Basic Alpine Climbing Course

REGISTRATION TIME FRAMES:

Application Submissions: October 6 - October 13 (non-members can apply)

Please read this whole page before applying. It contains important information about a course structure and the level of involvement and time commitment it will require of you.

Application results published: November 3

Cancellation : Refund minus $10 by 2nd lecture (January 13). No refunds on or after this date.

IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR ME?

Please read this page and verify that the Basic Alpine Climbing Course is the right course for your objectives and expectations!

COMMITMENT:

Welcome! We, the Foothills Climbing Committee, are glad you're applying for the Basic Alpine Climbing Class and look forward to instructing and climbing with you this season. Class starts on November 19.

We want to communicate to all applying students the expectations of the Basic Climbing Class in advance of potential acceptance to the class. Keep this in mind as you complete this application. As instructors, we want ensure that you have the best experience possible where you can learn to climb safely. A big part of accomplishing that goal is your participation and your commitment to the class, your fellow students and the instructors.

One of the many things that the Foothills branch offers is a smaller class size (currently limited to 12-14 students) and great student to instructor ratio. In many cases, you’ll see close to a 1-1 student to instructor ratio. Our instructors have a huge commitment to you and spend a lot of time and resources to ensure your safety and learning. With this level of instructor commitment, we expect a high commitment from you as well.

This course requires a commitment to the following:

1.  All weeknight sessions
2.  4 total field trips happening on the weekends
3.  Many extra hours of reading, study and practice
4.  Participation in out of classroom skills practice sessions with your fellow students and instructors
5.  Successful completion of three (3) experience climbs (1 glacier and 1 rock and one of your choice)
6.  Purchase of climbing gear and possibly basic hiking & backpacking gear
7.  A strong level of fitness that will allow you to safely and effectively participate in the field trips and experience climbs
8.  A personal commitment to a regular & disciplined training program to ensure the necessary fitness level

If you take the above items and lay them out in a calendar, you’ll quickly see that completing this class is a serious endeavor (both time and money). Additional corequisites of the course includes successful completion of Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Navigation, Avalanche Awarness and Low Impact Recreation. Completion requires hundreds of hours of your time. We want students that can put this in their calendar and commit to everything now. Make a commitment to yourself, your fellow students and the instructors that you’ll be at all the lectures on time, all the field trips and that you’ll practice, study and prepare to be safe and competent on all field trips/climbs.  We would also ask that you start (or continue) a fitness regimen that will enable you to be in satisfactory shape to participate in the fields trips and climbs.

DIVERSITY

The Foothills Climbing Committee is committed to building and fostering a representative climbing community that reflects the spaces in which we live and recreate. We recognize that outdoor recreation has historically excluded communities of color, women, and LGBTQ people. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other underrepresented communities. 

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

This is a comprehensive introduction to alpine mountaineering. Graduates will develop the fundamental skills necessary to climb alpine peaks in the northwest. We will cover knots, anchors, belaying, rappelling, rock climbing, glacier travel, the fundamentals of self rescue, and crevasse rescue. This course runs approximately five months meeting weekly with several field trips. Attendance at all lectures and field trips, first aid, navigation and completing experience climbs are required for graduation. Participants should be in good cardiovascular shape and be comfortable with basic camping skills.  Foothills offers an intimate learning experience with a high instructor to student ratio. This is perhaps the best reason to select this course.

Although the course is demanding, the rewards are great.  The acquisition of these skills opens the door to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment.  Course graduates are eligible to participate in Basic Climbs, Club Climbs, the Intermediate Climbing Course, and other advanced climbing seminars periodically offered by the Foothills branch.

***Please do not sign up for the course unless you can attend ALL field trips and ALL lectures (missing one lecture due to unforeseen circumstances can be arranged - please talk to leaders before signing up).  

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

• Attend all field trips and lectures
• Successful completion of all field trips
• Current Mountaineers membership
• Current WFA Certification
• Completion of Mountaineers Wilderness Navigation Course (see below)
• Completion of Low Impact Recreation
• Completion of two (2) required experience climbs, one glacier and one rock climb, by Oct 31st.
• Completion of one alpine climb or two alpine scrambles (T3 or higher) in addition to requirement above
• Completion of an approved stewardship event
• Petition the Climbing Committee
• Climbing Committee Approval