A solid foundation of skills is essential for confidently pursuing personal adventure in the mountains. Historically, climbers have learned these skills through an apprenticeship of sorts, based on climbing with a mentor on increasingly challenging terrain. We offer a series of instructional courses based on this premise. All of our courses are held in Denali National Park , in the heart of the magnificent Alaska Range .
7 Day Mountaineering Course
Our 7 Day Mountaineering Course covers many aspects of glacier mountaineering including glacier travel techniques, crevasse rescue, winter camping, snow skills, and ice climbing with an emphasis on expedition climbing. This course is designed to prepare a novice or intermediate climber with solid foundation for glacial mountaineering pursuits. This is a great option for novice climbers to learn the requisite skills for a guided ascent of Denali, Aconcagua, Mount Vinson or 6000 meter Himalayan peaks.
Snow Camping
Minimum-impact environmental ethics
Knots and rope technique
Anchor building (snow and ice)
Crampon techniques
Self arrest
Glacier travel
Route finding
Crevasse rescue
Participants need to be in good physical condition to partake in this course. You should be prepared to carry a 40 lb pack and pull a 20-30 lb sled on the days we move camp. Proper training is very subjective, and we encourage you to contact us so we can work with you to develop a good training regimen for your lifestyle. Be prepared for temperatures below freezing
at night, with day time temperatures
very comfortable and sometimes hot! Most of our course locations are below 8,000 feet, so you should not experience
extreme weather like on Denali. Contact us for a detailed equipment list and more information.
12 Day Mountaineering Course
Our 12 Day Mountaineering Course is very comprehensive and is designed to teach and build upon the basic skills addressed in our 7 Day Course. Additionally, we work on advanced climbing techniques and then apply these skills by climbing peaks in the Alaska Range . Strong beginner or intermediate climbers who want to brush up on the basics and take their mountaineering to the next level would enjoy this challenging adventure. This course is physically demanding and participants should be prepared to push themselves on some of the climbing routes.
Our June 8-19 Course is , in that we will spend our time on the Kahiltna Glacier, following part of the route most Denali climbers follow for about 7 miles up glacier. This gives you a real taste of what it takes to ascend North America's highest peak. We will climb neighboring peaks such as Kahiltna Dome, West Kahiltna Peak and Mount Francis, all of which provide stunning views of Denali, looming to the north and east.
Advanced anchor building techniques
Rock Anchors and protection placement
Lead and multi pitch climbing
Fixed lines and running belays
Raising and lowering rescue systems
Rappelling
This is a very demanding course which requires participants to be in excellent physical condition. Invest the time to train well before hand and you will not only enjoy the course more, but you will gain the satisfaction of being a solid member of the team as you climb. Be prepared to carry a 50-60 lb pack and pull a 20-30 lb sled for up to five miles at a stretch. Contact us for assistance in developing a training routine that will be appropriate for you. Be prepared for temperatures below freezing
at night, with day time temperatures
very comfortable and sometimes hot! Most of our course locations are below 8,000 feet, so you should not experience
extreme weather like on Denali. Contact us for a detailed equipment list and more information.
