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Explore the climb

Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

Washington

This course is held on Mt. Baker in the North Cascades — the second-most glaciated peak in the Lower 48 and one of the best training grounds in the world for glacier mountaineering, with easy access to real crevasses, snowfields, and alpine terrain just hours from the trailhead.

Explore the climb

Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

Washington

This course is held on Mt. Baker in the North Cascades — the second-most glaciated peak in the Lower 48 and one of the best training grounds in the world for glacier mountaineering, with easy access to real crevasses, snowfields, and alpine terrain just hours from the trailhead.

Explore the climb

Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

Washington

This course is held on Mt. Baker in the North Cascades — the second-most glaciated peak in the Lower 48 and one of the best training grounds in the world for glacier mountaineering, with easy access to real crevasses, snowfields, and alpine terrain just hours from the trailhead.

Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

This course that takes you from zero mountaineering experience to self-sufficient — the full skill set to travel safely on glaciated terrain, wherever that terrain happens to be. Over six days on Mt. Baker's glaciated slopes, you'll build every core mountaineering skill from the ground up: crampon and ice axe technique, rope team travel, crevasse rescue, glacial navigation, and snow camping. While Mt. Baker is our classroom, the skills you leave with are the same ones climbers use to prepare for glaciated objectives well beyond Washington, from other Cascade volcanoes to mountains like Denali and Aconcagua.

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Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

Inquire

This course that takes you from zero mountaineering experience to self-sufficient — the full skill set to travel safely on glaciated terrain, wherever that terrain happens to be. Over six days on Mt. Baker's glaciated slopes, you'll build every core mountaineering skill from the ground up: crampon and ice axe technique, rope team travel, crevasse rescue, glacial navigation, and snow camping. While Mt. Baker is our classroom, the skills you leave with are the same ones climbers use to prepare for glaciated objectives well beyond Washington, from other Cascade volcanoes to mountains like Denali and Aconcagua.

Pricing Details

View Dates

Complete Mountaineering Course

Duration

06-days

Elevation

n/a

Skill Level

Intro

Inquire

This course that takes you from zero mountaineering experience to self-sufficient — the full skill set to travel safely on glaciated terrain, wherever that terrain happens to be. Over six days on Mt. Baker's glaciated slopes, you'll build every core mountaineering skill from the ground up: crampon and ice axe technique, rope team travel, crevasse rescue, glacial navigation, and snow camping. While Mt. Baker is our classroom, the skills you leave with are the same ones climbers use to prepare for glaciated objectives well beyond Washington, from other Cascade volcanoes to mountains like Denali and Aconcagua.

See Pricing Details

View Dates

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preparation
itinerary
faq's

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Overview

What your adventure involves

What your Adventure involves

Every Skill You Need, One Course
Six days on real glaciated terrain covering everything from crampon technique to crevasse rescue — the complete foundation for independent glacier travel, anywhere in the world.
Move Safely on Snow and Ice
Master self-arrest, crampon technique, and rope team travel until they're second nature, not something you're thinking about mid-climb.
Rescue Your Team
Learn crevasse rescue systems from the ground up — the skill that separates a rope team that can handle a real emergency from one that can't.
Navigate and Plan Like a Climber
Build the route-planning and glacial navigation skills to make good decisions in the mountains, plus the snow camping and cooking know-how to support yourself out there.
A Launchpad Beyond Washington
Walk away with a skill set that opens up not just Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Glacier Peak, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens, but glaciated objectives well beyond the Cascades — this is the same foundation climbers use to prepare for peaks like Denali and Aconcagua.

details

Everything you need to know before you go

Included

Lightweight dinners and breakfasts

Tents

Rope

cooking equipment

Expert Guides

permits

NOT Included

Transportation

Personal Clothing/Boots

Snacks/Lunches

Technical Rentals - available upon request

Tips for Guides - 15 to 20% is standard

Preparation

Fitness

This course is designed for climbers with little or no mountaineering experience, but it is physically demanding: you should be able to hike with a 40-50 lb pack for 6-8 hours, sustaining roughly 800 ft of elevation gain per hour. Contact us for a free training consultation!

This course is designed for climbers with little or no mountaineering experience, but it is physically demanding: you should be able to hike with a 40-50 lb pack for 6-8 hours, sustaining roughly 800 ft of elevation gain per hour. Contact us for a free training consultation!

techincal

No prior snow, ice, or rope skills are required — this course teaches all of them from the ground up.

