NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK

Advanced ALPINE CLIMBING 3 SEMINAR

July/August

5- Days

Advanced

$1999

Upcoming TripS

July 19- 23, 2027

EXPLORE OUR ALPINE CLIMBING SCHOOLS

DISCOVER

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ITINERARY AND PREP

| OVERVIEW |

Five days is the perfect amount of time to refine and apply complex alpine skills in real terrain, on famous peaks in the North Cascades. Since your cohort of students and you have graduated from our alpine one and two seminars and are generally climbing independently, this is a capstone program designed to polish your skills with your guide as a mentor and risk manager in the mountains. In addition, we will push your education forward by exploring routes requiring on route bivys, strategies for building/improving descent anchors, and navigating larger alpine terrain.

taught in the rugged glaciated environments of the North Cascades, THIS SEMINAR is designed for climbers who are interested in developing more advanced ability in ALPINE ROCK AND mixed terrain ON longer AND MORE COMPLEX, alpine routes.

| GALLERY |

| ITINERARY AND PREP |

Pre-Trip call

Guides and guests will connect with a video call to discuss gear selection for the seminar, meet each other, talk objectives for the trip, and answer any lingering questions as we prepare to meet in the field.

EVENING PREP SESSION

Meet at a local park close to the North Cascades, in Sedro-Woolley, where we will share a final gear prep overview and share carpooling logistics for the next day. Then we go to a local eatery for a pre-trip team dinner. This gives students time to grab any last-minute course items.

DAY 1

Our team will meet at the Boston Basin Trailhead, makes any small adjustments to the kit, and then takes a stroll to our alpine destination’s base camp.

After establishing basecamp and reminding everyone of the importance of personal maintenance, hygiene, sleeping in cold environments, and Leave No Trace principles, as well as addressing any student concerns, we will talk shop about team protection in alpine terrain using the rope, reviewing anchor knowledge including piton placements, and refine our knowledge of snow anchors and protection.

Afterwards, we will polish our technical systems and decision making skills by climbing a small sub-peak in Boston Basin.

Once back in camp, we will discuss our Capstone objective and prepare our gear for tomorrow.

DAY 2

Wake-up and breakfast, followed by starting our Capstone climbing objective.

Typical Capstone climbs are the North Ridge or Northwest Face of Forbidden Peak, or the Torment-Forbidden-Traverse.

Each of these objectives require an overnight bivy, so tonight in sleeping on route.

DAY 3

Continue on route of your chosen Capstone climb. Usually both climbing groups, North Ridge of Forbidden Peak, and the Torment-Forbidden-Traverse groups will meet at the bivy notch at the base of the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak.

Sleeping on route for night two.

DAY 4

Both groups will either descend Cat Scratch Gully or climb the West Ridge of Forbidden then descend back to our basecamp to complete our Capstone climbs.

DAY 5

Leisurely wake up at Boston Basin Basecamp, breakfast, then pack up camp and hike back to the trailhead. Depending on time, we will have lunch or dinner as a team and debrief the capstone climbing experience while also coloring in ways to continuing to refine your skills in the mountains.

| Download Our Trip Packet |

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Technical Experience

Completion of Smile’s Alpine Climbing Foundations 2 Seminar or equivalent prerequisite training.

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Fitness

Excellent physical fitness is required. Climbers must be able to hike and climb for many hours while carrying a pack. Training for Advanced Alpine Climbing is a great fitness program to develop a strong alpine climbing base. 50% intensity is a good marker of alpine fitness for this weekend.

Altitude

No prior experience at altitude is required.

MOUNT TORMENT

NORTH RIDGE, FORBIDDEN PEAK

| WHATS INCLUDED |

Group cooking equipment and storage, including water purification, and bear bags
Bivy bags for sleeping and group tents
Technical climbing gear including ice axe, crampons, snow pickets
Climbing helmet and or harness
Certified guides

Pitons and bailing cord/gear for anchor improvements on route
Personal climbing kit including lockers, slings, cams, wedges, belay devices, etc
Sleeping bag or pad
Personal hiking gear such as backpacks and poles
Food for camp and on route
Transportation to the venue
Tips for guides

TOERMENT-FORBIDDEN-TRAVERSE

SIDEWALK IN THE SKY, TFT

| PRICING DETAILS |

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK