10 Day Rainier Baker Mountaineering Course Itinerary

Day 1 – Seattle to Mount Baker

We begin the course with a 6:30 a.m. orientation and gear check at our Seattle office. Developing strong mountaineering skills starts with having the proper equipment, clothing, and nutrition for a safe and enjoyable experience in the mountains. Guides review equipment, discuss current weather and route conditions, fit rental gear, and answer final questions before departing for Mount Baker.

From Seattle, we travel to the Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead on the north side of Mount Baker. The trail quickly climbs through old-growth forest and alpine meadows before reaching the spectacular glaciated landscape surrounding the Coleman Glacier. By late afternoon, we establish camp at approximately 6,000 feet, where students learn the fundamentals of expedition living, including camp setup, hydration, snow melting, backcountry cooking, personal maintenance, and Leave No Trace practices.

Skills Covered:

• Equipment selection, fit, and preparation
• Glacier travel equipment and packing
• Camp setup and expedition organization
• Hydration and nutrition at altitude
• Leave No Trace practices

Day 2 – Snow School

Snow school fundamentals begin with an introduction to crampon and ice axe techniques, including efficient movement on snow, French technique, front-pointing, and basic ice axe self-arrest positions. By afternoon, students practice snow climbing techniques and learn to recognize and manage common alpine hazards.

Skills Covered:

• Crampon technique
• Ice axe use and self-arrest
• Snow climbing and movement techniques
• Recognizing alpine hazards
• Efficient movement on snow

Day 3 – Ice Climbing on the Coleman Glacier

Today’s focus is technical climbing on the Coleman Glacier. Students learn the fundamentals of ice climbing, including front-pointing, using ice tools, efficient movement, and climbing technique on steeper terrain.

Throughout the day, guides demonstrate and coach students through increasingly challenging terrain, helping them build confidence and efficiency while preparing for the technical climbing required later in the course.

Skills Covered:

• Ice climbing technique
• Front-pointing
• Ice tool technique
• Belaying on steep terrain
• Technical climbing movement

Day 4 – Crevasse Rescue

Building on everything learned so far – knots, prussiks, rope handling, anchors, belaying, and mechanical advantage – today’s focus is crevasse rescue. We start with a dry run on flat snow, then progress to a full rescue with a real mock crevasse fall. Standard instruction covers the 3:1 Z-pulley system on a three-person rope team, with a demonstration of the 2:1 Drop-C on a two-person team. Students also practice self-rescue, ascending out of a crevasse using prussiks. Guides emphasize safety throughout, always using backup systems while managing this hazardous terrain.

Skills Covered:

• Crevasse rescue systems
• 3:1 Z-pulley system
• 2:1 Drop-C system
• Prussik use and self-rescue
• Rope handling and anchors
• Mechanical advantage

Day 5 – Mount Baker Summit

Today the group pushes for the summit of Mount Baker, weaving through crevasses and seracs on the Coleman Glacier. Expect a full 10-12 hour day with over 4,000 feet of vertical gain on slopes exceeding 40 degrees. Learning to prepare, plan, and execute a summit climb is one of the most valuable parts of this course — and a physically and mentally demanding day like this builds real training for bigger objectives ahead in your climbing career. (Depending on conditions, guides may instead use today to establish a higher camp, pushing for the summit on Day 6.)

Skills Covered:

• Summit preparation and planning
• Glacier travel
• Route finding
• Climbing steep snow
• Managing fatigue and pacing

Day 6 – Transition Day

After six demanding days of training and a Mount Baker summit, we break camp and hike back to the trailhead before driving to the Alpine Ascents office in Seattle. We’ll reorganize equipment, make any necessary gear adjustments, and review logistics for the next stage of the expedition. While this is far from a rest day, it provides an opportunity to recover, enjoy a good meal, and prepare for four exciting days on Mount Rainier.

Note: you’ll need to book your own hotel room for this night.

Please plan to book a hotel room for the evening of Day 6.

Skills Covered:

• Expedition logistics
• Equipment organization
• Gear adjustments
• Recovery and preparation

Day 7 — Into the Kautz Glacier

The course shifts gears as we move onto Mount Rainier and begin our approach to the Kautz Glacier. Students apply the technical skills developed on Mount Baker while traveling through increasingly complex terrain and preparing for the climb ahead. The route includes the Wapowety Cleaver.

Skills Covered:

• Glacier travel
• Route finding
• Rope team travel
• Technical snow and ice movement
• Expedition pacing

Day 8 — Moving to High Camp

We move camp higher today, carrying equipment and supplies toward high camp. Students practice efficient movement at altitude while continuing to develop their glacier travel, rope management, and climbing skills. Once established at high camp, the team prepares equipment and settles in for an early night before summit day.

Skills you’ll build:

• High-altitude movement
• Efficient packing and carrying
• Rope management
• Camp organization
• Summit preparation

Day 9 — Mount Rainier Summit

Summit day begins early as the team climbs toward the summit of Mount Rainier. Students put their technical skills, pacing, route-finding, and altitude management into practice during a long and demanding summit day. After reaching the summit, the team descends to camp for a meal and rest.

Skills you’ll build:

• Summit climbing techniques
• Altitude management
• Pacing and endurance
• Route finding
• Technical glacier travel

Day 10 — Descent to Paradise

On our final day, we descend from high camp back to Paradise. Students practice efficient downhill movement and continue to manage equipment, hydration, and fatigue while traveling through changing terrain. Once back at Paradise, the course concludes with a final debrief and an opportunity to review the skills and experiences gained throughout the expedition.

Skills you’ll build:

• Efficient descent techniques
• Equipment management
• Fatigue management
• Expedition debriefing

Note: Navigation (map, compass, GPS, altimeter, and white-out navigation), route-finding, and glaciology are woven into the curriculum throughout the entire course rather than confined to a single day. Guides also continually reinforce self-awareness, personal well-being, and keeping camp clean and secure. Because mountain weather and conditions are unpredictable, the itinerary is regularly adjusted to match the group’s skills and interests with what the mountains allow.