To make the most of your climbing experience we encourage you to work on your fitness before the trip. You will find that training on hills with a +20kg pack is the best preparation for the mountains, to build your endurance. We recommend training programmes tailored to mountaineering such as those from Uphill Athlete.
Join us on a rigorous alpine climbing course with small groups in a remote wilderness setting.
It is one of our partner AAI's classics and perhaps the most comprehensive one week climbing course in the USA, unbeatable for its combination of fun, learning, and achievement. The course provides a complete introduction to off-trail alpine travel and to all the fundamental skills of rock, snow and ice climbing.
The Outdoor Life Network included this course in a recent series on America's Top 10 Adventure Sports Camps; although, this is definitely not a "camp" in the traditional sense. It is a rigorous alpine climbing course with small groups (maximum 10 climbers) in a remote wilderness setting.
We spend one day in an easily accessible rock climbing area, and five days learning and applying the skills of glacier travel and snow and ice climbing. On the fifth day, we set up a high glacier camp (with some of the most remarkable mountain and ocean views in America), and on the final day, we climb to the rugged, ice-encrusted summit of 10,778-foot Mt. Baker.
- Most comprehensive one week climbing course in the USA
- Learn introductory mountaineering skills
- Climb Mount Baker 3,286m/ 10,781ft
Climbing Ability
Climbing Ability
Beginner
Elevation
Elevation
3,285m/10,778ft
Duration
Duration
6 days
Location
Location
Mt Baker, Washington
APLINISM 1 ITINERARY
DAY 1
Rockclimbing Day
Plan to meet your fellow climbers and instructors at the AAI Equipment Shop promptly at 7:00am. Your Guide and an Equipment Specialist will take the time to go over your gear, finalize rentals and purchases, review the itinerary, and ensure everyone is adequately prepared.
As soon as the rendezvous is complete, we will travel to Mt. Erie. This climbing area overlooking the North Puget Sound will be the classroom for the day.
Curriculum: We will cover gear selection and use, basic concepts of free climbing, rappelling, anchor placement, belaying, knot tying, and movement on rock.
DAY 2
Hike to Mt Baker Camp (1,706m/5,600ft)
We will break camp early in the morning to make the drive to the trailhead of Mt. Baker. Which route on Mt. Baker you will ultimately climb is based on conditions, Guide preference, weather, etc. The hike will be no more than 5 miles to where you will establish your camp for the next couple of days. Typically this is around 5000-6000ft.
Curriculum: Concepts of alpine camping techniques and ecology, Leave No Trace principles, glacier travel, glaciology, mountain weather, geology, and the rough schedule for the next few days.
DAY 3
Glacier Skills (1,981m/6,500ft)
The third day will be spent practicing glacier skills. These skills will be conducted a short distance from camp. We will return to base camp that night.
Curriculum: We will cover the concepts of self-arresting, self-belay, crampon techniques, glacier travel, and rope team skills and management. We will also cover mountain weather, first aid, and touch on avalanche hazard evaluation.
DAY 4
Crevasse Rescue (1,981m/6,500ft)
This will be another long day of skills practice on the glacier. We will start early in the morning and make our way farther up on the glacier like the previous day. This night will also be spent at base camp.
Curriculum: Crevasse rescue: Setting up and practicing hauling systems, building snow anchors, prusiking up a rope, etc.
DAY 5
Crevasse Rescue and Snow Skills (1,981m/6,500ft)
This is another day spent honing everything learned already and doing crevasse rescue drills. If there is time, basic ice climbing skills will be touched on by top roping on the glacier seracs. This evening has the potential to move base camp higher up on the glacier to about 7000ft to make the summit bid more efficient the next
morning. It will be an early night!
Curriculum: Crevasse rescue continued. If time, basic ice climbing skills.
DAY 6
Climb Mt Baker (3,285m/10,778ft)
It is not uncommon for the summit bid to be on the 5th day if the weather window looks better. However, we typically plan for it to be on the final day. We will have an early alpine start - sometime between midnight and 3 am. The push to the summit can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on where base camp was, group pace, and conditions.
After the summit bid, we will hike down, pack up camp, and hike out to the vans. We will then drive back to the AAI headquarters. Plan to be back at the office anywhere between 3 pm to 7 pm.
Curriculum: Summit strategies, route finding, navigation, and hazard assessment.
Departures and Pricing
Note: Dates are subject to change due to many factors out of our control
| Start/End | Departing from | Quantity | Pricing | Notes | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr - Sept 2025 | Mt Baker, Washington | 1:5 guide to climber ratio | $1,775 USD $ | ||
Prefer a tailored, private course? Check out our Europe Private Instruction Course
PREPARE
Fitness
Technical Expeience
No previous climbing experience is required. A background in hiking is beneficial. If you lack overnight backpacking experience, you can add a 2-day Backpacking and Wilderness Skills course at a discounted price and go straight into Alpinism 1, enquire for more information.
Why Adventure Consultants/AAI?
In 2006, Adventure Consultants in Wanaka, New Zealand, and the American Alpine Institute in Bellingham, Washington, USA, formed a global alliance. Owners Dunham Gooding (AAI) and Guy Cotter (AC) aimed to strengthen both organizations by collaborating over three decades. This alliance enhances the comprehensive range of instructional programs, guided ascents, and expeditions offered worldwide. Climbers benefit from a wide array of opportunities on every continent, with the assurance of dealing with a trusted organization, regardless of where and when they choose to climb. Whether you contact AC or AAI, both organizations work closely to provide seamless support, ensuring a smooth experience from your first inquiry to the successful achievement of your climbing goals. Join our three-way alliance: AAI, AC, and you, and let's head to the mountains!
Inclusions
The price of your trip includes the following:
- Group technical climbing equipment
- Transportation to the climbing areas from our partner American Alpine Institute's headquarters
- All permits and camping fees
- The guide fee
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