My Ice Climbing Kit

January 3, 2024January 3, 2024 David Lottmann adventure travel, Avalanche Courses, Avalanche Gear Reviews, Backcountry Skiing, Backpack Reviews, backpacking, Climbing Education, Climbing Gear Reviews, Clothing Reviews, Deals on gear!, Electronic Reviews, Footwear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Glove Reviews, hiking, hiking, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Self-Rescue, Ski Gear Reviews, Tech Tips, Tech Tips, Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, climbing, gear, hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering, outdoors, rock climbing

While the New England ice climbing season is off to a bit of a sluggish start a follower recently asked if I had a gear list for what I take ice climbing. Thanks for the inspiration for this post Kyle! I’m going to list items in the order that I usually pack my pack.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism Pack

I’ve tested over a dozen packs specifically designed for waterfall ice climbing and this pack has held onto my #1 spot for best ice climbing pack. You can find my full review of this pack here.

Patagonia DAS Parka

If there is any chance of mixed or liquid precipitation I prefer the reliability of a synthetic insulated belay parka, and the Patagonia DAS Parka is an industry leading choice.

Rab Mythic Ultra Jacket

If there is zero chance of encountering mixed or liquid precipitation I prefer the warmth and packability of a down insulated belay parka, and for that the Rab Mythic Ultra Jacket is an excellent choice.

Black Diamond First Light Hybrid Hooded Jacket

Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hooded Jacket Review

If it is wicked cold out I’ve been known to pack a second light puffy so I can “double up” on my belay jackets. Conversely, if it’s really mild out I might just up for carrying a lighter puffy then the two jackets I mention above. For that the Black Diamond First Light Hybrid Hooded Jacket is a great choice. You can find my recent detailed review of this one here.

32oz Wide Mouth Nalgene Water Bottle

I typically only carry one 32 ounce wide mouth water bottle for most ice climbing day trips. I do not use any type of insulated parka to keep it from freezing. I just pack in above my belay jackets and close to the small of my back. In the coldest of temps I have never had it freeze when packed up against my back. If I want something with more flavor then water I reach for some of my Skratch Labs stash. If it’s a really cold mission, or a really long day, I also pack an insulated water bottle with some Borvo Broth. This stuff really tastes amazing and is an excellent mid-day energy refresher!

AMK Ultra 0.7 Scout First Aid Kit

I use the AMK Ultra 0.7 Scout First Aid Kit as my base first aid kit then I add a few things to it that just live inside the kit. Like the Petzl e+lite headlamp, a small knife, and a small Bic lighter. I also slide a SAM splint down into the back sleeve of my backpack along with a CAT tourniquet.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism Ice Screw Case

Hyperlight Mountain Gear Prism Ice Pack Review

This case is perfect for packing and protecting my ice screws. I’ve used Petzl and Black Diamond screws for over two decades of ice climbing with few complaints. This season I have swapped out almost my entire rack for a set of the new Blue Ice Aero Ice Screws. I’ll have a review out on these as soon as Mother Nature brings the ice back into condition. For sizes my typical set up is one 22cm, eight 13cm, and one 10cm. If heading to the bigger ice at Willoughby I will add four 17 to 19cm screws. I carry a Grivel Candela V-Thread Tool which conveniently nestles inside my 22cm ice screw. In the zippered pocket in the ice screw case I have some zip ties and the allen wrench for my CAMP USA X-Dream Alpine Ice Tools.

^{Author on Black Pudding Gully, WI4 – photo by Brent Doscher}

For clipping ice screws on lead I highly prefer the Petzl Ange Finesse Quickdraws. Notchless wire gate carabiners are the best, and the larger rope side carabiner on these draws is glove friendly. It’s also a better carabiner if you ever climb on a two rope system. I carry 8 of these racked on a Petzl William Screw Locking Carabiner. On this carabiner I also have a “locker draw” that I build from a Petzl Express Quickdraw Sling and two Petzl Attache Locking Carabiners. There is also one “alpine draw” built with a 60cm Mammut Dyneema 8mm Contact Sling and two Petzl Ange S Wire Gate Carabiners clipped to this large locking carabiner, a 180cm Mammut Dyneema 8mm Contact Sling with two Petzl Ange S Wire Gate Carabiners, and a pre-tied “mini-quad“.

