1-888-892-5462
Intermediate Ice Seminar
1-888-892-5462
Cost:
Length:
Difficulty:
Type:
$495
2 day(s)
Ice Climbing
| January 16, 2011 | ||
| January 24, 2011 | ||
| January 31, 2011 | ||
| February 5, 2011 |
Our Intermediate Ice Seminar builds upon the skills learned in our Intro to Ice Climbing course. We begin with a brief review of introductory techniques then introduce and teach the techniques used to efficiently climb steep ice (WI 4-5), as well as the more advanced topics of ice screw placement, anchor construction, mixed climbing techniques, and lead climbing. We focus on attaining ice climbing skills in the San Juan backcountry (conditions permitting). We cover avalanche awareness for ice climbers, and techniques for multi-pitch ice climbing. Many of those who complete this course elect to stay an extra day or two to tackle some of the area's backcountry classics!
*We offer small client-to-guide ratios (2:1) on this course to make certain that you receive the most personalized instruction possible, and have the flexibility to climb a route in the backcountry on Day 2.
These are great programs for gaining technical skills and confidence on alpine ice terrain. We consider them essential training if you are considering a climb on the West Rib of Mt. McKinley, an ascent of Mt. Rainier's Liberty Ridge, or if you just want to have a fun couple of days swinging your ice tools this winter.
The guides enjoy teaching people how to climb, not just how to follow a guide all day. Climbing movement and technique, gear use, safety and decision making are all taught and tailored to an individual's pace.
Climber to Guide Ratio: 2 to 1
Day 1: Orientation and Basic Skills Review
| 8:00 a.m. | Meet your guides at Backstreet Bagel and Deli: 524 Main St, Ouray, a half block north of the Ouray Chalet. |
We introduce the team and guides for the program, discuss clothing and equipment, then distribute and fit rental gear. Our day begins with some easy warm up climbs and a review of basic skills: knots, belaying, rappelling and basic anchors. Steeper climbing techniques and more complex anchors systems fill the remainder of the day.
Please make your own arrangements to stay in the area this evening.
Day 2
| 8:00 a.m. | Meet your guides at Backstreet Bagel and Deli: 524 Main St, Ouray, a half block north of the Ouray Chalet. |
Today we access some longer routes in the local backcountry where we introduce techniques for multi-pitch ice climbing, mixed climbing (using ice tools on rock), lead climbing techniques, and climb as much ice as our arms will let us.
The following is a list of required equipment. Our philosophy is to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. We may encounter a variety of weather conditions throughout our climb, including rain, wind, snow, sleet and extreme heat. Skimping on equipment can jeopardize your safety and success, so we want you to think carefully about any changes or substitutions you are considering.
Most of the required equipment is available from Whittaker Mountaineering. RMI participants receive a 10 percent discount on new clothing and equipment items ordered from Whittaker Mountaineering (excluding sale items). The Discount Code is RMI 2010 for internet orders. Rental items can be shipped directly to you prior to your program. For more information or questions regarding clothing and equipment items call 800-238-5756 or click below.
Pack & Bag Guides' Pick
DAY PACK: A 55+ liter pack is the recommended size for this climb.
Technical Gear
2 ICE TOOLS: Technical leashless ice tools. Because of the wide variety of ice tools on the market and the difficulty in determining what to buy, we recommend trying out a variety of ice tools during the course to see what works best for you. Southwest Adventure Guides have ice tools available for rent in Ouray and Durango.
CLIMBING HARNESS: Adjustable leg loops are essential.
CRAMPONS: A waterfall ice oriented, step in crampon works best. Southwest Adventure Guides have crampons available for rent in Ouray and Durango.
BELAY / RAPPEL DEVICE: An auto-braking belay device works best.
Head
WARM HAT: Wool or synthetic. It should be warm, but thin enough to fit underneath a climbing helmet.
GLACIER GLASSES: A pair of dark-lensed sunglasses with side shields or full wrap-type sunglasses.
Hands Guides' Pick
MEDIUM WEIGHT GLOVE: Wind/water resistant insulated ski gloves.
HEAVY WEIGHT GLOVE
Upper Body Guides' Pick
LIGHT TO MEDIUM WEIGHT BASELAYER: Long-sleeve wool or synthetic top will be used as your base layer. Zip-neck styles will allow for better temperature regulation.
