This course is for those with a significant amount of ice climbing experience. We will tackle more difficult multi-pitch climbs like The Black Dike and Fafnir at Cannon Cliff, Repentance and Remission at Cathedral Ledge, or The Last Gentleman and the Promenade at Lake Willoughby. At this point we’ll start to work a lot more on leashless climbing and we’ll talk extensively about its pros and cons and how to decide which style is most appropriate for a given route and your individual climbing ability. There are a lot of different leash and leashless designs, so knowing the different options and their pros and cons will help you to make an informed decision on which setup is best for you.
The advanced level course also focusses on descending safely from ice and alpine climbs, and you'll get extensive experience with placing v-threads and other tricks for getting down safely. Most people taking an advanced class will likely already be doing some leading on their own. Whether you have started or not, getting on the sharp end under the watchful eye of a guide is a great way to refine and hone your technique, anchors, and overall efficiency. The overall objective in the advanced course is to finalize your apprenticeship and get you out climbing safely on your own, without a guide.
