a high degree of instructor control over safety. Within each stationary site there are designated “safe zones”—gathering points or areas where unmonitored student movement is safe. Each safe zone has its own clearly marked boundaries. On a river safe zones are usually eddies large enough to safely accommodate the group and provide easy access to shore. At a climbing site the safe zone is usually a “corral” slightly away from the actual climbing but within sight of the instructors. When sea kayaking, safezones are outside the surf zone and on the beach. In camp, a designated community area is separate from the kitchen with a hand washing station convenient to both.
Stationary site management is limited by physical boundaries: the bottom of a rapid, a specific rapid, a top roped climbing site, a surf zone, a first aid or rescue simulation site, a camp kitchen, a flint napping station, etc. Instructors identify local hazards and position themselves and their students in order to neutralize or minimize any actual risk the hazards present. Common characteristics of stationary sites are a high degree of communication (between all participants), the ease and availability of feedback, and a high degree of instructor control over safety. Within each stationary site there are designated “safe zones”—gathering points or areas where unmonitored student movement is safe. Each safe zone has its own clearly marked boundaries. On a river safe zones are usually eddies large enough to safely accommodate the group and provide easy access to shore. At a climbing site the safe zone is usually a “corral” slightly away from the actual climbing but within sight of the instructors. When sea kayaking, safezones are outside the surf zone and on the beach. In camp, a designated community area is separate from the kitchen with a hand washing station convenient to both.
Stationary sites are often used within a progression to train specific outdoor and human skills. When they are used to assess the students’ level of mastery in preparation for managing a future moving site, the students will need to be tested to failure; it is only at the point of failure that an accurate assessment of both human and outdoor skills can be made. It is imperative that instructors are able to stop all student action at a moments notice when designing and managing activities that will challenge students to the point of failure. It is crucial to student safety for instructors to prevent a stationary site from becoming an unplanned moving site (e.g.:the unexpected student swim or flip that quickly evolves into an unplanned downstream rescue, a controlled snow descent that turns into a free-for-all glissade, etc.). |  Stationary Rock Climbing Site |
Moving Site Management
In moving site management the physical boundaries and hazards are constantly changing. For this reason moving sites generally require a higher level of instructor and student mastery—or significantly less hazards—in order to achieve the same level of safety that is possible from managing the same hazards as a stationary site. In most moving sites communication and feedback is slower and less immediate, because the group tends to be more spread out. In addition, instructors have less control over safety since the time between hazard recognition and management tactics is significantly less. As the risk increases, instructors position themselves closer to the front of the group. In high risk terrain, both instructors in a two-person instructor team (with up to 10 students or clients) would be in the front of the group to anticipate and manage any hazards. In safe but confusing terrain, the instructors would typically
choose a lead and sweep position to keep the group together. In safe
terrain where there is no danger of separation, instructors may choose
to mix freely with the group to mentor or build relationships with
individual students. When the instructors believe their students are
capable of safe travel they may decide to position themselves at the
back of the group or separate from the group entirely. There are
numerous possible variations each with their own pros & cons...and
some strategies serve mixed purposes. Groups traveling in large open
areas, usually the ocean or lakes, may spread laterally as well. In
these cases instructors must adopt flank positions (in addition to
lead, middle, and sweep) that are appropriate to the terrain and its
hazards such as a windward or leeward shore or between the students and
a surf zone.
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 Moving Roped Climbing Site  Moving Sea Kayaking Site  Moving Hiking Site |
Site Management TrainingTraining site management is an art in and of itself and to be effective it must be both conceptual and practical: theory must be transferred into effective field management practices. A generic site management course has four basic components or blocks; blocks 1 & 3 are theory-based and typically take place in a classroom setting while blocks 2 & 4 must occur in the field.
