Learn to walk... with sharp metal objects.

Join us for a relaxed skills day - we'll spend the morning at Intervale talking about mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axes. In the afternoon we'll head to the Frankenstein ice climbing area and split up into two groups. One will hike to Arethusa falls to practice crampon use, and the other will practice self arrest. We'll hike a short ways up and look for a good snow field to practice ascending, descending, glissading, self-belay, and self-arrest. We'll have a stove running for hot chocolate!

This would be a great trip if you want to do harder above-treeline trips later in winter school, or you have your sights set on some snowy mountains out west.

P.S. We will be doing a lot of sliding around in the snow - rain pants and shell are required, preferably ones you don't mind getting roughed up. Gaiters are useful too. Bring whatever boots you will be using above treeline. You'll need an ice axe, crampons, and a helmet, which you can rent from MITOC.