The rest of my climbing hardware is all clipper to a large locking carabiner and includes two Petzl Attache Locking Carabiners, my DMM Pivot Belay Device, a 16 foot length of Sterling Power Cord, a traditional 6mm cord tied into a small prussic, a 40cm Edelrid Aramid Cord, and a small carabiner knife.

Inside my Hyperlite Prism Crampon Bag are my Petzl Dart Crampons and I often stuff a pair of Kahtoola MICROspikes in there as well.

Next I stuff my warmer Black Diamond Guide Gloves in. It has to be heinous out there for me to end up switching into these beasts but I won’t risk not being able to keep my hands warm in the winter so these get packed even though I rarely wear them. I do most of my ice leading wearing CAMP USA Geko Ice Pro Gloves and Rab Power Stretch Pro Glove Liners.

Inside my Petzl Sirocco Helmet (review) or Salewa Piuma 3.0 Helmet (I love both these helmets) I pack my preferred ice climbing harness which is the Petzl Sitta (my review) outfitted with three Petzl Caritools.

Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody Review — ^{November 25th, 2023 early season ice mission into Tuckerman Ravine, Mount Washingon}

In the top pocket of my pack I stick my Petzl IKO Core Headlamp along with some hand warmers, my snacks and food for the day. And since I know you are wondering what my favorite on mountain food choice is I’ll share that hands down the best food to take ice climbing is left over pizza from Flatbread NoCo!

For a rope I prefer the Sterling Rope Fushion Nano IX 9mm by 60m rope. It’s a triple rated rope (single, twin, half) so it is ideal for guiding two clients on multi-pitch ice. I have two of them in the bi-pattern.

While I already mentioned it above my ice tools of choice are the CAMP USA X-Dream Alpine Ice Tools. You can find my original in depth review of these tools here.

Finally on the outside of my shoulder strap I clip my Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio. If you’ve been following me for awhile you know I’m a huge fan of these radios. They make climbing & skiing so much better than it was before. Did you know you can get ten percent off of them with code “AlpineStart10”?

Links above are affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from an online retailer after visiting those links I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions keep this blog afloat. Thank you.

Well that pretty much sums up what I pack for a day of ice climbing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I can go into my clothing system in another post if there is interest. Did I miss anything? What do you bring that I don’t? Got any questions about anything in my kit? Please comment below if you do have a question or if you found this post helpful in anyway. Temperatures are finally getting colder so I’m hoping to get out later this week and actually use this gear for what it is intended for!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Common Use FRS Zone Channels in the White Mountains

December 22, 2023March 16, 2024 David Lottmann adventure travel, Avalanche Courses, Avalanche Gear Reviews, Backcountry Skiing, Climbing Education, Deals on gear!, Electronic Reviews, Gear Reviews, Holiday Gift Guides, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Self-Rescue, Ski Gear Reviews, Tech Tips, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking adventure, backcountry, backcountry safety, Backcountry Skiing, backcountry skiing, backcountry touring, common use zone channels, FRS radios, GMRS radios, group communication, mountain safety, radios, rocky talkies, skiing, travel

With the welcomed increase of backcountry travelers using FRS and GMRS radios for internal group communication it is time we utilize a “Common Use Zone” system to improve group to group communication in the most popular zones of our region.

Modeled after the Utah Avalanche Center’s “Group to Group Radio Channel Initiative” this system would be for these intended uses:

Intended Uses & Radio Protocols:

A way for riders to communicate with people within their party and more importantly communicate with potential groups below and above you and your group.
To send a distress call to your group and other parties to aid in self rescue and to alert of potential threatening avalanche hazards.
To ask for someone to call 911 to mount an organized rescue, when 911 can’t be reached directly on your own.
Radio communication between partners at areas of safety
Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
Radio communication when you and your group are clear of a given line or area

Radio Communication between you and your group:

Radio communication between partners at areas of safety
Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
Radio communication when you and your group are clear of a given line or area
General communication

Radio Communication between multiple groups:

Route selection and timing to avoid riding directly above other groups
Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
Radio communication when your group is clear of a given line or area, alerting other groups of a clear run-out zone
General communication

Here are some examples of the types of communication you might share or hear on these common use zone channels:

“This is Sarah on channel 21 reaching the ridge via the south snowfields. With no signs of instability and inconclusive hand shears our party of three is heading over to the top of Main Gully”

“This is Mark on channel 20, we just pulled out a small wind slab on our approach into Left Gully. Due to poor visibility we are transitioning here and dropping the bottom third of Left in a few minutes.”

“Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is Lisa on channel 19, we have a medical emergency near the base of Yale Gully. We are unable to raise 911. Does any one copy?”

The use of these radios does not take the place of solid decision making and carrying a Personal Locator Beacon like the Garmin inReach Mini 2 that can initiate a rescue if outside of both cell phone service and the limited range of FRS/GMRS radios.

It’s important to understand that most FRS radios are single channel monitoring. Some GMRS radios can monitor two channels simultaneously but may require a license.

The Common Use Zone Channel List*

Tuckerman Ravine	FRS/GMRS Channel 22
Gulf of Slides	FRS/GMRS Channel 21
East Snowfields & Raymond Cataract	FRS/GMRS Channel 20
Huntington Ravine	FRS/GMRS Channel 19
Great Gulf	FRS/GMRS Channel 18
Burt Ravine	FRS/GMRS Channel 17
Ammonoosuc Ravine	FRS/GMRS Channel 16
Oakes Gulf/Dry River	FRS/GMRS Channel 15
Crawford Notch	FRS/GMRS Channel 14
Franconia Notch	FRS/GMRS Channel 13
Evans Notch	FRS/GMRS Channel 12
GBA Glades	FRS/GMRS Channel 11

*No CT or Privacy Codes (0)

In order to send and receive traffic on these channels from other groups you must ensure your radio is not using a CT/DTS privacy code. Check your radio’s user manual on how to turn these privacy codes off (or set to zero).

Recommended Radios

Common Use FRS Zone Channels — ^{The author touring a slide path in Burt Ravine (Channel 17) with his Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio}

Rocky Talkie Mountain FRS Radio <- My pick for 95% of people 10% off with “ALPINESTART10”

Rocky Talkie 5-Watt* FRS/GMRS Radio My pick for professional mountain guides, avalanche course instructors, search & rescue teams 10% off with “ALPINESTART10”

Backcountry Access BC Link 2.0 FRS Radio

Backcountry Access BC Link Mini FRS Radio

Motorola Talkabout T600 H20 2-Way FRS Radios

*Due to using over 2 watts of power of the Rocky Talkie 5-Watt* FRS/GMRS Radio requires licensing with the FCC. The process is quite simple online, took me about 30 minutes to complete, and cost $35. Detailed instructions how how to obtain a license can be found here. The above links are affiliate links which means if you purchase a radio through these links I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

I’m hoping this suggestion becomes widely adapted by our backcountry community. Since a growing percentage of backcountry travelers are already carrying radios it makes good sense that we improve the overall communities safety by adapting a common use zone list like this.

ZONE MAP STICKERS! $2 each!

3 x 3 inch stickers of the zone map pictured above are available! Put one in your field book and on your skis or board! $2ea., free pickup in Conway, NH, or $1 S&H. Venmo preferred. Please include local pickup or shipping address with payment.

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

References

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/education/group-group-radio-channel-initiative

UTILIZING COMMON RADIO CHANNELS IN HIGH-USE AVALANCHE TERRAIN

Rocky Talkie List of Community Channels by State

Affiliate links above support this blog

Conditions That Promote the Growth of Surface Hoar (And SnowVisa Giveaway!)

December 9, 2023December 9, 2023 David Lottmann Avalanche Courses, Avalanche Gear Reviews, Backcountry Skiing, Deals on gear!, Mountaineering, Professional Development, Ski Gear Reviews, Tech Tips, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, mountaineering

Yesterday I posed the question, “What are the conditions that promote the growth of Surface Hoar”. There were many correct answers. Let’s dive a little deeper into the conditions and take it beyond the level 1 understanding.

In my AIARE 1 avalanche courses I teach students to remember the three “C’s” that promote the growth of surface hoar.

Cold- Unsurprisingly it needs to be below freezing (32°F, 0ºC) for surface hoar to form.

Clear- The mechanisms that drive the growth of surface hoar require rapid radiative heat loss from the snowpack. This only occurs on clear nights. Cloud cover has an insulating effect on the earth and pretty much prevents the type of heat loss needed for this process to occur.

Calm- Surface hoar crystals, once formed, are vulnerable to moderate wind speeds. The ice forms have very little horizontal strength, and if you find a pocket of decent sized surface hoar you can test this easily by getting close to the crystals and giving them a hearty blow of air from your own lungs.