Paul Nicolazzo, WMTC’s director, developed site management theory over a lifetime of field work and has spent decades training both field staff and trainers. WMTC site management courses offer the best site management training available in the world; the basic course addresses land and/or water-based concepts and skills. Our site management courses are custom built around one or two tiers: Tier 1 is designed for established outdoor professionals who wish to train their staff in basic site management theory and practice. Tier 2 is designed to train upcoming outdoor professionals in basic land and/or water-based site management. |  |
A example of the macro structure for a basic and two tiered land and water-based site management training is illustrated below together with the mission, core strategies, and pre-course requirements for each tier. Note that Tier 2 is nested within Tier 1. Please contact the WMTC office if you are interested in sponsoring a site management training.
Tier 1
Tier 1 Mission
To train established outdoor professionals to teach basic water & land-based site management so they may, in turn, train the staff/students in their individual programs. The course ends with consulting and planning for their individual programs.
Tier 1 Core Strategies
Professionals (typically two per patrol) are trained to teach basic water and/or land-based site management training concepts & strategies. Professionals work with experienced site management trainers to instruct a water and land-based site management training to upcoming outdoor professionals. Course ends with consulting and planning for their individual programs to successfully integrate site management training into their existing curriculum. Graduate credit may be available as independent study or special projects credit through the participant’s college or university.
Tier 1 Pre-course Requirements for land & water-based training
Tier 2
Tier 2 Mission
To train upcoming outdoor professionals in basic land and/or water-based site management.
Tier 2 Core Strategies
Eight to twenty students (1-2 patrols) with documented prior experience in canoeing, backpacking, LNT, and top-rope climbing are trained in basic land & water-based site management theory & practice; the course is often followed by, or linked to, a student practicum. Undergraduate and graduate credit may be available via independent study or special projects through the participant’s college or university.
Tier 2 Pre-course Requirements for land & water-based training
Tier 1 Mission
To train established outdoor professionals to teach basic water & land-based site management so they may, in turn, train the staff/students in their individual programs. The course ends with consulting and planning for their individual programs.
Tier 1 Core Strategies
Professionals (typically two per patrol) are trained to teach basic water and/or land-based site management training concepts & strategies. Professionals work with experienced site management trainers to instruct a water and land-based site management training to upcoming outdoor professionals. Course ends with consulting and planning for their individual programs to successfully integrate site management training into their existing curriculum. Graduate credit may be available as independent study or special projects credit through the participant’s college or university.
Tier 1 Pre-course Requirements for land & water-based training
- Completed a 2-day Effective Outdoor Program Design & Management workshop (may be incorporated into the Trainer Planning block).
- Outdoor professional with 4-6+ years experience managing their own program and/or training staff.
- Documented experience leading multi-week trips
- Mastery of canoe expedition skills (portaging, lining, lake travel, Class III boat handling skills, and basic whitewater rescue.
- Mastery of backpacking expedition skills: campcraft, LNT, on & off trail navigation, shallow water river crossing techniques.
- Experience setting-up and managing institutional top-rope climbing sites based on current AMGA or PCIA standards.
- Wilderness First Responder certification required.
Tier 2
Tier 2 Mission
To train upcoming outdoor professionals in basic land and/or water-based site management.
Tier 2 Core Strategies
Eight to twenty students (1-2 patrols) with documented prior experience in canoeing, backpacking, LNT, and top-rope climbing are trained in basic land & water-based site management theory & practice; the course is often followed by, or linked to, a student practicum. Undergraduate and graduate credit may be available via independent study or special projects through the participant’s college or university.
Tier 2 Pre-course Requirements for land & water-based training
- Documented experience in canoeing, backpacking, LNT, and top-rope climbing.
- Documented experience paddling a canoe in Class I-II whitewater. Students should be able to use a throw rope, self-rescue themselves and their canoe in moving current, complete a T-rescue, and act as a rescue boat in Class I whitewater.
- Students should have participated in at least two multi-day backpacking trips, be able to light and safely use a gas-fired backpacking stove, use a map & compass to travel on and off trail in easy terrain, understand and have experience using LNT principles.
- Students should be familiar with basic knots, anchors, and set-up for an institutional top roped climbing site based on current AMGA or PCIA standards.
- Wilderness First Aid certification required, WFR preferred.
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