Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue

Overview

This program is presented on the massive glaciers of Washington's Mt. Baker, considered the best glacier training ground in the United States. We cover front pointing and French cramponing techniques, the eight principal ice axe positions, self-arrest, anchor placement, procedures for glacier travel, crevasse rescue technique, and route finding. The Baker region is one of the most beautiful alpine areas in North America, so in addition to having perfect glacial terrain for developing your skills, you will also enjoy the beauty of one of America's most heavily glaciated and aesthetic peaks. This program meets in Bellingham, Washington at the AAI office.

Practicing crevasse rescue.
Dylan Taylor

We recommend this program for climbers who would like to brush up on glacier travel skills in preparation for either their own climbs of glaciated peaks or for one of our intermediate - level courses, such as our Part 2 Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership program or our Alpinism 2 program.

We also recommend considering our 6-day Alpinism 1 - Intro course, as it offers a complete introduction to mountaineering, which includes all of the curriculum covered in this Glacier Skills course, then also adds one day of rock climbing, and an ascent of Mt. Baker.

Though this course takes place on the upper flanks of Mt. Baker, we do not make a summit attempt. Instead, we maximize our instructional time and dedicate our three days to learning and practicing essential glacier travel skills. If you would like to add a Baker summit climb, we can arrange on a private basis a skills training session and an ascent on a four or five-day trip. Please call us to discuss scheduling.

Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue

Details

Max Ratio - 5:1 or 10:2 (Climber:Guide)

Capacity - 10

Prerequisites

Overnight backpacking experience. If you lack overnight backpacking experience, you can add a 2-day Backpacking and Wilderness Skills course at a discounted price
Ability to cook for yourself on a backpacking stove
Good physical fitness

Program Cost Inclusions and Exclusions

Tuition for the program includes the guide's fee, transportation during the course, backcountry camping permits during the course, and all group climbing and rescue equipment (ropes and hardware). Personal equipment is not included in the program cost, but it can be rented from our equipment shop. A complete list of recommended and required equipment will be sent to you upon registration.

Navigation Programs

Though this program does cover backcountry navigation, there is limited time. Some mountaineers choose to enhance their glacier navigation skills before or after a program by combining this class with either the three-hour Backcountry Navigation Essentials class, or the one-day Backcountry Navigation Comprehensive program.

Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue

Dates

May 10 - May 12, 2024
May 24 - May 26, 2024
June 06 - June 08, 2024
June 21 - June 23, 2024
July 05 - July 07, 2024
July 19 - July 21, 2024
Aug 02 - Aug 04, 2024
Aug 16 - Aug 18, 2024
Aug 30 - Sept 01, 2024
Sept 13 - Sept 15, 2024

Variations throughout the season...

While all of these courses run during what we consider the "summer season," there is a large amount of variability in the weather and conditions that a climber could experience throughout this time. We recognize that most of our participants sign up for our programs weeks or months in advance, and although we can never be fully certain of what we'll encounter in the mountains that far out, you can click here for a description of what can typically be expected throughout the summer as well as a guide on picking the timeframe that is best for you

The Roosevelt and Coleman Glaciers converge below Mount Baker's North side as seen from the Hogsback camp near 6000 feet. This will be our training ground.

The Roosevelt and Coleman Glaciers converge below Mount Baker's North side as seen from the Hogsback camp near 6000 feet. This will be our training ground. AAI Collection