Scrambling Course

Compressed Alpine Scrambling Course

Due to Covid-10 restrictions, The 2021 Alpine Scramble Course is being run in a pod format. This however is not a traditional compressed course. Pods will register 6-8 students with 2-3 instructors. Pods will complete all parts of the course together with the exception of the Experience Field Trip in June. The Experience Field trip will serve to give students a chance to work with other leaders/instructors for more well-rounded learning opportunities.

Info: COVID-19: Learn about our most up-to-date guidance for participants and leaders on our COVID-19 Response page. All participants and leaders must agree to the COVID-19 Code of Conduct before participating in this Mountaineers course.

Thu, Feb 11, 2021 - Sun, Oct 31, 2021
Committee: Seattle Alpine Scrambling
Members: $385.00 Guests: $500.00
Apply for a scholarship
Availability: 10 (115 capacity)
Cancellation & Refund Policy

Alpine Scrambling fills the gap between on trail hiking and roped climbing. In the Alpine Scrambling course you will learn essential techniques of off-trail wilderness travel needed for reaching snow and rock summits. Alpine scrambling may at times involve unroped movement on and across low or moderately-exposed snow and rock terrain, but does not include roped climbing.

The Scramble course consists of 3 in town workshops and 3 single day field trips. The workshops introduce skills, which are then refined out in the field.

Workshops
- Course Introduction and Gear: Overview of what scrambling is, setting course expectations, and a gear show and tell.
- Snow Travel: Snow travel safety (avalanche) presentation, ice axe introduction, ice axe arrest practice.
- Rock Travel: Movement on a variety of rock surfaces, protected downclimb (emergency descent method).

Field Trips
- Snow Travel: Moving through snow, walking in balance, ice axe self belay, ice axe arrest practice, winter navigation.
- Rock Travel: Moving on rock, protected downclimb practice.
- Experience Field Trip: Putting it all together and final evaluation. Demonstrate all skills learned in the course on a trip including both snow and rock travel to a summit.
  Required Equipment
  
  In addition to the course fees, scrambling requires a substantial amount of gear. In addition to general outdoor gear (outdoor clothing, rain gear, backpack, 10 essentials, etc) there are a few technical pieces of gear required. These are Mountaineering boots (different from hiking boots, $300-$500), a ice axe ($70-$100), and a climbing helmet ($60-$100). The majority of the first workshop is dedicated to gear, we encourage you to wait until after the gear workshop to make purchases.

Additional Requirements
- Attend one conditioning hike.
- Complete the online Low Impact Recreation quiz.
- Complete a Stewardship event
- Complete 3 scrambles
- Complete the First Aid course
- Complete the Navigation Course
  - ** First Aid and Navigation are separate courses with their own fees.