Intro Mountaineering Course
4 Days in the Mountains to Kick Start your Alpine Life.
Our Mountaineering courses are designed to challenge you and give you the skills to travel safely in hazardous terrain. With plenty of hands-on training in the field and the appropriate student/instructor ratios for each course, the learning curve increases dramatically. We choose the best locations specific to the demands of the course. Join us for Introduction to Mountaineering, Advanced Alpinism or Neige, Glace et Mixed and mixed climbing.
This 4 day introductory mountaineering course introduces you to the world of Mountaineering through the development of climbing skill sets. We start with the basics at our local cliffs and progress through the weekend to attempt a high alpine summit. Saturday/Sunday will be spent overnight in the mountains camping. There’s safety in numbers for the neophyte, so this course runs at a low Student to Instructor ratio.
*This course may use a local gondola to access the alpine depending on conditions. The cost of these lift tickets is not included.
The Goods
Length: 4 Days (2 overnight)
Locations: Squamish or Whistler, BC
Meeting point: Squamish Adventure Centre
Prerequisites: Previous hiking or scrambling experience
Highlight skills: Short roping, Snow and Ice climbing, Anchor Building
Season: Scheduled Dates All Summer
Max. Guest to Guide Ratio: 4: 1 Guest to Guide
Price: Starting at $850
What You Will Learn
Our goal is to dial-up our participants in Glacier Travel, Crevasse Rescue, and Alpine Rock tactics. Students typically look to tackle glaciated peaks after the course, such as Mount Baker, Mount Garibaldi, Mount Matier, or simple alpine rock routes such as Blackcomb Buttress, Pigeon NE ridge, Kain Face - Bugaboo Spire.
Day 1 – Rock & Rope Skills
Squamish based
- Using maps to plan objective
- Rock protection tactics
- Short pitching on rock
- Short roping on rock
- Rappeling
Day 3 – Rock, Snow and Ice climbing
Overnight in Whistler or Squamish backcountry
- Self-arrest
- Snow climbing techniques
- Ice climbing techniques
- Snow anchors, Rock anchors, and Ice anchors
- Supervised practice
Day 4 – Student lead objective
- Students lead the objective to put all skills into practice.
*Content covered is dependant on conditions and group abilities
Day 2 – Rock, Snow and Ice climbing
Overnight in Whistler or Squamish backcountry
- Pitched climbing in snow and ice
- Crevasse identification and avoidance
- Understanding mountain hazards
- Roping up for glacier travel
- Supervised practice
I want to say a big thank you to the Altus team for enabling my future multi-pitch adventures. I feel really good about how today's course has prepared me for the big leagues 🙂
- Mark T
It doesn't get any better than this! Can't wait to get back out there with the Altus guides - don't leave home without 'em!
- Nigel B
Is This For You?
If you have logged some time in the mountains, scrambling or advanced hiking, and are ready to take it to the summit- this is the course for you!
- No previous outdoor rock climbing experience (although recommended)
- Fitness to be moving for a minimum of 6 hours
- Can hike 4 hours in gentle uphill terrain
- Likes being outside
Scheduled Courses - 2022
May 21 - 23 $850 / person
All listed prices are in CAD and subject to 5% sales tax.
June 3 - 6 $850 / person
June 17 - 20 $850 / person
July 1 - 4 $850 / person
July 22 - 25 $850 / person
August 5 - 8 $850 / person
August 19 - 22 $850 / person
September 2 - 5 $850 / person
September 16 - 19 $850 / person
Custom Dates on Demand
Add-Ons
Still Have Questions or Concerns?
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns or requests on how we can make this the best trip ever!
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Popular Trips
Altus mountain guides is a group of motivated professionals dedicated to providing our clients with outstanding quality in the mountains with safe adventurous trips. From our base in Squamish and Whistler BC we provide you access to the most amazing mountain experiences the West Coast has to offer. Our exciting itineraries showcase the Coast Range but reach beyond to the interior ranges of the Selkirkʼs and Purcellʼs and onto the Rockies. We also offer trips internationally from the historic and classic European Alps to the windswept wilds of Patagonia.