LIGHT INSULATING LAYER: A fleece or other insulation layer.
SOFT SHELL LAYER: A windproof, water-resistant and highly breathable layer.
HARD SHELL JACKET: A jacket made of rain/wind-proof material with an attached hood.
INSULATED PARKA with HOOD: This item becomes of highest importance when we are faced with poor weather. This should be an expeditionary-type heavy parka that extends well below the waist and above the knees. Goose down is recommended versus synthetic fill. It does not have to be waterproof, but that is a nice feature. The parka is worn primarily in camp, at rest breaks, and on summit day (when it is of crucial importance). When sizing a parka, allow for several layers to be worn underneath; buy it large. The parka must have an insulated hood.
Lower Body Guides' Pick
UNDERWEAR: Non-cotton briefs or boxers are a must on the mountain.
LIGHT TO MEDIUM WEIGHT BASELAYER: Light to medium weight wool or synthetic bottoms.
CLIMBING PANT: Synthetic climbing pants offer a wide range of versatility. You can wear them alone on hot days, or in combination with the base layer on cold days. The thickness (insulation quality) should be based on how well you do in the cold.
HARD SHELL PANT: A pant made of breathable rain and wind-proof material will be needed. Full-length side zippers are required for facilitating quick clothing adjustments over boots and crampons in cold, inclement weather.
Feet Guides' Pick
MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS: Crampon compatible, insulated leather boots are the footwear of choice for ice climbing. Plastic boots can work as well.
GAITERS: A knee-length pair of gaiters, large enough to fit over your mountaineering boots. This will protect you from catching your crampons on loose clothing.
2 PAIR SOCKS: Either wool or synthetic. Some people find liner socks useful for reducing friction.
Miscellaneous Items Guides' Pick
LIP PROTECTION
2 WATER BOTTLES: One-quart water bottles are required. Wide mouth bottles are ideal since their opening is less likely to freeze.
2 INSULATED WATER BOTTLE COVERS: These help prevent liquids from freezing. It should completely cover the bottle.
CAMERA
Optional Items
THERMOS
Provided Equipment
RMI provides the following equipment for your program: climbing ropes and hardware.
Every guide on your program will carry rescue equipment and a first aid kit. Guides have cell phones for emergency contact.
Pre-Trip Checklist
Purchase travel insurance.
Return the Participant Information Form to the RMI Office.
Arrange Lodging in Durango.
Purchase airplane tickets.
Arrange Transportation to Durango.
Reserve rental equipment.
Be in the Best Shape of Your Life!
On the Intermediate Ice Seminar you will need two trail lunches. Breakfasts and dinners are available in town at a variety of restaurants. Ouray has a number of grocery stores.
Lunch/Snacks
Your "lunches" are taken in the field throughout the day during your program. We suggest crackers, pizza, candy bars, jerky, chips, cookies, trail mix, fruits, Gu, energy bars, and hard candies. Drink mixes such as Gatorade and Kool-Aid help flavor your water. Add peanut butter, cream cheese, hard cheese, or pepperoni for additional calories and taste. If you enjoy bread items, bagels work well.
The Introduction to Colorado Ice is an entry level program. You do not need to be able to do ten pull ups to participate in this course but good fitness is advantageous. In general a higher level of fitness allows you to attempt and succeed on more routes and summits and to do so in a safer manner. In ice climbing technique will trump strength on most of the routes we undertake, but it is nice to posses both. Our Intro to Colorado Ice program will teach you the technique and we encourage you to show up with the strength. Below are some approximate guidelines that should be helpful in planning your training schedule and goals.
Training for ice climbing should be as specific as possible. Here are some proven suggestions to get you ready for the physical challenge.
- Cardiovascular training (such as running and cycling) and strength and endurance training (such as weight training and stair climbing) should both be included in your program.
- Start cardiovascular training by running, biking, hill climbing, or using step machines. Keep your heart rate at a reasonably high level, but do not overdo it. Exercise for an hour or more per session. Three to four long training sessions per week are more beneficial than short daily workouts.
- Begin your strength training by working on muscle groups used in ice climbing. Specifically your calves, back, forearm and shoulder muscles.
