Mountain School – Alpine Mountaineering Course with Ascent of Mt. Sir Sandford

This is primarily a skills course, but will be focused around on an attempt to reach the summit of “The King of the Selkirks”, Mt. Sir Sandford at 3522M / 11,550’. The challenging, long alpine ice and snow ridges of Sandford provide an excellent introduction to Grade IV climbing on big peaks. The routes on Sir Sandford demand the physical commitment and efficient movement of a serious mountaineering route. Weather, acclimatization and strategy will be important. Once we have learned and reviewed our skills, and reached a position at the base of Sir Sandford, we will choose a summit day and leave our high camp in the early morning darkness, expecting 16 or more hours climbing and descending ahead of us. Guide-to-student ratio for the Sir Sandford climb is 1:2.

Course Skill Goals:

• Self-arrest techniques
• Crampon technique
• Rope / belay technique
• Fourth-class rope team travel technique
• Rappelling
• Crevasse rescue
• Glacier travel
• Route-finding
• Acclimatization and physical self-awareness
• Decision-making
• Snow camping

Course Itinerary:

This is a typical schedule, exact routes and objectives will change. Your guide will plan your course based on conditions and opportunities as they exist while you are in the field.