Yanapacha Summit Ridge
Crevasse Rescue Practice
Yanapaqcha Moraine Camp
Team Arrest Practice
Haul Systems, Crevasse Rescue
Ice Climbing & Fixed Line Ascents
High on the Summit Ridge, Yanapaqcha

Mountaineering Course (course only)

from
$1,600.00

In our six-day classic mountaineering course, we deliver not only alpine skills, but also a clear and simple formula for making decisions in the mountains. Armed with the proper aptitude for mountain risk assessment, the technical savvy to protect yourself and your team as needed and proficiency in dealing with a crevasse fall or other mountain rescue situations, the doors to a fantastic world of safe alpine climbing will be open wide. Many students continue to climb in the Cordillera Blanca after their courses, with and without guides.

Add-on Chopicalqui or Pisco to the end of your course to put your new skills to the test!  Ask us if your course has an add-on option confirmed!

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  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
      Camping, Educational Program, Mountaineering
    • Activity Level Moderate
      4/8
    • Group Size Medium Group
      9
    Tell me about the Mountaineering Course (course only).

    Course Objectives:

    Skyline Adventure School’s mountaineering courses prepare participants with little to no mountaineering experience to be contributing members of a climbing team. Our courses aim to provide a thorough understanding of both objective & subjective alpine hazards, then systematically teach techniques to combat these dangers. A peak climb objective is included in all 6-day courses to offer participants a supervised summit experience, where they can take the lead (as appropriate) of the climb with instructor supervision and support.

    Course Curriculum:

    • Hazard Evaluation
    • Haul Systems
    • Equipment Use & Care
    • Crevasse Rescue
    • Walking in Crampons
    • Glaciology
    • Climbing Knots
    • Top Rope Management
    • Self & Team Arrest
    • Vertical Ice Climbing
    • Rope Team TravelAltitude Physiology
    • Snow/Ice Anchors
    • Route Finding
    • Belay Systems
    • Expedition Planning
    • Summit Experience on Yanapaqcha (5460 meters)

    Difficulty:

    • Yanapaqcha – moderate

    Total nights in the mountains: 5

    Itinerary length Huaraz to Huaraz: 6 days

    Dates & Prices
    Open-Enrollment Program DatesDepartures confirm when minimum group size is reached

    May 14-19

    June 1-6 / 16-21

    July 11-16/ 20-25

    August 9-14

    September 18-23

     

    $1600 USD

    ** based on a 3-person minimum group size **

    Difficulty of Climbs and Expedition LengthGet in touch for specific questions about routes

    Difficulty:

    Yanapaqcha – moderate

    Itinerary length Huaraz to Huaraz: 6 days

    Total nights in the mountains: 5

    1. Day 1 Start Course

      Depart Huaraz early in the morning and drive to the Yanapaqcha trailhead. Hike into basecamp (approx 3 hours) to begin your course curriculum! Preliminary skills begin this day including introduction to mountaineering & hazard management, equipment use and care, climbing knots, and altitude physiology.

    2. Day 2 Skills

      Wake up about 6:30am, have breakfast, and get prepared for a day on the glacier. Hike about 30 minutes up to the ice and begin with practical skills including walking with crampons, kicking steps/following tracks, using an ice axe to walk and self belay, self-arrest, team arrest, rope team travel techniques, and snow/ice anchors. Around 4:30 pm, wrap up for the day and descend back to camp for a delicious dinner and some sleep.

    3. Day 3 Skills

      Breakfast is at 7:00 am and class begins at 8:00 am. Spend the morning in the campsite learning belay systems, equalized anchors, and haul systems – all components of the crevasse rescue system. After thoroughly understanding the system on dry land (and some lunch), head out to the to put your new skills to the test on the snow. The entire afternoon is dedicated to the practice of this important skill, ”crevasse rescue”, which is a common hazard of all glaciated climbs. Return to camp at about 5:30, have dinner and get to sleep.

