Glacier Climbing

Orientation June 16, 2016 (6:30 - 9:30 PM)

Field Outing 1: June 24 - 26, 2016

Field Outing 2: July 7 - 10, 2016

Overview

Want to learn to climb Mount Baker, Rainier, Glacier Peak, or other spectacular glaciated alpine peaks? Looking to have fun in the mountains, learn essential safety skills, and experience the unique camaraderie and power of the "team"? This course will provide you a well-rounded base of glacier travel skills that are ess6ential for achieving these goals.

The course consists of one classroom session and two field trips. The classroom session will provide an overview of the course content and will cover gear selection, conditioning, teamwork, problem solving and trip planning. During the field sessions you will learn and practice in-balance climbing, how to self-arrest a fall with an ice-ax, rope handling, belaying, crevasse rescue, crampon technique, snow-camping, hazard assessment and other essential climbing techniques. The field sessions include one 3-day session and one 4-day session. The 4-day session includes hands-on practice of glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills plus a summit climb attempt of Mount Shuksan, Mount Baker, Eldorado Peak, or Sahale Mountain.

Course Schedule

Classroom Session 1:

Course Overview: Gear Requirements, Physical Conditioning, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Communication.

Field Outing 1:

Team Building, Navigation with Map & Compass, Snow Travel Skills, Roped Travel Skills, Anchors & Belays, Snow Camping.

Field Outing 2:

Navigation, Route-Finding, Glacier Travel Skills, Crevasse Rescue Practice, Summit Climb.

Note: The Classroom session will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Please bring your questions and any questionable gear that you would like us to evaluate for use in the class. Field session dates are subject to change based on weather, snowpack and other conditions. Please contact us for more information.