Fighting for Fitzroy
American Alpine Institute
...the Indian name for Fitzroy. Likening the mountain’s constant cloud cover to smoke, the natives named it “Chalten” meaning “volcano”… Read More
Search Results
label/Mountain Comedy
Programs
Wilderness First Responder
…will encounter caring for a patient over a period of hours or even days while awaiting evacuation. Mountain climbing guides, river guides, hiking guides, and backcountry rangers are usually required…
Year-Round
5-9 Days
Boulder Rock Climbing
…some of them just minutes from Boulder’s famous Pearl Street, with its shops, eateries, and street performers. An hour further north and west, the climbing in Rocky Mountain NP ranges…
March - November
1+ days
Peru – Huascaran Expedition
Nevado Huascaran is the highest peak in Peru and one of the world’s most imposing summits. It offers a challenging ascent requiring strong intermediate level alpine skills, and an unusual…
June - July
14 days
AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor
The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Climbing Wall Instructor Certification is for professionals who teach climbing on indoor gyms and artificial climbing walls. This two-and-a-half-day course and exam aims to…
Year-Round
2.5 Days
Tocllaraju Skills Expedition
…highest mountain, Huascarán, as well as famous 6000-meter peaks like Alpamayo and Artesonraju. With hundreds of peaks rising to elevations between 17,000 and 22,000 feet, the area encompasses a remarkable…
May - August
12 days (Part 1) or 20 days (Parts 1 & 2)
Avalanche Training – Snowmobile AIARE Courses
…safety while traveling in the backcountry. Avalanche Level 1 from John Grace on Vimeo. Similar to the course for skiers, boarders and mountaineers, but this course is for the motorized…
January - March
2 Online Evenings + 2 Field Days for Rec 1 and Rec 2, 1 Field day for Rescue
Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor Course
Every time we step into the backcountry we have an impact. We walk on terrain that may be changed by our method of travel. We build fires and go to…
Year-Round
5 or 6-Days Depending on Program
Avalanche Awareness Seminars
…probability of encountering an avalanche jumps dramatically. Indeed, every single person who spends time in the mountains in a winter context will encounter avalanche terrain and avalanche conditions. The only…
October - March
90 minutes
Guided Rock Climbing at Joshua Tree, CA
Joshua Tree National Park is a classic winter retreat for rock climbers of all levels. The colors, the plant-life, the animals and the rock in this unique 4,000-foot plateau at…
October - May
1+ days
Multi-Pitch Skills Course
…Red Rock Canyon, the East Buttress on Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart in the North Cascades. Each of these routes, and…
Year Round
4 days
Petzl PPE Competent Person Course
The PPE Competent Person course credential is considered an industry standard for those that manage fleets of work-at-height equipment or oversee vertical workers. The three-day program was designed to provide…
Year-Round
3 Days
Canyoning Washington: Skills and Descents
The American Alpine Institute’s Washington Canyoning: Skills and Descents program was designed for those who are interested in entry to intermediate level instructional guided descents in the Pacific Northwest. AAI…
June - October
2 Days
Program Activities
Alpine Climbing & Mountaineering
Search Results (55)
This is mountain climbing in its most classic form – over rock, snow, alpine ice, and glaciers, in pursuit of major summits.
Rock Climbing
Search Results (33)
Once mere skill-practice for mountaineers, rock climbing is now a highly developed sport, with numerous sub-disciplines such as trad, sport, and aid.
Ice Climbing
Search Results (11)
One of the most fundamental skills of mountaineering, ice climbing comprises skills for tackling both waterfall ice and alpine ice/glacier ice.
High Altitude Climbing & Seven Summits
Search Results (31)
Climbing the highest mountains in the world is a special discipline of mountaineering, with unique challenges and rewards.
Backcountry Skiing & Boarding
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Guided skiing in world-famous backcountry, and skills instruction for skiers, split-boarders, and ski mountaineers
Avalanche Training
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Avalanche safety training is a must for anyone who ventures into the backcountry in winter, and we offer the gold standard in avalanche education.
Hiking And Backpacking
Search Results (14)
Living and moving in the mountains is a reward in itself, and provides the fundamental skills that underlie all mountaineering.
Wilderness Skills
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Those who venture into the wilderness must draw from a deep skill base, including navigation, outdoor cooking, water purification, and countless others.
Program Types
Expeditions
Search Results (36)
Longer trips in remote locations to ascend major peaks, including the Seven Summits
Private & Custom Trips
Search Results (37)
Custom adventures for individuals or groups – with the best-trained guides in the industry
Treks, Tours, & Backpacking
Search Results (10)
Full-service, non-technical adventures for all outdoor enthusiasts
Government, Military, & Veterans
Search Results (3)
Training for government personnel and vocational programs for veterans using VA benefits
Articles
Decades of Stewardship: American Alpine Institute’s Commitment to Replacing Aging Bolts
American Alpine Institute
...about developing skills, building community, and caring for the wild places where we climb. That philosophy has guided AAI’s approach… Read More
Footcare for Climbers: Stepping up to Happier Feet
American Alpine Institute
From the May 2006 edition of AAI’s E-newsletter Here at AAI, our guides cannot stress enough that, in the mountains,… Read More
Lightweight Winter Emergency Gear
American Alpine Institute
...in the Catskills and Adirondacks (mostly day hikes). Even in the winter, the trails are essentially non-technical, but often require… Read More
Picture Savvy: Improving Your Climbing Photography
American Alpine Institute
...shots later in your presentation. Don’t stop shooting after reaching the summit. Many good mountaineering photos are made while going… Read More
Red Rock Super-Classic: Epinephrine
American Alpine Institute
...on Community Pillar. The last difficult pitch of the climb was completely enclosed deep inside Magic Mountain. And at the… Read More
Feeling Nervous About an AAI Course? You’re Not Alone—and You’re Probably Ready
American Alpine Institute
...learners, not superheroes. While some programs require prior experience, many AAI courses are built specifically for people who are: New… Read More
Ice Axes and Tools for Alpine Climbing
American Alpine Institute
...axes or just one technical axe and one long mountaineers axe? Can you self arrest just as well with an… Read More
Selecting a Rope for Alpine Climbing
American Alpine Institute
Question: From the March 2006 edition of AAI’s E-newsletter I am looking at ropes for alpine glacier and couloir routes… Read More
Simul-Climbing: Managing Danger from Falls
American Alpine Institute
...limiters and allowing backwards movement, which would still keep the climbing team attached to the mountain in case of a… Read More