To graduate from the Basic Climbing course, students must:
Attend all lectures and field trips.
Pass the final exam.
Complete Wilderness Skills (or be exempt as a recent Alpine Scrambling graduate, separate course fee).
Complete either Mountaineering Oriented First Aid (MOFA), Wilderness First Aid (WFA), or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) (separate course fee).
Complete the Basic Navigation course (separate course fee).
Complete the Mountaineers Avalanche Awareness Course.
Complete a stewardship project.
Complete a Climbing Conditioner (must be done prior to Rock I).
Complete three Basic Experience climbs:
One rock climb
One glacier climb
One additional climb (alpine, second rock, or second glacier)
Obtain approval from the Basic Climbing Chair.
Course Duration
The Basic Climbing course runs for one season, ending September 30th. All components (lectures, field trips, quizzes/tests) must be completed in the first year. Students unable to finish may apply for second-year status, which may incur additional fees. Applications for graduation or extensions are due by September 30th.
Recommendation: Basic and Compressed Basic Climbing students are encouraged to take the Alpine Scrambling course first. This allows students to gain some skills taught in Climbing and connect with other outdoor enthusiasts.
Completion Requirement: All students must complete a Mountaineer-led conditioner before any experience climb.
Compressed Basic Climbing: Complete within two months before the course start.
Climbing Conditioner: Complete prior to Rock I.
Conditioner Details:
Typically a hike with minimal technical challenges (Class 1 or 2).
Requires a 3-mile ascent with a minimum of 800' elevation gain per mile, reaching a summit within 2 hours.
Pack weight should be 20% of body weight or 35 lbs, whichever is heavier.
Example: Mount Rose in summer should take no more than 2.5 hours to summit.
All Mountaineer basic experience climbs follow "Alpine Style" principles, meaning participants carry personal and shared group gear. Some climbs may have approaches that vary from one hour to multiple days.
Requirements for Graduation:
Complete a minimum of three Mountaineer-led basic experience climbs:
One rock climb
One glacier climb
One additional climb (alpine, second rock, or second glacier)
Climb Categories:
Basic Rock Climb: Minimum of two pitches, multi-pitch climbing with a lead climber.
Basic Glacier Climb: Minimum of two hours of roped travel on a glacier.
Basic Alpine Climb: One pitch of rock following a leader with less than two hours of roped glacier travel.
Approval and Safety:
Only experience climbs approved by the Climbing Committee count toward Basic Climbing credit.
Students should communicate with climb leaders to ensure skill and conditioning align with expectations.
To receive credit for glacier climbs, climbers must experience at least two hours of roped travel on a glacier and complete climbs safely; exceptions may be granted by the climbing committee.
Important Notes:
Reach out to the Basic Climbing Chair for route verification due to glacial changes.
The time of year and snow level can affect climb classifications, so confirm with the Chair before attempting a climb.
Please fill out the Graduation Application when you have completed all requirements.