    4. Day 4 Skills

      Leave the campsite at 7:30 a.m. and head up to the ice to practice various techniques and scenarios of glacier travel. Participants take charge of their rope teams using the skills learned in the previous 2 days and are presented with problems to solve pertaining to terrain, hazards, group management, etc… You will wander through crevasse fields and up/down steep slopes where both running and fixed belays will be used as well as another crevasse rescue will be performed. Afterwards, head to an ice wall to learn a top-rope anchor system for ice climbing. Basic climbing technique will be discussed as well as lead climbing as there is interest. That afternoon a pre-summit discussion will take place and plans will begin for the following days climbing objective. Participants will determine what needs to be done in preparation for the climb (route recon, equipment prep, rope team divisions, food & water prep) and divide up the responsibilities amongst themselves. Dinner will be served around 5pm and everyone will get to sleep early in anticipation of the next days climb.

    5. Day 5 Summit Climb Yanapaqcha

      Rise and shine about 3:00 am for breakfast and gearing up for the climb. Head up to the glacier and begin the summit attempt in your rope team(s). Depending upon snow conditions, weather, and team health/fitness, the summit can be reached in 4-6 hours. The descent will take 3-4 hours and you should be back in camp by mid afternoon for a warm lunch and some rest. Those who wish to continue with skills will head back up to the glacier or to a location where the instructor(s) can work on anything participants are still wanting to learn/practice.

    6. Day 6 Hike Out, Course End

      Breakfast at 7:30am, pack up camp, and begin the hike out to the road where a transport will be waiting for the return to Huaraz. Upon arrival at the Skyline Adventures base, gear will be unloaded from the vehicle and all equipment accounted for. End of Course.  Go climbing and use your new skills!

    Enrollment, Payment & Cancellation Information.

