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Ski Mountaineering Course SKI MOUNTAINEERING COURSE Alaska Mountaineering School promotes excellence in responsible mountaineering and wilderness travel by educating and guiding others. On every AMS program safety, teamwork, skill building, respecting wilderness, and having fun make up the core curriculum. The hands-on approach in AMS’s carefully designed class progression leads to successful outcomes. Students leave with confidence built on knowledge, and are able to repeat the skills learned without supervision. AMS courses build a foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment in the backcountry. THIS COURSE climbing gear, snow saws, wands; sled for each student, pre-rigged for roped glacier travel for use The AMS Ski Mountaineering course offers during the climb; snow kitchen equipment: kitchen intermediate skiers an introduction to unsupported tents, cooking stoves, utensils, and fuel; mountain winter backcountry travel in a glaciated mountain communications: emergency use satellite phone, FRS environment. Roped glacier travel, moving and building on-mountain radios; maps, GPS; medical protocols, camps, crevasse rescue, and a field-oriented first aid, medication and repair kits; staging area at AMS avalanche curriculum is built around a skiing-focused HQ; 24/7 support from staff at AMS in Talkeetna during course. Students learn how to live comfortably and take your climb; regular social media updates during your care of themselves and others in winter conditions. You climb; luggage storage and free parking during your will be on a snow-covered glacier the entire time. climb; camping at AMS HQ campground; 10% discount Expect to learn how to safely explore and enjoy the at the AMS Mountain Shop; welcome-back table with surrounding mountains using skis. From a solid fresh foods and drinks after your course; foundation in camping and glacier travel, we embrace a knowledgeable staff to assist with lodging and shuttle multifaceted approach to backcountry skiing on a logistics. glacier. You are responsible for: Transportation to and from Tal- This course requires intermediate skiing ability. keetna, lodging, Denali National Park entrance fee Students should be able to confidently ski intermediate ($15) to be paid in Talkeetna during the first day of the runs at a downhill ski resort. No previous backcountry course (or show your Annual Pass), travelers skiing or winter camping experience is required. cancellation insurance, personal equipment (including Participants should arrive in excellent physical backcountry skis and boots) clothing, and AMS condition and be willing to work hard as a team equipment rentals. member. FEATURES SPECIFICATIONS ▪ Instructor/student ratio: 1:3 Experience level: Intermediate downhill skiing ability ▪ Mountaineering skills: glacier travel and crevasse rescue Deposit: $500, due upon registration ▪ Backcountry skiing skills: uphill and downhill ski Course balance due: 60 days prior to the starting date techniques Group limit: 6 students, 2 instructors ▪ Expedition skills: campcraft and navigation ▪ Avalanche awareness, rescue, and route Tuition includes: Professional instructors; roundtrip finding glacier flight; all food during your course and team lunch ▪ Glacier and winter camping/living skills at AMS headquarters on day 1; all group camping and ▪ Leadership, expedition planning climbing equipment: ropes, tents, pickets, technical ALASKA MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL, LLC P.O. BOX 566, 3RD ST., TALKEETNA, AK 99676 | P 907.733.1016 | [email protected] | HTTPS://CLIMBALASKA.ORG 1 EXPEDITION STYLE & REMOTENESS supervised, we cover every aspect of what goes into un-supported expeditions. After a gear check and final AMS’ Ski Mountaineering course is a self-sufficient pack, you fly into the Alaska Range for the duration of expedition that travels to a remote wilderness area. the course. Students develop skills through repeated Throughout the course, students learn to live practice. The first couple of days are spent learning safe comfortably and safely in a glaciated mountain route-finding around crevasses on a glacier and environment, prepare their own meals, care for effective rescue techniques in the event of a crevasse themselves, and enjoy backcountry skiing. The course fall. Uphill and downhill ski techniques are reviewed, format emphasizes hands-on learning and the and ski tours are conducted with an emphasis on skiing application of new skills. AMS’ programs are self- in control. From our first night and every morning and sufficient expeditions. Evacuation to modern medical evening we will discuss weather and learn to document facilities can be difficult and may take several days. using abbreviated symbols. Determining snow-pack stability through analysis and observations is a main ENVIRONMENT & COURSE LOCATION theme of the course. We eat in a group kitchen and learn the fine art of melting snow, backcountry cuisine, This course flies into Denali National Park and and efficient stove techniques that Denali guides are Preserve, home to America’s biggest and wildest known