Mt. Rainier Glacier Skills Seminar

The Glacier Skills Seminar is one of IMG's comprehensive training programs. It is designed as an in-depth skills and training seminar for climbers looking to develop a greater depth of climbing skills. This program provides excellent hands-on training to prepare climbers for any of the big, high-altitude, glaciated, technical peaks such as those found in Alaska, South America, the Himalayas and elsewhere. This Seminar provides a program on Mount Rainier in expedition fashion, working its way up from camp to camp teaching you the fundamentals of expedition climbing, eventually putting the team in position to summit. This program incorporates the IMG Mountain School into the course curriculum. Training and skills sessions include anchors, self and team crevasse rescue, ice climbing, route finding, glacier travel and fixed line ascension. The seminar is specifically scheduled for mid-summer to capitalize on firmer snow conditions and more exposed crevasses for glacier training. A summit attempt of Rainier is included at the end of the seminar.

While our 6.5 Day Glacier Skills Seminar is suitable for novice climbers with little or no previous climbing experience, this program does require adequate fitness and endurance training in order to be successful.

Why Choose This Program?

The Glacier Skills Seminar is our most in-depth, hands-on training program and offers a generous amount of time to introduce you to critical alpine climbing skills. We delve into great detail during the training, lectures, and informal discussions in our small groups to allow you to comprehensively understand the topics covered. This is an excellent program for anyone with the desire to increase their technical climbing skills in preparation for more challenging climbs. Unlike our 3.5 Day DC Summit Climb, this program is focused on training of expedition climbing skills. At the end of the program we will attempt to summit as a team, utilizing all of the training we have learned during the seminar. The Glacier Skills Seminar is the right choice if you are serious about becoming proficient in climbing in order to apply your skills on other challenging mountains.

Topics to be covered include:

• Cramponing
• Ice axe and ice tool use
• Ice climbing
• Belaying and rappelling
• Glacier travel and rescue
• Short roping and short pitching
• Ice and snow anchors and anchor systems
• Glacier route finding and navigation
• Ascending and descending fixed line

IMG employs a light and efficient philosophy for climbing. IMG will provide shelter, stoves, fuel, cookware and group climbing gear (ropes, pickets, shovels, etc.) for the team to carry to each camp. We will help you review your personal climbing gear prior to departure to make sure you are not carrying any unnecessary weight up Mt. Rainier. Total personal gear, including filled water bottles, should be approximately 50 pounds, excluding your boots and trekking poles.

Prerequisites

There are no specific climbing prerequisites for this program. All that is required is an eagerness to learn, a significant base of cardiovascular physical fitness, and previous experience carrying an overnight pack. You will be expected to carry this weight over the course of many hours each day. For training suggestions please review the information provided on our Training for Rainier page. This is a novice climb for those interested in learning elements of travel on big, glaciated mountains. Technical training is conducted during the pre-climb orientation and continually throughout the climb.

 

Safety is our number one priority. We make no guarantees with respect to the program objectives. Many circumstances, including weather and abilities of yourself or other climbers may inhibit you from reaching the summit. Our goal is to give each of our customers the best experience we possibly can, regardless of the weather, route conditions, or time of year.