Introduction to Mountaineering with San Juan College
Do you have a wealth of backpacking experience but no mountaineering experience? Do you want to go climb Mt. Rainier, Pico de Orizaba or maybe Denali? Than this course is for you! We meet four Tuesday evenings, two Saturdays, and a full weekend. Over the four weeks you will learn the skills needed to tackle many Colorado peaks in full winter conditions. The final exam weekend consists of climbing a 13,000 ft or 14,000 ft peak in full expedition style. This course fills up quickly, so register now! Your instructor is KMG owner and lead guide Josh Kling. He has climbed and guided around the world. Let him share his knowledge of high altitude mountaineering with you!
This course will introduce students to the basic skills of high alpine technical mountaineering. A broad range of skills and knowledge that are essential to the practice of mountaineering will be covered.
Topics to be covered will include but are not limited to the following:
- Expedition equipment and its use
- Roped glacier travel and route finding as a team
- Crampon use
- Ice axe use
- Avalanche hazard and terrain recognition
- High altitude medicine and cold injuries
- Ascending fixed ropes
- Knots & hitches
- Snow anchors
- Expedition camp building
- Crevasse rescue
- Belays used in a mountaineering setting
- Expedition sled construction and use
Prerequisites:
- Ability to carry a 40 lb pack over uneven terrain for up to 6 hours.
- Basic backpacking skills are all that is required. Call for details!
Price Includes:
- Instructor fees
- Transport from SJC campus to field location
- Some personal equipment will be available from the SJC Rental Center. Get in touch for details
- Food while in the field
- Group equipment including stoves, cooking fuel, technical climbing equipment, first aid kits,
Price Does Not Include:
- Transportation to SJC campus
- Items of personal nature
*Kling Mountain Guides operates under special use permits in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park , Moab BLM, Indian Creek BLM, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Cedar Mesa Grand Gulch BLM, and Dalla Mountain Park areas. Kling Mountain Guides operates under the Durango Mountain Resort operating plan in the San Juan National Forest. Kling Mountain Guides LLC provides services and employment regardless of ethnic or cultural heritage, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or physical handicap. Josh Kling operates as an employee of Mountain Trip, San Juan College, Fort Lewis College, and the Silverton Avalanche School.. Mountain Trip, San Juan College, Fort Lewis College, and the Silverton Avalanche School all operate under special use permits from the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in their respective operating districts.**
