PLEASE NOTE CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY IN LEADER NOTES BELOW. The Intense Basic Alpine Climbing Course compresses the regular BACC (6 months of 5 lectures and 8 days of 7 field trips) into 10 or 11 continuous and full days. It is a comprehensive and thorough program in training to become a competent climbing partner on technical rock, snow, and glacier climbs in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. You will need to be in full condition and have completed all the assigned reading by day 1. Skills taught include belaying and rope handling, rappelling, 5th class rock climbing, snow/glacier climbing, back-country camping including snow camping, guidance on gear purchases and conditioning, and more. Participants are trained to become solid and competent participants in the realm of alpine climbing on rock and glacier summits in the Pacific Northwest. The course format will be a combination of class lectures, in-town field trips, small group instruction at local crags and alpine climbs in the mountains during the summer, and graduation/reunion in the fall. The course is a large time commitment and requires the purchase of several hundred dollars of gear, especially if you do not currently own much hiking or backpacking gear. Even so, beyond course fees, you can expect to spend at least $500-$700 in climbing gear. Not all things need to be purchased right away, and some things can be borrowed from friends or rented from local gear shops, but be aware there will be an investment. Some things to keep in mind: This is not rock climbing at the crags, it's alpine climbing in the mountains on rock and snow. There are no refunds beyond the first day and only partial refunds prior to then. (see FAQ at https://sites.google.com/site/intensesbca/faq) Alpine climbing with The Mountaineers is an awesome opportunity to go to places in the mountains only few ever get to go; to experience instant trust, bonding, and community not readily available in normal day to day life, all while pushing your physical limits and achieving personal goals. We welcome you to your new adventures. For more details on the course see https://sites.google.com/site/intensebasic/ CAUTION: SOME COURSE DETAILS ARE PRELIMINARY. PLEASE USE THE INTERNET TO GET CURRENT INFORMATION RATHER THAN RELYING ON SAVED WEB PAGES.

This is NOT the place to APPLY for the Intense BACC. The online application will open March 15 and can be found at: sbca.mountaineers.org. Acceptance will be done on a rolling basis from March 15 through May 31. Please return to this site to register and pay the course fee AFTER you have been notified that you are ACCEPTED into the class. Please apply early (at sbca.mountaineers.org on or after 3/15) as we expect the class to be filled before the closing date. Fee's and refund policy. The fee for the Intense Basic Alpine Climbing Course, June 15~25, is $975 ($1,085 for non members). $200 is due upon applying for the course and is non refundable unless you are not accepted or the class is canceled. The remaining $775 must be paid by May 31 at the latest. If it is necessary to drop out for whatever reason before the first class session starts June 15, $500 will be returned and the remainder, $475 will be credited toward the price of the regular or Intense BACC in the future. If a participant drops out for any reason after June 14, 2013 they will be granted 2nd year status and can take the regular or Intense BACC within the next 2 years at no additional fee.