Intro to Ice Climbing

Day 1: Orientation and Basic Climbing Skills

8:00 a.m.

Meet at the Southwest Adventure Guides office: 26044 Highway 550, Durango, Colorado.

We introduce the team and guides for the program, discuss clothing and equipment, then distribute and fit rental gear. We drive to Cascade Canyon just north of Durango, our training site for the course. We begin our training with a discussion about safe climbing practices and philosophy, a discussion we continue throughout the course. Leave No Trace ethics are discussed and practiced throughout the program as well. During the first part of the day our technical skills training consists of: French technique/flat footing skills on lower angle ice; working on balance over the feet, flat footing and then front pointing. The latter part of the day will be spent top-roping easier grades of ice to develop technique and the introduction of belaying.

Please make your own arrangements to stay in the area this evening.

Day 2: Rope Skills, Climbing Technique, and Intro to Ice Anchors

8:00 a.m.

Meet at the Southwest Adventure Guides office: 26044 Highway 550, Durango, Colorado.

We begin the morning with more top-roped climbs, gradually gaining confidence and increasing the difficulty of the climbing as individuals become more comfortable on the terrain. We introduce snow and ice anchors appropriate for the terrain, continue to work on our belaying skills, and introduce rappelling.

PACK & BAG

TECHNICAL GEAR

HEAD

HANDS

UPPER BODY

LOWER BODY

FEET

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

OPTIONAL ITEMS

PROVIDED EQUIPMENT

PRE-TRIP CHECKLIST

On the Introduction to Colorado Ice program you will need two trail lunches. Breakfasts and dinners are available in town at a variety of restaurants.

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 the Southwest Adventure Guides office: 26044 Highway 550, Durango, Colorado, at 8:00 am on the first morning of your program. MAP to the SWAG office in Durango.

Durango is located in the Southwest portion of Colorado. The town is located 105 miles from Montrose, 70 miles from Telluride, and 340 miles from Denver. The easiest place to fly into is the Durango Airport (DRO). 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

Durango Lodge: (888) 440-4489: Convenient, next to train station, less expensive, clean. Continental breakfast.

Best Western Rio Grande: 800-245-4466: Convenient, next to train station, mid price range.

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:

While tipping is by no means required, 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.

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

RMI has a goal of achieving the highest possible success rate while maintaining a significant margin of safety on each program. We recognize that mountaineering is an individual challenge as well as a team endeavor. This puts responsibility on individual climbers. If a climber's own physical fitness limits his or her ability to safely participate, that can negatively impact the experience or opportunity of other program participants. For this reason, when signing up for a program, we strongly encourage you to honestly evaluate your fitness. This will allow RMI to suggest the best program for you, and will allow the greatest opportunity for a safe, successful adventure.

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.