Hi all,
I am looking to get into rock climbing (sport and trad) and technical mountaineering this summer. I am a fit 20 year old male based in Everett with hiking, scrambling, bouldering and winter backpacking experience, but I want to learn more advanced skills and climb glaciated peaks such as Eldorado, Sahale, Ruth and Baker. I also would like to learn to rock climb and crag at places like Index, Erie and Leavenworth as well as do some easy/moderate alpine climbs such as the Becky Route on Liberty Bell.
I picked up a copy of FOTH and want to take some courses. I missed the cutoff for the Mountaineers basic climbing course and cannot get the time off for a 4+ day mountaineering course, so I am looking at weekend courses that will give me the skills necessary to go on easier climbs with more experienced people.
I found a few courses that I am interested in. One is a sequence of two 2-day rock climbing courses in Leavenworth offered by Mountain Madness ($250 per course, two courses), another is a 2-day glacier travel/crevasse rescue course on Hurricane Ridge offered by Pacific Alpine Guides ($300), and there is a series of rock courses offered by the Northwest Mountain School in Leavenworth I am interested in that includes an anchors clinic (price depends on # of people, as low as $130/person per course with 6 people, $180 with 3 people, $235 with 1 person). I will take either the Mountain Madness or NW Mountain School rock courses.
Here are the links:
http://www.pacificalpineguides.com/courses/climbing/glacier-skills-and-crevasse-rescue
http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/schools/rock-climbing/introduction-to-rock-climbing#trip-overview/description
http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/schools/rock-climbing/intermediate-rock-course#trip-overview/description
http://www.mountainschool.com/content/main/leavenworth-rock-climbing-guides-instruction/
I'm looking for partners to sign up for these courses with. The rock course is considerably cheaper when you sign up with two other partners ($250 vs $555 per course for MM), and I can't schedule a date for the glacier skills course without at least one other partner. If there are any other newbies out there looking to build climbing skills and find climbing partners for future climbs, let me know if you want to sign up with me. I have off from work every other weekend (off this weekend), so we can just work out a weekend that works for everyone. Also, if you can recommend any other good courses let me know. Thanks!