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Join us on this course for some great climbing on both snow and ice, and you'll come away with a full understanding of the fundamentals of winter climbing. It all starts here for people headed toward the winter pursuits of ice climbing or winter mountaineering. In this full-day course, we will outfit you with all the gear required to move on steep snow and moderate-angled ice.
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This is our most popular winter program, and a solid foundation for anyone headed to Mt. Rainier, Mt. McKinley, or similar objectives. Your three individual days of instruction begin with our Winter Climbing 101 course where we'll teach you the basics of hiking above treeline with crampons and an ice axe. On day two, you will apply the skills you learned on your first day on a moderately-angled snow and ice route. Finally, on day three, you'll put everything you've learned to the test with a thrilling summit attempt of Mt. Washington or one of the Adirondacks High Peaks! |
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The tallest peak in New England is an even greater challenge in winter. Over half of the 8.2 mile round trip is above treeline where conditions can be famously harsh. Mt. Washington still holds the world record for the highest land wind speed at 231 mph and winter wind chill factor reaching a staggering -50 degrees! |
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Looking at classic mountaineering objectives out West, or the committing winter ascents of the East? Then we'll take the skills you learned in Winter Climbing 101 and apply them on a long route that will get you way up above the valley. In Winter Mountaineering 201, we'll review the basics, then head up a route of moderate-angled snow and ice. We'll cover lots of ground, protecting the party while moving together on the rope, and belaying the sections that require more care. |
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This course is less about learning new skills and more about "putting it all together" on long classics in the Adirondacks of New York or the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
You'll use your mountaineering skills, ice climbing skills and "mountain sense," as well as your fitness and endurance to maximum efficiency. Your decision-making will also be tested – especially your avalanche hazard assessment skills as you push yourself to exciting new levels in some of the most starkly beautiful and challenging settings in the East. |
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If you aspire to climb bigger mountains out West or abroad, learning to rope up for and travel over glaciers is essential. You'll also need to know how to extricate yourself or your partner from a crevasse. Though there are no glaciers in the Northeast, our instructors can teach you all of the latest tricks and techniques for navigating though these hazards. A portion of the day will be spent learning the basics of glacier rigging for different sized rope-teams, as well as equipment options and crevasse rescue systems. |
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Do you spend time backcountry skiing or snowboarding, winter hiking, mountaineering or ice climbing? It doesn't matter if you're staying in the Northeast or heading out West, you owe it to yourself and your companions to learn all you can about avalanche hazard management. This 3 day/ 24 hour introductory course will provide you with a basic understanding of avalanches.
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Are you looking to further your avalanche skills and have already taken the AIARE Level I course? This course delves a little deeper into the "hows" and "whys" of avalanches. You will not only get more practice assessing avalanche terrain and exercising your decision making skills, you will also get a better understanding of why avalanches happen with relation to snow stability. |
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If it has been a while since your AIARE Level I Avalanche course and you need to brush up and practice – or if you're looking for a quick intro to the whole topic – this course will serve as a quick overview. We'll review typical terrain features and their influence on avalanche activity, human factors and route selection, and proper gear selection for travel in avalanche terrain. Out in the field we'll practice digging test pits and other snowpack assessment techniques, then we'll bring out the transceivers for some burial drills. |
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Here's the perfect combination: daytime mountain travel (with snowshoes down low and crampons above treeline) and a night of winter camping on the mountainside. We'll prepare for the trip by covering proper route planning and equipment selection, then head into the mountains. That afternoon, we'll establish a high campsite within striking distance of some of the major peaks of the northern Presidential. |
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Here's the perfect combination: daytime mountain travel (with snowshoes down low and crampons above treeline) and a night of winter camping on the mountainside. We'll prepare for the trip by covering proper route planning and equipment selection, then head into the mountains. That afternoon, we'll establish a high campsite within striking distance of some of the major peaks of the northern Presidential. |
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Many consider the “Presi Traverse" to be the crowning achievement for winter mountaineers in New England. Over the course of three rigorous days, you’ll cross all the main summits of the Presidential Range, with 6288-foot Mt. Washington at its crest. The majority of this traverse is above treeline, and the camping and bail-out options are few and far between. |
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