OVERVIEW
Northwest Alpine Guides’ 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills Training is a day of instruction tailored to the alpine rock climb on which you’re embarking with our team. Each climb is different, but certain fundamental safety skills are required by all team members. If you have any doubt about your ability to perform any of the basic skills required for your climb, this day of training may be for you. Even experienced climbers may benefit from the day spent refreshing their skills and warming up for the climb. This training is conducted on the day before your climb begins.
PRICE
$395
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2025 SCHEDULE
June 27 (Fri)
July 4 (Fri)
July 25 (Fri)
August 14 (Thu)
August 21 (Thu)
August 29 (Fri)
September 4 (Thu)
This 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills Training is available the day before the start of each of the following climb itineraries: Mount Shuksan Sulphide Glacier, Mount Shuksan Fisher Chimneys, Forbidden Peak, Sahale Mountain
Alpine Rock Skills Training • 1 Day Course
We offer our 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills Training on the diorite cliffs of Mount Erie. Located about 1.5 hours north of Seattle on Fidalgo Island near the charming city of Anacortes, Mount Erie is home to an excellent range of single- and multipitch routes. Its solid, diorite cliffs offer excellent sport and traditional climbing with wonderful views of the islands and forests of the Puget Sound.
This training is structured as a daytrip outing to Mt Erie. You will need to arrange your own overnight accommodation and return to Basecamp the following morning for the group gear check at the start of your climb.
We take pride in our ability to customize our itineraries, curricula and pricing to our guests’ goals and the size of the group. Some climbs and courses require prerequisites. Please read the information below, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions.
Alpine Rock Climbing Fundamentals
- Movement on rock
- Climbing equipment & clothing
- Climbing knots & hitches
- Belaying, lowering and rappelling
- Climbing anchors and protection
- Climbing communication
Course Highlights
- Learn fundamental alpine rock-climbing skills.
- Develop single and/or multipitch rock climbing skills including belaying, rappelling and anchor management.
- Prepare for your alpine rock adventure with Northwest Alpine Guides
- Access to our convenient BaseCamp and The Guide Hut in Sedro-Woolley, WA.
Qualifications
You should consider the qualifications required for the alpine rock climb to which you are adding this training. This 1-day course teaches fundamental movement and safety skills but is not a substitute for adequate fitness training.
2 to 1 Climber to Guide Ratio
We lead the 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills Training at a 2 to 1 climber to guide ratio to ensure that you receive personal attention and hands-on instruction throughout the course.
DETAILS
Where to Meet
This 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills training is conducted the day before the scheduled first day of your climb. At 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the training, we meet at BaseCamp in Sedro-Woolley, WA for equipment check and orientation before heading to the trailhead. We will email you detailed PreClimb information including a gear list and full departure details upon receiving your registration.
Deposit and Payments
- A non-refundable deposit of $300 per person secures your reservation.
- The balance is due 120 days prior to start date.
- The balance can be paid by credit card with a surcharge of 3.0%, or Zelle payment network.
- If your balance payment is not received 120 days before the start of your program, your reservation will be canceled, and all program fees forfeited.
Price Includes
- Guided instruction
- Professional mountain guide
- Wilderness Permits
Price Does Not Include
- Transportation
- Trailhead parking fees
- Meals and snack food
- Personal gear
- Hotels or lodging
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Medical and evacuation coverage
- Staff gratuities
Guides
Our instructors are highly skilled professional guides who have been selected based on their technical proficiency, proven safety records, careful judgment, patience, and supportive teaching styles. They are dedicated to a climbing lifestyle, and collectively have climbed throughout the earth’s major mountain ranges. Our guides are friendly, very willing to share their own experiences, and can help you develop a plan to achieve your own climbing ambitions. All our guides carry current certification in wilderness first aid.
Tipping
Our guides are dedicated mountain professionals who work hard to ensure your success and wellbeing on the mountain. If you have a positive experience, gratuities are an excellent way to show your appreciation. An average tip is 10 – 20% percent of the cost of the program, usually $100 – $200. Your guide team will pool all tips.
Travel Insurance
We highly recommend that all participants consider travel and trip cancellation insurance after making a deposit. Travel insurance offers the best protection in the event of a sudden, unexpected illness, an injury prior to or while traveling, or a possible family emergency.
