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Alpine Climbing Seminar Details

 

TUITION - $$ + volunteer requirements.

 

CLASS SIZE - 4 to 6

 

Questions? Contact the Seminar Directors:

 

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Alpine Climbing Seminar - Spring, 2021


Lindsay Belaying Todd
 
DIRECTORS:
Start Date - Tuesday, April 20th (location & time, TBD)
Course Duration - 1 year
Course Schedule - TBD with input from seminar participants

Objectives

The purpose of this seminar is to function as a capstone class for climbers who are interested in climbing technical alpine objectives.

  • The goal is for students who have already completed Mountain School, the Ice Seminar, and Trad School, and who have expressed interest in independent technical climbs, to apply the multi-pitch efficiency skills and techniques they’ve learned in previous courses in the alpine environment.
  • This course is designed as a mentorship program, where students will be expected to participate in the trip planning, and therefore the ultimate direction of where the class finalizes.
  • As the course runs for the length of the year, we expect participants to assist in the leadership of other climbing classes as instructors, as well as complete or review the high angle rescue material when offered in the fall of 2021.
  • Upon completion of the class, students will have gained confidence to be stronger alpine climbers, and more confident club leaders. Students will be paired with their class-long partner early in the course. It will be encouraged that climbing partners register for the class together but is not required.

Course Structure

The course will be open to 4-6 students in 2021. The course is designed to run for 12 consecutive months, starting in April 2021 and running until April 2022. The course will consist of approximately 12-16 indoor meeting sessions, focused on either a particular alpine skill or trip planning, and 4-5 outdoor trips.

 
Educational Objectives and Structured Learning Phases

The class will function in 4 curriculum phases, with each phase iterating in skill development appropriate to the objective of that phase. Objectives will then build, one off the other, in sequence. 


Phase 1 - The first phase will focus on efficient team movement over 4th and low 5th class rock terrain, utilizing solo climbing, simul-climbing, pitched climbing, and the transition between the three. The outdoor objective will prioritize overland travel and route-finding with small elements of technical climbing. 

Phase 2 - will focus on multi\-pitch rock climbing in the alpine environment, with significant approaches and increased amount of pitched out climbing. The objective can include overnighting, either through a bivy or planned basecamp, and a long series of technical pitches. 

Phase 3 - will focus on ice climbing, with specific emphasis on waterfall ice climbing experience, lead and multi-pitch skills on short multi-pitch ice climbs, with the goal of helping students gain experience with ice climbing with packs, transitioning between ice pitches and snow scrambles, swapping leads etc. 

Phase 4 - will focus on alpine objectives that can consolidate the skill set described and may involve light glacier travel, route finding, alpine ice steps, rock steps, and steep snow climbing. 

Specific supporting climb objectives will be chosen and researched by the students and instructors in the class in the months leading up to the climb. Students will be encouraged and expected to practice the skills learned in between objectives.

Prerequisites 

  • Successful completion of the following Spokane Mountaineers courses:

  • Mountain School
  • Trad/Lead School
  • Ice Climbing Seminar
 
Application Process
The application link below will take you to a form. Please fill this out carefully and completely. This application will close at approximately 9pm on Friday, March 26. If you pass the initial screening, you will then receive an email that outlines an essay that the directors require for final acceptance. Essays will be due by Friday, April, 2.

 
IMPORTANT:

This seminar is intended to be a jumping off point for you, not a class, and very different than the other courses you have taken as a Spokane Mountaineer. We are going to be teaching very few new skills during the class sessions. Our indoor sessions will be focused on helping you learn how to prepare for a big climb objective through trip planning, systems discussions, and question and answer sessions.

 

Part of this seminar is also setting up the expectation that during and after you take this class you plan on helping lead schools/seminars/climbs and support the mission of growing and sustaining the education of future climbers through the climbing side of the mountaineers.