KEY TOPICS

Welcome to the Tacoma Alpine Scrambling Course.   What is alpine scrambling exactly? In many ways, it’s hiking on expert mode, existing in the liminal space between a pleasant afternoon amble in the woods and a hardcore alpine climbing suffer fest. Some avid scramblers define it as hiking that requires the use of hands, but not ropes. Elements of a good alpine scramble may include off-trail navigation of rocky ridgelines and basic climbing moves. 

If you’re familiar with the Yosemite Decimal System, alpine scrambling will generally be rated Class 3, although more challenging routes could include Class 4 or even easy Class 5 terrain. For the serious hiker with a good base level of fitness, alpine scrambles are a great way to get off the beaten path and push your limits. 

Knocking off a few rigorous scrambles is also a great way to dip your toe in the water if you're interested in mountaineering and alpine climbing but have limited experience, or if you’re an experienced climber looking for a fun and fast day-long outing in the backcountry.

WARNING:  

Side effects of alpine scrambling include sweating, euphoria, and general awesomeness!

This site will provide course information and resources to help you during the training season.  Much of the content shared in the course can be found here and is available for you to review.  All text that is Underlined In Bold is a link to additional information that should be reviewed. 

For most students, this training may be an introduction to winter and cold weather activity.  As such, much of the material on this site assumes prior experience in warmer environments and will place more emphasis on cold-weather clothing, gear, and personal safety. 

This season's course will be practiced in rock, snow, and cold weather environments.  The training evolution is shown below:


GETTING STARTED

After registering for this course, there are a few items to get started with right away.



FITNESS & NUTRITION

Just like other fitness-focused sports, there are additional components to keep in mind if improvement is the overall goal. While consistent activity and training are very important, it’s also important to focus on a healthy diet, cross-training, and active recovery in order to prevent injury, recover faster, feel more energized, and succeed in your alpine goals. 

CONDITIONERS

All students must have successfully completed a conditioner prior to Rock TWO.  The typical conditioner activity will require students to gain approximately 3100 feet with a 25 pound pack in 2.5 hours.  There are multiple Mount Si conditioners scheduled for late February and early March.  Use the links below to register for one of the activities and start preparing today.

February 24th, 2024

March 2nd, 2024

March 6th, 2024


REQUIRED COURSES

To successfully complete the Alpine Scramble Course, students will need to complete five co-requisite courses.  These courses are subject matter specific and are intended to build knowledge and preparedness for alpine scramble activities.  In most cases, we have created classes specifically for all 2024 Tacoma Alpine Scrambling students to guarantee course availability.

The following five courses/credits are required to graduate from this course.  If you do not currently have all five of the below icons in your Mountaineers profile, please read the information below.

The Low Impact Recreation Course is a self-taught format that covers the Leave No Trace principles and other considerations when exploring the outdoors.  The course is free and available for registration at any time.  Completion of this course before March 1st, 2024 is highly encouraged.

The Avalanche Awareness Course is another self-taught format that dives into the various avalanche hazards that scramblers should be familiar with.  The course is free and available for registration at any time.  Completion of this course before March 1st, 2024 is hight encouraged.

The 2024 Alpine Scrambling Course will integrate the Basic Navigation Course into our training schedule.  Students can register for the navigation course separately and complete the online tutorial before May 1st, 2024.  The Navigation field trip will be scheduled for May 5th, 2024, while we are already at Irish Cabin.  We are offering this method of training to ensure you have student space available and to reduce the number of trips and weekends spent training so you can spend more time scrambling.   Students may register for other Mountaineers-led Basic NAV classes as long as the completion dates are before May 20th, 2024. 

The 2024 Alpine Scrambling Course will integrate a Wilderness First Aid Course into our training evolution.  Like Navigation, we will offer a First Aid course specifically for our scrambling students.  This course will consist of 16 hours of hybrid instruction, of which 8 hours will be in-person on March 10th.  Again, the intent of offering this method is to reduce the number of weekends spent in training and allow you to spend more time in the mountains.  Students may register for other Mountaineers-led WFA classes as long as the completion dates are before May 20th, 2024.  

To complete the graduation application, students must have a valid Stewardship Credit in their profile.  We have partnered with Northwest Trek Wildlife Park to offer 2024 students an opportunity to fulfill the stewardship requirement together as a class on June 1st, 2024.  Reference the Stewardship Activity page for more information.


Each badge image above is linked to the respective Mountaineers course pages or course information pages.



EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING

The clothing, gear and camp equipment you choose to bring on your trip can make or break your experience. It is essential to choose the right equipment to ensure your safety and comfort while on the mountain.

