Winter Mountaineering & Advanced Crevasse Rescue (WMCR) - Mixed Cohort - Seattle - 2024

Climbing Course

Winter Mountaineering & Advanced Crevasse Rescue (aka Intermediate Glacier Travel) - Mixed Cohort

Looking to be a glacier rope lead? Want to take your basic crevasse rescue skills and apply them to more scenarios? Would you like to prepare yourselves to go out on glaciers in winter and spring? Are you interested in learning 2-person glacier travel and solo crevasse rescue? This course prepares you to plan trips and introduces you to the above topics.

application/registration for waitlist opens Nov 29 (9:00 PM)

WE RECOMMEND FOCUSING ON EITHER
WINTER MOUNTAINEERING OR ROCK MODULES
IN A SINGLE YEAR. IF YOU REALLY LIKE
TAKing BOTH. IT COULD BE OVERWHELMING but,
SINGLE AND MULTI PITCH B & C
COULD WORK IF YOUR AVAILABILITY ALIGNS.
Click here for conflicts in calendar format.

Application Results: 

Selected applicants will be notified ASAP in the order the applications are received, starting at 9 pm on Nov 27th. Filling out the application shouldn't take more than 2 minutes.

Selection Criteria/NOTES:

First Come First Served, as long as the below criteria are met.

  • Membership in The Mountaineers
  • Technical Skills:
    • Basic Alpine Climbing Course or Basic Glacier Travel Course or equivalency
    • Wilderness First Aid or equivalent
    • Wilderness Navigation or equivalent
    • AIARE Level 1 (must be completed prior to Winter Mountaineering Experience Trip. Not required to be completed at the time of application) 
  • Experience: Scrambling and climbing experience (at least 3 basic glacier climbs and preferably at least 2 winter scrambles/snowshoeing/backcountry skiing)
  • Conditioning: 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 lbs for people weighing less than 130 lbs) in the Aerobic Zone.
  • Volunteerism: Volunteers are the heart and soul of our community at The Mountaineers.
    "The Mountaineers rely on skilled and passionate volunteers to pass their love and knowledge of the outdoors on to others. Inspiring others to love and protect the outdoors - and teaching them to do it safely and responsibly - is the heart of our mission and we invite you to be a part of it." 
    • 24+ hours of volunteering commitment in the past year at Mountaineers' or outside
    • Ability to help with the Basic Climbing Courses at glacier/snow-related field trips and with Navigation Courses at in-person workshops & field trips during the course year at a minimum.

Those who were waitlisted for the 2023 course will be given first dibs before the registration opens to the public. 

This course is the pre-requisite course to becoming a rope leader on glacier climbs for The Mountaineers.
This course also prepares you with the fundamentals of winter glaciated mountaineering trips, safe traveling techniques, systems for 2-person travel, and executing rescues.

CURRICULUM

  • Winter Mountaineering: emergency shelters, snow anchors, belaying, lowering, steep snow, gear management
  • Advanced Crevasse Rescue: Higher mechanical advantages and efficiencies (5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1) for hauling/raising systems than that taught in the Basic curriculum (2:1 or 3:1)
  • Small Party Rescue: Scene Size-up, making and executing a plan, releasable hitches, administering aid
  • Glacier Travel: anchors and belaying in firm snow/ice, glacier navigation and terrain selection, trip planning 
  • Leadership: leading a rope team on glacier climb, techniques for rope management and moving efficiently, working with basic students and peers
  • 2-person glacier travel: Rope setup, traveling techniques, and solo crevasse rescue

Course lectures, Workshop, field trips & experience trips:

  • Kick-off: Socializing. Basic skills check & review (knots, rope ascension, 2:1 or 3:1 hauling system on a 3-person rope team.
  • Lectures: These will be held on The Mountaineers' coassemble platform. You will be added to it once registered and can take them asynchronously. The topics for lectures are:
    • Theory  on gear and course expectations (to be completed before course kick-off)
    • Glacier travel techniques (to be completed 2 weeks before ET#1)
    • Trip Planning & Leadership (to be completed 2 weeks before ET#1)
  • Field Trips (FT):
    • FT 1: (Optional to those who took Int. Rock Modules) Top site belays and lowering, rappel to ascension conversion.
    • FT 2: Equilizing anchors, mechanical advantages.
    • FT 3: Rope set up for 2, 3, and 4-person rope teams, full crevasse rescue practice on unconscious fallen climber
    • FT 4: Small Party Rescue - Escaping the system, rescuer setup with patient care, and moving injured climber over technical terrain.
  • Experience Trips (ET):
    • ET1: Rescue practice in real crevasse hopefully, building emergency shelters, winter camping, winter gear use, trip planning execution
    • ET2: Navigating crevasses, traveling on steep slopes, and mentorship to navigate and plan for a destination (Sherman Peak)

