Basic Glacier Travel Course

Leader permission is REQUIRED before signing up. Contact the course leader for questions at pmanisha@gmail.com. Submit your application here: http://tinyurl.com/basicglacier2016.

This course will cover ice axe use, roped glacier travel, crevasse rescue techniques, and gear selection that is appropriate for spring/summer glaciated peak climbs in the Pacific NW. This course will cover skills required to be a member of a glacier climb for a basic glacier climb.

This course does not cover rock climbing skills or glacier climbing rope leader skills.

Prerequisites:

The course is designed for those with some previous climbing/scrambling experience who want to learn the basics of safe glacier travel.

• All students must have completed and passed Navigation prior to the first lecture. (See the February/March course listings for navigation course information if you do not have a current navigation card). 
• All students must be current graduates (or have the equivalency badge) of Basic or Advanced Alpine Scramble course offered by The Mountaineers.
• We expect students to be able to hike Mount Si or equivalent (3300 ft elevation gain) in 2 hours or less from the trailhead to the base of the haystack, carrying 15% of their own body weight by the end of March 2016. This is the minimum fitness requirement  to ensure students are physically able to participate in climbs.

Class Structure:

See the Course Requirements tab below.

Graduation Criteria:

Successful completion includes attendance at all lectures and field trips as well as one successful glacier climb.

The dates for the climbs are TBD as leaders schedule them for the summer months. Students will need to be flexible be available to sign up for these climbs and should not take this course if they have a rigid schedule or only have 1-2 weekends that they will be available to go on climbs

It should be noted that past students typically needed two or more scheduled climbs to achieve one successful summit due to changing weather and route conditions. Climbs generally are on weekends but some may be offered only on weekday dates.