Ascent Adventures | Outdoor Courses Facilitated by Mountain Madness

We have teamed up with Mountain Madness to offer an exclusive guided trips to the mountains. If you are new to climbing or want to venture beyond the rock gym we offer 1 day & a 2 day Intro to Rock Class. This will give you a solid foundation to build upon, allowing you to become self reliant at the crag. And if you've been wanting to explore the depths & the heart of the Cascades we also offer a Intro to Mountaineering Class which will take up up to Ruth Mountain. Over these you will learn all the ins & outs for traveling safely through glaciated terrain.

Climbing Skills Geek Out Session | July 18th at 7:45 | at Ascent Outdoors | FREE

Are you new to climbing? Learning to climb can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be. We have joined forces with Mountain Madness to offer a free class, focused on helping you develop your skills so you can take your climbing to the next level. During this presentation we will cover some fundamentals of climbing; equipment, basic technical skill, as well as a few tricks so you can be more confident at the crag. 

1 Day Intro to Rock Climbing at Exit 38 | August 12  | $175

Join us for a tour of the excellent sport climbing of Exit 38, which are less than an hour drive from Seattle. Develop your skills and focus on your personal goals. For sport climbers, the nearby vicinity of North Bend allows for an easy, quick escape from Seattle. Our guides will show you where to climb here and set you up on the area classics. This is a great intro to outdoor climbing.

This program offers an opportunity for first time climbers as well as those with some indoor rock climbing experience to try climbing outside. We begin with friction climbing to develop your balance, and then we incorporate both face and crack climbing techniques before progressing to more challenging climbs.

You will learn safe climbing protocols under the guidance of experienced and supportive instructors. It is our intent to educate, encourage and enlighten you in the rewards and pure fun of rock climbing. Equipment, belays, anchors, knots, rappelling and lowering are covered.

2 Day Intro to Rock Climbing in Leavenworth | August 19-20 | $225 

 Leavenworth is a perfect setting for beginner climbers with little or no experience, or transitioning from gym climbing to the outdoors. Our guides lead the way as they teach you how to set-up top ropes, rappel, and lots of climbing! Our three-day immersion course introduces lead climbing. 

We begin with friction climbing to develop your balance, and then incorporate both face and crack climbing techniques before progressing to more challenging climbs. You will learn standard climbing protocols under the guidance of experienced and supportive instructors.

Equipment, belays, anchors, knots, rappelling and lowering are all thoroughly covered. An additional objective of this class is for students to be able to safely evaluate and set up their own top ropes.

Course curriculum:

• Selection and use of ropes, knots and harnesses
• Anchor construction, equalization, and evaluation of top-rope, lead climbing and rappel anchors
• Development of face, slab and crack climbing techniques
• Belaying a lead climber, lowering, and rappelling techniques
• Route selection, rope management and route finding
• Multi pitch climbing techniques
• Hazard assessment including a discussion of objective vs. subjective hazards 

2 Day Intro to Mountaineering on Ruth Mountain | August 26-27 | $450

The Introduction to Mountaineering Course is a great way for beginning climbers to learn the fundamentals of mountaineering, or for experienced climbers to learn the latest in technique or just review their skills. Along with their Alpine Climbing, and Glacier Mountaineering courses, this course is a fundamental building block of our climbing school.We spend two days on Ruth Mountain learning the essentials of alpine mountaineering, including ice axe and crampon use, self arrest, and backcountry camping. Our highly motivated and experienced guides are committed to making your mountaineering course a rewarding and educational experience.

Course curriculum includes:

• Snow climbing, ice axe use and safety, and moving in balance

• Roped glacier travel, rope team management, route finding, and crevasse navigation
• Application of all ice axe positions and self arrest training
• Glaciology and crevasse pattern prediction
• Introduction to anchors and belaying
• Crampon usage and techniques
• Camp construction, camp management, and cold weather camping skills
• Proper clothing and equipment for survival in the mountain environment, mountain weather, alpine ecology, self-dependent climbing techniques, and Leave No Trace ethics