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Intermediate is where RMI programs start assuming some prior glacier travel — roped travel, crampon technique, and ice axe arrest. Some Intermediate programs teach these fundamentals directly; others expect you to already have them.
More technical terrain and multi-day skill-building for climbers going further.
Intermediate programs include Mt. Rainier's Kautz and Emmons routes, Ecuador's volcanoes like Cotopaxi and Cayambe, and RMI's Expedition Skills Seminars — multi-day courses that teach the glacier skills this tier assumes. Whichever program you choose, expect steeper terrain, higher camps, and more time on the rope. Browse the programs below to find your next step up.
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New to RMI's difficulty ratings? Read the full Program Difficulty Guidelines to see exactly what pack weight, terrain, and prior experience each level requires.
Mountaineering
A guided ascent of Cayambe and Cotopaxi, two of Ecuador's highest glaciated volcanoes, combining high-altitude mountaineering with cultural immersion in Quito and the Andean highlands.
Mountaineering
A five-day alpine climb combining glacier travel and exposed scrambling on the seldom climbed summit of Little Tahoma.
Mountaineering
A five-day, small-team alpine ascent of Mount Rainier via the sustained snow and ice climbing of the Fuhrer’s Finger.
Skill Development
An instructional expedition climbing seminar based out of the Great Gorge on the Ruth Glacier, combining skills development with a summit attempt on 9,545-foot Mt. Dickey via the West Face.
Mountaineering
A 15-day expedition to three accessible Altai summits — including Mt. Khuiten (14,350'), Mongolia's highest peak — combining Himalayan-style climbing with a deep cultural journey, fully supported by camels, horses, and camp staff.
Mountaineering
RMI's Everest Base Camp Trek - Lobuche is a twenty-three-day trip through Nepal's Khumbu Valley that pairs the trek to Everest Base Camp with the climb of Lobuche Peak, a glaciated 20,075-foot Himalayan summit.
Skill Development
A fifteen-day mountaineering seminar in Ecuador climbing five Andean volcanoes, including Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo, with a structured skills progression toward bigger international objectives.
Skill Development
RMI's Expedition Skills Seminar in Peru is a seventeen-day mountaineering course in the Cordillera Blanca that combines skills training with attempts on three glaciated peaks.
Skill Development
An instructional alpine climbing program based out of Little Switzerland in Denali National Park and Preserve, combining skills development with summit attempts on the granite spires above Pika Glacier.
Skill Development
The foundational Expedition Skills Seminar — six days learning glaciated mountaineering from the ground up on Mount Rainier, with no prior technical mountaineering experience required.
Mountaineering
A three-day alpine climb of Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys route, involving moderate rock climbing, glacier travel, and a committing summit day from high camp.
Mountaineering
A nine-day guided ascent of Cotopaxi, one of Ecuador's most iconic volcanoes, with acclimatization hiking and cultural immersion in Quito and the Andean highlands.
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Mountaineering
A guided ascent of Orizaba and Ixtaccihuatl, the third and seventh highest peaks in North America, with cultural immersion in Mexico City and the country's central highlands.
Skill Development
The technical seminar — steep snow and ice through the Kautz Ice Chute, for climbers ready to move up a skill tier.
Skill Development
The expedition seminar — successive camps on Rainier's largest glacier, run the way a Mt. McKinley expedition actually runs.
Skill Development
The immersion seminar — four nights at 10,080 feet in the private hut RMI uses at Camp Muir, living at altitude while you learn rather than commuting to it.
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Mountaineering
A five-day, expedition-style ascent of Mount Rainier via the Kautz Glacier for climbers seeking a technical route without added instruction.
Mountaineering
A remote, expedition-style ascent of Mount Rainier via the Emmons Glacier for climbers seeking a bigger objective and a quieter side of the mountain.
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Building toward a bigger objective? RMI can design a custom Intermediate itinerary to target the specific skills your next climb requires.
Intermediate programs are for climbers who've already completed a standard glaciated summit climb and are ready for more technical terrain, higher altitude, or more demanding logistics.
A completed Beginner-level climb, like a Rainier summit, is the typical baseline. Intermediate objectives assume you already have solid glacier travel and rope skills.
More technical North Cascades routes, Ecuador's volcanoes, and similar objectives that add technical terrain or altitude beyond a standard glacier climb.
Intermediate programs move faster, cover more technical terrain, and expect climbers to already be comfortable with the basics of glacier travel and team movement.
Some skill-building is still built in, but the pace assumes existing competence — Intermediate programs are not a substitute for foundational training.
Climbers ready for Advanced objectives typically move toward multi-day technical routes or expedition-length programs like Mt. McKinley.
Planning guides from RMI's guide team on building glacier travel skills, choosing between a seminar and a climb, and preparing for higher camps.
"The combination of stable snow, bottomless powder, and flawless visibility made the whole pitch feel improbably composed"
Boost your endurance and stamina with interval workouts designed specifically for mountaineering preparation. Boost your skills—start here.
A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Your Own Progressive, Goal-Oriented Program
How Periodic Tests Can Validate Your Progress and Refine Your Plan
