$1795 per-person (1 climber, 1 guide)
$1095 per-person (2 climbers, 1 guide)
Intro to Alpine Rock Climbing
June 14 – June 16, 2024
July 5 – July 7, 2024
August 9 – August 11, 2024
August 30 – September 1, 2024
Grade: Beginner
3 Day Course
On this course you will learn fundamental alpine rock climbing skills and then apply them on scenic, multipitch routes in the Cascade Mountains. The instruction is designed for rock climbers of all abilities who are seeking to gain experience on complex, high mountain terrain.
For many people, alpine rock climbing is the epitome of the climbing experience. In “the alpine,” climbers must know how to build their own anchors and place their own protection. They must be prepared for long, strenuous days, and they must know how to efficiently ascend and descend through varied terrain. They are rewarded with spectacular views, solitude and adventurous, enjoyable climbing.
On Day 1 of our Alpine Rock Climbing Course, we practice fundamental technical and movement skills on the diorite cliffs of Mount Erie, high above the scenic Puget Sound. Instruction includes belaying, rappelling, lowering, placing protection, building anchors and more. We spend day 2 and 3 on Vesper Peak, in the North Cascades, where we continue to refine our skills as enjoyable, multipitch alpine routes in a spectacular backcountry setting.
As an alternate location, we may climb in the Snoqualmie Pass area, just 45 minutes east of Seattle on Interstate 90. On Day One, we practice skills at the popular Exit 38 climbing area. On days 2 and 3, we take our pick from a variety of classic, multipitch routes on The Tooth, Chair Peak and Snoqualmie Mountain.
Accessed via a roughly 3-mile hike from Washington’s scenic Mountain Loop Highway, Vesper Peak is home to a variety of routes that are ideal for anyone taking their first steps into alpine rock climbing. We can choose between Ragged Edge (5.7), True Grit (5.8), the North Face (5.7) or, for more skilled rock climbers, Fish and Whistle (5.10-). Each of these routes offer a half dozen pitches of high-quality climbing in a spectacular setting, with dramatic views of Sperry Peak, Wolf Peak, Morning Star Prak and other surrounding mountains.
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. It’s solid, diorite cliffs offer excellent sport and traditional climbing with wonderful views of the islands and forests of the Puget Sound.
After two days of training at Mount Erie, consider applying your skills on a one-day extension to climb the Tooth above Snoqualmie Pass just east of Seattle. A short early morning hike into the Source Lake area near Alpental ski resort leads to a view of our objective, the steep and blocky Tooth towering hundreds of feet above the surrounding landscape in the central Cascade Range.
Depending on climber ability, we choose one of several routes to the top of the pinnacle. We enjoy panoramic views from the summit, then descend safely with a mix of rappelling and hiking. We pack our gear and retrace our steps to the trailhead, generally arriving back at our cars by late-afternoon.
Twin Sisters Mountain is an outlier from the main spine of the Cascades located just south of Mount Baker on the edge of the Puget Sound. Composed of ancient olivine rock, “the Twins” offer a unique climbing experience. The reddish orange olivine is solid and extremely textured, making for excellent moderate, alpine rock climbing. Most climbers choose to ascend the popular west ridge of South Twin, the higher of the two summits. North Twin may also be climbed via moderate terrain on its west ridge, and more experienced climbers can link the two summits via the scenic and sometimes exposed North Twin to South Twin Traverse.
Depending on climber ability, we choose one of several routes to the top of the pinnacle. We enjoy panoramic views from the summit, then descend safely with a mix of rappelling and hiking. We pack our gear and retrace our steps to the trailhead, generally arriving back at our cars by late-afternoon.
Need help choosing a trip?
Read our Four-Legged Stool blog post for tips on finding the right adventure for you.
Related courses: 3 Day Mount Baker Intro to Mountaineering, 5 Day Mount Baker Glacier Mountaineering, 7 Day North Cascades Alpine Climbing, 2 Day Crevasse Rescue, 2 Day Intro to Ice Climbing, 6 Day Mount Baker Expedition Training, Mount Washington Winter Intro, Intro to Alpine Rock Climbing, Smith Rock Intro to Sport Climbing, 3 Day Intro to Backcountry Ski Touring, 5 Day Mount Baker Ski Glacier Mountaineering, 2 Day Mount Baker Ski Descent
Day 1 • Rock climbing Instruction
Day 2 • Hike to High Camp
Day 3 • Summit Day
This is an entry level course suitable for climbers in excellent physical condition with no prior mountaineering experience. We will teach you the skills you need to participate in the course. No extra acclimatization is necessary for this program. Read our Goals and Fitness page for recommendations on how to best physically prepare for this adventure.
We lead the Intro to Alpine Rock Climbing Course at a 2 to 1 climber to guide ratio to ensure that you receive personal attention and hands-on instruction throughout the course.