    Payment & Cancellation

    Are you ready to sign up? Congratulations!!! The process is simple:
    1. First, decide what trip/course you would like to do and when you would like to do it. If your dates do not match those we have already programmed, let us know and we can most likely schedule you in for the time slot of your choosing.
    2. Second, get in touch. You may fill out the online inquire form here, send an email to us at info@skyline-adventures.com, or give us a call to any one of the numbers above. A Skyline admissions staff person will get in touch with you soon after.
    3. Third, fill out our application forms and send them back to us (faxed or scanned is preferred, or you may post them to our address in Montana).
    4. Pay your deposit to guarantee your space on the trip.
      • Note: The application process is not binding until you indicate with a deposit that you are going to participate in a particular trip.  See payment information for more details.
    We require a $500 non-refundable deposit / application fee per person to confirm and guarantee your trip. This can be paid by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Paypal, check drafted in US Dollars, or bank transfer, and must accompany application forms at least 4 weeks prior to your trip. Payment in full must be made in at least 2 weeks before trip departure date by Visa or Mastercard, in US Dollars, or the Peruvian Nuevo Sole equivalent. All credit card payments will have a 3% service charge added to the trip price, all bank transfers must be separate from the sending bank’s fees. OPTION 1: For Online Payments: You can make a trip deposit or payment in full by clicking the "Pay Now" button below. Payment methods accepted include Visa, MC, Amex, Discover, or Paypal. After clicking the button, you will be redirected to the Paypal site to enter all payment details. You will have the option to pay through your paypal account if you have one or directly with a credit card by choosing the "Continue" button located near the credit card logos on the page. ** Note: A 3% credit card processing fee will be added to all credit card payments and will show up as sales tax on the Paypal site. To avoid this charge, you may make your payment by check or bank transfer.
    OPTION 2: Phone / Email Payments: You can make a trip deposit or payment in full via email or over the phone using a Visa or MC credit card. For email payments, please print out the Credit Card Form below and scan/email it back to us at info@skyline-adventures.com For phone payments, give us a call at one of the numbers listed above. ** Note: All credit card transactions will have a 3% processing fee added to the total. Click here for a Credit Card Processing Form OPTION 3: Check or Bank Transfer Payments: A check drafted in US Dollars can be made out to Skyline Adventure School and sent to: Skyline Adventure School, PO Box 8321, Missoula, MT 59807. For bank transfers, please send us an email requesting details.
    If Skyline Adventures cancels a trip or course, you will be reimbursed 100% of your payment, including your entire deposit, excluding situations outlined in the Force Majeure section of the application. You will be alerted in no less then 14 days from the departure date in the event that the trip or course is not going to run. Trips that have been custom priced for less than 3 participants and confirmed by Skyline Adventures will not be cancelled for low enrollment reasons and the deposit is non-refundable should YOU remove yourself from the trip/course. If YOU cancel a trip or course for any reason, your entire deposit will be withheld by Skyline Adventures. Any cancellations made greater than 6 weeks from a trip start date will receive full reimbursement of any payment made over the deposit. For cancellations within 6 weeks, we reserve the right to retain payments in full with no reimbursement.
    All participants on our courses and guided trips must carry an insurance policy that covers the activities included in their course or trip. You will be asked to submit a copy of your policy with your application. If your current policy does not cover these specific activities, you should purchase travel and/or climbers insurance from a reputable agency. In the event of an evacuation or an unscheduled departure from a course or trip, you will be responsible for all costs incurred in your leaving the field. This includes but is not limited to, medical, behavioral, and motivational events.
    Services Included / Not Included in Package Price.
    Services Included:
    • Private transportation to all itinerary destinations
    • Professional, English speaking instructors / guides
    • Professional expedition cooks
    • Three healthy meals a day plus snacks during the wilderness components of the trip
    • Sleeping tents, foam sleeping mats
    • Eating tent, table, chairs + cook tent & bathroom tent for basecamp
    • All cooking and eating materials
    • Donkeys or Porters to help carry the load to/from basecamp
    • All group climbing equipment including ropes, snow/ice protection, and miscellaneous hard/soft ware
    • First aid kit stocked for wilderness expeditions
    • Satellite telephone or InReach for emergency use
    • Celebration banquet dinner in Huaraz at the end of trip
    Services Not Included:
    • International flights to/from Lima and applicable airport taxes
    • Airport shuttles, transfers in Lima or Huaraz
    • First class bus tickets between Lima and Huaraz
    • Hotel accommodations for specified time in Lima and Huaraz, double occupancy
    • Services for acclimatization activities
    • National park entry fees
    • Personal clothing and equipment (see gear list)
    • Personal climbing equipment including plastic boots, harness, helmet, crampons and ice axes
    • All food during in-town days
    • Incidental personal expenditures, including emergency evacuations and medical expenditures, extra nights in hotels, extra transports not indicated in program itinerary
    • Travel, Personal, and/or medical insurance
    1. Temperature / Climate

      Between the months of May and September, Peru experiences their dry season. During these months, the climate stays surprisingly stable and predictable. In Huaraz, you can expect temperatures between 40º F (0º C) at night and 70 º F (20º C) during the day, with occasional rain. In the mountains and at higher altitude, it will be colder.

    2. Altitude

      Huaraz is located at 3100 meters (approx. 11,000 feet) above sea level. Most people who arrive from lower elevations experience some shortness of breath, dizziness, insomnia, and a loss of appetite as their bodies adjust during the first few days. All of our guided trips and courses allow for proper acclimatization prior to ascending to high altitudes. For more information, check www.high-altitude-medicine.com.

    3. Physical Fitness

      Guided Treks: With or without a backpack, hiking can be quite exhausting. The better physical condition you are in, the more you will be able to enjoy your experience. Being able to walk 4 miles in a day is the minimum requirement for all of our treks.

      Guided Climbs & Courses: Mountaineering is physically demanding and require continuous physical effort. At a minimum, you should be able to run two mountain miles in 20 minutes or less and be able to walk 10 miles in one day. Embarking on a fitness regiment once you have signed up is imperative to your comfort and success on your trip.

    4. Group Sizes

      Guided trips generally run with group sizes between four and six, however group sizes can be as big as nine; guide to client ratio depends upon specifics of trip.