That is pretty much the level 1 type knowledge I instill in my students. Now let’s dive deeper into other important considerations that contribute to the snowpack’s ability to form surface hoar.

Humidity & Dewpoint– Basically surface hoar is winter’s equivalent of “dew”. There must be a high level of humidity (over 70%) in the air right at ground level.

Air movement– Since the crystal growth of surface hoar is removing vapor (moisture) from the air as it grows that moisture must be replaced for the crystals to keep growing. The air movement required is so light that an observer would record “calm” for wind speed.

Temperature Inversion/Gradient– A strong inverted temperature gradient is needed right at the snow surface. This gradient is best achieved by the rapid radiative heat loss scenario promoted by cold clear nights. Even a light breeze will remove this ground level inversion and inhibit growth.

Now that we’ve gotten the sciencey weather stuff out of the way let’s get into some practical terrain considerations for the topic.

Sheltered/Lee– Since we know any noticeable wind inhibits surface hoar growth we can expect to find it in areas protected from the wind, i.e. lee.

Canopy– Because surface hoar requires rapid radiative heat loss any tree canopy will inhibit growth. Surface hoar is often found in clearings that are not obstructed by any tree cover.

Aspect– It is reasonable to assume northern aspects may be more likely to grow surface hoar as they are colder aspects. In areas with predominant west winds (White Mountains) you may have more luck finding surface hoar on your North to East aspects.

Elevation– Since above treeline conditions rarely promote the growth of surface hoar this weak layer is more common below treeline, and in the right conditions middle elevations.

Slope Angle– Surface hoar has what is called “anisotropic” structure. What this basically means is it is strong on the vertical axis and very weak on the horizontal axis. This property is the main reason it is such a reactive weak layer when buried by new snow. Its ability to withstand gradual increases in load until it reaches its breaking point is why in certain snow climates it’s the primary issue for human triggered avalanches. It is also why you would not expect this in steeper start zones. In the rare case of this forming on a 40 degree start zone of an alpine gully any cohesive snow that falls on top of it will quickly overwhelm its horizontal strength. Field observations show this is a common layer for remotely triggering avalanches on flat terrain. Twenty five degree rollovers are also commonly triggered on surface hoar.

Slope Shape– Research shows that concave slopes inhibit growth. This is due to the reduced radiative heat loss on concave slopes. Conversely, convex slopes may see more progressive growth as they can accelerate rapid radiative heat loss and a stronger surface left temperature gradient. Yet another reason convexities on a slope are common trigger points.

Proximity to Water– Because the ground level humidity needs replenishment you can often find this growing next to creeks, streams, and steam “vents”. These “vents” are pretty cool, even on a negative temperature day if you stick your thermometer in one of them you’ll find the air temp hovering around freezing (32°F, 0ºC).

Snow Climate– The prior mentioned weather conditions are most common in Continental (Rocky Mountain) snow climates. Surface hoar can, and does, form in any snow climate, but it’s most prevalent in Continental snow climates.

Local Examples– I have found a few places in Mount Washington Valley that I consider “surface hoar farms”.

The most reliable spot I have found is just south of the trestle cut at the top of Crawford Notch where some sheltered steam vents on the west side of the tracks often have surface hoar crystals around them. Unfortunately the railroad is active this winter and no trespassing signs are posted so I don’t recommend heading there.

The field just outside the AMC Highland Center has had some brilliant surface hoar displays over the years through they are usually short lived as calm clear weather doesn’t last long at the top of the notch.

The base of the Cog Railway has small slopes that have produced some of the largest surface hoar crystals I have ever seen in person, some up to 4 centimeters in size!

I’ll often find small pockets on the sides of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail but the spot on the east side of Mount Washington I’ve had the most luck is on the Summer Lion Head trail, right as the trail steepens and crosses an old avalanche path there are a couple small steam vents on the left side that have a clear view of the sky (thanks to old avalanche activity).

Summary– Well that’s about it for my brain dump on surface hoar. Hope you’ve learned something new about what is likely my favorite type of ice formation. For more reading you can check out The Avalanche Handbook. It’s where most of my information is derived and a great resource for those who really want to dive into the minutiae of avalanche formation.