Northwest Alpine Guides holds a Special Use Permit and is an authorized outfitter guide within Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
“In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).”
Plan to arrive the day before the course begins.
Video Resource: What to Expect the Morning of the Climb
Meet at our Guide Hut in Sedro-Woolley, WA.
Northwest Alpine Guides will provide you with a detailed PreClimb departure book upon registration including a gear list specific to your climb, meeting location and driving directions.
Our alpine guides will meet you for team introductions, gear check, and group gear distribution. The drive to the trailhead takes approximately 30 minutes.
After a short walk to the crag, we will cover equipment selection, knots, belaying, rappelling, and movement skills, and introduce anchors and protection, while climbing a variety of single pitch and short multipitch routes. Throughout the course, your guides will host discussions on a variety of climbing topics.
Accommodations: Overnight in Burlington or Anacortes, WA (not included)
Meals Included: (none)
We meet early in the morning and drive to the Sunrise Mine Trailhead for the roughly 3-mile, 2,500-foot, hike to our high camp near Lake Elan below Vesper Peak. After setting up camp, we embark on our first multipitch, alpine climb! We choose between a variety of 5- to 6-pitch routes ranging in difficulty from 5.7 to 5.10-. While climbing, we continue to practice essential skills, including route-finding, anchors, protection, rope and team management and movement techniques.
Vertical gain climbing: 1,000 feet
Climbing time: 5-7 hours
Accommodations: Tented Camp
Meals Included: (none)
We wake early to climb another multipitch route on Vesper Peak. During the climb, your guides will tailor the instruction, and the itinerary, to focus on topics not previously covered during the course, or areas where more instruction would be beneficial. After celebrating our success on the summit surrounded by views of the North Cascades, we descend back to high camp, pack up and hike to the trailhead.
We usually arrive back to the trailhead by mid-afternoon and conclude our adventure there, or in Sedro-Woolley.
Vertical gain climbing: 1,000 feet
Climbing time: 5-7 hours
Meals Included: (none)
Plan to depart the day after the course ends.
Itinerary Notes
Northwest Alpine Guides makes every effort to uphold the scheduled itinerary, although our guides are given discretion to adapt the itinerary for reasons beyond our control or due to the needs of the group. Meal schedule: (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner
At 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the climb, we meet at the Guide Hut 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.
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.
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.
Northwest Alpine Guides cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit. Weather, route conditions, your own abilities, or the abilities of other climbers may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe. You or your entire party may have to turn around without reaching the summit. Failure to reach the summit due to a team member’s own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.), are not NWAG responsibility and will not result in refund or reschedule.
Participants age 16 & 17: May participate in fixed-date group itineraries if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Participants age 15: May only participate in private climbs and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
We do not accept participants under 15 years old due to insurance and liability reasons.
Please note that a minimum of two participants is required to guarantee each departure at the advertised price.
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.
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™
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
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.
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 Online Reservation for Terms and Conditions.
You will need to provide all of your own meals during the Intro Alpine Rock Climbing Course. You will need (1) breakfast, enough lunch and snack foods for three (3) days, and one (1) dinner. Northwest Alpine Guides will provide the group with hot cooking water for breakfast and dinner. Video Resource: Mountain Snack and Lunch Ideas
Day 1: Three or four 15-minute lunch & snack breaks while climbing. Breakfast & dinner in Burlington or Anacortes on your own.
Day 2: Breakfast in Burlington or Anacortes on your own. Three 15-minute snack breaks on the hike to high camp. Four or five 10-minute snack breaks while rock climbing on Vesper Peak. Dinner in high camp.
Day 3: Breakfast in camp. Four or five 10-minute snack breaks while rock climbing on Vesper Peak. Two or three 15-minute snack breaks while hiking to the trailhead.
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.
Please prepare your meals prior to your climb. Suggested food items:
Alpine Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, Pop Tarts, dried fruit, granola bars, bagels, peanut butter, cream cheese.
Dinner: Freeze-dried dinners are easy to prepare but do not always taste good and may affect your stomach. Instant noodle soups and rice are also popular. You may also consider bringing a cold meal of dried meat, bread, pizza, or sandwiches.
Hot Drinks: Coffee, Caffeinated Tea, Herbal Tea, Cocoa, Cider
Cold drinking water will be available in high camp. Hot, boiled cooking water will be provided for your meal preparation, for example for freeze-dried dinners, instant soups, instant oatmeal and hot drinks.
When preparing meals, please do not bring food items that require extensive cooking or other preparation.
The Guide Hut offers a wide variety of freeze-dried meals for purchase, including vegan and gluten free options.
At 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the climb, we meet at the Guide Hut 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.
The Guide Hut / Northwest Alpine Guides
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.
Video Resource: What to Expect the Morning of the Climb
The Guide Hut serves as a meeting location, rental shop and retail store for guests of Northwest Alpine Guides.
