7:00 a.m. Trailhead Meeting
Meet at the appropriate trailhead at 7:00 a.m. for a quick gear check, introductions, and an overview of the day. One week prior to the course, your guide will clearly outline the meeting location via email.
Please review the Gear information and come prepared. Climbers who do not arrive equipped for the day will not be able to proceed with the course.
If you plan to rent gear from Alpine Ascents, you can pick up these rental items from our Seattle office the day prior to your course.
In Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is about 55 miles east of Seattle. There are many rental options on AirBNB in the general vicinity as well as the hotel listed below. Otherwise, it is a very reasonable drive from Seattle which has many lodging options at all price points.
Summit Inn
Phone: (425) 434-6300
Website
In Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass falls between the town of Skykomish (16.2 miles away) and Leavenworth (35.2 miles away) and while options exist in either town, the faux Bavarian village of Leavenworth has many more hotels, restaurants, and has livelier atmosphere overall. There are many more options than we have space to list here, and recommend finding a hotel on your preferred travel booking site at a price point that works for you.
Gear Overview
Check out these blog posts with gear tips:
What’s Weighing You Down? – Tips to Keep Your Ski / Splitboard Pack Light
To Buy an Avi Airbag or Not?
This video walks through how to pack for a day of ski touring:
Mountain Lunch
Skiers / splitboarders need to bring their own lunch for this training day. It’s a long day, so please plan on bringing about 1,000 calories of food. Here’s a sample lunch pack:
• Cold pizza, fresh sandwich, or burrito
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• Piece of fresh fruit
• Trail mix
• A bakery cookie
• Small bag of chips or similar salty snack
• Cold drink mix for your water
A training course such as this requires a much higher energy expenditure on a daily basis than what you may be used to. Eating well and frequently not only sustains energy levels but also keeps positive morale and attitude. By nature, mountains have periods of inclement weather and it is important that caloric intake be high and regular to help avoid hypothermia and other cold weather or altitude-related problems.
Preparation for your Course
For this course, we will be skiing with day packs to our classroom in the Snoqualmie backcountry.
- Prior experience traveling on snow, self arrest training, and familiarity with rope team travel is strongly recommended.
- Skiers/splitboarders should be able to comfortably blue square terrain (off-piste) in a variety of snow conditions with a 25lb backpack.
- Participants should be comfortable with ski / splitboard transitions. We recommend practicing with your equipment at home, or preferably in bounds on snow.
- Skins should be cut and fitted in advance of the course as well.
- Pack Weight: 30 Pounds
Prior to arriving at the course, we recommend participants take time to learn and practice the following knots:
- Butterfly knot
- Clove hitch
- Girth hitch
- Mule knot
- Prusik hitch
- Klemheist hitch
- Munter hitch
Check out our Knots & Hitches series on the Alpine Ascents YouTube channel.
Additionally, closely review the following chapters in Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills:
- Basic Risk Management Systems
- Snow Travel & Climbing
- Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue
Physiology of Mountaineering
Please read our primer on the basics of altitude physiology and awareness of the dangers posed by travel in the mountains.
LNT
Alpine Ascents International practices Leave No Trace principles on all expeditions. We believe that given the proper information most people will do all they can to help protect and maintain the environment. Please Visit:
7 Principles of Leave No Trace
As guides, we spend time teaching the environmentally appropriate Leave No Trace principals and practices. There is nothing more beautiful than working hard to get high into the mountains, come upon a pristine campsite, witness incredible views and have the feeling that no one has been there before.
Conversely, there is nothing more disheartening than working hard to climb a mountain, reaching a site and encountering trash, food waste and toilet paper. Please read the seven LNT principles, and call the office if you have any questions about what you can do to plan ahead.
Tipping
Guides are permitted to accept and greatly appreciate tips. An average tip for the guide team is $25-50.
Please be aware that we are unable to process tips by card. You are welcome to tip your guides with cash or via mobile payment such as Venmo or PayPal.
Very much, on every dimension. Particularly impressed with the detail orientation and organization that flowed through the prep and the climb, the quality of the guides, and the level of personalization.
