6-day All Women Mountaineering Course
Mountaineering has traditionally been a predominantly male space. Still, the more you dig, the more you find stories of women such as Dora Keen, Betty Ivano Menard, Ada Blackjack, Barbara Washburn, Arlene Blum, Sophia Danenberg, Lhakpa Sherpa, and so many more who have been accomplishing impressive feats throughout the decades. Yet, women still can face small but accumulating nudges that make them less confident in their ability to thrive in challenging mountain environments. At AMS, we believe people of all genders have a place in the mountains to soak up the physical, mental, interpersonal, and spiritual health boost from spending time in these wild and awe-inspiring places. The countless benefits of mountaineering belong to everyone, and we are here to help make that happen. We know that all-women courses and expeditions can offer a uniquely empowering and equalizing space that allows us to challenge ourselves in ways that transform us for the better. In this group, we hope there is less impulse to assume we can’t do something and more ease and opportunity to learn what seems intimidating.
The AMS 6-Day Mountaineering Course is designed for anyone who wishes to travel and climb on a multi-day expedition in a glaciated mountain range. This course models a Denali expedition by utilizing fixed-wing aircraft to land on a glacier. This is not a base camping course but one that moves to at least one new location. 5 full days in the field will be busy if we are to build a foundation of essential mountaineering skills.
Throughout the course, participants learn by doing, gaining confidence to camp, travel on a glacier, and climb mountains in a remote environment.
AMS is running this course in conjunction with AK Mountain Women.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship for this course, please fill out the:
“I chose AMS because of their expertise, local knowledge and not least, the number of women they have among their guides and successful clients.” —Lisa Kostova
What's Included
- All female instructors
- 1:3 instructor-student ratio as the gold standard
- Crevasse self-rescue class in AMS before departing
- Roundtrip glacier flight
- All food during your course and team lunch at AMS HQ on day 1
- All group camping and climbing equipment: ropes, tents, pickets, technical climbing gear, snow saws, wands
- Sled for each student, pre-rigged for roped glacier travel for use during the climb
- Snow kitchen equipment: kitchen tents, cooking stoves, utensils, and fuel
- Mountain communications: emergency use satellite phone, FRS on-mountain radios, Delorme In-Reach
- Maps, GPS
- Medical protocols, first aid, medication and repair kits
- Fully equipped staging area at AMS HQ and AMS Mountain Gear Shop in Talkeetna
- 24/7 support from staff at AMS in Talkeetna during your climb
- Regular social media updates during your climb
- Pre-course assistance with travel planning and training advice
- Post-course lodging and shuttle logistics
- Luggage storage and free parking during your course
- Camping at AMS HQ campground (tents are not provided)
- Welcome-back table with fresh foods and drinks after your course
- Knowledgeable staff to assist with lodging and shuttle logistics
This is a sample 6-day All Women Mountaineering Course itinerary. Actual day-to-day activities of any course vary depending on course location, weather, and snow conditions.
Day 1
8:00 am: Meet at AMS for course orientation and overview of
the day. Check equipment and issue gear. Pack lunches.
Calculate weights. This is a busy day, so please be on time.
12:00 pm: Lunch provided at AMS
1:00 pm: Dress for the field
1:30 pm: Fixed line ascension class
3:00 pm: Pack up, weigh everything for the flight
3:30 pm: Load van. Drive a short distance to the airport. Organize loads for flight.
4:00 pm: Fly onto the glacier. Travel a short distance and establish camp: probe and wand the perimeter, build walls, make sleeping platforms, set up a group kitchen, and establish the bathroom.
6:00 pm: All group dinner
Classes: Site selection, tent spacing, shovel and snow saw use, wall building, tent pitching, hygiene and sanitation, group kitchen basics, stove use and care, cooking basics, bomb-proofing the camp, staying warm at night. Evening discussion: Course goals and expectations, plus Denali National Park and Preserve history and regulations.
Day 2
7:00am: Group breakfast. Class: food ID and nutrition. 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Basic climbing skills: More knots, rope identification and care, rope handling and coiling, snow protection and anchor systems, and belaying. 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Roping up for glacier travel, rope travel techniques, simple crevasse fall scenarios, transferring a load, snow climbing techniques, use of ice axe, self-arrest. Head out of camp for glacier travel. Evening discussion: Expedition behavior, intro to leadership.
Day 3
9:00am – 5:00pm: Meet with daypacks ready for a full day away from camp. Students organize themselves into rope teams. Group heads to crevasse for self-rescue practice: the site is secured, and anchors are built for lowering and raising systems. Students lead rope teams in glacier travel along a known 30-degree snow slope. Snow climbing and crampon practice is followed by ice axe self-arrest practice. The site turns into a ground school for running protection and fixed lines. Evening discussion: Avalanche Awareness.
Day 4
Break camp down, pack up, and travel to a new location. Students lead the rope team and campsite selection processes. Each tent has its own kitchen shelter. Evening discussion: Planning a peak ascent.
Day 5
All-day peak ascent with classes on route finding, running protection, belaying, snowpack stability. Evening discussion: Next steps for pursuing mountaineering.
Day 6
Early morning camp break down. Student-led rope teams head back to the airstrip. Fly back to Talkeetna. Clean up and de-issue gear, write evaluations, and finish logistics. Final farewell.
This is an introductory course suitable for people with no mountaineering experience. Prior experience backpacking, tent camping, and belaying will put students at an advantage, but are not required. Participants should arrive in good physical condition with a positive attitude and a desire to learn. They should be willing to work hard, have an open mind and be a team member.
“The success of your climbing trip is very dependent on who you choose to guide you. I chose AMS because of their expertise, local knowledge and not least, the number of women they have among their guides and successful clients. I summited Denali in large part because of the support of AMS.”
—Lisa Kostova, Denali West Buttress
“AMS is incredibly organized and efficient in a way only decades of experience can yield. They have carefully selected staff members and make their standards consistent and systematic. They’re a great resource and learning center.”
—Yelena, Advanced Mountaineering Course
“Thank you AMS for a very clear concise, practical and comprehensive introductory glacier travel and crevasse rescue class. The instructors were excellent, the location ideal, I feel like I have the foundation to take the next step to explore.”
—Jennifer Bando, Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course
