Alpine Scrambling Course

Welcome to the 2026 Denver Group's Alpine Scrambling Course (DEN ASC)! 

Alpine scrambling is unroped climbing over rocky, mountainous, and exposed terrain. This exhilarating sport offers numerous rewards and comes with inherent risks. Throughout this course, students will learn how to plan, prepare for, and participate in scrambling while mitigating risk. After completing this course, students should feel confident in their ability to continue developing skills safely and competently.

Course Prerequisites:

1. While students do not need any prior experience with climbing or scrambling, the Alpine Scrambling Course combines many outdoor skills and requires a high level of fitness to participate safely. The scramble trips in this course involve up to 15 miles or 3500’ of elevation gain (or both). Trips often take 10 or more hours and primarily consist of off-trail travel. Students should be able to complete these distances without becoming too tired so they can maintain awareness and balance in high-altitude exposed terrain.

2. Successful completion of Wilderness Trekking School or equivalent experience. For example:  familiarity and preparedness with the 10 essentials, off-trail navigation, trip planning, snow travel, and familiarity with Leave No Trace ethics.

Required Events
Students who complete this course material and attend in-person lectures and skills days will receive the scrambling course badge. 

April 15 - May 31: Graded, self-guided online course material
April 29: In-person Evening Lecture #1 at CMC Basecamp
May 2 & 17: Snow Skills Field Days (must attend one day)
May 13: Online Lecture #2
May 27: In-person Evening Lecture #3 at CMC Basecamp
June 6, 7, & 13: Scramble Skills Days (must attend one day)

Scramble Trip Dates
Apply what you've learned through progressively more challenging scramble trips led by DEN ASC instructors. You will be required to sign up for at one Level 1 and one Level 2 (and one Level 3 if approved by an instructor). Saturday and Sunday trips will be offered for each level, so you can choose the day that works best for you.

Level 1 Scrambles

• June 20 – Father Dyer
• June 20 – Thorodin Mountain
• June 21 – Pettingell Peak
• June 27 – Tremont Ridge
• June 28 – Father Dyer
• July 11 – Tremont Ridge
• July 12 – Pettingell Peak

 Level 2 Scrambles

• July 18 – Kelso Ridge
• July 19 – Quandary West Ridge
• July 25 – Bierstadt–Blue Sky Sawtooth
• July 26 – Kelso Ridge
• July 26 – Quandary West Ridge
• August 1 – Bierstadt–Blue Sky Sawtooth
• August 2 – Mt Neva

 Level 3 Scrambles

• August 1 – Little Matterhorn
• August 8 – Pawnee Traverse
• August 9 – Arapaho Traverse
• August 15 – Spearhead
• August 16 – Little Matterhorn

Please complete the course application form. Applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis and the course fills quickly; all applications must be submitted by 3/31/2026. The ASC Planning Committee will review and respond to applications on a rolling basis from March 1 through April 15. Accepted students must complete their registration and payment by April 24. Those who do not complete registration and payment by this date may lose their spot to a waitlisted applicant.

Cancellation Policy

Please refer to the CMC cancellation policy linked above for more information.

Questions?

Please contact the ASC Planning Committee (cmcalpinescrambling@gmail.com) and a volunteer will respond as soon as possible.