Intensive Basic Alpine Climbing Course

Welcome to intense Basic!

Permission to register for Intense Basic is by application only. The 2019 application period is now closed. If you did not apply for the program during the application period, any email inquiries to join will not receive a response. For course related questions, please email basic.intense@gmail.com

About Intense Basic

The Intense Basic Alpine Climbing Course compresses the regular Basic Alpine Climbing Course (6 months of 5 lectures and 8 days of 7 field trips) into 9 continuous and full days. It is a comprehensive and thorough program in training to become a competent climbing partner on technical rock, snow, and glacier climbs in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

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

Participants are trained to become solid and competent participants in the realm of alpine climbing on rock and glacier summits in the Pacific Northwest.

The course format will be a combination of class lectures, in-town field trips, small group instruction at local crags and alpine climbs in the mountains during the summer, and a graduation in the fall.

Course Requirements and prerequisites

If you feel you are prepared to become an alpine climber, we invite you to apply. We recommend you read through the requirements of the course before applying. Additional details can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/intensesbca/requirements

CONDITIONING

Good conditioning is essential to safe travel in the mountains. A climber who is not ready for the physical challenges of a mountain can put others lives at risk. 

You will be required to attend at least ONE conditioning hike prior to the June 16th course date. During this hike you will be timed with a weighted pack. The benchmark goal is to hike to the top of Mt. Si in under 2 hours, with a pack weight equalling 20% of your bodyweight. This hike will be timed and monitored by a Mountaineers leader. 

Completion of the conditioner hike with a Mountaineers leader is a requirement to participate in the course starting on June 15th.

PRACTICE SKILLS NIGHTS

We will be hosting multiple practice skills nights at the Mountaineers program center in Seattle to help you hone your skills. You are also welcome to attend the skills nights for the regular basic course. These are optional, but highly recommended.

GEAR

The required equipment for this course will cost anywhere from $500-$800, assuming you already own basic hiking and camping gear. Please be aware that this cost is in addition to the course fee. 

We will be providing you with many opportunities to speak with our instructors about how to purchase the right gear. We won't leave you in the dark if you aren't sure!

CLIMBS

You will be required to complete 2 alpine climbs to graduate the course. You must complete 1 rock climb and 1 glacier climb, but it is definitely worth your time to complete more. 

ADDITIONAL COURSES REQUIRED

To graduate the program, you will need to complete the following:

• Wilderness First Aid
• Wilderness Navigation
• Stewardship Day (Volunteering)

First Aid and Navigation fill quickly and early in the year. You are encouraged to sign up for these courses as soon as possible. While these can be completed after the course runs in June, they are a requirement of you graduating in the fall.  Students have found that completing these prior to the course starting allows them to focus on the climbs, and have a fun summer in the alpine without the worry of additional courses. 

Some things to keep in mind

This is not rock climbing at the crags, it's alpine climbing in the mountains on rock and snow. There are no refunds beyond the first day and only partial refunds prior to then. (see FAQ at https://sites.google.com/site/intensesbca/faq ).

Alpine climbing with The Mountaineers is a great opportunity to go to places in the mountains only few ever get to go; to experience instant trust, bonding, and community not readily available in normal day to day life, all while pushing your physical limits and achieving personal goals. We welcome you to your new adventures. For more details on the course see https://sites.google.com/site/intensebasic/

PLEASE NOTE: SOME COURSE DETAILS ARE PRELIMINARY. COURSE DETAILS MAY CHANGE PRIOR TO START DATE