Basic Glacier Travel Course - Seattle - 2026

Climbing Course

Basic Glacier Travel Course

Learn glacier skills which will allow you to be a member of a rope team on a Basic Glacier climb

Questions? Just email: glacier.climbing.seattle@gmail.com

Application Period: Nov 7 - Nov 28 (CLOSED)
Everyone needs to fill out an application and have it approved before being accepted into the Basic Glacier Course.

Application Results: By Dec 7
After your application has been reviewed, you will be notified by email of your application status.

If you are accepted you'll be invited to sign up and pay for the course.

Prerequisite:
Strong preference will be given to Scrambling Course graduates or equivalent (with a badge in your profile), with an emphasis on snow scramble experience. If you don't have that badge because you still need to complete First Aid or another piece of the Scrambling Course then you'll be considered if there's still space remaining. If you haven't taken the Scrambling Course but have significant scrambling experience (especially on snow!) outside of the Mountaineers then you'll be considered if there's still space remaining.

Course description:  This course is the glacier component of the Basic Alpine Climbing Course. You'll learn to travel safely on glaciers while roped up, and you'll learn technical skills such as crevasse rescue and rappelling. In addition to weekday field trips held at the program center, there will be a weekend field trip  in the mountains on snow and ice. Students and graduates of this course are able to sign up for Basic Glacier climbs just like graduates of the Basic Alpine Climbing Course.

Course Requirements
Course Activity Date Availability Leader
Meet & Greet, "What's In Your Pack" Gear Overview
Seattle Program Center
Wed, Jan 28, 2026
Registration closes Jan 26
27 participants
6 instructors
Basic Glacier Travel - Field Trip 1: Knots/Ropes/Prusiking
Seattle Program Center
Mon, Feb 2, 2026
Registration closes Feb 1
10 participants
3 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Feb 5, 2026
Registration closes Feb 3
10 participants
2 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Fri, Feb 13, 2026
Registration closes Feb 11
10 participants
3 instructors
Basic Glacier Travel - Field Trip 2: Rappelling
Seattle Program Center
Wed, Feb 25, 2026
Registration closes Feb 23
15 participants
3 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Registration closes Mar 2
15 participants
3 instructors
Basic Glacier Travel - Field Trip 3: Crevasse Rescue
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Mar 19, 2026
Registration closes Mar 17
10 participants
3 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Tue, Mar 24, 2026
Registration closes Mar 22
10 participants
2 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Mar 26, 2026
Registration closes Mar 24
10 participants
3 instructors
Basic Glacier Travel - Snow Field Trip: Ice Axe Arrest, Roped Travel, Crevasse Rescue, Snow-Camping
Annette Lake
Sat, Apr 4, 2026 -
Sun, Apr 5, 2026
Registration closes Apr 2
10 participants
3 instructors
Annette Lake
Sat, Apr 11, 2026 -
Sun, Apr 12, 2026
Registration closes Apr 9
10 participants
3 instructors
Annette Lake
Sat, Apr 18, 2026 -
Sun, Apr 19, 2026
Registration closes Apr 16
10 participants
3 instructors
Basic Glacier Travel - Crevasse Rescue Evaluations
Seattle Program Center
Tue, May 12, 2026
Registration closes May 10
18 participants
5 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Thu, May 14, 2026
Registration closes May 12
12 participants
3 instructors
Roster
Required Equipment

See the Student Handbook

IMPORTANT: Strongly recommended to not buy gear until after the meet & greet. We will go over gear details so you can better understand what works best for you.

Course Materials

You must register for this course to see course materials.