Mixed ClimbingSM

Students Per Instructor: 1 or 2
Course Length: 2 Days (approx. 8 hours per day)
Seasons Offered: Winter
Alpine Mastery Method: Ice Mastery - Level III
Prerequisites: Essential Ice Climbing Skills Evaluation, Following Skills Evaluation, and ability to climb at least 5.7 rock.

Course Summary: This course teaches techniques needed for mixed climbs, where rock and ice must both be negotiated. Rock climbing in boots and crampons, dry-tooling, and tactics for thin ice are addressed.

Reservations

Course Description:
This course presents the techniques needed for climbing mixed ice and rock terrain. We’ll begin by introducing you to the insecure feeling of climbing rock in mountain boots. Climbing rock in boots requires techniques quite different from the ones used while wearing rock shoes, and helping you to become comfortable in this initially foreign environment is our first priority.

Next, we’ll explore rock climbing while wearing crampons and finally we will introduce “dry-tooling”. We provide plenty of opportunity to practice your new skills, close to the ground, in a top-roped setting, on the first day.

On the second day, we will put your new skills to the test during an ascent of a mixed ice and rock route.

Successful completion of our Essential Ice Climbing Skills Evaluation, plus the ability to climb at least 5.7 in rock shoes, are prerequisites for this course. If your aspirations include the world’s classic alpine climbs, a mastery of these skills is mandatory.