ALPINE CLIMBING

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The Matterhorn: Hörnli Ridge Route

IFMGA Mountain Guide Zeb Blais lays out a complete guide to climbing the Hörnli Ridge Route on the Matterhorn.

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    How to Climb Mt. Baker: Routes, Seasons, Gear, and Guide Tips for a Successful Summit

    How to Climb Mt. Baker: Routes, Seasons, Gear, and Guide Tips for a Successful Summit Photo: View looking up the Coleman Glacier towards the summit of Mt Baker Why Mt. Baker Is One of the...

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      Mont Blanc: The Pope Route

      Climbers on the Pope Route on Mont Blanc, aka the Italian Normal Route, taken from the Rifugio Gonella. Photo: Zeb Blais   The Pope Route / Italian Normal Route Mont Blanc 4,810m   The Pope...

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        Mont Blanc: The Normal Route

        The Normal Route on Mont Blanc, aka the Goûter Route, taken from the Col du Dome. Photo: Zeb Blais   The Normal Route |  Mont Blanc 4,810m   Mont Blanc is not an easy mountain...

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          Where is the best place to learn mountaineering?

          So, you’re wondering: where is the best place to learn mountaineering?  We’ve got some great ideas on what makes a mountain a good place to learn mountain climbing.  We'll also dive into what it means to climb in good style and the skills mountaineers should look to build as they broaden their tick list of peaks and routes.
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            Mont Blanc Summit Climb via The Trois Monts Route

            Mont Blanc: The Trois Monts Traverse offers a detailed overview of climbing 4,810m Mont Blanc via the classic Trois Monts route and down the Normal Route. As the highest peak in Western Europe, Mont Blanc offers a major challenge in altitude, but the challenges don't stop there - read on for a full route description.
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              A Brief History of Alpinism

              A climber on the Arête du Diable in the Rhône Alps of Chamonix. Photo: Zeb Blais ~ A Brief History of Alpinism  Rhône Alps  |  Chamonix, France Where did alpinism originate?  Spoiler alert: it's the Alps.  The French Alps to...

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                Understanding Mixed Climbing: A Complete Guide to Mixed Climbing Grades

                  Pushing grades of mixed climbing in the alpine in New Zealand. Photo: NZ Alpine Team David Vuono/Climbing Magazine ~. What is Mixed Climbing? Mixed climbing is climbing that involves both rock and ice.  Mixed climbs are...

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                  Understanding Ice Climbing: A Complete Guide to Ice Climbing Grades

                  A climber enjoying a (mostly) frozen waterfall in Cody, Wyoming. Photo: Zeb Blais ~ Ice is an ephemeral medium, so ice climbing grades can vary widely from the grades given for the climb and the actual...

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                    Climbing the Normal Route on Gran Paradiso

                    Climbing Italy's Highest Peak, Gran Paradiso via the Normal Route from Chabot or Vittorio Emanuele.  At 4,061m, Gran Paradiso is the highest peak in Italy & is one of the most accessible 4,000m peaks in the Alps.  We describe the climbing Gran Paradiso & the descent.  Come climb Gran Paradiso with us!
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                      The Ultimate Guide to Climbing Grades

                      Understanding climbing grades is essential for safe & successful rock, ice & alpine climbs. Understanding the different grading systems & the factors that affect grades will help you make informed decisions & tackle routes that match your skill level & ambitions. Our Ultimate Guide to Climbing Grades provides it all!
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                        North Cascades Guided Alpine Climbs 2024

                        2024 North Cascades Guided Climbing Dates

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                            Temple Crag: Classic High Sierra Alpine Climbing

                            When the weather is nice in the High Sierra Alpine, there's no better place to climb than Temple Crag.  With huge alpine rock routes spanning well over 1,500', Temple crag boasts some of the longest continuous climbing in the High Sierra. The 4 major routes on the north face of Temple Crag, known as the Celestial Aretes, range in difficulty and length. 
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                            Mt Shuksan Fisher Chimneys: Small Mountain, Big Punch

