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Compass Afterschool Program - Winter - 2026

Youth & Climbing Program

Afterschool Program

Come hang out with us Afterschool at the Colorado Mountain Club in Golden. Gain skills and confidence in rock climbing and have fun doing hands on experiments with our team of qualified instructors.

Contacts

Placeholder Contact Profile
Alec Backhus
Leader

Compass Montessori students in grades 1–6 are invited to join an action-packed 12-week after-school program that blends indoor climbing with hands-on ecology exploration! Held every Tuesday from 2:45–5:00 PM (Jan. 20–Apr. 7, no class 3/24), this program offers the perfect mix of adventure, learning, and fun.

Students will be picked up from Compass Montessori (Wheat Ridge & Golden Campuses) in our 15-passenger van and transported to the Colorado Mountain Club, where they’ll alternate between climbing sessions and ecology-based lessons. Young climbers will learn belaying, knot-tying, and movement techniques on our brand-new indoor rock wall, while ecology weeks feature engaging activities like examining animal skulls and pelts, studying Colorado weather and geology, and even creating lightning with a Van de Graaff generator!

This program builds confidence, curiosity, and teamwork while helping students discover what makes Colorado’s natural world so unique. Spots are limited, don’t miss your chance to climb, explore, and connect with nature this winter!

  • Ages: 1st-6th grade
  • Dates: January 20 - April 7 2026 (NO CLASS 3/24)(See full weekly schedule below)
  • Time: Tuesdays, 2:45pm-5:00pm 
  • Location: The program is located at the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) at 15605 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401. 
  • Cost: $440 (Non-Member) $420 (Member) for 12-week session (Course fees include: instruction, shared group gear [ex: ropes], harnesses, helmets, shoes, any additional curriculum supplies, and snacks!)
    • Learn about all the benefits of becoming a CMC member. 
    • Please note, if you have an individual membership and wish to sign up your child, you will need to create a separate guest account with a different email. You can also choose to upgrade your individual membership to a family membership to be able to register your child on your account and receive the discount.
    • AT CMC, WE BELIEVE THE OUTDOORS ARE FOR ALL. If you need financial assistance for our camps, click here to apply! If you would like to set up a payment plan to finance your next adventure, email us at staceyh@cmc.org.

Transportation Details

Each week the CMC Instructors will meet your youth at their respective campus for pickup. The instructors will transport the students in our 15 passenger van to the CMC Offices for the program.

  • Pick-up @ Wheat Ridge Campus 2:45pm
  • Pick-up @ Golden Campus 3:00pm

Any students 7 years or younger MUST have a booster seat to ride in our vehicles. Please reach out to hanahamilton@cmc.org with any questions or to arrange booster seat drop off. 

Pick-up Details  

Pick up will be at 5:00pm from The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) at 15605 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401. 

Registration instructions: 

If you would like to register your student, and you are not a CMC member, you will need to make a FREE guest membership account here. Once this guest membership is made for the adult (with the adults email) you will add your youth to your account. Each participant will need to fill out a Youth Form and Waiver. Only fill out the required items on the youth form. Health forms are required to submit this youth form but NOT to participate in afterschool programs. You can upload health forms if you have them or you can upload a blank placeholder document. Once this Youth Form is filled out, you can complete registration through this page.

Please reach out to youth@cmc.org with any questions about registration! We are happy to help.

Weekly Schedule:

  • 1/20/26 (Week 1): Introduction to Indoor Climbing Safety
  • 1/27/26 (Week 2): Colorado Mammals
  • 2/3/26 (Week 3): Climbing Knots & Beginner Technique
  • 2/10/26 (Week 4): Colorado Bird Ecology
  • 2/17/26 (Week 5): Belaying & Beginner Technique Continued
  • 2/24/26 (Week 6): Avalanche & Snow Science
  • 3/3/26 (Week 7): Intermediate Climbing Technique
  • 3/10/26 (Week 8): Colorado Rocks (Geology)
  • 3/17/26 (Week 9): Free Climb Day & Belay Test-out
  • 3/24/26 (Week 10): No Class (Spring Break)
  • 3/31/26 (Week 11): Clouds & Lightning
  • 4/7/26 (Week 12): Climbing Competition& Games/ Free climb

Refund/cancellation policy

This course requires a minimum of 6 participants. If this minimum is not reached, 1 week prior to the course, the course will be cancelled and a full refund will be given. 

Program Requirements

This program has no scheduled activities.

Roster
Required Equipment

CMC Will Provide the Following:

  • Safety Equipment
  • Climbing Gear – harnesses, shoes, helmets, ropes, belay devices, etc.***
  • 1 Snack per student per session

Participant Packing List:
If you are unable to bring any of the items below, please let us know. CMC does have a few extra items that we are happy to loan out.

  • Clothes (comfortable clothing for climbing):
    o Loose fitting pants or shorts
    o T-shirts and a long sleeve shirt
    o Closed-toe shoes
    o Sweater and/or warm layer
    o Jacket (in case we go outside for outdoor games)
    o Brimmed hat
    o Sunglasses
    o Warm hat and gloves
  • Water bottle (at least 1 liter)
  • Additional Snacks (Optional)
  • Personal medications (inhaler, EPI pen, etc.) – please have all containers and
    bottles labeled and also listed on the medical form

**Cell phones, gaming devices, tablets, and iPods are NOT allowed on this course.

***Participants are allowed to bring their personal climbing gear – harnesses, shoes, helmets, etc. Please note this is optional. (CMC instructors will inspect all personal gear/equipment before use).

Program Materials

You must register for this program to see program materials.