Mt. Baker 6-Day Glacier Seminar

Curriculum Details 

Experience the adventure of a lifetime with our 6-day glacier travel seminar! Eat, sleep, and train on a glacier, honing your mountaineering skills and attempting a summit climb.

Day 1: Kick off your journey in Seattle and meet the team. We'll conduct a thorough gear check to ensure everyone is equipped for the adventure ahead. Our experienced guides will provide recommendations for any last-minute equipment purchases at REI and Feathered Friends. Next, we'll drive to Sedro-Woolley or Burlington and stay at a hotel before stocking up on food for the trip.

Day 2: After a hearty breakfast, we'll head to the trailhead and begin our hike to camp. Enjoy the stunning views and get ready for the days ahead.

Day 3: Today is a training day and our team will take you up onto the glacier to practice rope travel, snow anchors, and crevasse rescue. Our guides are experts in mountaineering and will provide full-day instruction to ensure you're ready for the summit attempt.

Day 4: It's time to attempt the summit! Push yourself to the limit and achieve your goals with the support of our experienced team.

Day 5: After a successful climb, we'll head back down the mountain and enjoy another night at a hotel before returning to Seattle.

Day 6: We'll drop you off at the airport, leaving you with memories and skills to last a lifetime.

Join us on this unforgettable journey and discover the thrill of mountaineering. Book your spot now and get ready for an adventure like no other!

Included in seminar costs:

• Guiding and instruction with certified guides
• Ground Transportation
• Tents, stoves, ropes, and group technical equipment
• Northwest National Forest pass
  

Not included costs:

• Flights
• Hotel before and after the seminar
• Dinners in town
• On mountain food

Recommended Equipment

Clothing

• Sun hoody – this should be a very lightweight synthetic fabric worn next to the skin. It has long sleeves and a hoody.
• Fleece – this piece also be relatively thin and is designed to be worn over the sun hoody on colder days. Long sleeves and a hood. I prefer to forgo pockets on this layer because they become unusable and bulky underneath a harness or backpack. This layer is not a jacket!
• Softshell jacket— intended to be worn over the fleece, this layer cuts the wind and light precipitation. Should also have a hood. Can be worn during aerobic activities such as hiking or climbing so it shouldn’t have any insulation.
• Hardshell jacket – for when the conditions deteriorate. Should be fully waterproof.
• Puffy jacket – think of this layer as your sleeping bag away from camp. To be worn at high altitudes, predawn snack breaks, or winter ascents. 800+ fill down and lots of it and hooded.
• Long underwear bottoms— synthetic or merino wool (no cotton!), depending on the trip either thick or thin long underwear is appropriate.
• Softshell pants— Comfortable pants that you can spend several days wearing. I like lighter colors such as gray because they don’t absorb as much heat in the summer.
• Hardshell pants— full-length zippers on the sides! This is mandatory for putting them on/off over your boots.
• Synthetic puffy pants—this piece is optional based on the time of year/location of your trip. full side zippers! Great for long belays in the winter or at camp when the temps drop. (optional)
  ‍

Gloves

• Thin gloves— these are to be worn during aerobic activities in cool to cold climates. I prefer something that is weather resistant and not just a fleece liner glove.
• Medium-weight gloves – much like the thin gloves, but with more insulation and less dexterity.
• Heavy-weight gloves or mittens are for summit morning or when temperatures dip well below freezing.
  

Footwear

Note: any of these three options will work. Although a full double boot might be a bit much. Each has its pros/cons, if you have any questions at all about footwear, please let me know because it is vitally important to have a good trip.

• 3-season mountaineering boots – 3⁄4 or full-shank stiff mountaineering boots. Not well insulated for winter, but more than capable of firm snow and glacier travel. Not recommended for technical ice climbing. May or may not have a toe welt for crampon compatibility. Definitely has a heel welt for crampons.
  
• 4-season mountaineering boots – full-shank winter mountaineering boots with both toe and heel welt for crampon compatibility. Well-insulated with integrated gaiter preferred.
• Double boots — Denali or winter overnight with sub-zero temps. Sometimes referred to as a 6000-meter boot. This boot has all the same characteristics as a 4-season boot, only it is warmer, heavier, and has a fully removable liner.
  Misc. clothing
  

• Sunglasses — these are critical, you don’t want snow blindness! Dark lenses that fit well over your eyes and cover your entire field of vision. For on-snow activities side shields are recommended. I like photochromatic lenses that change with the conditions but are more expensive.
  
• Buff or neck gaiter (maybe bring two) — this should be a tube of a lightweight synthetic material similar to your sun hoody. Make sure that it also has a specific SPF rating.
• Baseball cap or visor — to protect your face from the Sun.

Hardware

• Helmet — specifically designed for climbing and mountaineering.
• Harness — Modern climbing harness with a belay loop. For mountaineering, I like a lighter-weight harness with less padding and the ability to accept “ice clippers”.
• Mountain axe – Your standard mountaineering axe.
• Crampons – Many different styles exist so make absolutely sure that they are compatible with your boots. For snow climbing, glacier travel, and general mountaineering a horizontal front point is preferred. Make absolutely sure they are compatible with your boots.
• Belay/rappel device - ATC-style belay device
• Carabiners - Four locking carabiners
• Sling - 120 cm in length
• Pulley(Optional) - Petzl Micro Traxion and Tibloc
• Backpack – For Baker in the summer overnight 50-60 liters is usually sufficient. Some features specifically for mountaineering that you’ll want are a crampon pouch and ice axe attachment points. Features to avoid are external water bottle pockets, mesh back panels, hydration systems, and Osprey backpacks.
  

Sleeping system

• Inflatable sleeping pad – depending on if you are sleeping on snow or not check the R-value to ensure that it is insulated enough for your needs.
• Down sleeping bag – Again the rating will depend on your specific objective and time of year. I prefer a down sleeping bag because they are warmer and more compressible. For summer mountaineering something in the 20 F range is ideal depending on if you run hot or cold.

Other items...

• Water bottles - The capacity for 2 liters of water
• Sunscreen – I prefer the stick kind so that it doesn’t get all over my hands.
• Toiletries