Basic Mountaineering School

SPECIAL NOTES: 

1)  The course is open for CMC members only.

2)  You must fill out the course application and receive permission to register.  Click the "Apply" button on the right to link to the application.  Submit your application via email to the addresses shown on the application form.

3)  At a minimum, Students must have a current certification in basic First Aid (e.g., Red Cross First Aid) when this course begins however, Wilderness First Aid or higher certification is highly recommended.

DESCRIPTION:

The course consists of five classroom sessions each followed by a field day where you are able to practice what you learned in the classroom. Subjects taught in the classroom include knots, rope-handling, harnesses, belays, rock climbing techniques, rappelling, basic anchors, self rescue, basic snow travel, and equipment. Fieldwork includes basic rock techniques, belaying, rappelling, climbing safety, a multi-pitch climb, and a snow day. Students will be assigned to teams with a Senior Instructor and at least one Assistant instructor.  While not required to graduate this course, students will have the opportunity to practice skills learned in the course on a snow climbing trip and an overnight high peak climbing trip. The lectures will start promptly at 6:00 pm and generally end by 9:00 but the first night may go as late as 10:00. 

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Classroom sessions will be held at the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce building, 225 S Meldrum St, and field activities will be held in various locations.  The scheduled classroom dates are April 8, 15, 21, 29, and May 6.  Note that all classroom dates are Wednesdays except for April 21 which is a Tuesday. The scheduled field dates are somewhat weather dependent. While we expect to conduct the fieldwork on the Saturday following the lecture, weather may force a rescheduling to the Sunday. Field dates are April 11, 18, 25, May 2, and 16.  There will be a week break between the May 2 lecture and the multi-pitch climb scheduled for May 16.  The snow climbing trip and the overnight high peak climbing trip will be scheduled by the senior instructor in coordination with their students for dates in June, July and/or August.  

Regarding any questions concerning field days and/or lectures being missed or arriving late, the Northern Colorado Group’s Basic Mountaineering Course must insist on and enforce a no-absence rule for all lectures and field days.  There is so much information being packed into the course that any one lecture and/or field day missed could have a dramatic effect on your ability to apply such knowledge in the future and especially during the course itself.