2023 International Mountain Medicine Symposium Schedule Below
2024 International Mountain Medicine Symposium Schedule TBD
Please be aware that the schedule, much like anything in life, is at the mercy of the greater forces and events around us.
The agenda below may be subject to change.
This 2-day hands-on workshop is structured for mountain rescue personnel committed to developing and reinforcing their technical rope rescue skills in a variety of challenging terrain settings. Our primary emphasis in this team-oriented overview will be exploring select rigging options and techniques that are safe, timely, efficient, and most importantly gentle on the patient and rescuers. In addition, a critical thinking hands-on approach in introducing the “whys” behind safe, timely and efficient rope rescue rigging and systems analysis based on the rules of physics will be the hallmark of this workshop.
Much of our time will be spent in realistic, practical, and challenging terrain settings in and around the Silverton area. Workshop size is limited to 16 students. Sign up early as this workshop will fill up quickly! Learn More
This 2-day hands-on workshop is structured for mountain rescue personnel committed to developing and reinforcing their technical rope rescue skills in a variety of challenging terrain settings. Our primary emphasis in this team-oriented overview will be exploring select rigging options and techniques that are safe, timely, efficient, and most importantly gentle on the patient and rescuers. In addition, a critical thinking hands-on approach in introducing the “whys” behind safe, timely and efficient rope rescue rigging and systems analysis based on the rules of physics will be the hallmark of this workshop.
Much of our time will be spent in realistic, practical, and challenging terrain settings in and around the Silverton area. Workshop size is limited to 16 students. Sign up early as this workshop will fill up quickly! Learn More
This lecture will review the current literature and new recommendations published in Resuscitation in 2023. Emphasis will be on applying best practices to the reality of mountain medicine in Colorado.
A presentation with case examples on common tropical diseases and treatment considerations.
A rescue case study focusing on identifying the critical patient as they go from bad to worse.
This presentation will review the process of bleeding and hemostasis, then discuss methods to achieve hemostasis in the field.
A case presentation with discussion of current guidelines for the management of drowning and hypothermia patients.
The ability to think critically is a desired skill by EMS providers and rescuers at all levels, yet the concept isn’t easily defined, quantified, or taught. This presentation explores how we use information under pressure, and how critical thinking skills can be taught and practiced.
Stress injury is inevitable in SAR, ski patrol, and EMS. This lecture will provide information on stress injury risk factors, resilience training, field coping techniques and post incident response.
Not provided for by Symposium
Alaska is a great place to get lost! Using actual cases as a platform we will explore the challenges of SAR in this vast wilderness.
A kinesthetic walk through a case series of challenging airway situations.
An interactive demonstration of splinting as well as management of ABCs in the wilderness, followed by a discussion on what to carry in your IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) and Base Camp Bag.
Join experienced mountain pilot Brandon Laird and SAR physician Tim Durkin as they discuss benefits, limitations and use-cases for current and emerging helicopter search technologies including visual searching, cameras, night vision, infrared, heli-RECCO, avalanche transceivers, and cellular detection.
This presentation will focus on avalanche awareness and will introduce attendees to the natural hazard of avalanche phenomena. Through the course of this we will be discussing pearls learned from local SAR avalanche incidents.
This is a hands-on workshop that aims to cover medical and trauma topics particular to the avalanche victim. We will meld the best practices and expert recommendations provided by ICAR, WMS, and Avalife to provide a framework and approach for what to do After the Avalanche.
Registration Limited to 16 Participants
A water-based workshop on whitewater safety and rescue techniques.
Registration limited to 12 participants.
This is a workshop in which small groups of attendees will complete a task under time pressure, fear, and other distractors. After a brief review of theories from cognitive psychology and neuroscience on expertise, problem solving, and decision-making participants will reflect on how stresses affect task performance in the demonstration and in real work, as well as discussing ways to maximize performance under various stresses.
Registration is Limited to 20 Participants
A backcountry Q&A hosted in-person by one of Silverton’s regional HEMS services. This will take place out at Silverton’s in-town helicopter LZ (weather permitting).
We will examine common, inexpensive drugs that can be used for life threatening emergencies in the backcountry which are not traditionally utilized for these situations.
This presentation discusses a critical-thinking approach to treating and transporting patients who have suffered high-mechanism trauma in the backcountry with possible spinal injury.
A hands-on workshop for splinting extremities in extremis.
Mountain and wilderness clinicians often need to telecommunicate patient information to other rescuers, consultants and receiving facilities. In this workshop we will review patient assessment skills as well as communication means and methods utilized in the backcountry.
Registration is Limited to 16 Participants
Not provided for by Symposium
A presentation on the history of Silverton’s SAR and EMS forebears and the challenging path that was taken to unite the two into Silverton Medical Rescue: a unique ambulance service providing advanced medicine to an isolated mountain community, all the while responsible for SAR operations in one of Colorado’s most austere settings.
A presentation on the individual’s neuroendocrine response to psychological stress.
Using a case study from an ice climbing fall we will take an in-depth look into the human body systems and their roles in maintaining homeostasis.
This lecture will focus on the identification of pelvic fractures and review recent literature regarding when pelvic binding may be clinically indicated.
Prehospital helicopter patient packaging seems simple, but doing it properly when a life is on the line during hot operations takes, skill, artistry and a grasp on physiology of the human body. In this hands-on demonstration we’ll learn how to prep and package with the help of our own helicopter present to help instill these lessons.
This is a hands on skill station that will provide opportunities to view, discuss, and practice various lowering systems for high-angle rope rescue. In addition, this station will demonstrate patient packaging techniques for high-angle rescue using a litter.
Registration is limited to 15 participants.
Shoulder injuries are common in outdoor recreation and the shoulder joint is the most commonly dislocated joint in the body. Shoulder dislocation can be debilitating in a mountain environment, but can often be easily reduced in the field. In this workshop we will review evaluation of the acutely injured shoulder and teach attendees proven reduction methods that can be safely used in the field.
Registration is limited to 16 participants.
We’ll be presenting a recent avalanche case review in the San Juans from the SAR and medical standpoint.
A session that focuses on inspiring and motivating others to understand the importance of health and wellness and to take action to be the best version of themselves through hard work and discipline
Here we tell the riveting story of a crevasse rescue in Alaska to take home both the technical lessons as well as an understanding of the dangers for rescuers involved.
Please be aware that the schedule is subject to change.
This course has been approved for Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credits through the Wilderness Medical Society.
Actual credits awarded depend on personal credit needs and history.
Click here to download the Schedule in PDF format.