for. mountains. AMS chooses a location to best meet the objectives of the course: pristine wilderness, a variety By the fourth day, the course moves camp to a new of ski terrain with multiple aspects, and relatively area with new terrain. Packing up and rigging sleds, crevasse-free areas. The exact location depends on route-finding techniques, and building a camp from conditions, but our favorite areas are the Eldridge, scratch are all vital skills that are only really learned by Ramparts, and Little Switzerland. Each of the areas doing. The next camp is built with each tent having its chosen—with their variety of terrain, beauty, and own cooking shelter, food ration and each tent cooks isolation—are challenging and demand respect. Expect for itself. This autonomy is part of transferring to be on snow for the duration of the course and be responsibility and leadership to each group. By the prepared to encounter all types of weather and middle of the course, instructors can set a time for the conditions. Alaska is full of surprises! following morning and students will be ready with day packs packed and camp secured. WILDERNESS ETHICS Transference of skills leads to transference of AMS wants you to come away with a valuable responsibility. By the end of the course, students lead rope teams and make route-finding decisions with wilderness experience. Our National Park lands are our instructors observing. cathedrals and monuments and they are public lands that require special care. AMS follows camping and travel techniques adopted from years of working with THE FIRST DAY Leave No Trace. The wilderness preservation On the starting day of the course, students and education you receive during your course will add to the instructors meet at 8:00 a.m. at AMS. We will have value of the experience. Maintaining a wilderness ethic muffins and fresh brewed coffee, tea, and juice waiting throughout an expedition is simple and makes good for you, but you may want to enjoy the popular breakfast sense: think ahead and prepare, stay organized, bomb- at the Talkeetna Roadhouse before meeting time. It is proof your camps, and pay attention to hygiene. These a busy day, so we ask you to please be on time and take techniques make us a stronger expedition and leave a care of personal business beforehand. Instructors wake of gratitude and respect from other parties who begin with a course orientation and introductions, after follow in our ski tracks. which we divide into two groups. One group completes an equipment check while the other packs personal COURSE PROGRESSION lunches in the food room. Having lunch food you choose in the quantities you like is the best way to do The Ski Mountaineering course follows many of the same guidelines for any AMS expedition into the Alaska it. Your instructors will go through every item of Range. In order to pursue ski mountaineering un- equipment on the list and insure it is adequate. Any ALASKA MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL, LLC P.O. BOX 566, 3RD ST., TALKEETNA, AK 99676 | P 907.733.1016 | [email protected] | HTTPS://CLIMBALASKA.ORG 2 gear you need can be rented or purchased at AMS. The can’t contribute for long on an extended expedition AMS office provides a fresh and hearty mid-day lunch. without taking care of your basic needs. Self-care, After lunch, we start our safety system curriculum and learning how to stay warm, dry, and healthy in any teach how to climb up a rope out of a crevasse. Our weather condition is the first priority in developing color-coded rescue rig makes it easier to understand leadership. Effective communication methods are a and check eachother. After class, we will store luggage staple for sustaining expedition life. It’s called and weigh all field equipment on a pallet scale per FAA Expedition Behavior (EB). Instructors hold discussions regulations. We then load the van and take a short drive and offer techniques about how to be a strong team to the NPS ranger station. After registering and paying member throughout the course. our entrance fee, we drive another short distance to the Talkeetna Airport. Our transportation to the glacier is on INSTRUCTORS ski-equipped, tail-fixed-wing planes like a DeHaviland Otter. The 30- 45-minute flight into Denali National Park AMS Ski Mountaineering instructors are chosen based and Preserve is the quickest way to access the snowy, on their wealth of experience as gifted backcountry glaciated peaks of the Alaska Range and is a skiers and educators. They are professionals who have spectacular and memorable highlight of the course. qualifications and certifications that include emergency After arriving on the glacier, we take a few moments to medicine, avalanche training, and land stewardship. They have all undergone formal guide training and have enjoy the amazing setting before roping up and years of personal backcountry experience. Equally travelling a short distance and selecting our first camp. important, they understand the leadership and group By the end of the day you will be warm, in your sleeping dynamics that go into a successful expedition.
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