Intermediate Climbing School (ICS)

2007 Intermediate Climbing School Application
(click here to download the application)

Photos

Want to see some ICS action photos?  Check out the new ICS photo gallery under Resources.

Important Dates for ICS 2007-08

• Monday Aug 6 2007 ICS information Night, at 7:00pm, Mazama Mountaineering Center
• Friday August 31, 2007 Application Deadline Email your application materials to
• Wednesday September 5 2007 ICS Skills Test 7:00pm, Mazama Mountaineering Center
• Friday September 14 2007 Notification of acceptance by email
• Thursday Sept 27 2007 First lecture and class payment due 7:00pm, Mazama Mountaineering Center

General Information

The Intermediate Climbing School (ICS), which takes place from September to May, builds on the material taught in the Mazamas Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) and provides participants with the skills needed to safely climb in more challenging alpine environments, both with Mazama climbing teams and in private climbing teams.

The curriculum will include additional knots, glacier travel, rock and snow anchor building, map and compass navigation, avalanche awareness, avalanche transceiver training, accident management training, crevasse rescue, high angle snow practice, cleaning 5th class rock and 5th class rock climbing.

ICS goals: All students will learn the necessary skills to:

1. Join with any three other classmates, organize and execute a climb of any ‘A’ or ‘B’ level Mazama climb
2. Serve as a competent assistant on a ‘C’ level climb
3. Climb effectively on a ‘D’ level climb
4. Develop working climbing relationships with your classmates

ICS is a demanding commitment in terms of time and gear, so please apply only if you can make the necessary commitment. Please have a look at the ICS class calendar to get an idea of the time required.

As many students will be admitted as make a satisfactory showing during the application process. The class is open to Mazama members ($375) and non-members ($435). Payment by check is strongly preferred (payable to Mazamas) and is due at the first lecture. The minimum age for students is 21.
Factors which may help your admission are:

• Complete submission of the required application materials
• Strong showing in the Application process
• Volunteer service with Mazamas (committee work, leadership in BCEP or elsewhere, etc.)
• Membership – all other things being equal, Mazama members will receive preference for admission to the class

Correspondence about this class will be conducted primarily via email. The class will have a Yahoo! Group account where information about class activities will be published. All students are strongly urged to take advantage of this service.

Please address general class questions to Application forms are available online and must be completed online and emailed to

The primary text for this course is Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 7th Edition.  Other texts will be recommended throughout the class.

As much as possible, classroom sessions will include hands-on activities. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes to lecture, including clothing with which a harness may be worn.

Each ICS student is responsible for providing his/her own climbing gear and equipment, except for ropes, pickets, avalanche transceivers, ice screws and shovels.  Each field session prospectus includes a list of required equipment.

The leaders for the 2007-08 ICS class are Mary-Margaret Jenkins, ICS Lead Coordinator and, Dragan Dokic, ICS Assistant Coordinator.

Application Process

Because ICS is a popular class and requires certain skills and knowledge as a foundation, potential students must apply for admission to ICS.  All application materials are due by Friday, August 31 and should be emailed to

The ICS Application is composed of the following five required parts:

1. On-line test of basic mountaineering knowledge – due by Friday, August 31.  Feel free to take it as an open book test!
2. Completed Application Form – due by Friday, August 31.  The application is in MS Word format. Right click the link at the top of this page and save to your hard drive, complete the application, and then email it as a file attachment to when you’ve completed it.
3. Climb Resume (see the application form) – due by Friday, August 31.  Applicants should be able to list: at least two successful snow climbs, at least two successful rock climbs, where 5th class rock was protected, and all climbing-related training and education.
4. Climb Leader recommendations (see Application Form) – due by Friday, August 31.  You can have a leader give recommendations to you or they may submit them to , if they prefer.
5. ICS Skills Test - Wednesday, September 5 at 7:00pm at the Mazama Mountaineering Center.