If you choose not to purchase insurance, you assume full responsibility for any expenses incurred in the event of a medical emergency and/or evacuation, as well as for trip cancellation, interruption, lost luggage, etc. Northwest Alpine Guides does not insure you against these risks. We ask that you consult your travel insurance carrier directly with questions.
For more info about current coverage plans and quotes please visit.
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance
Travel, evacuation and rescue coverage designed for adventure travelers.
For a quote, or to purchase travel insurance, please click this link Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™
- Waiver for pre-existing conditions (must be purchased within 14 days of trip deposit)
- Optional “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage (must be purchased within 14 days of trip deposit)
Global Rescue
We recommend Signature Travel Insurance. For travel insurance or Global Rescue membership.
For a quote, or to purchase travel insurance, please click this link Global Rescue
For Non-US Residents & Citizens – World Nomads
For Canadians and for other non-US residents (enter your country of origin), World Nomads can provide travel and disaster insurance options for mountaineers.
Date Changes
Date changes may be requested at any time up to 60 days prior to your departure date for a $100.00 fee per person. Date changes are subject to availability and apply only to the current climbing season. No date changes allowed less than 60 days before departure.
Cancellations
Since departures require a minimum number of participants, Northwest Alpine Guides must adhere to a stringent refund policy. The policy is intended to protect participants who have otherwise committed time and resources to the departure. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
MEALS
During the Rock Skills Training, Northwest Alpine Guides does not provide group meals. You will need to provide your own lunch and snack food during days at the crags. Video Resource: Mountain Snack and Lunch Ideas
Meal Schedule
Day 1: Three or four 15-minute lunch & snack breaks while climbing. Breakfast & dinner in Burlington or Anacortes on your own.
Climbing Lunches
We recommend that you bring a variety of snack food to eat while moving (about 150-200 calories each break). On each day, we will encourage you to eat at regular, short maintenance breaks, roughly once every hour. These snacks can be critical for maintaining a steady supply of energy while moving up and down the mountain. We will not stop for a big lunch break.
Some examples of snack foods include dried meats (salami), jerky (turkey, beef, fish), tuna fish, cheese, crackers, bagels, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, candy bars, gummy candy, cookies, energy bars and trail mix.
We cannot overstate how critical it is for you to bring foods that you enjoy eating. Eating properly is the key to maintaining strength in the mountains. We recommend a selection of sweet, sour and salty food.
When preparing lunches, please do not bring food items that require cooking or extensive preparation.
When preparing meals, please do not bring food items that require extensive cooking or other preparation.
TRAVEL
Getting There
At 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the climb, we meet at BaseCamp in Sedro-Woolley, WA for equipment check and orientation before heading to the trailhead. Upon receiving your registration, Northwest Alpine Guides will email you complete PreClimb information, including a gear list specific to your itinerary and other departure details. The Guide Hut offers a selection of mountaineering equipment and clothing for purchase and rent.
The small town of Sedro-Woolley, “The Gateway to the North Cascades,” is approximately 70 miles and a 1.5-hour drive from Seattle or Bellevue. Limited services are available in Sedro-Woolley. More extensive food, shopping and lodging options may be found nearby in the cities of Mount Vernon and Burlington.
Northwest Alpine Guides | BaseCamp | The Guide Hut
305 F And S Grade Road
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Click here for directions
Additional parking can be found across the street in the Park & Ride lot.
Welcome to BaseCamp and The Guide Hut
What to Expect the Morning of the Climb
Northwest Alpine Guides is excited to announce the opening of BaseCamp, our new meeting location and seasonal guide office in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, the Gateway to the North Cascades!
The Guide Hut serves as our rental shop and retail store for guests of Northwest Alpine Guides. Find a variety of retail items, logo wear, and climbing equipment. Visit our online gear shop for available merchandise and rental gear options.
At BaseCamp:
- Guests may pick up pre-reserved rentals, try on rental boots, and shop for last-minute items.
- Gear Check: There is ample time to pick up items during the gear check the morning of the climb.
BaseCamp exclusively serves Northwest Alpine Guides customers. It is not open to the public and operates only during scheduled hours.
Flight Travel
Most climbers will fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) the evening before the program and rent a car for the hour and forty-five minute drive to Sedro Woolley, Washington. Please note that Seattle traffic is worsening and driving times from Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport may be significantly longer.
