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THREE-DAY ACCELERATED MOUNTAINEERING
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Self arrest techniques
Walking with ice axe and crampons
Basic belay techniques
Low and steep angle snow and ice
Efficient movement in the mountains
Identifying hazards
Route planning and descent options
Frostbite and hypothermia prevention
This is our most popular winter program, and a solid foundation for anyone headed to Mt. Rainier, Mt. McKinley, or similar objectives. Your three individual days of instruction begin with our Winter Climbing 101 course where we’ll teach you the basics of hiking above treeline with crampons and an ice axe. On day two, you will apply the skills you learned on your first day on a moderately-angled snow and ice route. Finally, on day three, you’ll put everything you’ve learned to the test with a thrilling summit attempt of Mt. Washington! As a combination of the educational and the experiential, this course is tough to beat and you’ll come away from it with a comprehensive understanding of what serious winter mountaineering is all about.
If you are looking to extend your skills and prepare for glacier travel, pair this course up with our Mountaineering 302—Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue course in order to really feel solid when heading out on your own!
*This course does not include overnights. If you would like an overnight mountaineering course please see:
Two Day Overnight Mountaineering Workshop or Three Day Overnight Mountaineering Workshop.
Current summit conditions
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$420 per person on these dates
2011 dates coming soon!
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT GROUP MT. WASHINGTON DATES: These dates attract many people of all abilities. Although we request that everyone should be in above average physical shape to have a better chance at reaching the summit on a favorable day, not everyone comes prepared. The scheduled dates are reserved for those individuals who are interested in a Mt. Washington experience with a potential summit attempt. The group you are with may have an earlier "summit" than the actual top of the mountain. We book these group dates at a 4:1 ratio. If there is someone in the group that may need to go down early, the whole group will need to descend. For this reason, if you are more goal-oriented and would like to have a better chance at summiting without being at the whim of any particular group member, it is best to book PRIVATE (either as a single or with friends).
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Start/ End: Days 1 and 2 start 8:30am. Day 3 starts 7am. Days 1-3 end approximately 4pm. Groups will meet at the North Conway EMS
Includes: ice axe, plastic double boots, crampons, harness, helmet, professional instruction
Does Not Include: lodging, transportation, meals, personal gear and clothing
Prerequisite: no previous mountaineering experience is required, but we recommend taking our Winter Climbing 101 course. A good level of fitness is essential!
Driving Directions
Local Information Guide
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Equipment List for Three Day Accelerated Mountaineering
EMS Climbing School Provides: All technical equipment including, plastic double boots, harness, helmet, crampons and ice axes.
You Provide: (Required) In these courses, you will be going above treeline and will be exposed to the elements. In this environment, it is essential that you pay closer attention to being dressed appropriately for your personal safety. Dressing in layers works the best. This way, you can take off or add on any layers to adjust to the changing environment as you heat up and cool down. Wearing your “winter coat” or heavy “snow pants” is not the best choice when trying to dress in layers. Most likely, you will overheat when being active and you’ll end up sweating and expending more energy than needed.
Cotton has no place in your winter layering system: it keeps you cold if you sweat and it takes a long time to dry out. Synthetic fabrics or wool keep you warmer when they become wet with sweat and certain synthetic base layers are designed to wick the sweat away from your skin to keep you drier and warmer. In order to make your experience more enjoyable, please do not wear any cotton as layering pieces. Also, remember, you have to carry all your clothing with you, so packing efficiently is important. If you can't wear it all at once, you don’t need to bring it. If you have questions about how many or which items to bring, please call 800-310-4504. We expect that you will be dressed and ready to go upon arrival to your lesson.
* indicates rental item from the climbing school or retail store. Call 800-310-4504 to discuss rental needs. Not all EMSCS locations are equipped with rental gear. Please inquire at the time of your reservation.
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Base Layer
(top and bottom)
Light to mid-weight synthetics, snug fit and close to skin, eg. EMS® Techwick®.
Over-Base Layer
(top and bottom)
Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight EMS® Techwick®. Power-Stretch and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer. No heavy, 300 weight fleece trousers—you will be over-dressed.
Insulation Layer
(jacket only)
200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shell or Prima-Loft sweater
Uninsulated Waterproof/breathable Shell
(jacket and pants)
EMS System III, Gortex®, or similar waterproof/breathable material. Jacket MUST have an integrated hood. Flimsy “stow-away” nylon hoods are not adequate. Full side zip pants are helpful.
"Over-It-All"
(jacket)
A.K.A. "Puffy" --Hooded, Down or Prima-Loft Jacket.
Gloves/Mittens
(2 pair)
Either warm gloves or mittens.
Fleece Hat
*Backpack
2,000 to 3,000 cubic inches
Wool/Synthetic Socks
(1 pair)
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*Gaiters
These should fit around your entire calf as well as fit over your pant layering system and a plastic ice climbing boot. Summer hiking gaiters will not fit over plastic boots and leg layers.
Balaclava
*Ski Goggles
Neoprene Facemask
No “windproof” face masks. Must be neoprene for the best prevention against frostbite.
Headlamp
Lunch
Peanut butter and jelly, cheese and pepperoni…whatever you normally eat on the trail. Temps may be well below freezing, so choose food accordingly, and make sure you can open it and eat it with gloves on.
Snacks
Trail mix and energy bars
Water 1-2 liters
Use a wide-mouth Nalgene plastic bottle. No thin plastic Poland Spring bottles, water bladder hydration systems, or metal water bottles.
Sunwear
Sunglasses and Sun-block
Optional Items
Camera
Light-weight thermos (1 liter max, with a hot drink in it)
Water Bottle Insulator (old "clean" socks work well)
Hand/Foot Warmers
Trekking Poles
Money for Souvenirs! (Climbing School t-shirts, travel mugs, ceramic mugs and water bottles available)
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Missing anything on this list?
Don't forget your 20% discount EMS coupon that comes with your Climbing School confirmation letter!
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