The American Alpine Institute is considered the best alpine climbing school in the world. Indeed, John Krakauer, while writing for Outside Magazine, called AAI, “the best all around climbing school and guide service in North America.”
There are several reasons that AAI is considered the best alpine climbing school:
Guide Training:
AAI guides receive more internal training than guides at any other mountaineering school in the world. Guides are trained in a spiral fashion. They receive internal training and mentorship, while also receiving continuing education from third party organizations.
The American Mountain Guides Association modeled their alpine guide training and certification program on AAI’s internal training.
Outdoor Education:
AAI guides are all instructors first, and guides second. AAI intentionally hires people with a background in teaching and outdoor education. These skills are nurtured through additional internal trainings.
The primary focus of AAI programs are student learning outcomes. Every course was designed with learning outcomes at their core. The goal is not to sell a student a mountain, but to sell them every mountain in the world. Following our courses students who complete appropriate programming are able to plan and execute climbs on their own without the supervision of a guide.
AAI’s director is a former high school teacher and university professor. He has written textbooks on outdoor education and teaching for entry-level guides. His goal as a director is to ensure that all students are achieving learning objectives, not just climbing mountains.
AAI runs world class educational programs in rock and ice climbing, mountaineering, glacier travel and crevasse rescue, mountain leadership, backcountry skiing and splitboarding, avalanche training, technical rescue, Leave No Trace, wilderness skills, hiking and backpacking.
Vocational School:
In addition to being a climbing school for recreationalists, AAI is also a Washington State Vocational School. AAI has several programs that were designed for outdoor professionals.
What is the American Alpine Institute?
The American Alpine Institute is a climbing school, a guide service and vocational school that operates in several states and countries.