When it comes to clothing, layering is key. You will want to have a base layer that wicks moisture away from your skin, a mid-layer for insulation, and a outer layer that is wind and waterproof. It is important to have a good quality waterproof and breathable jacket and pants to protect you from the elements. A warm hat, gloves, and a good pair of socks are also essential. Remember to pack extra clothing in case of unexpected weather changes.

For gear, a good quality backpack is essential to carry all of your equipment. It should be big enough to hold all of your clothing, food, and camping equipment, but not so big that it becomes cumbersome to carry. A good quality tent and sleeping bag are also essential for camping on the mountain. A lightweight camping stove and cookware are also necessary for cooking your meals. It is also important to have a good quality headlamp, a map, and a compass to navigate in the dark or in case of poor visibility.

When it comes to footwear, a good pair of mountaineering boots is essential. It should be durable, supportive, waterproof, and have a good grip on rocky terrain. A good quality climbing helmet is also essential to protect your head from falling rocks or other hazards.

NOTE:  Mountaineers Members are eligible for discounts on gear and clothing at various suppliers.  Click here for current discount offers. 



THERE'S KNOTS TO KNOW

Successful students will be proficient at tying seven knots that are common to wilderness activities.  Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the Prusik, Klemheist and Waterknot during Rock ONE and apply their knowledge during Rock TWO.  

All other knots will be demonstrated and applied during the Irish Cabin overnight.  All students will demonstrate proficiency of all seven knots during the Experience Field Trip. 

A widely used application can be downloaded to learn the various knots and view tutorials on methods to successfully completing the required knots.




COURSE MATERIALS

To gain the most out of this course and to ensure students are prepared for each of the activities scheduled in this course, students are required to read and understand the information offered on this website.  To supplement this information, the Freedom Of The Hills, 9th Edition is available for purchase at the Mountaineers Bookstore. 

Freedom Of The Hills, 7th and 8th Editions can be used for the subject matter we will cover in this course.


Click on the book image to be taken to the Mountaineers Bookstore.


RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk is best thought of as the product obtained by multiplying together two factors, ‘Consequences’ and ‘Likelihood’. If either one of these factors is vanishingly small, then the ‘Risk’ is insignificant, however great the other factor. 

Alpine scrambling is a sport of controlled risk.  We face both objective hazards in the mountain environment (rocks, ice, weather, etc.) and have little control over these.  What we can control are subjective factors such as mindset, knowledge, skill, conditioning and judgment.  Those subjective factors are what mitigate risk. Every scrambler must consider the risks and be prepared to properly respond to stay safe. 

Throughout this course, students will be introduced to methods of determining risks and understanding how to mitigate and avoid continuing in unsafe environments.


"Just because you love the mountains, doesn't mean they love you back"

- Mike Murphy, Tacoma Scramble Leader and Former Chair




WEATHER RESOURCES

Mountain weather is of primary concern to the mountain traveler. For a mountaineer, some knowledge and understanding about mountain weather is more than just a convenience, it is a matter of safety both in summer and winter. Checking weather forecasts through NOAA weather radio broadcasts, regional avalanche warning centers, good radio and television forecasters and topped-off with a good understanding of mountain weather and avalanches can help to make for safer and more enjoyable outings.


Click on the images to learn more about weather forecasts and daylight timing.




AVALANCHE

Knowledge is your best defense against the danger of avalanches, and there’s no better way to gain firsthand knowledge than by taking an avalanche safety course. It is also a very good use of time to read widely on avalanche safety, as there are a number of good books devoted solely to the topic, along with many case studies that make for grim but sobering reading. It has been shown by research that most victims caught by avalanches were either unaware of avalanches or safe route travel skills, or where they did know, they chose to ignore the warning signs. Taking an avalanche safety course and understanding the different avalanche types won’t dent your time much but it could save your life.


Click on the image to learn more about current avalanche conditions.



SIGN-UP FOR SCRAMBLES

After the Experience Field Trip, students are welcome to begin signing up for Mountaineers led scrambles.  


Click on the image to learn more about upcoming scramble activities.




GRADUATION APPLICATION

Graduating this course involves completing the following:


Students who have met the graduation requirements for this course can submit their Graduation Application using this form.  


Click on the image to submit your graduation application.


HOW CAN WE HELP?

It is very important to us that you feel informed throughout the course evolution - and this starts today.  We are here to help you now - before the start of the course - as needed.

If you have any questions, comments or general feedback, or just need to reach out to the instruction team, please click here and we will address your submittal as soon as we can.  

Please be as clear as possible and provide references where applicable.

As much as possible, we will refrain from promoting a single brand or model of gear and clothing.  We will share our experience with certain materials and features that can be found with a variety of brands.  Only where safety could be potentially jeopardized will we provide a hard NO to an item.