Intermediate Climbing

IMPORTANT!  READ The Intermediate Alpine Climbing Page before you apply

The Intermediate Committee is accepting applications from September 15  to November 8. All applicants will be notified between November 18 and December  6 whether they are admitted to the program. If you are accepted into the course you must register here and pay the course fee before December 15. Spots that are unclaimed after that date will be given to the next qualifying candidates.

Before you apply, consider the cost for the package as it has a number of different components, most of which come into play during the first year:

• The course fee is $850
• “AIARE Level 1” course: $275 for members (or $325 for non-members)
• Additional gear costs: This is highly individual and variable. Expect around $1000
• “Wilderness First Aid” course: (if you have not taken it already) $185

If the  course fee is prohibitive for you, the Mountaineers offers  Scholarships and Financial Assistance - please apply!

The Seattle Intermediate Alpine Climbing Package teaches the skills necessary to climb the rock, snow, and ice typically found in the Cascade and Olympic mountains of the Pacific Northwest. In addition to climbing techniques, this course emphasizes safety, leadership, and climbing instruction. Course graduates will have the knowledge and skills to organize and lead basic level climbs and to participate in intermediate level alpine, rock and ice climbs.  This course also provides a great space to meet other Mountaineers members interested in growing their skills as well as  provide opportunities for engagement in our community.  

The intermediate course consists of six modules, each of which can be taken individually. This course listing is a "package" for all six modules: 

• Intermediate Glacier Travel
• Self Rescue 1
• Intro to Single Pitch Trad
• Intro to Multi Pitch Trad
• Intro to Alpine Ice
• Self Rescue 2

 Each module will at minimum have one lecture, an evaluation, and at least one field trip, but many modules will have two or more field trips. All students in the intermediate package will automatically get a spot in all of the modules during their first year. After their first year students need to apply to the modules at no extra cost. Students in the package will be assigned to a mentor group and are expected to participate in mentor group activities.

More info about the program can be found in the Intermediate Handbook  or email course leaders at tesswendel@gmail.com

Prerequisites

Applicants to the package must meet all criteria for individual modules to get in. The following are the minimum requirements for admission to the package:

• Membership in The Mountaineers
• Basic Alpine Climbing certification or equivalent experience
• Wilderness First Aid or equivalent
• Wilderness Navigation or equivalent
• Minimum 10 scrambles or climbs at the basic level including several basic glacier climbs and basic alpine rock climbs
• Ability to lead 5.7 on bolts outdoors or gym lead / lead belay card 
• Ability to climb well enough to comfortably lead 5.6 on trad
• Ability to clean a sport anchor
• Ability to hike Mount Si to the bottom of the haystack in under 2 hours or Mailbox Peak in under 2.5 hours with a 35 lbs pack (30 for people weighing less than 140 lbs)
• History of volunteering

In addition, we expect applicants to have  extensive scrambling experience and be able to move quickly and comfortably over exposed 4th class terrain. Applicants who have more than one season of backpacking/scrambling/climbing experience under their belt and have a lot of experience leading on bolts will have an edge in the application process.

Note that each module will have an evaluation component where prerequisite skills will be assessed. Students who fail the evaluation will have the opportunity to try again at a later instance of the same module if there is one or won't be allowed to participate in the module this year and will have to apply to the module next year.

Successful completion of this package requires a significant commitment of time, effort, and money for travel and equipment. It is the student's responsibility to attend all activities and complete all requirements. Each applicant must seriously assess his or her commitment of time and money prior to signing up for this package.  Consider taking each module individually if you are in doubt as each module is a much smaller commitment both in terms of time and money. 

The modules are a great way to focus your efforts on a more specific set of skills. For example if you want to focus on doing more glacier and steep snow and ice consider taking Self Rescue 1, Intermediate Glacier Travel and Intro to Alpine Ice. Or if you are more interested in rock consider taking Self Rescue 1, Single Pitch Trad, Multi Pitch Trad and Self Rescue 2.

Applicants who have been admitted to the package have until February 1st 2019 to drop out after which no refunds will be granted. 

If you would like to apply to the package, please fill out  the  2020 Intermediate Alpine Climbing Package Application Form.