Inermediate Snow

Boulder Mountaineering School

The Intermediate Snow class is intended for those who would like to gain experience with the basics of roped travel and crampon techniques. The goal is to provide instruction for safe alpine snow travel on moderate slopes (30 to 40 degrees). Expected prerequisites include:

• Hiking and Survival Essentials, Hiking Navigation and Basic Snow or equivalent experience
• Basic Rock School or equivalent experience

If you have any questions regarding the minimum requirements, or what may be considered equivalent experience,
please contact the bmswinter@cmcboulder.org.

Topics covered include:

• Basic snow review
• Self arrest with crampons (simulated)
• Snow anchors, pickets, flukes, dead men, snow bollards
• Belaying on snow
• Holding a fall on snow (dynamic, not static)
• Roped snow climbing
• Evaluation of moderate snow field slopes
• Climbing moderate slopes without crampons
• Crampon climbing techniques
• Rock/snow transition techniques with crampons
• Descending moderate snow fields

Course offered:

• Spring

Notes:

• Proper mountaineering clothing and footwear is essential for these field trips. Students must bring their own crampons for the second field trip. It is essential that crampons be properly fitted to boots before the trip.
• The school provides an ice axe and helmet for those who lack these pieces of equipment.
• Intermediate Snow is a prerequisite for the Advanced Mountaineering School