Expeditions

Alaska Mountaineering

Explore rugged peaks, sweeping tundra, and towering peaks as you learn to travel on snow and ice in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Return with mountaineering skills and real-life leadership experience.

Duration

30 days

Age

16+

Overview

About this course

Explore North America’s mountain kingdom

Find your next adventure in the rugged terrain of southcentral Alaska, nicknamed the “mountain kingdom of North America.” Build your mountaineering skills while exploring the coastal Chugach Range, interior Alaska Range, or vast Wrangell-St. Elias Range. Enjoy nearly 24 hours of daylight as you travel across sweeping expanses of tundra, massive glaciers, and towering peaks.

Starting with the basics, like snow camping and cooking on a camp stove, you’ll learn how to live comfortably in an alpine environment. Develop the skills you need to travel on snow and ice on foot, crampon, ski, or snowshoe. Dive into our time-tested climbing curriculum, beginning with knot-tying and rope handling, and working your way up to rope team travel, self-arrest, and belaying. As the course and your skills progress, move on to more advanced topics, like avalanche hazard assessment, route finding on glaciers, and crevasse rescue.

At the same time, expand your leadership skills. Practice effective communication and risk management while leading a rope team. Build your problem-solving and decision-making skills while route finding on a glacier. Learn conflict resolution strategies and how to support a team in different roles. Return with the experience and confidence to lead in the mountains and beyond.

Resources

Resources & downloads

Schedule

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Free course guide

Get the complete 8-day itinerary delivered to your inbox

Enter your email and we'll send you the full day-by-day schedule, packing checklist, and a sample course journal from a past NOLS climbing expedition.

  • Detailed daily objectives and skills progression

  • Complete packing & equipment checklist

  • Sample student journal from Unaweep Canyon

  • Pre-course preparation guide


Speak to an Expeditions Expert

From

$9,690 - $10,679

Tuition varies by location. Financial aid available.

Duration

30 days

Location types

Palmer, Alaska

Equipment Deposit

500

Academic Credit

Start/End

Palmer, Alaska

Fly In/Out

Anchorage, Alaska

Course Session Dates

No Course Sessions enrolling.

What graduates say

Trusted by professionals worldwide

“Once we got camp set up and I had finally warmed up enough to cook for my teammates, I opened the vestibule and saw the sunrise across the mountains at 4am. I saw the route we traveled. I saw the ice fall. I saw the entire day in that sunrise: the laughs, the smiles and jokes, she snowballs and shouts of encouragement and never any complaints. I saw my tent mates finally getting warm and nodding off.”

— Clara P., NOLS Alaska Mountaineering grad

Financial aid & Scholarships

NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:

  • AmeriCorps
  • 529 College Savings Plans
  • Veteran's Benefits (only for courses fully in the state of Wyoming)

Ready

Ready to get certified?

Find a WFR course near you, talk to an admissions advisor, or request a free catalog to learn more about NOLS Wilderness Medicine.