Basic Alpine Climbing Course

this course is full as is the waitlist. 

APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE ARE NOW CLOSED.

NOTE:

WHEN MANAGING YOUR REGISTration PLEASE DO NOT SIGN-UP FOR SIG-RELATED ACTIVITIES unless you have permission from your small instructional group (SIG) leader.

The Basic Alpine Climbing Course is a year-long program preparing students to be solid and competent climbers reaching rock and glacier summits of the Pacific Northwest. The course format is a combination of class lectures, field trips, small group instruction at local crags, and alpine climbs in the mountains during the summer. The course includes 4 lectures and 9 field trips plus readings.

After successful completion of the coursework, students start going on climbs, always with carefully selected, experienced leaders. An adequate level of physical fitness is required.

Skills taught include belaying, rappelling, rope handling, lower 5th class rock climbing, snow climbing, glacier travel, back-country camping including on snow, guidance on gear purchases and conditioning, and more - lots more.

Read more about THE COURSE here

The course is a significant time commitment and also requires the purchase of several hundred dollars of clothing and equipment, especially for those who do not already have hiking or backpacking gear. Even those who have some equipment already can expect to spend at least $500 or more on gear, and the course fee is $975.

Not all things need to be purchased right away, however, and some things can be rented from local mountain shops or borrowed from friends. But be aware our course requires an investment of both time and money. Some things to keep in mind: This is not rock climbing at the crags, it's summit-oriented alpine climbing in the mountains on rock, snow, and glaciers. There are no refunds beyond the first class meeting in December. 

Alpine climbing with The Mountaineers is an awesome opportunity to confidently and competently visit places where few can go; to experience levels of instant trust, bonding, and community not commonly experienced in everyday life, all while pushing your physical limits and achieving personal goals.

Welcome to your new adventures. We look forward to sharing them with you.

Due to the size of this course, we form Small Instructional Groups (SIG) of 8-10 students and pair them with an experienced leader and a few assistants to help the leader, in instructing at any practice sessions, conditioning hikes, and SIG field trips. You will be notified of your groups when the course starts.

It is important to note that in addition to the activities listed below at the time of course registration, 2 SIG Field Trips (Rock + Snow Overnight Scrambling), Conditioning Hikes, and Skills Night Sessions on weekdays (mostly Mondays but caries on space availability and SIG coordination)  are yet to be scheduled after coordinating with your respective SIG leads and students. 

READ CODY'S (2016 STUDENT) EXPERIENCE WITH THE COURSE

SCHOLARSHIPS / Financial Assistance

The Mountaineers is committed to making our courses accessible to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. Our courses are priced to cover our costs, but we know that costs add up quickly, especially when students also need to purchase gear.  We encourage students to apply for our scholarship program, which is funded by generous donors to make courses more accessible. Applications may take up to 2 weeks to process and Financial Assistance can not be applied to courses or activities already registered for. You can learn more about and apply for a scholarship.