Introduction to Winter Mountaineering & Expedition Climbing

Whether you want to become self sufficient in winter mountaineering skills, or are headed to high altitude mountains in South America, Asia or Alaska, our Four day Introduction to Alpine Mountaineering Course will prepare you well. We utilize the exceptional terrain of the San Juan Mountains between Durango and Silverton to conduct our courses. The mountain we train on, and climb, is Engineer Mountain (12,978 ft.) via the NE Ridge. The NE Ridge is characterized by steep snow and mixed rock challenges, the perfect mixture to give you a feel for what it's like to tackle a cold weather ascent in the mountains. On Engineer we also have an established base camp to help keep our packs light on the approach.

Our basecamp is located below Engineer mountain at approximately 11,500 ft. It is stocked with a double burner propane stove and lantern, along with food and climbing equipment. Therefore, the trip from the trailhead to basecamp does not require us to ferry large loads in order to brave the cold nights. The nights are spent warm and cozy in our 15 person Mountain Hardware Space Station.

The course involves 1 day of Alpine Ice Skills, which allows participants to acclimate to the altitude and winter conditions that typify the rugged San Juan Mountains. We follow with 3 days of Alpine Mountaineering and winter camping on Engineer Mountain.

We meet the evening prior to the course at the Southwest Adventure Guides' office, to take care of any outfitting needs, perform a thorough check of your personal equipment, and give you the opportunity to purchase or rent any additional items that you may need for the course. We also give you tips on packing your pack for departure the following morning. If course participants cannot attend the evening meeting, arrangements must be made to complete these tasks the morning that the course begins.

Skills Covered

• Avalanche Awareness and Hazard Recognition
• Proper Camp Construction and Fortification
• Expedition Style Ascents
• Team Roped Travel
• Anchor Construction in Alpine Terrain
• Alpine Snow and Rock Climbing Technique
• Crevasse Rescue Protocol
• Terrain Selection and Navigation

Sample Itinerary

Day 0: Arrive in Durango, Colorado. At this time we issue equipment and go over your personal equipment and logistics for the trip. If it is not possible for you to arrive the evening before, we can do this early on day one. Stay in a hotel.

Day 1: Introduction to ice climbing. After getting outfitted we proceed to the "school room" area of Cascade Canyon. We learn the basics of using crampons and ice tools to climb, emphasizing proper body positions and becoming an efficient climber. We continue refining our techniques and progress toward steeper ice climbs. We also cover basic ice anchors used for top roping and setting up a rappel. Stay in a hotel.

Day 2: We drive to the trailhead at the top of Coal Bank Pass, load up our packs with gear and food, put on our snow shoes, and begin the approach to base camp. On the way, we discuss route finding and avalanche safety, focusing on snow condition evaluation and hazardous terrain recognition. Once we get settled into base camp we head out and practice using avalanche beacons. Camp out.

Day 3: We begin the day by examining the snowpack and digging a hasty pit in order to assess the avalanche potential of a particular given slope. After examining the snowpack we work on gaining knowledge of snow climbing techniques, and learn and practice the many different positions in which to use the ice axe as a self belay and self arrest tool. We then move into learning how to incorporate the rope for additional safety. We practice snow anchors, snow belays and how to safely travel as a rope team.

Day 4: Today we get up early and attempt the Northeast Ridge of Engineer Mountain (12,978 ft.). This is a spectacular alpine climb with exposed ridges and some moderately steep snow and rock climbing. We employ many of the skills we practiced on day two. The climb moves along a narrow ridge with a few steep sections. We use rope and snow protection on the ascent. Stay in hotel.

Additional Information

Trip Cost Includes: SWAG guide, breakfasts and dinners while on the mountaineering portion of the course, as well as group camping, cooking and climbing equipment (tents, stoves, ropes, etc.).

Not Included: Hotel costs before, during or after the courses. 3% land use surcharge, $5 Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue card (required), trip cancellation insurance, personal climbing or camping equipment, or guide gratuities.

Prerequisites: Participants should be in good physical condition and have previous multi-day backpacking and/or camping experience in a wilderness setting.

Registration and Cancellation: You will need to fill out our Domestic Multi-Day Registration Form, cancellation policy agreement, and liability waiver, and send it to us with a 50% deposit. Balance is due on the first day of the course. Please click on our Registration link to access the required forms.