Alpine Skills Week

The Course:

Alpine Skills Week is an immersive training course designed to develop the skills needed for safe and rewarding alpine climbing. Led by certified ACMG guides, participants progress through snow, ice, and rock terrain while learning glacier travel, crevasse rescue, navigation, route planning, and hazard assessment.

Technical instruction includes crampon and ice axe use, rappelling systems, snow and ice anchors (V-threads, T-slots, ice screws), rock anchors, lead climbing (sport and trad), multi-pitch transitions, and rope management. The week includes a summit attempt of Mt. Athabasca (or a neighboring peak) and finishes with a classic multi-pitch rock route in the Banff area.

Itinerary

Day 1: 

• Meet at Columbia Icefields campground
• Group meeting & training at Columbia Icefields.
• Evening: Camp at Columbia Icefields campground (or hotel accommodation if preferred) 

note: plan to spend the evening before Day 1 at the Columbia Icefields campground area

Day 2: 

• Training at Columbia Icefields
• Evening: Camp at Columbia Icefields campground (or hotel accommodation if preferred) 

Day 3: 

• Summit attempt (Mt. Athabasca, A2, or Hilda Peak) [3:1 guide ratio]
• Evening: Lake Louise camping, Banff camping, Hostel or Hotel 

Day 4-5:

• Climbing at Lake Louise or Banff
• Evening: Lake Louise camping, Banff camping, Hostel or Hotel 

Day 6:

• Multi-pitch day! Lake Louise or Banff [2:1 guide ratio]

A detailed course package will be emailed 3 days prior to course commencement.

If you have an exceptional experience and would like to leave a tip for your guide, 10-15% is a customary amount. You can pay with cash or contact the AAA office directly to arrange.

• Please read and review our waiver prior to booking.
• Please read and review our cancellation policy. 
• Cancellation Insurance is available through the Simpson Group
• All of our guides have undergone training and evaluation by the ACMG, meeting the established criteria of a globally acknowledged professional organization.

Not sure which program is best for you? Take a look at our Course Progression Map.