- There is no better training for ice climbing than climbing ice. Unable to do that? Try getting into a local climbing gym or outside onto the rock for a couple of sessions a week. Boulder, top rope or lead climb. The muscles and balance used for rock climbing are the same used for ice climbing.
- Bottom line: Plan on being in great shape and you will have a great trip!
This sounds like a lot of work... and it is. With our daily schedules busy with family, work, and other important commitments, it can be difficult to set aside time for training. However, being physically prepared when you begin your program will substantially increase your learning opportunities and enjoyment.
For more detailed information regarding conditioning, please see the Fitness for Mountaineering.
Travel Consultant
RMI has partnered with Erin Rountree to provide our clients with comprehensive travel support. As an independent agent of the Travel Society, she has booked countless miles for adventure travelers across the globe. We have been working with Erin for the last 8 years, and she is very knowledgeable about the travel needs of our programs. Please call (208) 788-2870 or email at etravel@cox.net.
GETTING THERE
Meet your guides at Backstreet Bagel and Deli at 8:00 am on the first morning of your program: 524 Main St, Ouray, a half block north of the Ouray Chalet, Ouray CO.
Ouray is located in the Southwest portion of Colorado. The town is located 70 miles north of Durango, 40 miles from Telluride, 35 miles from Montrose and 345 miles from Denver. The easiest place to fly into is the Montrose Airport (MTJ) 35 miles to the north of Ouray. Driving times from Denver, Salt Lake City, or Albuquerque are all around seven hours.
You can rent a vehicle for the drive from the airport, share a ride, or find a local shuttle service on the town's website by clicking here.
Ride Share: If you are interested in sharing a ride, please go to our Message Board, then to "Carpool and Ride from Airport" and post your information.
AREA ACCOMMODATIONS
Box Canyon Lodge: http://www.boxcanyonouray.com
Comfort Inn: http://www.ouraycomfortinn.com
Chalet Inn: http://www.ouraychaletinn.com
Victorian Inn: http://www.victorianinnouray.com
Ride Share: If you are interested in sharing a ride, please go to our Message Board, then to "Carpool and Ride from Airport" and post your information.
Travel Insurance
We strongly encourage everyone to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance offers the best possible protection if you have a sudden, unexpected illness or injury prior to or when traveling. Check with the insurance provider for specific coverage details. If you have not yet purchased travel insurance, you may do so prior to commencement of the program.
For more information please visit one of the websites below, or contact your local travel agent.
AIG Travel Guard
International Health Insurance
Erin Rountree
Personal Medical Insurance
We recommend that you purchase medical insurance for your expedition as most standard insurance does not cover mountaineering. International Health Insurance (IHI) provides coverage for annual travel or a single trip. For additional information including coverage, benefits and premiums or to book online visit International Health Insurance.
Weather and Route Conditions:
Ouray is a very dry climate with mild winters and 300+ days of sunshine per year. Average winter temperatures are usually slightly above freezing. For updated Ouray weather forecasts, click here. For Ice Park conditions, click here. For the Ouray webcam, click here.
Tipping:
Our guides work hard to ensure your well being and success on the mountain. If you have a positive experience, gratuities are an excellent way to show your appreciation. Amounts are at your discretion and should be based on your level of enjoyment. Tips for excellent service normally average 10 – 15% of the cost of the program.
FACTS
Ouray is a small Victorian town known for its natural hot springs, gorgeous alpine location, and ice. Ouray is located only 47 miles from Telluride, which offers world class lift-serviced skiing. Ouray also offers cross-country skiing, great restaurants, and shopping.
RESOURCES
Ouray Visitor Guide: http://www.ouraycolorado.com.
Payments:
Full payment secures your reservation. Payments can be made via Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check.
Cancellations:
Once we receive written notification (mail, e-mail, or fax) that you are canceling an individual participant or your entire reservation the following fees will apply. A fee of $150 per person will be charged for cancellations made more than 60 days before departure. There will be no refunds for cancellations made less than 60 days before your program. Unfortunately, due to the time-sensitive nature of our business, and the difficulty in re-booking a trip close to departure, we cannot make exceptions to this policy.
We strongly encourage everyone to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance offers the best possible protection if you have a sudden, unexpected illness or injury prior to or when traveling. Check with the insurance provider for specific coverage details. If you have not yet purchased travel insurance, you may do so prior to commencement of the program. For more information please visit one of the websites below, or contact your travel agent.