Snow Visa Giveaway

Snow Visa Sticker Avalanche Safety Avalanche Education

Learn more about this innovative snow safety tool here and enter to win one for free by clicking this link! Contest ends on at 8PM EST on 12/24/2023!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

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Gear Review: Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody

December 7, 2023December 8, 2023 David Lottmann Backcountry Skiing, backpacking, Climbing Gear Reviews, Clothing Reviews, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Holiday Gift Guides, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Ski Gear Reviews, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, black-diamond, camping gear, climbing, gear, gear review, Gear Reviews, hiking gear, ice climbing, mountaineering, outdoor gear, sport climbing

I’ve been testing the new Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody since early October and after a half dozen trips into the alpine with it I’m ready to share my thoughts.

TLDR Version: This is an outstanding addition to the “light puffy” market and I’m stoked to have this in my current rotation of outdoor clothes.

How I Tested: Two ice climbing trips to Mount Willard, an ice climbing trip into Tuckerman Ravine, two Mount Washington attempts (one successful summit, one bail at Lion Head due to very poor visibility and extreme winds higher)

Before I get into my personal opinions on this jacket let’s look at the manufacturer description and specifications:

Manufacturer Description:

The perfect layer for backcountry rock walls, big alpine faces, and frigid weekend ski tours, the Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody is the ultimate in dynamic four-season insulation that breathes efficiently and stretches with your every movement. The jacket packed with migration-resistant Primaloft Gold Active, maintaining breathability during even the most intense high-output pursuits. The 20D nylon ripstop face fabric and stretch liner resists weather and encourages full range of motion, while remaining incredibly durable through rugged talus, brushy approaches and daily use. Additional features include an adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood, a low-profile, single-adjust hem and a highly packable design that stuffs into the internal stretch mesh pocket and clips onto your harness, all your needs are covered. Fit and overall design has been entirely overhauled for 2023.

PRODUCT FEATURES

Migration-resistant PrimaLoft® Gold Active Insulation
20D nylon ripstop face fabric with PFC-free DWR Technology
Lightweight, stretch lining for added breathability
Mapped insulation throughout body, shoulders, and arms
Adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood with drawcord adjustment
Underarm gussets for added range of motion
Low-profile, single-adjust hem
Stows in internal left hand pocket with carabiner clip loop
Two concealed-zip hand pockets
Primary fabric is Bluesign approved
ECO Label Status
Fit: Regular
Claimed Weight: 14.29 ounces

Personal Opinions:

The “light puffy” has become a staple in my winter outdoor clothing scheme. My biggest requirements in a quality piece are; high warmth to weight ratio, high breathability, high packability, decent water resistance, wind proof, well fitting. The Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody checks all the boxes!

High Warmth to Weight Ratio: Black Diamond uses mapped PrimaLoft® Gold Active Insulation. Primaloft® Gold is one of the best synthetic insulators available with a CLO value of 0.92, which is roughly equivalent to the warmth of 500 or 550 fill-power down and achieves 98% thermal efficiency (and still retains heat if it gets wet, unlike down). The nylon shell fabric is lightweight and soft to the touch, allowing for the whole jacket to weight less than a pound. For a synthetic insulated hooded jacket this is quite impressive, so I give this a 5/5 in the warmth to weight ration category!

High Breathability: The biggest test of the breathability of this jacket came yesterday as I was breaking trail in thigh deep new snow from tree line to the summit cone on Mount Washington. Temps were 6 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 Celcius), winds were around 40 mph (64 Kph), and the wind chill was about -23 Fahrenheit (-30 Celcius). The uphill battle was slow going and a bit exhausting. I needed more than my base layers and soft shell jacket to stay comfortable but I was working pretty hard. I pulled this on over my soft shell and kept working uphill thinking I’d likely start to overheat soon and need to take it off. That didn’t happen and I reached the summit with it still on. So it is definitely breathable. I didn’t take it off until I was back to tree line and out of the wind for the quick walk back to the trailhead.

High Packability: While similar down jackets can pack smaller I prefer the extra insurance of synthetic for my light puffy jackets and only have one big down parka these days that is always in my pack for the most arctic of trips. Despite being a synthetic hooded jacket I am impressed with the Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody ability to get small. Without much coaching it will pack into it’s own zipper right side hand pocket at takes up just a little more space then your standard wide mouth Nalgene water bottle.

