complete mountaineerinG course

This is a 7 day course designed to teach you the full range of skills necessary to go mountaineering on your own. You will cover the full range of skills from ice and rock climbing to glacier travel and crevasse rescue. More advance techniques such as multi pitch rock climbing, using natural anchors and climbing ice faces will be introduced. If this sounds like a lot, it is. This course will try to teach you as many skills as possible in this intense week of mountaineering.

As part of the learning, you will climb many of the surrounding mountains. Possible objectives include the 5 Lyell Peaks (all over 11,000 feet), Lens Peak (10,300'), Kemmmel (10,400') and La Clytte (9,500').

You will be based at Icefall Lodge which offers full service backcountry accommodation and quick access to glaciers and climbing. You also have the option of spending part of the course at the Lyell Hut. At 9400', this is one of the highest huts in Canada and offers a huge variety of alpine objectives. It is surrounded on all sides by glaciers and it is a mountaineering objective in itself to get to the hut. From the hut there are many high peaks that are close to the lodge. This will allow you to focus on learning skills while climbing.

Skills covered include:

• Snow climbing, self arrest and snow anchors
• Ice climbing, crampon use, ice anchors
• Glacier travel, roping up, route finding
• Crevasse rescue, prussicking, self rescue, pulley systems
• Navigation, map and compass use, whiteout navigation
• Rock climbing for mountaineering peaks, use of natural anchors
• Rope techniques for glacier, rock and mixed climbing

Dates: July 18- 24, Aug 15- 21, Aug 22- 28.
Price: $1470 Canadian + GST. $500 deposit to book.

Meeting Place: Golden, BC.

The peaks range from 9500- 11500 ft and offer a perfect range of difficulty for learning and practicing mountaineering skills. There are over 20 separate glaciers, with the largest spanning over 20 square km. Several rocky cliffs near the lodge offer convenient locations to practice rock climbing.

 

 

Course Agenda:

Day 1: Meet in Golden at 8:30, go over gear and drive to the trailhead. It is a 4 km hike with 2500 ft elevation gain to reach the lodge. In addition to your personal gear, you may be required to carry some of the food up to the lodge.

Day 2-6: These days will be spent learning skills and practicing them on the surrounding peaks. Longer days with peak accents will be alternated with more skill orientated days close to the lodge. The emphasis is to get you in a leadership role, practicing and applying the skills you have learned. Peaks that can be climbed include Mt La Clytte(2,900m, 9,500 feet), Mt Kemmel (3,150m, 10,300 ft), Lens Peak(3,170m, 10,400 ft), Lyell 5( 3,390m, 11,122 ft) and Icefall Peak(3,200m, 10,500 ft). The exact itinerary will vary with weather, conditions, and the group.

Day 7: A final morning of skills review, then hike out to Icefall Brook and drive back to Golden. THere is the option of descending to Icefall Brook by traversing over the Lyell Glacier and above Icefall Canyon. This chasm is 500m deep and 2 km long and is ringed by glaciers, icefalls and waterfalls spilling over the edge. It is one of the more specatular sights in the Rockies.

 

 

Fitness and Experience: This course is designed for those with no previous mountaineering experience. Participants should be fit hikers. Training before the course will help you get the most out of it. Hiking on steep trails is good training. There are many peaks of varying difficult and length to choose from on this course. Your guide will choose the objective according to the ability of the group. You will learn the techniques for traveling on rock, ice, and snow.

Clothing: Clothing is best done in light layers to allow you to easily according to temperature and exertion. Pack synthetic or wool clothing and avoid cotton, as it has very little warmth when wet. Your guide will go through your clothing and equipment before the start of the course. It is important to keep your pack light, as you will have to carry it up to the lodge.

Long underwear, top and bottom,  polypro, wool or fleece.
Socks (extra pairs)
Climbing pant
Light T-shirt
Wool or fleece long sleeve shirt
Fleece Sweater (medium weight).
Cotton shorts.
Outer Jacket, water proof  with hood (Gore-Tex).
Outer Pants, waterproof , preferably with sidezips on legs.
Waterproof knee-length Gaiters that will fit over large boots .
Waterproof mountaineering gloves
Warm hat
Sunhat
Towel, for the sauna and shower
Toilet Kit, toothbrush etc

Gear:
Pack. Must be large enough to fit extra clothing, and share of food.  A 40-50 Litre pack is optimal, as it can be used as a day pack once at the lodge.
Mountaineering Boot. Probably the most critical piece of equipment. They must be able to fit crampons, most hiking boots are too soft for this.  They can be either plastic or  leather, but must be waterproof.  The most important issue is that they are comfortable and don't give you blisters.  It is a good idea to do a couple of hikes with your boots before the course to make sure that they don't give you blisters.  If they are rubbing, put on moleskin or second skin before you get blisters.
Sunglasses
Sun Screen
Lip Cream
Headlamp with fresh batteries.
Water Bottle, 1L minimum
Pocket Knife
Blister Kit (moleskin, Second Skin)
Camera.
Trekking Pole (optional)

Technical Gear:

The following gear will be supplied.  If you have your own, please bring it as you will be nore comfortable climbing on your own equipment.
Ice Axe
Crampons
Harness
Helmet
2 locking, 2 non locking carabiners
Prussick slings