If you would like to develop a full range of mountaineering skills and the ability to safely lead your own climbing teams in an alpine environment, this course will be a great choice for you. As a Leadership Course member, our principal goals will be to help you become qualified as a team leader in both technical skills and mountain judgment, and capable of safely leading rope teams on alpine routes at basic and intermediate levels of technical difficulty. This course satisfies the requirements of Part I of the Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership certification program.

Both technical and judgmental skills are taught each day, and more advanced techniques are presented as the program progresses. Each skill is demonstrated in detail and practiced thoroughly, and all are applied during the series of ascents that we make. The curriculum is also structured so that there is a steadily growing amount of attention given to the issues, responsibilities, and techniques involved in the leadership of alpine climbing teams as we move through the course.

Midway up the U Notch couloir. John Tack

You will be impressed by how much you take away from this program. While you don't need any climbing experience to join us, by the time you leave you should have solid climbing skills as well as a good grasp of protective systems and hazard assessment.

Our principal goal in this program is to make each participant competent as a team leader, capable of leading small groups in the alpine environment, and adequately skilled to lead rope teams on basic and intermediate alpine routes.

This goal is sought through the development of skills in four major areas:

1. specific alpine travel and technical climbing skills for snow, ice, and rock
2. objective hazards evaluation
3. mountaineering leadership skills and
4. Leave No Trace travel and climbing skills

The 12-day curriculum is structured so that there is a steadily growing amount of attention given to the issues, responsibilities, and techniques involved in the leadership of alpine climbing teams. Skills are taught throughout the course, and more advanced techniques are presented as the program progresses through a series of ascents.

Treatment of all aspects of the curriculum is intended to be practical and not just theoretical. While the ideas behind the course are central to the overall experience and a full understanding of alpine climbing, it is the development of the ability to apply them that makes this program exciting when taken and important for each participant's many years of mountaineering to come.

Views from the Fishhook Arete on Mt. Russell.
Seth Hobby

Alpine Travel and Climbing Skills

• selection and use of personal equipment, ropes, knots, and harnesses
• design concepts, selection, and use of technical equipment for rock, snow, and ice climbing
• use of map and compass
• belaying techniques on rock, snow, and ice
• the concept and application of the self-belay
• self-arrest from all positions
• free climbing technique on low and high angle rock, snow, and ice
• cramponing techniques
• interrelationship, choice between, and application of all principal ice axe positions
• rappelling

Objective Hazards Evaluation and Self-Rescue Skills

• evaluation and prediction of mountain weather patterns
• evaluation and prediction of rockfall patterns
• survival techniques and bivouacs

Leadership Skills

• technical and personal functions of individuals in the rope team; role and responsibility
• problem solving: assessment techniques and processes in subjective decision making
• evolving leadership roles: individual leadership vs. collective decision making
• recognizing and developing appropriate response to changing mountain conditions

Environmental Protection Skills

• an introduction to alpine ecology
• Leave No Trace travel, camping, and climbing skills

Bear Creek Spire, in the heart of the Sierras. John Tack

We vary the setting for the program to provide the best opportunity for learning, practice climbing, and ascents. Depending on the month, weather, and conditions on the various peaks, we choose from several rock and alpine climbing practice areas near Bishop. A typical course may use two of these areas for rock, snow, and ice climbing instruction and then follow up with two or three challenging ascents nearby on classic Sierra routes. Among the classic peak climbs we choose from are the Swiss Arete on Mt. Sill (14,153'), the Southwest Arete on Mt. Winchell (13,775'), the North Ridge of Mt. Conness (12,590'), the Northeast Ridge of Bear Creek Spire (13,720') and the U-Notch Couloir on North Palisade (14,242'). Working closely with their guide these small groups may choose an itinerary that serves the specific needs of participants and best achieves the goals of the course.

Inclusions:

• guide fees
• all group technical climbing equipment
• permit and access fees

Exclusions:

• personal equipment such as clothing, boots, personal climbing gear (e.g., harness, helmet), sleeping bag, tent, etc. Personal climbing and camping gear is available for rent at a nominal charge.
• transportation to the program's meeting location and during the program. We ask that you provide transportation for your guide from the point of rendezvous, and if there are other climbers in your program we encourage you to carpool.
• lodging costs (if any)
• meals
• fees for changing air itineraries because of canceled or delayed programs
• gratuities to guides
• personal health, baggage, and trip cancellation insurance