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 or two days 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 2010.  (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!

Level 1 Avalanche

Important: 2010 Level 1 class schedule is up
Lecture: Friday February 19th, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday and Sunday February 20-21st, 2010, Mount Hood
Taught by:Roger Averback, 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: $130 members, $160 non-members.  To register follow the directions to our online application under the class description. (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

Winter Session:
Lecture: Thursday, March 18, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday, March 20, 2010, Mount Hood

Spring Session:
Lecture: Thursday, April 29, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday, May 1, 2010, 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

Advanced Crevasse Rescue

Lecture: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 7-9pm, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session:  Saturday, October 3, 2009, Elliott Glacier (TBD)
Taught by: Monty Smith, sponsored by the Mazama Expedition Committee
Description: An advanced, fast paced course building upon the C and Z systems. A great follow-up for those who have already completed the basic Crevasse Rescue skill builder or ICS and want to know more.
Cost: $50 for members/ $ 75 for non-members
More on the Advanced Crevasse Rescue Skill Builder Class

Snow Camping

Lecture: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday and Sunday, February 6-7, 2010, 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.  To register follow the directions to our online application under the class description.
More on the Snow Camping Skill Builder Class

Rock Anchors

Lecture: Thursday June 24 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Sunday June 27 2010, 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: $50 members, $75 non-members
More on the Rock Anchor Skill Builder Class

Mountain Photography 101

Lecture: Thursday May 13 2010, 6:30PM to 9:00PM at the Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Sunday May 15 2010, 9:00AM to 3:00PM Mazama Lodge
Taught by: Dean Berry
Description: Do you want to improve the quality of the pictures you take while on a Mazama trip?  Does taking pictures in the snow result in dark exposures?  Learn why and when your camera lies to you.  Beginners to advanced students.  Subjects include basic camera operation, exposure, lighting, composition, flash,lens choice and much more.
Cost: $50 members, $75 non-members
More on the Mountain Photography Skill Builder Class

Wilderness Navigation - Map, Compass and GPS

This class is taught twice a year, in spring and autumn.

The next class will be in May 2010.

Spring Session:
Lecture 1: (Map and Compass) Monday, May 3, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Lecture 2: (GPS) Thursday, May 6, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday, May 8, 2010, Mt. Tabor or Powell Butte, Portland

Autumn Session:
Lecture 1: (Map and Compass) Tuesday, September TBD, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Lecture 2: (GPS) Thursday, September TBD, 2010, Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday, September TBD, 2010, Mt. Tabor or Powell Butte, Portland

Taught by: John Godino, Josh Lockerby and the Mazama Expedition Committee
Description: This class, in two lectures and a field session, covers basic map and compass skills and how to use a GPS unit for backcountry navigation.  The material is slightly more advanced than that covered in the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) class.  Students are expected to have their own GPS unit.
Cost: $50 members, $75 non-members
More on the Wilderness Navigation Skill Builder Class

USDA Special Use Permit Information and Non-Discrimination Statement

Mazamas Education Programs operate under a special use permit with the Mt. Hood National Forest.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director 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). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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