Skill Builder Classes

Want to learn some crucial mountaineering skills like avalanche awareness, crevasse rescue, navigation or anchors, but don’t have the time, cash, or energy for an intensive year long class?  Then check out our Skill Builders!

These courses are designed to teach, in one evening (or day) of lecture and one day of field practice, some of the essential skills needed to take your climbing to the next level.  These classes compliment the longer and more comprehensive courses we will continue to teach in the Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced schools.  For those of you on a busy schedule who want to learn a specific skill, we hope these classes will suit your needs and inspire you to reach your climbing goals!

We’ll offer the following classes in spring and summer 2008.  (If you’d like to assist in teaching any of these classes, call the Mazamas office and we’ll set you up.) Note that many of these classes sold out last year, and we accept students on a first-come first-served basis.  If you want to take a class, don’t delay!

Registration for any skill builder class could hardly be easier.  Simply call the Mazama Mountaineering Center at 503-227-2345, and tell us your name, class(es) you want to take, and a credit card number to reserve your spot.

Level 1 Avalanche IS NOW FULL.  WE ARE NO LONGER TAKING APPLICATIONS

Lecture: Friday March 7, 2008, Mazama Lodge
Field Session: Saturday and Sunday March 8-9, 2008, Mount Hood
Taught by: Roger Averbeck, Backcountry Avalanche Safety, Inc. and sponsored by the Mazama Ski Mountaineering Committee
Description: This class will cover the essentials of avalanche avoidance and rescue.  We’ll cover terrain analysis for safe travel, weather, snowpack analysis, routefinding in avalanche country, practice searches with avalanche beacons (beacons provided) and how you can better determine a “Go / No-go” decision. This is a great class for anyone interested in backcountry skiing or snow climbing.  This class will issue a Level 1 certificate, the nationally recognized standard for recreational avalanche training.
Cost: $120 members, $150 non-members.  (If these dates don’t work for you, check out the avalanche classes offered by MountainSavvy.)
More on the Level 1 Avalanche Skill Builder Class

Crevasse Rescue

Lecture: Thursday March 20, 2008, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday March 22, 2008, Mount Hood
Taught by: Wim Aarts and the Mazama Expedition committee
Description: This class will cover self and team crevasse rescue, including crevasse avoidance, roping up for crevasse travel, rigging your harness and ascenders, ascending out of a crevasse, proper rescue procedure, and extensive practice of 2:1 and 3:1 hoisting systems.
Cost: $50 members, $75 non-members
More on the Crevasse Rescue Skill Builder Class

Snow Camping

Lecture: Thursday February 21, 2008, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday and Sunday February 23-24, 2008, Mount Hood
Taught by: Mazama Expedition committee
Description: This class will teach the elemental skills of snow camping.  The field session will include camp selection, snow walls, cooking tents, safety lines, and latrines. An overnight stay is recommended but not required.
Cost: $50 members, $75 non-members
More on the Snow Camping Skill Builder Class

Rock Anchors

Lecture: Thursday June 26 2008, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Sunday June 29 2008, Rocky Butte, Portland
Taught by: Mazama Climbing committee
Description: This class will cover rock anchors, including evaluating anchors, building top rope anchors, sport anchors (bolts) rappel anchors, and have lots of hands on practice building gear anchors. Note: This class is limited to anchor building, and does NOT teach the skills necessary to lead rock climbs.  Check out the Mazamas Advanced Rock program for more comprehensive rock climbing instruction.
Cost: $45 members, $75 non-members
More on the Rock Anchor Skill Builder Class