High Altitude Expedition Leadership Course

GALLERY

Overview of Alpine Climbing Leadership Program

DETAILS

One of the only courses of its kind, this course prepares students for expeditions to the world’s most remote and challenging peaks. Students will embark on a trip to the Himalayas, Andes, or a remote range in the Pacific Northwest. Students on international trips will climb peaks above 6,000 meters/19,685 ft.- usually summiting multiple peaks on a single expedition. Students will learn expedition planning, equipment selection, food packing, permits, flight logistics, high altitude issues, mountain weather, use of fixed lines, advancing camps, cultural approaches to climbing, and other topics that are relevant to the chosen objective. To qualify for the Alpine Climbing Leadership Program, the expedition chosen must last at least one week, involve glacier travel, and ascend terrain that is steep enough to justify the use of fixed ropes or belays. Those students who have completed the Glacier Mountaineering Leadership, Alpine Ice Climbing Leadership, and Alpine Rock Climbing Leadership Courses may work with instructors to select objectives that require ice, rock, and snow climbing with on-route bivis. These courses offer life changing experiences and a breadth of skills that can be applied on climbs the world over.

Prerequisites for High Altitude Expedition Leadership Course:

Multi-day backpacking experience
Glacier Mountaineering Experience, such as that gained on our Mountaineering Skills Course
For those interested in more technical objectives: Alpine Ice Climbing Leadership Course and Alpine Rock Climbing Leadership Course or similar experience.
Exceptional physical fitness and the ability to train for your chosen objective
Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and self-awareness. These are essential when traveling overseas where you will have long-term close contact with people from different cultures and with students who have different personalities and perspectives.
Grit. The ability to keep working toward a goal even if you are sick, tired, hungry, or cold. And the ability to accept and adapt to changing circumstances quickly, even if this means giving-up a personal goal.

Skills Covered During High Altitude Expedition Leadership Course:

Expedition Planning
Meal planning
Gear and food packing
Transportation logistics
Cultural competency
Physical training and preparation
High altitude medicine and self-care
Base camp set-up
Establishing high camps
Acclimatization strategies
Set-up and attachment to fixed ropes
Pacing at altitude
Hazard management
Depending on objective: Crevasse rescue or high angle rescue
Depending on objective: Techniques for ascending steep terrain with packs

Duration

Varies

Gear check

Required

Passport

Required for international trips

Minimum Age

18 years old

Activity

Expedition climbing

Accommodation

Tents and/or Lodges

PRICE BASIS

PRICE INCLUDES

Pots and Stoves
Tents
Group climbing equipment
Guide Services

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Transportation
Parking or entry fees (when applicable)
Food or drinks
Accommodation before or after the trip/course
Personal clothing
Personal climbing equipment (rentals available)
Gratuities for guides

Testimonials

I did the Intro to Rock climbing course last summer and really enjoyed it, The right kind of setup/ preparation and structure for a beginner ( with intermediate level opportunity on demand ). Miyar provided all gear and guidance and answered all questions. Safety and fun were both top priority. Looking forward to go to Kili and Himalayas with Miyar in near future.
Hitesh
Intro to rock climbing on Mt. Tooth. I had done fair amount of rock climbing and bouldering inside the safety of the gym, and I was always skeptic of rock climbing outside, until I met the owner of Miyar adventures "Sandeep Nain". He asked me to come out with him on a small outing in to a nearby mountain called Mt Tooth in the PNW. it was supposed to be a 1:1 climb and I was surprised that to make me comfortable he had bought in another lead at his expense. With a 2:1 guide to student ratio I knew I was going to be okay. Not only was it professionally and well organized, I felt Sandeep and Ben (additional lead) went beyond what was expected of them to make me feel good about climbing outside. I would totally recommend Sandeep's Miyar adventures over other bigger companies because they gave importance to my personal goals and unlike the other bigger companies out there which treats you without much respect, Sandeep and Miyar adventures took genuine interest in my limits, goals and treated me with a lot of respect. I ended up doing another course "Mt. Denali prep course" and looking forward to a few other outings with Miyar adventures in the near future. I hear their trip to Kilimanjaro is a real success, and will totally be checking it out next year.
Dinesh
I had done some rock climbing 20 years back but did not have confidence of getting onto the rock again. I did not like the climbing walls in the gym with their big rounded holds which almost feel slippery. I had almost given up on climbing when I found about Sandeep's Intro to Rock Climbing Course. Knowing about his Rainier climb leader role, I knew it will be a great learning experience. I did the course on Sept 7th. Starting with the basics, Sandeep made it so easy that in a short time we were not only ready to try harder routes but were also ready to belay the fellow climbers under his guidance. Even though we were climbing in a pretty safe environment, he made sure that we follow the safety measures and wanted us to make it a habit. He says all of us are ready to pass the belayer certificate test at the local gym. I better attempt that before I forget the basics :).
Jyoti Gawade
I took the Intro To Outdoor Rock Climbing Course August 24th and had a great time! The instruction given by Sandeep Nain was well organized and detailed. Our infield curriculum included review and practical applications of climbing gear, climbing knots, climbing commands, belay techniques, climbing ethics and of course safety, which Sandeep emphasized throughout this one day course. Our group then had the opportunity to do 5+ top rope climbs on routes varying in difficulty, great work out! On top of meeting some great people we finished the day with a dip in the river! You can't beat that! I highly recommend this course.
Thomas Conway
As a newbie to rock climbing, I took the intro to outdoor rock climbing with Miyar Adventures. Our lead instructor, Sandeep was great and so was his assistant who joined us for the course training at Gritscone. As a group of five, we were able to tackle five climbs in one day ranging from 5.5 to 5.9. This allowed each climber more opportunities to practice the techniques, work on the commands, and gain experience with various rock formations. It’s a great value esp. considering we were a small group. Sandeep is a knowledgeable climber and a genuinely nice person. We hung out for a bit after the course and had great conversations with interesting people!
Jeff Permuy.