Sharpen your alpine climbing techniques with this immersive 3-day Alpine Skills Development – Snow and Ice course set against the stunning backdrop of the Columbia Icefields. Designed for climbers looking to expand their technical proficiency and gain real-world glacier experience, this course blends hands-on instruction with a guided summit attempt of Mt. Athabasca or Mt. Andromeda.
Led by ACMG Mountain Guide Jeff Bullock, participants will receive expert instruction in essential snow and ice climbing skills, glacier travel, and crevasse rescue techniques. On the final day, Jeff will be joined by two additional certified guides to support the summit push.
Whether you're aiming to build confidence in glaciated terrain or preparing for more advanced alpine objectives, this course offers a comprehensive foundation for aspiring mountaineers.
Movement on snow and ice, front-pointing, tool placements
Anchor Systems
Building and assessing: V-threads, ice screws, T-slots, snow pickets
Rappelling Techniques
Rappelling from snow and ice anchors
Day 3: Summit Attempt
Early alpine start with a guided climb of Mt. Athabasca or Mt. Andromeda
Opportunity to apply newly learned skills in a real alpine setting
Who Should Attend
This course is ideal for:
Climbers with some mountaineering or scrambling experience
Those looking to transition into more technical alpine climbing
Backcountry adventurers seeking glacier travel and rescue skills
Required Items to Bring:
Required Gear
A full gear list will be provided upon registration. Participants should be prepared with:
Mountaineering boots
Crampons, harness, helmet
Ice axe
Glacier travel and crevasse rescue equipment
Proper alpine clothing and layering system
Notes:
Member price: $1040
Trip Leader: $625
There are 3 trip leader spots available on this course. Trip leaders must be active with the ACC RMS and have led a minimum of 3 trips in the last 6 months.
Cancellation Policy If a participant is unable to attend a paid course or trip, there will be no refund unless the participant finds a suitable replacement that is acceptable to the trip coordinator. Acceptable waiting list candidates will have priority. It will then be the participant's responsibility to recover funds from the replacement. If the coordinator cancels an event, participants get a refund (less any non-recoverable costs). Note that ACC National does not refund hut fees due to weather, delay, closures, or any other reasons. The Rocky Mountain Section of the ACC is a not for profit club and we only charge attendees what it costs us to provide courses or trips.
SIGN UP HERE
The trip coordinator needs to review and accept your application for this event. Add yourself to the waiting list here.