So you and your family have spent past holidays skiing, skating, snowshoeing, and dog sledding and now you are looking for a more challenging winter activity. Well, you’ve found the right blog.
As I continue my ongoing series spotlighting various tours catering to die-hard winter sports enthusiasts, today I’m turning my attention to one adventure you won’t soon forget—ice climbing.
Warning: This adventure is not for the faint of heart or those who are not in good physical condition.
Eastern Mountain Sports’ (EMS) three-day mountaineering course is the perfect introduction to the world of ice climbing. If you want to climb Mt. Rainier, Denali, or other big, snow-bound peak some day this is where you need to start.
For about $400 the legendary outdoor gear company, which has been training rock and ice climbers at its Climbing School locations in New England and New York for 40 years, will give you all the training you’ll need to execute your first climb. The company’s main location is in North Conway, New Hampshire, in the middle of the White Mountains. Which means you are within reach of New England’s tallest peak, the 6,288-foot Mt. Washington.
During the 3-day course you’ll spend the first two days learning mountaineering skills and the last day trying to reach the summit of Mt. Washington. The first day includes lessons about technical equipment like crampons, ice axes, and ropes. You will also practice safety techniques such as self-arrest (stopping yourself from falling down a slope) with an ice axe. The next day you’ll take on more difficult terrain and learn about avalanche safety and how to assess weather conditions. The last day is the big test: A guided winter ascent up Mt. Washington, a peak famed for its high winds and extreme low temperatures.
Classes are scheduled to start December 15, 22, and 29, 2007; and January 5, 14, 19, and 26, 2008. However, private classes can be arranged at any time during the winter, though it will cost you more. The basic $400 fee covers two days of climbing instruction, all technical gear, a professional guide, and the guided ascent of Mt Washington. You must provide your own food, appropriate clothing, accommodations, and transportation to North Conway.
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