North Cascades Mountaineering

This two- or three-week mountaineering expedition in the North Cascades offers students seeking a bit more physical challenge a chance to explore the breathtaking mountain range known as the “American Alps”. Course includes a focus on technical skills including rock climbing and class will include a peak attempt. This course achieves higher altitude and more significant physical challenge than the two week North Cascades Backpacking course.

The North Cascades is the perfect setting for multi-day ridge traverses that are sure to capture alpine glow sunsets and sunrises over hundreds of unnamed peaks. Climbing in this same area provides some of the notorious "50 classic climbs" in North America. On the North Cascades Mountaineering, Climbing and Leadership Expedition, you’ll experience a glaciated remote region that is very Alpine intensive with very dramatic & rugged terrain, and high exposure.

The Outward Bound Difference
This course has four phases. During the first phase, the instructors will be teaching all of the skills necessary for backcountry travel and camping. The second phase allows you to practice skills learned. A solo phase allows time for reflection and rest. The final expedition is your opportunity to put all of the learning and practice to the test as you and your teammates travel independently of the instructors. There will be several days of rock climbing during the first two phases. If possible, you will also participate in a service project where you will assist the Park Service or a community organization. You’ll gain lifelong skills on Leave No Trace camping, navigation, natural history, mountaineering techniques and many more. All courses will start at the Seattle airport, where you will meet your group before you venture together into the mountains. Come travel with Outward Bound and reach some of the most beautiful terrain in the country.

Course Description
Take this unique opportunity to rock climb, rappel, make peak ascents and navigate your way through the Sawtooth Wilderness Area, the North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in the Grizzly Bear mountain range. All the while, you'll work on leadership skills that you can utilize when you return home. This breath-taking area is nicknamed the "American Alps," for the open cliff faces and deep glacially carved valleys, characteristic of the European Alpine environment. The season that you take a course in this area determines the techniques you will use and learn. In the early season (May-June), courses typically have a significant amount of snow travel and students will be sleeping on snow for a good portion of the experience. After winters with heavy snowfall and when passing onto glaciers, students will learn rope team travel and team self arrest skills, along with the use of ice axes and glissading. The weather is the most diverse during this time with a mix of snow, rain and sun. During the mid season (July-August), courses will expect snow on glaciated areas and in isolated patches. Students may sleep on snow, but it is less common due to the increased temperatures. The focus of these courses tends to shift from snow to more rock and navigation skills based.

Mountaineering vs. Backpacking - In alpine environments like the Rockies, the Cascades or the Sierra Nevada, or any of our courses in the west, backpacking and mountaineering are very similar. On both course types the majority of travel takes place around 9000', both course require strict adherence to alpine oriented Leave-No-Trace principles and practices and both include peak ascent attempts. Mountaineering courses attempt peaks that are higher in altitude and that require ropes, anchors or rock climbing to reach the peak. Backpacking peak attempts generally can be reached on foot without ropes of other gear. Because mountaineering requires technical climbing gear, the pack weights are heavier and the course more challenging.

To enroll in this course click the enroll button next to the course dates that work for you. To shop comparatively on line visit our Advanced Course Finder or better yet call one of our expert Admission Advisers at 866-467-7651. Course tuitions listed below do not include our Application Fee or Transportation Fee.

Region: Washington

Activities: Mountaineering, peak attempt, low-impact camping, rock climbing, solo, service and final expedition

Additional Information:
Application Fee
Transportation Fee

Sorry, there are no current offerings for this course.