During open hours at the Guide Hut, you may pick up pre-reserved rentals, try on rental boots, and purchase last-minute items. Once the shop opens there is adequate time to pick-up items during the gear check the morning of the climb. The Guide Hut offers a selection of retail items, Northwest Alpine Guides logo wear, and a selection of climbing equipment. Please visit the online Gear Shop for a list of available merchandise and to pre-purchase items.
The Guide Hut exclusively serves Northwest Alpine Guides customers. It is not open to the public, and does not serve customers outside of scheduled operating hours.
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 the 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 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.
You will need to obtain a NW Forest Pass or equivalent parking permit to leave your car at the trailhead lot. Single-use passes are $5.00 per day. They can be purchased in advance or the day of the gear check. A National Parks pass may suffice.
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
The NWAG Guide Hut 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
Follow Cook Road to Borseth Road in Sedro-Woolley, 7 min (4.3 mi)
Turn left onto F & S Grade Road
The NWAG Guide Hut is the first building on your left
From Burlington
From State Highway 20 East, at the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto Cook Road (after the Walgreens)
Follow Cook Road to Borseth Road in Sedro-Woolley, 7 min (4.3 mi)
Turn left onto F&S Grade Road
The NWAG Guide Hut is the first building on your left
Lodging in Burlington and Sedro-Woolley, Washington. If you wish to stay close to the meeting location the night before your climb, we recommend the following options:
Three Rivers Inn Hotel
210 Ball Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
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
These items are required for our Intro to Alpine Rock Climbing course.
The Guide Hut offers a selection of mountaineering equipment and clothing for purchase and rent. Gear may be purchased from the Guide Hut in person on the morning of your climb, or in advance via our Online Gear Shop. Rental gear must be reserved in advance online at TheGuideHut.com. Please read our Guide Picks blog post for gear recommendations by specific brands.
Note: Proper hardshell rain gear is required on all trips.
Note: Women may want to bring an extra sports bra in case one becomes wet.
Note: An adequately sized backpack is required. You are responsible to carry all of your personal gear and food, as well as a portion of group gear (ropes, protection, etc.).
Note: CamelBaks and other bladder-style hydration systems may be used in addition to two water bottles, but are not sufficient. Bladders may pop and hydration hoses freeze in the cold.
Note: Pack basic medical supplies in a compact package. We recommend basic painkillers, Moleskin, first-aid or athletic tape, Band-Aids, and anti-septic wipes or gel.
Note: All solid waste must be carried out of the backcountry. One waste kit per 1-3 days is typically sufficient.
Physical fitness is the foundation of every mountain adventure. A strong cardiovascular system, endurance, core strength, flexibility and balance let us safely enjoy the spectacular terrain and close camaraderie we find in the planet’s highest places.
Mountaineering is a strenuous activity that imposes unique demands on our bodies. Running, swimming, cycling and other sports may help you prepare for your climb, but they are usually not sufficient. Even strong runners may struggle to carry a heavy pack over steep, uneven terrain for hours at a time. Do not underestimate the importance of climbing-specific training.
The following fitness guidelines will help you prepare for your climb. For your safety and the safety of your rope team, you must be able to maintain the pace set by our guides while maintaining reserves of strength. Moving more slowly can be dangerous. As the climbing day lengthens, we become fatigued and dehydrated. We lose precious daylight hours and we expose ourselves to quickly shifting mountain conditions and weather.
To safely enjoy this course, you must be able to meet these benchmark times while maintaining reserves of strength. Our guides may turn around climbers who are unable to do so. We recommend training for the Intro Alpine Rock Climbing Course at least 3-6 months in advance.
The 3 Day Intro Alpine Rock Climbing Course requires excellent physical fitness. Participants should prepare for up to 12 hours of combined hiking and training time on days 2 and 3.
Sunrise Mine Trailhead to Lake Elan High Camp:
Lake Elan High Camp to Vesper Peak Summit:
Please read our Goals & Fitness guide for strategies to help you train for your climb.
Many climbers, particularly those who are new to the sport, will benefit from a workout plan designed to prepare you for the rigors of mountaineering. We recommend the following training resources:
No matter if you have never climbed before, our instructors are prepared to help you learn mountaineering from the ground up. In addition to professional instruction in climbing skills, most importantly, you will learn skills that will keep you safe in the mountains. With an adventure sport like mountaineering, safety is paramount.
All our instructors have advanced avalanche training, wilderness medical training, and will instruct you how to be self-reliant in the mountains. Mountain climbing can be unpredictable – weather conditions can change in a moment and one wrong step can lead to an injury. Northwest Alpine Guides will instruct you how to climb safely and successfully.
Click to read more about the Peaks of the North Cascades in Washington State.
Click to read general Frequently Asked Questions