      Courses run with a minimum of three participants and max out at nine.

    5. Health & Vaccines

      Check with your doctor regarding what vaccines are currently being recommended for travelers that are headed to Peru.

      Note – Huaraz is located in the mountainous region of Peru, above 3000 meters where very few vaccinations are actually applicable.   If you do not plan on traveling to the coast or the Amazon before or after your trip, you may choose to avoid vaccines all together. Staying healthy while you are in Peru mostly involves drinking bottled water, eating at quality restaurants, and washing your hands frequently.

    6. Money

      Traveling with large amounts of cash is not recommended. In Huaraz, there are several ATM machines which accept debit cards and more and more you can purchase goods and services with Visa and MasterCard. While in the wilderness, all of your expenses are covered, however, you will be responsible for your in-town meals & entertainment, gift buying and any ’extra’ activities you may choose to partake in.

    7. Spanish

      As few Peruvians speak English, it will only enhance your experience in the country to understand a few Spanish words and try to communicate with the local people. You can study up at home before your trip, bring along a dictionary and learn a little as you go, or take a Spanish class while you are here in Huaraz! As a reassurance, many people travel in Peru without Spanish skills and get by. You can expect an English speaking staff person to help you with the language barrier during your time in Huaraz, so don’t let this discourage you.

    8. Safety

      In the last 15 years, Peru has made remarkable progress in becoming a stable and friendly place for all visitors. As a traveler, however, you will attract attention. You should be alert at all times, watch your luggage and keep your valuable items (cameras, wallets, music) on your person and as discreet as possible. You don’t want to wander around alone at night, and make sure to keep your important documents, cards, and cash with you or stored in a secure place.

    9. Carrying Backpacks

      Courses: Although we will have pack animals along on some of our activities, you can expect to be carrying a 20-30 kilogram (40 – 65 pound) pack during our treks and climbs.

      Guided Treks: During treks and climbs, we use donkeys, llamas, or porters to transport all gear and food. We do recommend that you have a daypack to carry your personal items like cameras, water bottles, warm layers, etc…

      Guided Climbs: For climbing trips when you move to terrain where donkeys cannot carry gear, you will be expected to carry a backpack with your personal items including sleeping bag, clothing, climbing equipment and personal items, typically weighing 10-15 kilograms (25-40 pounds).  We are happy to arrange porters to carry your personal kit with an additional fee.

    10. Getting to/from Huaraz

      You can expect an arranged transport from the airport in Lima to Huaraz and back on all Guided Trips & Full Service Courses. If you are spending the night in Lima, you will have your hotel room arranged and transportation to and from the hotel, airport, and bus station set. Spanish speaking ability is not required as the driver will know your trip details and ensure you are well taken care of while in the city. You can expect English speaking staff in the hotels in Lima and Huaraz.

    11. Getting to the Summit

      As safety is our unquestioned priority, we cannot in any way guarantee you will get to the summit. Our certified Guides and Instructors have undergone extensive skills and emergency training, and have been hired for their impeccable safety records and attention to your well being. They will act conservatively in the interest of safety over the desire to stand on top of something. In your application, you will be asked to sign an assumption of risk form. Be sure to read it over carefully before signing. Contact us with any questions you have regarding the risks that you will be assuming.

    12. Guides & Instructors

      All of our mountain guides carry a UIAGM (or equivalent) guides certificates, have avalanche training, WFR or comparable first-aid training, leadership training, speak English fluently enough to have meaningful conversations with you as well as do their job of communicating clearly in the mountains.   Both their climbing and risk-management experience in the alpine environment will surpass the level required of whatever mountain they are guiding.

      Our trekking guides are of a similar profile, generally without the specific mountain qualifications although sometimes they work in both areas.  A strong knowledge of the area, culture, flora and fauna intertwined with their own personal interests and skills almost always results in an educational and highly enjoyable experience, beyond getting you from point A to B throughout the expedition.

    13. Recommended Clothing & Equipment
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