Our Northwest programs begin at the date, time and meeting location listed in the itinerary in your PreClimb Information. Meeting locations may vary depending on program destination. Climbers flying to Washington State must arrive the day before their program begins in order to meet the group for an early morning gear check and orientation. Return times on the final day of the program are difficult to predict. We strongly recommend that climbers book a hotel night following the final day of their itinerary and schedule departure flights on the following day. If departing on the last day of the program, we recommend booking a flight later than 10 pm.
Transportation
Transportation between the meeting location and the trailhead is not included in the price of the trip. Guides are not responsible for providing transportation to team members. We serve both local and out-of-town climbers in our Northwest programs, and many of our guests prefer to use their own vehicles. Team members are free to organize rideshares with other team members. With your permission, our office staff can share your name and contact information with other team members so that you can organize ridesharing. The NWAG office does not coordinate ridesharing or carpooling and we are unable to share customer or guide contact information due to privacy concerns. If you are trying to coordinate a ride, feel free to send an email to info@northwestalpineguides.com and we can forward it to your fellow climbers.
Driving Directions
From Seattle
Take I-5 North towards Burlington to Cook Road in Skagit County.
Take exit 232 from I-5 N
Turn right onto Cook Road, Head East to Sedro-Woolley
Follow Cook Road to Borseth Road in Sedro-Woolley, 7 min (4.3 mi)
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit and onto Borseth Road
Turn left onto F & S Grade Road
BaseCamp / Northwest Alpine Guides is the first building on your left
From Bellingham
Take I-5 South towards Burlington to Cook Road in Skagit County.
Take exit 232 from I-5 S
Turn left onto Cook Road, Head East to Sedro-Woolley
Follow Cook Road to Borseth Road in Sedro-Woolley, 7 min (4.3 mi)
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit and onto Borseth Road
Turn left onto F & S Grade Road
BaseCamp / Northwest Alpine Guides is the first building on your left
Hotels
Lodging in Burlington, Washington. If you wish to stay close to the meeting location the night before your climb, we recommend the following options:
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Burlington
9384 Old Hwy 99 North
Burlington, WA 98233
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Burlington
1670 S Burlington Blvd
Burlington, WA 98233
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I take this additional skills training?
Each climb is different, but certain fundamental safety skills are required by all team members. You should carefully review the qualifications and prerequisites, as well as the terrain and itinerary descriptions of the climb for which you’re signing up. Common examples include efficient movement skills on alpine rock, belaying, lowering and rappelling, and safely attaching oneself to anchors. Although your guides will be constantly monitoring your movement and addressing safety concerns during your climb, the time to learn and practice these skills is not while climbing a highly committed alpine route. If you have any doubt about your ability to perform any of the basic skills required for your climb, this day of training may be for you.
How is this training different from other rock courses?
Northwest Alpine Guides’ 1-Day Alpine Rock Skills Training is a day of instruction tailored to the safety skills you’ll need to demonstrate on a particular rock climb with our team. Other rock-climbing courses may cover a broad range of topics, often over several days, but this training is concise and focuses specifically on the skills you’ll need for the terrain you’ll be tackling over the coming days. Participants should not expect to receive training on techniques beyond the scope of what will be required for their climb.
Please note that prerequisites may be required for some rock climbing courses.
What about safety?
In rock climbing, safety is paramount. Our professional guides will provide a safe learning environment while tailoring their instruction to your goals and abilities, whether you are climbing for your first time or attempting to send your first 5.12.
Our guides are dedicated climbing professionals and all of them maintain current wilderness medical certifications. They will teach you the skills you need to be self-reliant in the mountains. Climbing can be unpredictable – weather conditions can change in a moment and one wrong step can lead to an injury. Northwest Alpine Guides will teach you to climb safely and successfully.
Why Northwest Alpine Guides
Mountain climbing blends physical and mental challenge with teamwork and unparalleled opportunities to immerse yourself in the natural world. Our group sizes are often smaller than those of other guide services, allowing us to provide our customers with rewarding, personalized adventures that make the most of all the mountains have to offer.
Our mountain guides have decades of experience and have climbed the peaks of the Northwest hundreds of times. They have completed many expeditions to the world’s most challenging summits, including Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua. Our guides are knowledgeable and personable. Northwest Alpine Guides will ensure you enjoy your climbing experience as you develop your skills. To learn more about our services, history and philosophy please visit: Why Northwest Alpine Guides.
General FAQ’s
Click to read general Frequently Asked Questions
