Press release
March 21, 2024
Headquartered in Canmore, Alberta, ACC operates the largest network of backcountry huts in North America. The huts are user-maintained and are not staffed, but they are visited often by volunteer hut ambassadors. Beginning in Summer 2024, ACC’s hut ambassadors will all be searchable with RECCO reflectors.
The ACC will be hosting an open house at its national office and Clubhouse hostel in Canmore later this spring. A RECCO instructor will be in attendance to demonstrate the search functionality and the importance of remaining searchable in the backcountry.
“Mountain safety has been a core concern of The Alpine Club of Canada since our founding in 1906,” said Keith Haberl, ACC Director Marketing and Communications. “Partnering with RECCO is a natural step forward in helping keep Canadians safe and searchable in the backcountry.”
This year, all of ACC’s volunteer hut ambassadors will all be searchable with RECCO reflectors, and ACC will host RECCO education sessions across the country.
The RECCO system is used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries, including by top resorts and rescue organizations in the United States and Canada. Its reflectors are embedded into products from more than 150 outdoor gear brands such as Helly Hansen, POC, Patagonia, Black Diamond, and Arc’teryx.
RECCO is well-known worldwide as an advanced technology that can help locate people in the case of avalanche burials. With the introduction of the brand’s helicopter-mounted detector in 2015, the system has grown into a tool to assist in four-season rescue operations to locate a range of outdoor users such as hikers, bikers, and runners. Four helicopter detectors are in use in Canada by Alpine Helicopters (Alberta), Helico Secours (Québec), North Shore Rescue (British Columbia), and Vernon Search and Rescue (British Columbia).
“We are thrilled to build on our existing network of RECCO Detectors in Canada,” said Fredrik Steinwall, CEO at RECCO. “By equipping ACC’s ambassadors with reflectors and educate end consumers together with ACC , more people will be searchable and better prepared for their outdoor adventures.”
RECCO® advanced rescue technology makes outdoor enthusiasts searchable to rescuers in case of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. The technology builds on a two-part radar system. Rescuers carry RECCO® detectors that send out search signals which are echoed by RECCO® reflectors, carried by the user. RECCO® detectors are used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries. RECCO® reflectors are integrated into select apparel, helmets, protection gear and boots manufactured by more than 150 leading outdoor brands. RECCO AB was founded in 1983 in Sweden and is owned by its founder Magnus Granhed and the publicly traded investment company Traction AB (listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm). More info at recco.com