Decent Water Resistance: Black Diamond uses pretty standard PFC-free DWR Technology to give this jacket some water resistance. I was only exposed to a little dripping water on a warmish ascent of Hitchcock Gully earlier this year and as expected any drops that hit me just rolled off the fabric. Since it is a synthetic and not down I’m less concerned about how water resistant a light synthetic puffy is as I will still pack a hardshell if there is a significant chance of liquid precipitation on my trip.

Wind Proof: 100% this jacket is indeed windproof as I tested it in those 40+mph conditions I mentioned above. All I can really add here is I am impressed with how windproof the jacket seems while being so breathable at the same time. Must be the 20 denier fabric that Black Diamond used for the shell fabric, it just strikes the right balance in this regard.

Well Fitting: Ok I kind of saved the best for last here. I love the way this jacket fits and movies. Black Diamond says it’s a “regular” fit and while that means it isn’t supposed to fit like your tapered skinny jeans I don’t find the fit to be too bulky at all either. For my 5’9″ 185 pound frame the large fits over my skin layers and soft shell jacket perfectly. The length is perfect for tucking in under my climbing harness, and the stretchy panels under the arms keep in tucked in while I’m ice climbing and raising my hands far above my head often. The insulated hood is comfortable and well fitting with or without a climbing helmet on thanks to the drawcord adjustment. The fit is somehow technical while casual as I’ve found myself grabbing this jacket for everyday where and not just saving it for mountain missions.

Summary: The synthetic light weight hooded jacket is one of my favorite categories of gear to test. You can find many of my reviews of this style of jacket over the years on my review page. If your “light puffy” is ready for replacement or upgrade, or you have yet to add the “light puffy” to your outdoor wardrobe, I highly suggest you check the Black Diamond First Light Hooded Jacket out!

Buy Directly from Black Diamond

Buy from Moosejaw.com

Buy from Backcountry.com

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

^{Affiliate links above help support this blog. When you make a purchase through one of those links the author earns a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you.}

Cyber Monday Guided Adventure & Education Sale

November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 David Lottmann adventure travel, Avalanche Courses, Backcountry Skiing, Climbing Education, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, Holiday Gift Guides, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Self-Rescue, Tech Tips, Trip Reports, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking

Today only, Monday, November 27th, 2023, you can book an adventure or course with Northeast Mountaineering and save some serious moo-lah! Basically if you book one of these adventures today you get to bring a friend for free! I’m going to share exactly what programs are eligible and what the out of pocket cost per person would be if you decide to split this adventure with your adventure buddy, starting with the absolute best deal of them all!

AIARE 1 Avalanche Course $550 ($275pp)

Avalanche Courses Mount Washington — *^{Photo courtesy of Alexander Robert}*

This is by far the most affordable way this season to get this essential course for anyone looking to spend time in avalanche terrain touring, ice climbing, or mountaineering. It’s a three day course that covers a semester worth of information in a mix of class room and field sessions. This education hasn’t been this affordable since I took my first avalanche course two decades ago. Grab your touring partner and sign up for this today while we still have many dates available! Sign up here and use promo code “DAVIDNEM” to be able to bring your friend for free! Discount lodging at the NEM Bunkhouse is also available!

AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course $195 ($97.50pp)

This 8 hour course is for anyone who might venture into avalanche terrain. It is designed for anyone who has yet to take a formal avalanche course like the AIARE 1 mentioned above, anyone looking to take their AIARE 2 course listed below, or anyone who hasn’t refreshed their avalanche rescue skills in awhile. A little bit of classroom followed by a lot of in the field realistic avalanche rescue practice. Time and money well spent! We only have two dates open this season so don’t delay grabbing a spot for you and your partner here and use promo code “DAVIDNEM”. Discount lodging at the NEM Bunkhouse is also available!

Ice Climbing $325 ($162.50pp)

Ice Climbing White Mountains — *^{Author on Drool of the Beast (Grade 5), photo courtesy of Brent Doscher}*

Been curious about expanding your climbing season to the frozen months? Use this Cyber Monday deal to make it attainable! Book here and use promo code “DAVIDNEM”.

Introduction to Backcountry Skiing $325 ($162.50pp)

Backcountry Skiing Mount Washington — *^{Photo courtesy of Erik Howes}*

Are you an expert skier at the resorts and looking to take adventure to the next level? Our backcountry ski skills course is jammed packed with necessary skills to get your shredding the pow out of bounds and away from the lines. Skiing the backcountry is about freedom and adventure. Out here, you earn your turns – but as you will discover the uphill travel is just as rewarding as the downhill descent.