Skills Test

The ICS Skills Test on Wednesday, September 5 will require that you perform the following skills correctly the first time:

• Setting up and executing a top-rope belay, with ground anchor and commands
• Rappel using two friction methods – ATC, Figure-8, munter hitch, carabiner-brake, etc.
• Knots – tie the following on the first demonstration: overhand, water knot, figure-8 on a bight, re-woven figure-8, double fisherman’s knot, bowline, prusik hitch, clove hitch, girth hitch, münter hitch and a butterfly
• Pass through snow protection – putting on harness, roping up for glacier travel, passing through pro
• Belay a leading and following climber using the carabiner ice-axe belay

Please bring a climbing harness, ice axe, carabiners, belay device, prusik cords and personal protection (a.k.a. safety leash) in order to execute all of the ICS skills test components.

Class Completion Requirements

To complete ICS and receive a graduation certificate, ICS students must:

• Attend each of the lectures and field sessions in the calendar below
• Be current in CPR
• Complete the Mazamas Mountaineering First Aid (MFA) class. This class is offered every October and February. You may apply for MFA at the same time as you apply to ICS

A few recommended books (available at the Mazamas Mountaineering Center for a discount)

The Illustrated Guide to Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel, by Andy Tyson and Mike Clelland
Alpine Clinbing:  Techniques to take you Higher by Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, (7th edition), published by The Mountaineers Books. This is a required text for the course.

ICS Class Calendar (subject to minor revision)

All lectures are free and open to the public, whether or not you are enrolled in the class. Only paid participants will be allowed to participate in the field sessions. If you plan to audit the class please alert the Coordinators, do not take any handouts and go easy on questions.

Lectures are at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (Click here for a Map to the MMC) and start at 7:00 pm.

Wednesday, August 6: Intermediate Climbing School Information Night
Friday, August 31: Deadline for Online test and Application completion
Wednesday, September 5: ICS Skills Test
Friday, September 14: Notification of Acceptance
Lecture - Thursday, September 27 - Introduction
Lecture - Thursday, October 4 - Belay & Rappel
Field - Saturday, October 6 - High Angle Snow - Timberline, White River Glacier
Lecture - Thursday, October 11 - Rock Anchors
Field - Saturday October 13 - Horsethief Butte - Rock Climbing
Field - Sunday October 14 - Horsethief Butte - Rock Climbing
Lecture - Thursday, November 8 - Avalanche Awareness & Beacons
Field - Saturday November 10 - Avy Beacon Search - Arboretum
Lecture - Thursday, November 29 - Navigation
Field - Saturday, December 1 - Navigation - Laurelhurst Park
Lecture - Thursday, December 13 - Mountain Weather
Lecture - Wednesday, January 9 - Snow Anchors & Glacier Travel
Field - Saturday, January 12 - Glacier Travel - Timberline
Field - Sunday, January 13 - Snow Anchors & Belays - Timberline
Lecture - Thursday, January 24 - Snow Camping
Field - Saturday, January 26 - Snow Cave Overnight - Timberline
Field - Sunday, January 27 - Mock Climb - Timberline
Lecture - Thursday, January 31 - Crevasse Rescue
Field - Saturday, February 2 - Crevasse Rescue I - Timberline
Field - Sunday, February 3 - High Angle Snow
Field - Saturday, March 1 - Crevasse Rescue II - Timberline
Lecture - Thursday, March 6 - Leading & Accident Management
Field - Saturday, March 8 - Accident Management - Mazama Lodge
Field - Sunday, March 9 - Accident Management Scenarios - Lodge or Timberline
Lecture - Thursday, March 13 - 5th Class Rock Climbing
Field - Saturday, March 15 - Smith Rock I
Field - Sunday, March 16 - Smith Rock Field I
Monday, March 24 - BCEP Begins
Monday, May 5 - BCEP Finishes
Field - Saturday, May 10 - Final Snow Skills Session - Timberline
Lecture - Thursday, May 15 - Alpine Rock
Field - Saturday, May 17 - Smith Rock II
Field - Sunday, May 18 - Smith Rock II
Thursday, June 12 - Graduation Party

Return To Top