1 Day Mountaineering Fundamentals Itinerary

Meeting Time: 7 am
Meeting Location:  Whittaker’s Bunkhouse, Ashford, Washington

The day begins in Ashford, where you’ll meet your guides and fellow climbers for introductions, a quick equipment check, and an overview of the day’s objectives. About one week before the course, your guide will send a pre-trip email with your confirmed meeting time and final logistics.

From Ashford, we travel in an Alpine Ascents van approximately 45 minutes to the Paradise Visitors Center before hiking to our classroom on the lower snowfields of Mount Rainier. We will base out of Paradise for the day learning and practicing glacier travel. The exact location of our “classroom” will vary based on snow conditions; courses in the earlier part of the year (April-June) will have a shorter approach hike (as short as 15 mins), while courses later in the season travel farther to reach suitable snow, sometimes up to 1.5 hours.

Throughout the day, students build the technical foundation for safe glacier travel. We practice snow climbing techniques, cramponing, ice axe use, and self-arrest. As we hike back to Paradise in the afternoon, students continue practicing efficient rope team travel and applying the techniques learned throughout the day.

Skills Covered:

• Mountaineering footwork on snow
• Cramponing
• Mountaineering knots
• Ice axe skills
• Self arrest
• Rope team travel
• Glacier travel rope configuration
• Running protection
• Ascending and descending steep snow slopes

This itinerary may be adjusted based on weather, snow conditions, and group progress.