Courses

Mountaineering

  • Alpinism 1 – Learn foundational alpine skills including glacier travel, crevasse rescue, and basic rock climbing.

  • Alpinism 2 – Build on Alpinism 1 to develop single-pitch rock climbing skills, including sport leading and trad following, culminating in a student-led climbing objective.

  • Baker Skills & Climb – Summit Mt. Mt. Baker after learning ice axe and crampon techniques.

Rock Climbing

  • Outdoor Rock Climbing – Learn the fundamentals of outdoor climbing, including movement techniques, anchors, belaying, and route reading for beginner climbers.

  • Learn to Lead – Build on outdoor climbing skills to lead sport routes safely, place protection, and gain the confidence to climb multi-pitch routes under guided instruction.

Climb Like Liz Scholarship

We offer our Climb Like Liz scholarship to those who identify as women or other marginalized genders and have a love of the mountains and an affinity for mountain adventure to pursue their dreams and passions and explore guiding as a career.

This scholarship program was inspired and designed to honor the guiding career of Liz Daley, who lost her life far too early in an avalanche in Patagonia on September 29, 2014. Liz was the consummate mountain guide: professional, thorough, patient and instructive. Her passion for the mountains was infectious, and her enthusiasm for the life she chose revealed itself every day in her smile. Her self-reliance and work ethic were exemplary, and her sense of humor took the edge off tense situations. She was unique in every way.

Climbing For Change Scholarship

The purpose of the American Alpine Institute’s Climbing for Change Alpine Scholarship is to encourage Black people, members of Indigenous groups, and People of Color (BIPOC) to take the next step in advancing their technical backcountry and mountain leadership skills by participating in one or more of the Alpine Institute’s programs.  It is in partnership with Kai Lightener and the Climbing for Change Organization that we offer this scholarship.

 

 

Why Womxn's Only

Why join an all-womxn climb? Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mt. Everest, who has participated in at least 44 women-only alpine expeditions, offers the following insight:

“Personally, this is the best approach for me. I find men and women function differently. Being a woman, we understand how each other works. We tend to be supportive, and there always seems to be room for discussion about the climb, direction, and decisions to be made. I haven’t always found this with men. I have done my best climbs with women …  The satisfaction I get from women-only expeditions is greater than from mixed expeditions. When the members have similar physical conditions, climbing becomes equal among them. It is much easier to be in a small tent with partners of the same sex, and I feel much happier when we overcome difficulties with only women.” — Junko Tabei, as quoted in Molly Loomis’s 2005 article Going Manless, published in the American Alpine Journal

Our Women’s Mountaineering programs provide a focused environment where participants can build technical skills, confidence, and judgment in the mountains. These courses create space for open questions, collaborative learning, and hands-on practice at your own pace.

Training in a women-only group allows instructors to tailor teaching strategies to the group’s needs, while fostering strong peer connections and mentorship. Participants often find it easier to take the lead, experiment with new skills, and challenge themselves in a supportive setting.

Whether your goal is to develop foundational climbing and mountaineering skills, refine advanced techniques, or gain more experience in the mountains, our women-only courses provide an empowering and focused environment for growth.

Get inspired and read more about womxn in mountaineering at this article.