Intensive Basic Alpine Climbing Course

Please review the SPECIFIC PARAGRAPH for Intense Basic Alpine Climbing  in  cancellation policy before registering.

UPDATE.  As of March 1, 2016, we are no longer accepting applications for the Intense Basic Alpine Climbing Course. We will notify applicants of their acceptance into the course on Monday, March 8, 2016. PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER FOR THE COURSE UNTIL YOU RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT YOUR APPLICATION WAS ACCEPTED.

The Intense Basic Alpine Climbing Course compresses the regular BACC (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. It also includes 3 or more alpine climbs this summer at no extra cost. Because this is a condensed course, a few suggestions will go a long way to ensure your success in graduating the course. All required reading and quizzes should be completed by the first day of the course. Additionally, Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness Navigation are required in order to graduate from the course. These separate courses are not offered frequently in the summer, so it is best to take them prior to the June 18 course. Preference will be given to applicants who either have already taken these courses, or can show us that they are registered. Finally, students should arrive on June 18 in full physical condition for alpine climbing. This means being able to hike at 2 miles per hour up a peak that gains ~1,000' per mile, for multiple hours. Additional outdoor experience such as scrambling, backpacking, and sport climbing also goes a long way to be successful in this course!

• Why Apply?
• Requirements
• Application

The fee includes the course (not including Navigation and First Aid),

• a hard cover and eVersion of Freedom of the Hills, 8th ed.,  

• a copy of the most recent edition of Accidents in North American Mountaineering,

• transportation to/from Magnuson for all field trips away from the Magnuson Program Center,

• 2 meals (coffee, breakfast rolls, fruit, pizza, sandwiches), when we are at the Program Center,

• any permit fees for field trips away from the Magnuson Program Center.  

Other transportation, meals, lodging, gear, incidentals are not included. We would be happy to recommend lodging which would be convenient for public transportation.

Youth pricing of $900 is available upon request for Mountaineers members who are 26 and under. Email basic.intense@gmail.com for more information.

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 graduation/reunion in the fall. The course is a large time commitment and requires the purchase of several hundred dollars of gear, especially if you do not currently own much hiking or backpacking gear. Even so, beyond course fees, you can expect to spend at least $500-$700 in climbing gear. Not all things need to be purchased right away, and some things can be borrowed from friends or rented from local gear shops, but be aware there will be an investment.

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. Alpine climbing with The Mountaineers is an awesome 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.