Mountaineers Intermediate Class?

[forrest_m]

payaso - one other thing to remember about the mountaineers courses, it's not like a scuba course that you have to "pass" in order to get "certified" so you can go out. you can take the class, take what you want from it, and leave it at that. even if what you really want to do is just do more climbs at the same level, being in the intermediate class will mean that you are going to classes and field trips regularly, with a much smaller group of people (who just happen to be the most motivated folks from the basic course), so there is a great peer group atmosphere from which you can branch out.

many, many people begin the int. course, learn what they need, but never actually "graduate" because they've met people and gained enough skills to just go climb, without the larger organization of the club. it's not that the club is bad, its just that most people eventually find that it is a lot more convenient to just go climbing with their friends, rather than calling some office to sign up for a climb with limited space, a "leader", other people they don't know, etc.

[terrible_ted]

quote:

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Originally posted by jhamaker:

The Intermediate class assumes you can lead. Lots of people can't, so they get partway through the course, and have to bail.

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The intermediate class doesn't assume you can lead until they've run you through a pair of lectures and two field trips dedicated to placing pro and subsequently demonstrating pro placement.

Forrest makes a great point about not needing to 'pass' the course to get value from it. If you lose steam over the 5 years alloted to completing the course, you just drop out. You still walk away with whatever skills you picked up on the way, and you could always sign up for the course again at some point down the road.

Most people fail to complete the course because they don't want to do the ice climbs (2 of them).

-t

[payaso]

Gracias to all for the great advice. I think I'm gonna give it a go!