Intro to Mountaineering in Washington
We'll cover the following topics and skills:
- The Rest Step: the Foundation of Mountaineering
- Crampons Types and pros and cons of each How to put them on Techniques: flat footing, duck step, pied a troisieme, front pointing, plunge stepping
- Ice Axes Types of axes and pros and cons of each Anatomy of the axe and how to hold it
- Ice Axe Arrest: Rope Team Arrest (to stop a partner who has fallen into a crevasse in glaciated terrain) Self Arrest (to stop yourself from falling)
- Rope Travel For glaciated terrain For steep technical terrain with a guide
- Transitions - Hiking to Climbing Crampons
This program requires at least 3 participants to run.
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:00am - Meet your guide at the trailhead
- 8:30am - We'll spend the day demonstrating and coaching while you practice mountaineering skills
- 12:00pm - Lunch on the go
- 3:00pm - Course ends
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- This is an introductory program - No mountaineering experience is required!
- Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Permit
- Ropes & Gear
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Transportation
- Personal Mountaineering Gear - ice axe, crampons, climbing harness
- Guide Gratuities
Intro to Mountaineering Gear List
- Mountaineering Gear (ice ax, crampon, harness) - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Other Mountaineering Gear (boots) - Come prepared with your own gear or purchase from:
Know Before you go
Blackbird Mountain Guides offers both scheduled group programs and private programs.
Private programs are simply above and beyond what Blackbird Mountain Guides currently has scheduled. Scheduled courses are not always less expensive. Before booking a trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides, clients are encouraged to review the differences between these types of programs, and to decide what works best for them.
SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
Scheduled Programs have fixed dates, itineraries, objectives, curriculum, and costs. They typically appeal to solo individuals or small groups or who are looking to share the cost of their program with a larger group. Correspondingly, scheduled programs are less expensive for smaller groups (1-2), and they provide the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. If you have a large group (3+), Scheduled programs will often be more expensive. They can fill up quickly, and scheduling flexibility is obviously limited.
Scheduled programs will have advertised dates. All scheduled programs can be run as private programs with private dates/rates as well.
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
Private programs have scheduling freedom. They typically appeal to those who would like some flexibility in planning their own trip or course. In this regard, Itineraries and objectives can be tailored to suit current conditions as well as client goals. Private programs are normally less expensive for larger groups (3+). If you have a small group (1-2) private programs will be more expensive.
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 7:30 am - Meet your guide at the trailhead
- 8:00 am - We'll spend the day demonstrating and coaching while you practice ski mountaineering skills
- 12:00pm - Lunch on the go
- 3:00pm - Course ends
We'll cover the following topics and skills:
- The Rest Step: the Foundation of Mountaineering
- Crampons Types and pros and cons of each How to put them on Techniques: flat footing, duck step, pied a troisieme, front pointing, plunge stepping
- Ice Axes Types of axes and pros and cons of each Anatomy of the axe and how to hold it
- Ice Axe Arrest: Rope Team Arrest (to stop a partner who has fallen into a crevasse in glaciated terrain) Self Arrest (to stop yourself from falling)
- Rope Travel For glaciated terrain For steep technical terrain with a guide
- Transitions - Hiking to Climbing Crampons
This program requires at least 3 participants to run.
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:00am - Meet your guide at the trailhead
- 8:30am - We'll spend the day demonstrating and coaching while you practice mountaineering skills
- 12:00pm - Lunch on the go
- 3:00pm - Course ends
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- This is an introductory program - No mountaineering experience is required!
- Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Permit
- Ropes & Gear
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Transportation
- Personal Mountaineering Gear - ice axe, crampons, climbing harness
- Guide Gratuities
Intro to Mountaineering Gear List
- Mountaineering Gear (ice ax, crampon, harness) - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Other Mountaineering Gear (boots) - Come prepared with your own gear or purchase from:
Epic Reviews From Adventurers
- Rated 5 out of 5 starsLiterally the best guide I’ve come across!
Zeb at Blackbird Mountain Guides is literally the best guide I've come across. I've worked with Zeb twice now including the most recent trip up Mt. Baker with my wife. Zeb provides excellent knowledge, route finding, and pace. Most importantly, his great attitude and patience really made the trip, especially for relative climbing novices like us. Put simply, Zeb is the best. I trust him and will definitely work with Blackbird Mountain Guides again!
A B. - Rated 5 out of 5 starsPlan to climb with Blackbird again!
Zeb was great! Great planning; flexible; affordable; and customized the trip for me. Also was fun to climb with. Plan to climb with Blackbird again!
Will D. - Rated 5 out of 5 starsCoudn't have imagined a better Rainier Summit!
Blackbird Guides is the best! I've been using their services for about 3 years and every adventure has been absolutely incredible. Each of the guides are full of knowledge and incredibly good at passing along their years of expertise. I just summited Rainier with Brandon and Andrew and I couldn't have imagined a better experience all around. I refer everyone I know to Blackbird.
April H.Verified Buyer - Rated 5 out of 5 starsMuch better than expected.
BlackBird guides were professional. I highly recommend them.
Justin
the blackbird difference
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