Itinerary
ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING AND TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP PART 3 Itinerary
Please keep in mind that this is a standard, yet loose, itinerary. It is subject to change depending on conditions, weather, group dynamics, pace, and summit strategies.
Program Details
Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership 3 is built around three core modules within the 12-day program: aid and big wall climbing, multi-pitch efficiency, and glacier travel, ice climbing, and advanced crevasse rescue. Students develop efficient multi-pitch systems, route finding, rappelling, hauling, and self-rescue skills while learning to manage complex alpine terrain. The program concludes with a student-led alpine climbing expedition, where participants plan and climb a committing route as a team. The modular format allows instructors to adapt the schedule to the best weather and conditions during the program.
Itinerary
Day 1
Rendezvous at the AAI and skills day
Plan to meet your fellow climbers and instructor(s) at the AAI Equipment Shop promptly at 7:00am. Your guide(s) will take the time to go over equipment, finalize rentals and purchases, review the itinerary, and ensure everyone is adequately prepared.
Once we have completed this, we will drive to Index, Washington (2-hour drive). Upon arrival, we will immediately jump into the skills required to both lead and follow aid routes. Students will either stay at a front-country campsite during these first few days with the option of setting up and staying on a portaledge as well.
Day 2
Aid and Big wall Skills Day
The second day will consist of an introduction to fixed lines, leeper cams, and hooks. Students will also get an introduction to leading and following through roofs. We will also cover the organization of equipment hanging off the leader.
Day 3
Aid and Big wall Skills Day
Picking up where students left off the day before, instructors will introduce haul bags and hauling systems. Students will cover the strategy for mixed free and aid routes and the management of hanging belays and multi-pitch lines.
Day 4
Aid and Big wall Skills Day
We will cap off the aid and big wall portion of the program with an introduction to tension traverses and pendulums as well as managing stress on high-consequence aid routes.
Day 5
Multi-Pitch Efficiency Skills
On this day, the team will transition to a different area of the Cascades and start learning how to improve and refine their multi-pitch climbing techniques.
Day 6
Multi-Pitch Efficiency Skills
Skills covered on Day 6 will include simulclimbing concepts, blocked leading, efficiency in belaying exchanges, and practical ways to move through multi-pitch terrain more quickly.
Day 7
Multi-Pitch Efficiency Skills
After covering all of the ways to make your climbing and transitions more efficient, this day will be spent tackling bailing and descending techniques and skills.
Day 8
Multi-Pitch Summit Day
This is the final day of the Multi-Pitch skills section of the program and will be capped off by attempting a lead of a Cascade Classic climb. Most of the time, these will be of an iconic peak in the Washington Pass area. Though, due to weather or conditions, it might be in a different range.
Day 9-12
Ascents (Location Varies)
The final 4 days are reserved for a series of ascents in which students will be applying all of the skills acquired during the previous 8 days. Ascents will be determined based on weather and conditions, as well as group dynamics and skill level. We include several opportunities for students to take the lead on these ascents, always with instructor guidance and supervision. Your lodging, as well as approach time and distances, will vary depending on the routes chosen. During this block, students will also work on additional crevasse rescue systems. On the final day, we will pack up camp, head out, and make our way back to the AAI Headquarters. Plan to return anywhere from 3-7 pm.