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Domestic & International Trips & Courses with Professionally Trained Mountain Guides
Course

Ice Climbing Course

Overview

Alpental offers excellent access to surprisingly good ice climbing and bolted mixed climbing. You'll only have to tour or snow shoe about 30 minutes to get to our training spot. Both of these very technical disciplines are fun in their own right and can be used as excellent training for aggressive alpine routes.

$250 Per Person
1 Days
Difficulty
Ratio:
4:1, 8:2

Trip Information

$250
Price based on 2-3 climbers per guide. Please contact us directly for private trips. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com

Alpental offers excellent access to surprisingly good ice climbing and bolted mixed climbing. You'll only have to tour or snow shoe about 30 minutes to get to our training spot. Both of these very technical disciplines are fun in their own right and can be used as excellent training for aggressive alpine routes. This day is intended to introduce the course participant to the principles of modern mixed climbing. The mixed element is there, but the major emphasis will be placed on steep ice climbing technique.

Duration: 1
Ratio: 4:1, 8:2
Difficulty Level:
Click here to learn more about difficulty ratings.

Overall Difficulty: Moderate

Skills Required: None

Fitness Level: Good physical fitness


Private Trips Available

Don't see a date that works for you? Pro Guiding Service offers any trip or courses on a private basis. We are flexible! Call or email to inquire.
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Itinerary

Course Curriculum:
1. Appropriate gear selection
• Introduction to various tools ranging from basic mountaineering ice axes to specialized ice climbing tools
• Glove and clothing selection
• Brief discussion on what is an appropriate crampon for steep ice climbing
• Explain leash systems and what matters here

2. Site selection
• Explain appropriate site selection
• Judging ice quality
• Positioning of the belayer

3. Climbing technique
• Basic ice climbing technique - resting technique
• Swing a tool
• Racking your harness - placing a screw
• Coming out of your leashes while climbing in moderate and vertical terrain
• Placing a screw while climbing in moderate and vertical terrain
• Climbing without leashes in the vertical arena to simplify screw placements
• Climbing on steep rock with crampons
• Using your ice tools on rock
• Mock leading and introduction to leading in vertical ice

 

** Please Note: We have dates scheduled for this course, but we do need to have proper conditions to conduct this course and if the ice is not in we will communicate with the participants to reschedule for a future date**

Private Trips

Pro Guiding Service proudly offers the most diverse ski touring and ski mountaineering programs of any guiding service in the Northwest. Smaller, more intimate custom itineraries or instructional tours are available for any of our destinations. Tell us what you want to do, and we can create a customized plan for you.
View Private Trips

Pricing

$250
per person
Price based on 2-3 climbers per guide. Please contact us directly for private trips. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com
View Dates & Availability
Payment Policy
If booking a domestic trip that is over 60 days away or an international trip that is over 90 days away, you can book your trip by paying a 20% deposit.  View Full Policy
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel for any reason 60 or more days before domestic trips or 90 or more days before international and Alaska trips, we will refund everything you have paid minus half of your deposit. No refunds will be provided if you cancel your trip for ANY REASON (this includes but is not limited to illness including CoVid-19, injury, or work-related issues) within 60 days of the start of domestic trips or 90 days of international and Alaska based trips.  View Full Policy

Equipment List

Clothing
Base Layer
  • Lightweight or midweight top (avoid cotton)
  • Lightweight or midweight long underwear bottoms, may omit depending on the warmth of your pants
  • Warm ski socks
Mid Layer
  • Fleece or wool or similar warmth layer
  • Wind shirt or soft shell jacket - wind & water resistant, breathable
Outerwear
  • Waterproof/breathable jacket with hood
  • Waterproof/breathable pants
  • Down or synthetic puffy-type jacket
  • Warm hat - should cover ears
  • Sun hat - baseball type or visor
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Ski gloves or mittens
  • Gaiters
  • A 3rd pair of gloves - recommended for temps above freezing in case your gloves get wet (lightweight or midweight)
Personal Gear
  • Day pack – large enough to fit everything inside ( 30-40 liters)
  • Water bottles - enough for a full day - wide mouth best to prevent freezing shut, hydration systems are okay if the temps are going to be above freezing
  • Lunch and snacks - enough for a full day
  • Sunglasses - adequate for snow travel
  • Goggles
  • Sunscreen - SPF 25+, waterproof
  • Lip Balm - SPF 15+
  • Headlamp - lightweight LED recommended
  • Face mask/covering - for when close contact is unavoidable
Technical Gear

Snow Travel Gear

  • Snow travel equipment - alpine touring or telemark skis or snowshoes
  • Boots - suitable for ice climbing (touring ski boots or mountaineering boots)
  • Poles - adjustable poles are ideal so you can adjust the length when going uphill/downhill
  • Climbing skins (if using skis)
  • Ski brakes or removable ski leashes

Safety Gear (depending on location of climb)

  • Avalanche Beacon
  • Shovel - compact, lightweight, metal blade preferred
  • Probe - dedicated probe only (240cm or longer strongly recommended)

Technical Gear

  • Harness
  • Crampons - suitable for ice climbing (12 point and steel)
  • Helmet - climbing, UIAA approved only
  • Ice Tools - guide can supply, discuss with guide

 

Optional Items
  • Notebook and writing utensil
  • Thermos - with a hot drink
  • Compass - adjustable declination a must
  • Altimeter watch
  • Maps - contact guiding office for appropriate quadrangles
  • Map case - large Ziploc bags work well
  • Camera
  • Hand sanitizer

PGS Supplied

Ropes

Ice screws

Carabiners, quick draws, and slings

First aid kit

Communication device

Equipment Sales & Rental

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FAQs

I have never ice climber before. Can I sign-up?

Yes, other than good fitness, there are no prerequisites to sign up for the course.

Can I count on these dates?

We have dates scheduled for this course, but we do need to have proper conditions to conduct this course and if the ice is not in, we will communicate with the participants to reschedule for a future date.

How do I know that my ability and goal for the day will be compatible with the other people who signed up?

The ratios for the course day are small enough that we should be able to cater to the personal goals of the participants quite easily.

Where will we meet?

If we climb in the Alpental valley, we usually meet in front of the Alpental lodge at around 8am. Your guide will communicate the exact meeting time and place with you.

Will we be doing any lead climbing?

The course is designed as an introduction to water ice climbing, so it is unlikely that you will be leading. Depending on your ability, we might make it happen.

If we climb in the ski area, do we take the lifts up and is this included in the price?

We can take the lift up, but the lift ride is not included in the price. If you opt to not take the lift, you can snowshoe or ski tour to the climbing site.  Mode of travel to the climbing site is usually decided by the group.

Should I tip my guide?

Although tipping is not a requirement, it is considered standard practice in the guiding industry and is appreciated by our guides. We generally recommend roughly 10%-15% of your course or trip cost or a flat amount that you are comfortable with.

Why Book With Us? 

Certified Professional Guides & All Access
All of our guides have the highest quality training and certification in the industry, and you can be sure that we have the permits, licenses and insurance in every location we operate.
Safe, Well-Planned Tour Design
Every tour has a carefully thought-out guide-to-customer ratio. You always get a safe, high-quality trip or learning environment with us.
Pioneers In The Industry
You will travel and learn from experts. We've pioneered several alpine climbing routes, ski descents, and traverses and we've written books on skills and routes in the industry. 
Read Our story
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