Alpine Rock Climbing

Overview

The most beautiful rock on the planet is that which is found on the high spires and jagged peaks of the great ranges of the world. The aesthetics of alpine rock climbing cannot be beat. The combination of the athletic movement, the remoteness, and the beauty make these places some of the most spectacular anywhere.

The American Alpine Institute Alpine Rock Climbing program was designed to provide students with the skills needed to access this high and wild rock. The introductory program provides a baseline of skills required to access these places and then culminates in several alpine rock ascents. The intermediate course expands on these and provides students with the skills needed to make their own ascents with competent partners.

Locations

The Introductory and Intermediate programs are provided in the Sierra Nevada of California. The program may also be provided on a private basis in the Cascades of Washington State.

The Sierra Nevada, California, also known as "the Range of Light", harbors several 14,000-foot peaks, including 14,494-foot Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48. The beautiful golden granite of the Sierra Nevada has called out to climbers for over 100 years. In addition to twelve climbs listed in The Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, the range is chock full of beginner, intermediate and advanced level routes. AAI also offers private climbing in the Sierra Nevada – click the link to see a sampling of routes and areas.

Boulder, Colorado, is the setting of the introductory days of the Colorado program. We spend two days climbing in Boulder to cover the basics, either in Eldorado Canyon, Boulder Canyon, or the Flatirons. These locations offer a wealth of moderate routes that are perfect for instruction before we tackle the additional challenges of an alpine environment – longer approaches, altitude, weather, and general commitment.

The Alpine Rock Climbing program may also be offered in the Cascades of Washington State as a private program. Several similar group programs are offered in the Cascades that include glacier travel. Check out our 6-day Intermediate Mountaineering (Alpinism 2) program, or call our office for details.

Alpine Rock Climbing

Introduction

The objective of the Introduction to Alpine Rock Climbing course is twofold. First, an individual who completes this course should be able to set-up and manage a toprope on a single pitch crag. And second, the individual should be able to operate as a competent team member, able to follow a leader on a multi-pitch alpine rock climb.

Curriculum and Itinerary:

The Alpine Conditions during this program will determine the exact daily routine. Some of the material may be presented on different days in order to take advantage of good alpine weather.

Day 1:

• Complete an equipment check and ensure that all students have appropriate gear for the program.

• Selection, care and use of climbing gear
• Review basic knots and hitches
• Practice basic belay technique and belay commands
• Practice climbing movement skill with a focus on alpine climbing
• Introduction to rappelling (single and multi-pitch)

Day 2:

• Review previous day's lessons
• Introduction of climbing protection (active and passive)
• Introduction to basic anchor set-ups for toproping
• Practice lead belay techniques
• Practical work with anchors and single pitch management
• Introduction to following a leader in a multi-pitch setting

Day 3:

• Selection, care and use of snow climbing equipment
• Walking on snow: in-balance and out-of-balance movement
• Practical application of self-arrest techniques from all positions
• Use of crampons on moderate to high-angle snow and ice
• Nine principal positions of the ice axe
• Three types of glissade
• Snow anchors (pickets, flukes, deadmen, bollards)
• Snow belay systems (static and dynamic, stomper belays, butt-axe belay)
• Note: There may be times in late season when it is difficult to find appropriate snow to complete this series of lessons. If this happens, there are three options. (1) The lesson may be truncated and taught after an approach. (2) An additional climbing objective may be selected. (3) The team may elect to work on climbing self-rescue skills.

Days 4-6:

• Days 4 through 6 are reserved for technical objectives. Objectives will be selected based on their relevance to members of the team. Each objective will require team members to practice all of the skills they learned in the preceding days in a high multi-pitch setting.
• It should be noted that objectives may be in the backcountry and may require one or more nights out in the field. If this happens and there is additional time in the afternoons after making approaches, additional lessons may be provided. These may include the following:
• Leave No Trace Techniques
• Mountain Weather
• Self-Rescue Techniques
• Regional Geology and Ecology
• High Altitude Illness and Treatments

Alpine Rock Climbing

Intermediate

The objective of the Intermediate Alpine Rock Climbing course is for students to develop the skills to lead basic alpine rock climbs by applying modern equipment and strategies.

It should be noted that not every student is ready to be on "the-sharp-end" after completing the Introduction to Alpine Rock Climbing course or something similar. Every course includes some students that are ready for this serious responsibility, and some students who are only ready to rehearse traditional rock leadership in an alpine setting. Regardless of whether a student is ready mentally or physically to lead, every student will walk away with the technical skills required of a multi-pitch leader.

Curriculum and Itinerary:

The alpine conditions during this program will determine the exact daily routine. Some of the material may be presented on different days in order to take advantage of good alpine weather.

Day 1 (Day 7 if combining Introduction and Intermediate)

• Complete an equipment check and ensure that all students have appropriate gear for the program. If students are combining the Introductory and Intermediate programs, they may be able to skip this section while new students are checked.
• Selection, use and care of traditional climbing gear
• Discuss traditional racking techniques
• Practical applications of both passive and active protection in a leadership setting
• Introduction to traditional anchors for leaders
• Practical applications of different lead belays
• Introduction to the autoblocking device
• Introduction to simple rescue techniques

Day 2 (Day 8)

• Introduction to multi-directional anchors
• Practical application of anchor and rope management
• Introduction to single and multi-pitch leading procedures
  Drill - Students will practice multi-pitch climbing by employing "mini-pitches" on a fourth or low fifth-class single pitch crag.

Day 3 (Day 9)

• Cleaning anchors and rappelling
• Techniques for rappelling multi-pitch lines
• Discussion of lead climbing strategies, both physical and mental
• Guided example of a short multi-pitch line
• Mock single and multi-pitch leading practice

Day 4 (Day 10)

• Discussion of falling, fall factors and how they apply to the leader
• Continued mock leading practice
• Optional falling practice on gear and/or bolted anchors
• Optional student-lead climbs in a single pitch setting
• Optional approach to a backcountry multi-pitch line

Days 5-6 (Days 11-12)

• The final two days of the program are reserved for student lead alpine rock climbs. These climbs will be selected based on student strengths and desires. The program's instructors will mentor students as they make these final leads on a high alpine objective. 

Alpine Rock Climbing

Dates and Details

Sierra Nevada, California 

• 2025 Dates TBD

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado 

• 2025 Dates TBD

Alpine Rock Climbing

Related Courses

• 

  Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership, Part 1

  Learn the necessary skills to be a climbing leader on rock, snow, and glaciers. The North Cascades are a perfect training ground, and by the end of this 12-d...

• 

  Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership, Part 2

  Further advance your technical climbing skills on rock, snow, and glacier ice during this 12-day course in the North Cascades.

• 

  Alpinism 2 - Intermediate Mountaineering

  An introduction to alpine rock climbing and mixed glacier and rock routes for climbers with a good foundation in glacier travel and crevasse rescue.

• 

  Mt. Whitney Climb

  Guided climbs of the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of the U.S, including the Mountaineers Route, the East Face, and the East Buttress.

• 

  Longs Peak Hiking & Climbing

  The Keyhole Route on Long's Peak, though not a technical rock-climb, is a demanding semi-technical scramble for which a professional guide is advisable.

• 

  Alpine Ice Climbing - Introduction

  A six-day introduction to alpine ice climbing, beginning on the Coleman Icefall and culminating in a climb of the North Ridge of Mount Baker.

• 

  Technical Self-Rescue for Climbers

  An intensive seminar on improvised multi-pitch rock rescue techniques. Participants study a series of haul, lower, rappel and rope climbing systems and then ...