6-day Mountaineering Course
The 6-day Mountaineering course is an introduction to mountaineering and expedition climbing. You and your team members will fly directly into the mountains from Talkeetna and land on a glacier. This maximizes time for technical skill development, such as: establishing safe camps, travelling on a rope team, practicing crevasse rescue, and learning how to climb snow- and ice-covered peaks. You will learn how to live comfortably on snow-covered, glaciated terrain and gain an understanding of what it takes to pursue longer climbs in the Alaska Range. This course requires that you arrive in good physical condition, and be excited to learn how to live in a remote, mountainous environment. Six days is a short amount of time to cover a large number of topics, move camp, and also climb a peak, so be prepared to absorb a lot of information.
FEATURES
- 1:3 instructor/student ratio, up to 9 students
- Mountaineering skills progression: knots, protection, anchors, belays, self-arrest, snow climbing techniques, descent
- Winter camping skills in a glacier environment
- Roped glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques
- Snowshoe travel with ski poles, including safe glacier travel, route-finding, and navigation skills
- Recognize and avoid avalanche terrain
- Leadership and Expedition Behavior skills: fundamental tools for a successful expedition
- Preparing and eating tasty and nutritious food in the mountains
“I felt 100% comfortable with my guides, even when dangling 15 feet below the lip of a crevasse. My only complaint: I should have taken the 12-Day course.” — Stuart Pearce
Schedule
April 27 – May 2, 2025
May 6 – 11, 2025
June 14 – 19, 2025 (All Women’s Team)
June 21 – 26, 2025
July 5 – 10, 2025
What's Included
- Professional instructors, 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 mountaineering course itinerary. Actual day-to-day activities of any course vary depending on course location, weather, and snow conditions.
Day 1
Meet 8am at AMS in Talkeetna with your instructors, muffins/tea/coffee provided, course orientation, individual gear check, lunch at AMS, register with NPS, climb fixed lines, final pack up and dress for the mountains, fly, build camp. Classes in Talkeetna: harnesses, basic knots, fixed line ascension, what to wear and how to pack for the plane; classes on glacier: scene safety, hygiene and sanitation, campsite selection, probing, perimeter camping, shovel use and care, tent platforms and walls, group outdoor kitchen, food id, stove use, basic cooking, evening class on “bomb proofing” camp, sleeping warm.
Day 2
Group breakfast, set up kitchen megamids, climbing ground school, basic crevasse fall scenarios, glacier tour/scout tomorrow’s crevasse. Classes: Rope id and care, climbing protection, anchors, belaying, roping up for glacier travel, self-arrest with ski poles, crevasse fall scenarios, transferring the load to an anchor, snow shoeing, glacier travel techniques; evening discussion: altitude-related injuries, what to bring in a day pack, weather observations.
Day 3
Rope up and head to crevasse for the day, probe out and establish crevasse rescue training area, build anchors, lower and raise each other out of crevasse, ascend climbing rope out of crevasse, student-led rope teams. Classes: Lowering, tying off, transferring the load, raising systems, what to do with pack and sled; evening discussion: avalanche mechanics & classification, weather observations.
Day 4
Break down camp, pack sleds, travel to new location and build camp, prepare for peak ascent. Classes: Packing packs and sleds, caching, roping up with sleds, navigation & route finding, transceiver searches; evening discussion: cold injuries, weather observations.
Day 5
Weather observations, stability tests, summit attempt. Classes: Snow climbing techniques, running protection/belays, crampon use, snow stability tests, route finding; evening discussion on expedition behavior and leadership.
Day 6
Alpine start, pack up and return to airstrip, student led rope teams, prepare runway, fly back to Talkeetna, de-issue equipment. Classes: Packing runway, where to go from here.
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.
