1 day Alpine Rock Skill Fundamentals

As low as:

$210.00 / person

(at 6:1 ratio) Next Trip: Jun 20, 2025 (day trip)
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  • Jun 20, 2025 (day trip)
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    5 spots available. $210.00

    Course Location: Comox Lake Crags (Cumberland)

Add-ons

Mountaineering Kit Rental $15.00

Ice Axe, Crampons, Helmet, Harness, Carabiners, Cords and Sling. All these items are required to participate in the course. See the precise technical gear requirements in the 'Gear List' tab within this course information webpage. Once purchased - our rentals are non-refundable.

IAG Cancellation Coverage $11.00

As per our Cancellation Policy, your trip or course is 100% non-refundable after 30 days prior to the trip/course start date. Purchasing this add-on will allow you to cancel your trip/course within that 30 day time period for reasons of injury, illness or family emergency, and will provide you with a credit for the full value of your trip/course fee which can be be used on any Island Alpine Guides or Hike Vancouver Island trip or course or trip for up to one year from the start date of the trip/course originally booked.

About


A one day introduction to alpine rock skill techniques - conveniently and efficiently taught at Comox Lake Crags.

This one-day course is great for anyone who likes to learn in bite-sized segments, or those with time constraints. We can accommodate different experience levels and deliver this as both an introduction and/or refresher. Delivering this course at Comox Lake Crags is a time efficient way to cover a bunch of technical applications but If you are new to traveling over technical alpine rock terrain in the mountains, we recommend following up this course with either our 2 day Alpine Rock Skills course or a private/custom day with a guide in the alpine. 

Curriculum
  • Building anchors with removable protection as well as improvised anchors
  • Rappelling
  • Rope configurations for short pitching and short roping on alpine rock
  • Terrain belays
  • Gear placement
  • and more based on group desires and time

Included in the price
  • 1 day of instruction with an ACMG guide
  • Group technical gear

Not included in the price
  • Transportation to and from starting point
  • Food
  • Accommodation
  • Personal technical equipment (available as a “Mountaineering Kit” add on)
  • Time to practice in the alpine (for this we recommend our 2 day Alpine Rock Skills course or a private/custom day with a guide in the alpine) 
  • Actual movement in alpine rock terrain (for this we recommend our 2 day Alpine Rock Skills course or a private/custom day with a guide in the alpine) 

Questions? Check out our FAQ page for details about our booking and cancellation policy, and other commonly asked questions.

Location


Our standard course is delivered at Comox Lake Crags, where we will go over the techniques which are covered more efficiently in this setting. If you would like to run this course in a different crag location get in touch.

About Comox Lake Crags & Amenities
  • Located 5 km from Cumberland
  • Crags a short walk from the parking lot
  • Washroom facilities available

Itinerary

A typical day starts at 09:00 and ends around 17:00. The order of curriculum delivery will depend on factors such as weather, course location, students and the guide assigned to your course.  

Exact meeting details will be provided in a pre-trip email sent one-week prior to your course.

Questions? Check out our FAQ page for details, or send us an email. 


Requirements


This is an intermediate level course, meaning participants are expected to have logged some time hiking or scrambling in the mountains prior to registering for this course. 

To participate safely and/or get the most out of this course, participants are expected to:

  • Have hiking/scrambling experience 
  • Have taken Intro to Rock 102 (or equivalent experience) 
  • Be comfortable spending time outside in variable conditions

Pre-course homework:

We ask that you learn to confidently tie the following knots and hitches prior to the course, so that we can make efficient use of everyone’s time. Each of the knots and hitches listed below are hyperlinked to an online learning resource for practice. 


Questions about the suitability of this course? Send us an email. We’re happy to help you find or customize courses to suit your needs. 

Gear List


Please ensure that all gear is functioning and in good repair, and please reach out with any questions. 
 
Technical
Available as a “Mountaineering Kit” rental add on ($15) when you book.
  • Helmet – UIAA approved and adjustable
  • 4x locking carabiners – at least one should be pear-shaped
  • 3x regular carabiners
  • Harness – a simple, lightweight alpine seat harness
  • Belay/rappel device
  • 7mm accessory cord – 2 x 5 metre lengths
  • Double shoulder length sewn sling – should be rated to 22kn
 
Clothing: 
  • T-shirt or long-sleeve (ideally loose-fitting)
  • Pants (ideally loose-fitting, tapered at the ankle) 
  • Rain gear (jacket and pants) 
  • Mid-weight insulating jacket 
  • Approach shoes (something that will provide some support on trails to the climb)
  • Toque and/or sun hat 
  • Mountaineering Boots

Other: 
  • Sunglasses that block 100% UV 
  • Sunscreen 
  • SPF lip balm 
  • Lunch (pre-prepared) and snacks 
  • Water bottle 
  • Notebook and pencil (Rite in the Rain recommended) 
  • 30L backpack 

If you own any additional equipment, we encourage you to bring it along so that you can learn more about the gear you already own.

Rentals

  • Technical Gear: All items on our technical gear list can be purchased as a “Mountaineering Kit” add on when you book. This includes items on technical gear list, and available for $15/ day. 

Questions? Send us an email or read our blog for advice on choosing appropriate gear. 

Testimonials

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