Leave Huaraz in the morning prepared for 6 days in the mountains. Drive to the trailhead of Yanapaqcha (2 hours from Huaraz) and load up for the approach to the basecamp for the course (4950 meters). Participants will be carrying backpacks with both individual and group gear. Hike for approximately 2 hours to the campsite and set up camp / organize equipment. Preliminary skills may begin this day as time allows, including introduction to mountaineering & hazard management, equipment use and care, climbing knots, and altitude physiology.

Wake up about 6:30am, have breakfast, and get dressed and 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 hot drink, a delicious dinner and some sleep.

Breakfast is at 7:00 am and class begins at 8:00 am. Spend the morning in campsite learning belay systems, equalized anchors, and haul systems - all components of the crevasse rescue system, which we delve into right before lunch. After thoroughly understanding the system on dry land, we then return to the glacier around 1:00pm where we put our new skills to the test on the snow and at the edge of a live crevasse. The entire afternoon is dedicated to the practice of this important skill, "crevasse rescue," which is a common hazard of all glaciated climbs. We’ll return to camp at about 5:30, have dinner, and sleep.

We leave 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... We wander through crevasse fields and up/down steep slopes where both running and fixed belays will be used. At some point during the day, a surprise crevasse rescue will be performed. Around 11am we’ll arrive at an ice wall where participants will learn a top-rope anchor system, set up their ice climb, and spend a few hours climbing. Basic climbing technique will be discussed as well as lead climbing as there is interest. Around 2:30 pm, 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.

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.

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. Participants will be returned to their hotels for a well deserved shower and a night on the town!

Start of the Mountaineering Course – Hike in to the Base camp of Yanapaqcha 4750m, about 3 hours hike. Set up camp / organize equipment. Preliminary skills may begin this day as time allows, including introduction to mountaineering & hazard management, equipment use and care, climbing knots, and altitude physiology.

Wake up about 6:30am, have breakfast, and get dressed and 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 hot drink, a delicious dinner and some sleep.

Breakfast is at 7:00 am and class begins at 8:00 am. Spend the morning in campsite learning belay systems, equalized anchors, and haul systems - all components of the crevasse rescue system, which we delve into right before lunch. After thoroughly understanding the system on dry land, we then return to the glacier around 1:00pm where we put our new skills to the test on the snow and at the edge of a live crevasse. The entire afternoon is dedicated to the practice of this important skill, "crevasse rescue", which is a common hazard of all glaciated climbs. We’ll return to camp at about 5:30, have dinner, and sleep.

We leave 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... We wander through crevasse fields and up/down steep slopes where both running and fixed belays will be used. At some point during the day, a surprise crevasse rescue will be performed. Around 11am we’ll arrive at an ice wall where participants will learn a top-rope anchor system, set up their ice climb, and spend a few hours climbing. Basic climbing technique will be discussed as well as lead climbing as there is interest. Around 2:30 pm, 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.

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.

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. Participants will be returned to their hotels for a well deserved shower and dinner.