Mountaineering

Squamish, Whistler, Interior, Rockies and International

Guiding & Personalized Instruction
Those Mountains you have always reviled as a dream, well, now is your chance to climb them. We offer specialized guiding in many aspects of Mountaineering: alpine rock like the NE Buttress of Mt. Slesse or ice like the North Face of Athabasca, or classic peaks in the Rockies like Robson, Edith Cavell, Assiniboine, or Garibaldi.

Pre-requisites: none - Master

Mountaineering 101
This seven and one half-day course is a full introduction to climbing. The first half-day will be spent talking about the equipment and the systems used out in the field. The following two days are spent rock climbing at the local crags. During these two days you will become familiar and efficient with technical rope systems. The last five days are spent in the alpine.

In the mountains we will focus on essential travel skills like glacier and snow travel, orienteering, route planning, and hazard evaluation. We will also do some steep snow climbing as well as ice climbing. We will climb peaks to develop your mountain sense and practice crevasse rescue just in case that sense doesn’t work that well in the beginning.

Pre-requisites: experienced backpacker, comfortable carrying multi-day pack
Duration: 7 ½ days

The Next step in Mountaineering

You have been out in the mountains and you realize there is a lot you still want to learn. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions. The course will start with a quick review of the content covered in The Novice, then push on forward. We will practice map and compass work as well as more complex crevasse rescue. A large focus will be put on efficiency in the mountains and making your day work for you, while evaluating weather and hazards.

Pre-requisites: The Novice course, or previous rock climbing and mountaineering experience
Duration: 5 ½ days

Advanced Mountaineering
This low ratio course starts with two days in Squamish, where we will cover basic rescue techniques and protection commonly used in the alpine. We will touch on a little aid climbing and climbing technique in boots.

The following four days are spent in the mountains. After a quick crevasse rescue review we will learn about anchor construction and multi-pitch climbing on rock and ice. Route and equipment selection and hazard awareness geared toward first ascents will fill a few days. Throughout the course we will focus on shortcuts and corners you can cut safely to save time.

Pre-requisites: Lead climbing ability to 5.9/5.10-, crevasse rescue knowledge, significant mountain experience
Duration: 6 ½ days

Crevasse Rescue
This course is designed for those of you who have been traveling on glaciers for years and figure it is time to be safe about this. We will learn how to navigate through crevasses as well as technical systems to get yourself or a friend out of a hole.

Pre-Requisites: Back packing and snow travel experience
Duration: 3 ½ days