This module is one of the 6 Intermediate course modules. To learn more about the intermediate program visit the Seattle Intermediate webpage.
An intermediate info session will be planned soon, please reach out to the course lead to show your interest and ask any questions that you may have. 

Course Requirements
Course Activity Date Availability Leader
WMCR - Kickoff
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Feb 8, 2024
Registration closes Feb 6
0 participants
0 instructors
WMCR - Field Trip 1 - Belaying/Lowering/Ascending (optional)
Seattle Program Center
Tue, Feb 13, 2024
Registration closes Feb 11
0 participants
2 instructors on waitlist
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Feb 15, 2024
Registration closes Feb 13
2 participants
0 instructors
WMCR - Field Trip 2 - Equalizing Anchors and Mechanical Advantages
Seattle Program Center
Tue, Feb 27, 2024
Registration closes Feb 25
0 participants
0 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Wed, Feb 28, 2024
Registration closes Feb 26
0 participants
0 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Feb 29, 2024
Registration closes Feb 27
2 participants
0 instructors
WMCR - Field Trip 3 - Rope Setup + Full Rescue Practice
Seattle Program Center
Tue, Mar 12, 2024
Registration closes Mar 10
1 participant on waitlist
1 instructor
Seattle Program Center
Wed, Mar 13, 2024
Registration closes Mar 11
0 participants
0 instructors
Seattle Program Center
Thu, Mar 14, 2024
Registration closes Mar 12
2 participants
2 instructors
WMCR - Field Trip 4 - Small Party Rescue
Cougar Mountain Crag
Sat, Mar 30, 2024
Registration closes Mar 28
0 participants
2 instructors
Cougar Mountain Crag
Sun, Mar 31, 2024
Registration closes Mar 29
1 participant
2 instructors
WMCR - Experience Trip 1 - Rescue + Emergency Preparedness
Mount Rainier Lower Nisqually Glacier
Sat, Apr 13, 2024 -
Sun, Apr 14, 2024
Registration closes Apr 11
1 participant on waitlist
2 instructors
Mount Rainier Lower Nisqually Glacier
Sat, Apr 20, 2024 -
Sun, Apr 21, 2024
Registration closes Apr 18
2 participants
1 instructor
WMCR - Volunteer Day - Instruct at Basic Field Trip
Magnuson Park
Tue, Apr 23, 2024
Registration closes Apr 21
1 participant on waitlist
0 instructors
Magnuson Park
Thu, Apr 25, 2024
Registration closes Apr 23
1 participant
0 instructors
Snoqualmie Summit Ski Areas
Sun, Apr 28, 2024
Registration closes Apr 26
2 participants
0 instructors
Snoqualmie Summit Ski Areas
Sat, May 4, 2024
Registration closes May 2
2 participants
0 instructors
Magnuson Park
Tue, May 21, 2024
Registration closes May 19
3 participants on waitlist
0 instructors
Magnuson Park
Thu, May 23, 2024
Registration closes May 21
2 participants on waitlist
0 instructors
WMCR - Experience Trip 2 - Glacier Travel & Mentorship
Mount Baker Recreation Area
Fri, May 10, 2024 -
Sun, May 12, 2024
Registration closes May 8
5 participants on waitlist
2 instructors
Mount Baker Recreation Area
Sat, May 25, 2024 -
Mon, May 27, 2024
Registration closes May 23
2 participants
1 instructor
Roster
Required Equipment

See course description.

Course Materials
Name/Description
2018 Intermediate Alpine Climbing Handbook

Info about prerequisites for modules and club climbs, graduation requirements, course tracking and more.