No prior snow, ice, or rope skills are required — this course teaches all of them from the ground up.

Altitude

At 10,781 feet, Mount Baker’s summit is high enough for some climbers to feel mild altitude effects such as shortness of breath or fatigue.

At 10,781 feet, Mount Baker’s summit is high enough for some climbers to feel mild altitude effects such as shortness of breath or fatigue.

Itinerary

Trip Itinerary

DAY 1
Gear Check & Approach
Meet your guides for a full gear check before hiking in to our base camp on Mt. Baker's glaciated terrain. The afternoon introduces basic snow school: crampon walking technique on steep snow and proper ice axe use, including self-arrest.
DAY 2
Rope Team Travel & Self-Care
Build on Day 1's snow school with a full day of rope team travel — spacing, communication, and efficient movement as a team on glaciated terrain. We'll also cover the self-care habits that make or break a multi-day climb: rest step technique, eating and drinking on a schedule, layering, and sun protection.
DAY 3
Crevasse Rescue
A full day dedicated to crevasse rescue systems, from snow anchor construction to haul systems and self-extraction. This is the most consequential skill of the course, and we give it the time it deserves — every participant runs through the full rescue process, not just a demonstration.
DAY 4
Navigation, Route Planning & Snow Camping
Learn glacial and mountain navigation, then apply it to real route planning — reading terrain, anticipating hazards, and making go/no-go decisions. In camp, we cover snow camping and cooking: building a secure camp, managing snow for water, and cooking efficiently at altitude.
DAY 5
Setting Up and Leading a Rope Team
Take the lead. Practice setting up and running a rope team yourself, pulling together everything from the previous four days — pacing, communication, hazard assessment, and decision-making — under the guidance of your instructors. This is where the course shifts from learning skills to demonstrating that you can run them yourself.
DAY 6
Summit Bid & Descent
Put the full course to work with a summit attempt, conditions permitting, before breaking camp and descending. The goal isn't just reaching the top — it's demonstrating the self-sufficiency to move through glaciated terrain, make sound decisions, and get your team home safely.

FAQ's

FAQ's

Do I need any prior climbing or mountaineering experience?

No. This course is built for climbers with no prior mountaineering experience. What matters most is physical fitness — you should be comfortable hiking with a 40-50 lb pack for 6-8 hours with significant elevation gain.

Will I summit a mountain during this course?

We build in a summit attempt on Day 6, conditions permitting. That said, the objective of this course is the skill set, not the summit — your guides will make the final call based on weather, team readiness, and safety.

What should I bring?

Full mountaineering boots, crampons, an ice axe, a harness, a tent and sleeping system rated for alpine conditions, and layers for variable weather. We'll send a complete gear list once you're booked, and rentals are available on request.

Is this course only useful for climbing Washington's volcanoes?

Not at all. While Mt. Baker is our classroom, the skills you build here — rope team travel, crevasse rescue, glacial navigation, and route planning — are the same ones used on glaciated mountains around the world. Many climbers take this course specifically to prepare for bigger objectives like Denali or Aconcagua.

What boots do I need?

Mountaineering boots (half to full shank) compatible with crampons

What's the guide-to-climber ratio?

3 clients to 1 guide

Gear List

Gear List

Gear required to bring up on the mountain given the conditions may vary trip to trip. Your guide will help you decide what gear to bring or leave behind during the gear-check. If you need to rent crampons, ice axe, harness, or helmet, you can let us know when you book!

See Full Gear List

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Skill Level

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Photo by Climber Kyle

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Torment-Forbidden Traverse

Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

10,781FT

Skill Level

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Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

Intermediate-Advanced

Duration

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Height

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Skill Level

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Height

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Skill Level

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Skill Level

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Ready to reach new heights?

Book Your Next Adventure

Schedule a free consultation call so we can learn more about you and craft a trip that fits your experience and goals.

Book a free call

Ready to reach new heights?

Book Your Next Adventure

Schedule a free consultation call so we can learn more about you and craft a trip that fits your experience and goals.

Book a free call

Ready to reach new heights?

Book Your Next Adventure

Schedule a free consultation call so we can learn more about you and craft a trip that fits your experience and goals.

Book a free call