AIG Travel Guard
International Health Insurance
Erin Rountree
We also reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather or route conditions. In such a case, a full refund is given; however, RMI is not responsible for any additional expenses incurred in preparing for the program (i.e., airline tickets, equipment purchase or rental, hotel reservations).
Change of Date:
Date changes are subject to availability and apply only to the current climbing season. Date changes may be requested at anytime up to 30 days prior to your departure date. A $50 fee will be charged per person for all date changes made more than 30 days prior to the program.
Risk Management:
Safety is RMI's number one priority. Our guides manage significant hazards inherent in mountaineering such as avalanches, ice fall, rock fall, inclement weather, and high winds, but they cannot eliminate them. RMI guides draw from their wealth of experience and training to make sound decisions that improve your chance of reaching the summit without compromising the necessary margin of safety.
Please clearly understand that mountaineering is inherently a hazardous sport. You are choosing to engage in an activity in which participants have been injured and killed. While those accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge the risk and hazards of mountaineering, and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity.
Climber Responsibilities:
Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team endeavor. Some of the responsibility for the team is carried by the individual climbers. For this reason, we ask that each participant:
- is physically and mentally fit, properly attired and equipped, and continues to self assess throughout the program to ensure as safe a climb as possible. If a climber's own physical fitness limits his or her ability to safely continue upward, that can have a negative impact on the summit experience or opportunity of other climb participants.
- honestly and accurately describe themselves, in terms of fitness, health and skills, and their equipment to their guides, and that they adhere to the advice of their professional mountain guide.
Age-Appropriate Guidelines & Restrictions:
In the interest of the safety and well-being of all participants, RMI adheres to the following age-appropriate guidelines and restrictions on all climbing programs, domestic and international. An individual’s birthday must precede the departure date of the program. For example: a 15 year old who turns 16 on July 1 may participate on a program beginning July 2.
- Ages 15 & under: No participants age15 & under
- Ages 16 & 17: Accompanied by parent or legal guardian
- Ages 18 & above: No restrictions
Participants on Private Climb programs are assessed on an individual basis.
General Policies:
RMI's program plans and itineraries are subject to change or adjustment based on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, route conditions, weather, terrain, and many other factors. RMI has complete discretion to change plans to accommodate any of these or other factors, including discretion to change program schedule or itinerary, and change guides or staff, as necessary for the proper and safe conduct of the program.
We reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather or route conditions. In such a case, a full refund is given; however, RMI cannot be responsible for any additional expenses incurred in preparing for the program (i.e., airline tickets, equipment purchase or rental, hotel reservations).
RMI cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit. Weather, route conditions, your own abilities, or the abilities of other climbers may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe, and you or your entire party may have to turn around without reaching the summit. Failure to reach the summit due to a person's own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.), are not Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.'s responsibility and will not result in refund or reschedule.
If the Participant decides to leave a trip at any time after the start of the trip and prior to its conclusion, he or she will not be entitled to a refund.
RMI reserves the right to dismiss the Participant from a trip or to send the Participant to a lower altitude at any time if RMI determines, in its sole discretion, that the Participant is not physically, technically, or psychologically prepared for or capable of participating in the program.
Summit Attempt:
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit of Mt. Shuksan. Weather, route conditions, or your own abilities may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe, and you or your entire party will have to turn around without reaching the summit. Failure to reach the summit due to a person's own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.), are not Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.'s responsibility and will not result in a refund or reschedule.
Special Circumstances:
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) and South West Adventure Guides (SWAG) cannot guarantee that you will be able to participate in all program activities. Weather, route conditions, or your own abilities may create circumstances that make participation or an ascent unsafe. Failure to participate or reach a summit due to a person's own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.), are not Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.'s or South West Adventure Guides responsibility and will not result in a refund or reschedule.
Occasionally our teams encounter other climbers, whether guided or non-guided, who need assistance in the form of rescue or evacuation. We are morally obligated to assist these climbers when practical and safe to do so. This rendering of assistance may compromise your program and the possibility exists that your program or climb may be aborted. While rescues and evacuations occur very infrequently, such situations are beyond our control, and a refund will not be offered.