Planning for the Summer Climbing Season

American Alpine Institute's summer season courses are open for registration! If you want to improve your climbing skills before you start tackling your "must do list" for climbing this summer, it's a great idea to take an early season mountaineering course. We have course options for all skill levels, and private instruction is always an option if you have a tight schedule or very specific skills on which you want to focus.

Early Summer Season Course Dates
(for more information and complete course dates for each program, please use the link)

Intro to Alpinism (North Cascades)
May 4-9, May 12-17, May 18-23, May 26-31

Intro to Mountaineering (Sierras)
June 14-18, June 28 - Jul 2

Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership (North Cascades)
May 12-23, May 26 - June 6, June 9-20, June 23 - July 4

Expedition Training Program (North Cascades)
May 18-23

Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue (North Cascades)
May 31-June 2

Alpine Ice Climbing (North Cascades)
May 4-9, May 11-16, May 18-23, May 25-30, May 31- June 5, June 7-12

Following a successful summit climb of Mt. Baker, an Alpinism 1–Intro group passes below Colfax Peak and the Black Buttes. Baker’s immense glaciers offer perfect training ground for snow and ice climbing during the summer months. The course also includes an introduction to rock climbing. Richard Riquelme photo.

Nearing Iceberg Lake on a Sierra Intro to Mountaineering course, with great views of Day and Keeler Needles (left and right center) and the East Face of Mt. Whitney (right). The course covers skills for rock, snow, and ice. Dylan Taylor photo.

Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership participants high on Sahale Peak and heading to the summit in North Cascades National Park. The course covers all aspects of alpinism, with time on rock, snow, and ice, and it concludes with a participant-lead ascent of a major peak. Gerry Chike photo.

The Expedition Training course covers all aspects of climbing and glacier travel encountered on large peak expeditions. Route finding through crevasse fields is among the many skills practiced.

Our Alpine Ice Climbing program culminates with an ascent of a challenging route on Mt. Baker. Here a team is photographed high on Baker’s North Ridge. Alasdair Turner photo.

If you have any questions about our programs, please call us at 800-424-2249 or email us at info@aai.cc.