                            For a relatively small mountain, Mount Shuksan packs a big punch. Stretching only 9,131’ above sea level, one might easily overlook this gem of the North Cascades. Luckily for Mt Shuksan, mountain climbing is more than mere altitude.
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                              Summit on Mount Rainier

                              Blackbird Mountain Guides made the summit of Mount Rainier during the Rainier Summit & Skills Expedition on July 20th. The summit was made during the 5 day skills seminar & after a number of days of mountaineering skills including crampons, ice axe arrest, glacier travel, knots, anchors, crevasse rescue & ice climbing
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                                Tocllaraju: Our Final Climb in the Cordillera Blanca

                                We woke early, knowing that if we wanted a chance to summit Tocllaraju, we were in for a long day.  The morning started off like the evening: clear, cold and still. As we gained altitude on the glacier, the winds picked up and soon gusts were blowing snow into our faces and pushing us around.  As we started the first steep pitch of climbing, the wind hurled loose snow grains from the surface down the slope into our faces and eyes, causing us to pause and shield ourselves from stinging ice pellets.
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                                  The Ishinca Traverse: Peak 3 of 4, Cordillera Blanca

                                  After a wild and windy summit on Urus Este, we were feeling well acclimatized, and ready for our next objective: the Ishinca Traverse. This is a classic climb in Peru's Cordillera Blanca and offers incredible views of Ranrapalca, Ocshapalca, Tocllaraju, Palcaraju and our last peak Urus Este.
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                                    The Ishinca Valley: Urus Este, Nevado Ishinca and Tocllaraju

                                    After acclimatizing and refreshing ice climbing and mountaineering skills on Yanapaccha, our team took a well deserved rest day in Huaraz to prepare for our next objective: The Ishinca Valley. The Quebrada Ishinca, as it is known in Peru, is one of the Cordillera Blanca’s most famous valleys and is home to a slew of classic climbs from easy glacier ascents to bold, technical lines.
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                                      Success on 17,913' Yanapacha - Cordillera Blanca, Peru

                                      100% Success on 17,913' Yanapacha - Cordillera Blanca, Peru Two days ago all members of the Blackbird team stood on the summit of Yanapacha in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. The weather was fantastic and the climbing conditions were fun and engaging, making it an unforgettable day.
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                                        Our Teams are Acclimatizing in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

                                        Yesterday we started the process of acclimatizing in the Cordillera Blanca in Huaraz, Peru. We're preparing our bodies for the altitude we’ll experience while climbing peaks Cordillera Blanca, including one over 6,000m (almost 20,000'). Acclimatization is important for safety & performance in the Cordillera Blanca.
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                                          Blackbird Peru Teams Have Made It To The Cordillera Blanca!

                                          Blackbird Peru Teams Have made it to the Cordillera Blanca! Today, we boarded our Mercedes Sprinter for the long drive north to Huaraz, Peru, the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca. After a nice breakfast with fresh eggs and tropical juice, we boarded our shuttle and started the long journey to Huaraz.
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                                            Blackbird Teams Land in Peru!

                                            2022-06-15 Today our team arrived safely in Lima, Peru for this year’s Cordillera Blanca climbing trip.  We’re attempting to climb 4 peaks, up to 6,000m, over the next couple weeks including Yanapacha, Ishinca, Urus Este and Tocllaraju.  The climbs involve glacier travel, steep snow, steep ice and moderate rock climbing at high altitude and they’re all located in one of the world’s most magnificent ranges: Peru's Cordillera Blanca.

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                                              The Rest Step: An Essential Climb Technique

                                              From simple hikes to standing on top of Mount Everest, the rest step is the most important skill you can employ to reduce energy output and improve your chances of success. For long, endurance based climbing and ski mountaineering objectives  It is essential for efficient movement on terrain with any sort of incline. Our in depth video and step by step instruction walks is a great "How To" for the rest step.
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