5-Day Price: $1,750 USD
6-Day Price: $1,950 USD
Dates & Programs Below
All of our Mount Baker Alpine Academies not only climb the peak but take advantage of an extra two full days of comprehensive mountaineering training, making it an ideal prep for climbers looking to move on to the Seven Summits, Denali, or bigger peaks in the Himalayas.
You will spend most of your expedition mastering skills in Baker’s ideal glaciated terrain before climbing and summiting the mountain towards the end of the week. Another bonus of the 5-day program is flexibility, allowing us to select the best weather window for your summit bid.
Course Learning Covers:
- Alpine safety
- Expedition & snow camping – site selection, tent set up, snow block walls, kitchen setup, camp hygiene
- Mountaineering skills – crampon technique, self-arrest training, climbing efficiency techniques
- Crevasse rescue
- Knots, hitches, and rope craft
- Ice climbing (condition dependent)
- Rappelling
- Snow anchors & running protection
Your guides may adapt the curriculum to take advantage of current weather conditions.
The 5-Day Classic Alpine Academy is our original and most popular option. This welcoming course is a great place to start. Perfect for friends signing up together and tackling their first big peak.
2026 Dates:
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June 11 – 15, 2026
- June 25 – 29, 2026
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July 9 – 13, 2026
- July 27 – 31, 2026
- July 30 – August 3, 2026
- August 6 – 10, 2026
The 6-Day Masters (50+) Alpine Academy is designed for climbers over 50 who value a smart strategy, comfortable pace, and camaraderie with a like-minded team. Proof that age is no barrier to adventure. To learn more about our Masters Mountaineer program, click here.
2026 Date:
- July 20 – 25, 2026
The 5-Day All-Women’s Alpine Academy is a supportive space led by our world-class female guides, where climbers build skills, confidence, and lifelong connections. To learn more about our All-Women’s expeditions, click here.
2026 Date:
- June 4 – 8, 2026
The 5-Day Rookies Alpine Academy is designed for those who are brand new to the outdoors. This expedition teaches you to camp, climb, and explore, without pressure to summit. It’s a no-intimidation entry into the world of mountaineering.
2026 Date:
- June 15 – 19, 2026
The 5-Day Advanced Alpine Academy is tailored towards experienced climbers who want to refine their systems, reinforce best practices, and push into more technical terrain.
2026 Date:
- July 16 – 20, 2026
This itinerary is only a rough estimate and will be determined by weather and conditions. This is adventure travel, meaning things rarely go as planned, and this schedule will likely change. Climbers need to be adaptable and positive.
We always recommend climbers arrive in Sedro Woolley one day early to avoid travel delays or issues with lost baggage. Added expenses (hotel/food/sightseeing) of this extra day are the client’s responsibility.
- Day 1: Arrive in Sedro-Woolley by 8:00 a.m. Quick gear check/rentals and drive to the trailhead. Hike to Sandy Camp, establish our base camp while training expedition camp site selection and construction.
- Day 2: Training Day. Focus on basic travel efficiency and snow travel techniques, introduce rope systems, and basic knots/hitches.
- Day 3: Training Day. Focus on more advanced ropework, anchor construction, and running belays.
- Day 4: Summit attempt! Wake up early for an alpine start, ascend the Easton Glacier Route to the summit, and descend the route back to camp. After a rest, evaluate the climb and review the skills used during the climb.
- Day 5: Wrap up training and descend to the trailhead by 1:00 p.m. Drive back to Sedro-Woolley, arriving around 3:00-4:00 pm. Return any rental gear and bid a fond farewell to your teammates.
It is advised that you book local accommodation for the night of your last day instead of traveling home when you will be tired.
Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services/items of a personal nature like flights, gear, and insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect.
Included in all Mount Baker Alpine Academies & Climbs
- Professional mountain guides
- All on-mountain breakfasts, dinners, and hot drinks. You will need to bring your own selection of snacks for lunches and fuel during the summit climb. We recommend a variety of your favorite snacks, enough for 16 snack breaks at 300-400 calories per break. This should weigh 3-4 pounds.
- All group gear, including mountaineering tents, cooking gear, stoves, ropes, etc.
- First-aid equipment
- Satellite phone to update the blog and available to clientele at $3/minute
Excluded from all Mount Baker Alpine Academies & Climbs
- All in-town restaurant meals
- Lunches/snacks while on the climb. You will need to bring your own selection of snacks for lunches and fuel during the summit climb. We recommend a variety of your favorite snacks, enough for 16 snack breaks at 300-400 calories per break. This should weigh 3-4 pounds.
- Hotels before or after the climb
- Transportation to and from the airport
- Flight costs
- All personal climbing equipment is the responsibility of the client
- In the event of a rescue, evacuation, or early departure from the group, any rescue expenses or excess expenses above and beyond our normal trip costs, including transport, hotels, evacuation, flight changes, and gear shipping, are the responsibility of the client.
- Guide tips (customary, but optional)
- Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS, above and beyond the normal expedition costs
- Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
Prices are subject to an additional 8.6% Sedro-Woolley city and state tax.
