Cascades 8 Day Intermediate Mountaineering Course Itinerary

Day 1 — Skills Review at Mt. Erie

Your course begins with a thorough morning gear check, followed by a scenic drive to Mt. Erie — a rock climbing area overlooking Puget Sound with panoramic views of the San Juan Islands, the Olympics, and the Cascade volcanoes. Here, you’ll spend the day reviewing and sharpening the technical skills that form the foundation for everything ahead. In the evening, we drive the scenic North Cascades Highway to our basecamp near Washington Pass, where we’ll camp for the first four days of alpine climbing. (If weather keeps us off Mt. Erie, we’ll climb instead at Fun Rock near Mazama, WA.)

Skills you’ll build:

• Belaying, lowering, and rappelling technique
• Rope management and essential climbing knots
• Efficient footwork and movement on rock
• Foundational skills for multi-day alpine climbing

Accomodations: Car Camping

Day 2 — South Early Winter Spire

Tackle one of the North Cascades’ most iconic alpine rock routes: the South Arête of South Early Winter Spire. This full day at Washington Pass features short, manageable technical cruxes — ideal terrain for putting yesterday’s skills into real practice and building confidence with every pitch. From the summit, you’re rewarded with sweeping views from Mount Baker to Glacier Peak, plus a rare glimpse of Mount Goode’s elusive Northeast Face. Expect an 8-9 hour round trip from the parking lot.

Skills you’ll build:

• Multi-pitch movement and rope management on sustained alpine rock
• Efficient pitch transitions to maintain pace on long routes
• Route-finding and on-the-fly decision-making
• Alpine rappelling and descent technique
• Applying prior-day skills under real climbing conditions

Accomodations: Car Camping

Day 3 — Big Alpine Objective

Today’s focus is moving efficiently across 4th-class and low 5th-class terrain — a skill that’s essential for big days in the mountains. Your guide will select a longer objective suited to the group’s strengths and interests, most likely Cutthroat Peak or Spontaneity Arête. Expect sustained climbing and hiking in a dramatic, exposed alpine setting, with 10-12 hours on the move.

Skills you’ll build:

• Efficient movement on 4th-class and low 5th-class terrain
• Pacing and endurance for long alpine days
• Terrain assessment and on-the-go route selection
• Group movement strategy on sustained objectives

Accomodations: Car Camping

Day 4 — Liberty Bell & Trip Planning

We close out our time at Washington Pass with one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic climbs: the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell. This classic line offers 4-5 pitches of technical rock climbing up to 5.6, capped by a short stretch of moderate terrain to the summit — typically an 8-hour round trip. (Depending on the group’s goals, alternatives include Kangaroo Temple, Blue’s Buttress, or Prime Rib in Mazama.) That evening, we shift focus to trip planning, map, compass, and GPS navigation as we prepare for our four-day expedition into Boston Basin.

Skills you’ll build:

• Multi-pitch technical rock climbing up to 5.6
• Transitioning between technical and moderate terrain
• Map, compass, and GPS navigation
• Expedition planning for multi-day backcountry travel

Accomodations: Car Camping

Day 5 — Into Boston Basin & Crevasse Rescue

After picking up permits in Marblemount, we hike into stunning Boston Basin, climbing to a camp at or above treeline. This strenuous 3-4 hour approach with heavy packs builds the load-carrying skills essential for bigger expeditions. Once camp is set, we run an advanced crevasse rescue clinic, covering the systems used in real glacier travel. We’ll also cover essential backcountry living skills, including Leave No Trace principles, cold-weather camping, efficient snow melting, and nutrition for sustained performance in the mountains.

Skills you’ll build:

• Load hauling and pacing with heavy packs
• Glacier travel and mountaineering rope management
• Crevasse rescue: 3:1 Z-pulley and 2:1 Drop-C systems
• Advanced 5:1/6:1 haul systems and load-releasable hitches
• Snow anchor construction and mechanical advantage
• Backcountry living: Leave No Trace, hygiene, and nutrition

Accomodations: Backcountry Camping

Day 6 — Quien Sabe Glacier & Sharkfin Tower

We rope up for glacier travel, practicing classical and echelon formations on a tour across the lower Quien Sabe Glacier. From there, we climb Sharkfin Tower, an 800-foot granite spire rising above the glacier, applying skills from earlier in the course in a more remote, committing setting. After several guided pitches of steep snow and rock to the col, we drop packs and climb the final 300 feet of 5th-class alpine rock to the summit, rewarded with sweeping views of Boston Basin and Forbidden Peak. We spend the afternoon preparing for tomorrow’s summit attempt.

Skills you’ll build:

• Glacier travel: classical and echelon rope formations
• Steep snow and mixed climbing technique
• Multi-pitch alpine rock climbing in remote terrain
• Applying prior skills in a more committing setting

Accomodations: Backcountry Camping

Day 7 — Summit Day: Forbidden Peak

This is the day the course has been building toward: the summit climb. For strong groups, the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak — one of the legendary “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America” — combines glacier travel, steep snow, and stunning rock and mixed climbing on the range’s most iconic summit. The climbing is sustained but never too difficult, letting you apply everything you’ve learned to a true big-mountain objective. Guides will model simul-climbing, running belays, and efficient rappelling and lowering throughout the ascent. If conditions or group strengths call for something more moderate, we’ll instead climb Sahale Peak, Torment Peak, or circumnavigate the Boston Glacier. Either way, expect a long and unforgettable day.

Skills you’ll build:

• Simul-climbing and running belays on sustained terrain
• Efficient rappelling and lowering in alpine terrain
• Glacier travel and steep snow climbing
• Integrating multiple disciplines into one big objective
• Real-time decision-making based on conditions and group strength

Accomodations: Backcountry Camping

Day 8 — Heading Home

We close out the course with one last morning in Boston Basin, packing up camp and soaking in the wilderness before hiking out with our heavy loads. Back in Seattle, we de-issue gear and wrap up the program, with an optional stop for food and a celebratory drink along the way. After eight days in the mountains, you’ll head home with a sharpened technical skill set, real alpine experience, and a well-earned hot shower waiting.

Skills you’ll build:

• Course-wide review and consolidation of technical skills
• Efficient camp breakdown and load management
• Reflection on alpine experience gained throughout the course

Note: Navigation (map, compass, GPS, and altimeter), route-finding, and glaciology are woven into the curriculum throughout the entire course rather than confined to a single day. Because mountain weather and conditions are unpredictable, guides continually adjust the itinerary to match the group’s skills and interests with what the mountains allow.