Women’s Beginner Mountaineering 2-Day Course
2025 Dates
$350
April 12 - 13, 2025
April 26 - 27, 2025
Trip Length
2 Days with optional camping upgrade offered
Group Size
3-10
Destinations
Lassen National Park
Don’t see the dates you are looking for?
Semi-private dates available.
2-Day Beginner Mountaineering Course
Go Beyond the Basics – Build Skills for Bigger Summits
Ready to take your mountaineering skills to the next level? Our 2-Day Beginner Mountaineering Course is designed for women who want a deeper, more immersive introduction to alpine climbing. Unlike our one-day intro course, this program offers hands-on skill development, extended time in the mountains, and a focus on self-sufficiency—perfect for those looking to climb bigger peaks, improve their fitness, and gain confidence in technical terrain.
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Who This Course is For:
✅ Women who have some experience hiking in the mountains and are ready to explore mountaineering
✅ Those who want more time to practice key mountaineering skills in real terrain
✅ Climbers aiming for bigger alpine objectives, such as Mt. Shasta, Rainier, or international peaks
✅ Anyone looking to improve fitness, movement efficiency, and technical skills on snow travel. -
Meet at Lassen Volcanic National Park Entrance
We start at 8AM Promptly. Each day ends around 4PM.
Day 1: Building a Strong Foundation
Movement Skills – How to move efficiently on snow, ice, and mixed terrain
Crampon & Ice Axe Techniques – Advanced footwork, self-belay, and self-arrest drills
Steep Snow Climbing – Using an ice axe effectively on moderate-angled slopes
Self Arrest Practice - building confidence when falling in a variety of positions
Glissade Practice - learn how to safely glissade
Day 2: Applying Skills in the Mountains
Navigation & Decision Making – Learn how to assess conditions and choose the best routeRope Skills for Beginners – Learning proper knots, rope management, and team travel systems
Snow Anchors & Belaying – Introduction to building anchors and protecting steeper terrain
Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue - an intro into what to expect in this terrain and a primer for our Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Course.
Summit Push! – Apply your new skills on a peak ascent or technical route (weather dependent).
Optional Upgrade: Camp Setup & Survival – Overnight in an alpine environment with discussion on layering, nutrition, and staying warm
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Mountaineering: Hiking uphill in snow
Fitness Level: Moderate to strong fitness recommended. Expect 5-8 miles of travel per day with elevation gain. You should be training your fitness and strength leading up to this trip!
Gear: A full gear list is noted below and rentals are available. Participants should be comfortable carrying a backpack with 20lbs of gear and if choosing the overnight option, up to 35 lbs.
We recommend that you stay well hydrated and fed prior to departure to assist in mitigating altitude sickness if you are coming from sea level.
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Included in your booking:
Professional AMGA/AIARE Guide
4:1 client to guide ratio with a max group size of 8 clients, 2 guides
Pre-trip handout that includes an overview on the course and equipment.
Crampons, helmet, axe, harness
Group safety gear & first aid kit
Permit fees
Special discount to shop at the Alpinistas store
Not included:
Food & beverages (unless camping upgrade selected)
Guide gratuities
Other required gear, see in below section (available for rent when checking out)
Personal items
Why Choose This Course Over Our 1-Day Intro?
✔ More Time to Learn & Practice – Instead of rushing through concepts, we spend two full days reinforcing skills
✔ Optional Overnight Experience – Learn how to manage cold, gear, and high-altitude camping
✔ Deeper Technical Training – Introduces rope systems, anchors, and steeper terrain skills not covered in the one-day course
✔ Stronger Fitness Component – Designed for those looking to push themselves physically while building confidence in demanding conditions
Other Mountaineering Options with Alpinistas Adventures
Are you looking for the next step up from the basics? Head over to our Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue course that takes place on Mount Shasta. Is this course too intense for you? Check out our one day clinics in Tahoe.
Already got the training down and want a guided summit up Mt. Shasta? Join our women’s guided expedition up Avalanche Gulch or West Face.
Gear List
Layering is the key to staying comfortable while being active outdoors. The secret to achieving maximum comfort with minimum weight is to bring versatile layers that can be mixed and matched to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation, and weather protection.
When packing, try to bring only what you need. This not only makes your load lighter but also helps our amazing field staff.
If you've already booked your trip, don't worry! You’ll be getting emails with a detailed list of what you'll need to bring (plus tons of other helpful information).
Are you looking to reduce your carbon footprint or save some money? Check out our shop at Alpinistas and the Re-Cover department for gently used gear online.
Get ready to conquer the outdoors, Alpinistas! We can't wait to see you on the trail.
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Mountaineering Boots are required
(Fashion winter boots without a durable sole made for active use are prohibited.)
Day Hiking Backpack capable of carrying up to 20lbs
Snowshoes for soft snow travel
Technical jacket, pants or bibs that are water resistant
Base Layer Tops and Bottoms (Lightweight, Synthetic or Wool)
Midlayer options
Waterproof/Water Resistant Gloves
Beanie
Hiking Socks (Synthetic or Wool)
Sunblock, sunglasses and lip balm with SPF
Water (1.5-2.5 liters) or Hydration System
Electrolytes, snacks, lunch for the day
Personal Bathroom Kit: Toilet Paper, Ziplock Bags, Personal Wipes, Hand Cleaner - Pack it all out.
Overnight Camping Upgrade will have its own list of gear required.
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This will be nice for you to have:
Fleece/Wool or Lightweight Gloves
Gaiters
Hat, Bandana or Buff for Sun Protection
Hot beverage in thermos
Extra socks
Have questions about the gear list?
Give us a call at 775-230-7125 or send us a chat or email.
Your Mountaineering Guides
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Dani R.
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Joanne B.
Helpful for booking
What to expect after you book your reservation
After you book your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email. Over the following weeks as you start to get closer to your event date, you will receive additional emails confirming packing lists, itinerary details and other important or helpful supplemental information such as video course, start time and driving directions. The week of the event, you should be ready to go and you will receive a final email introducing your guides, providing you with their contact information and other last minute notes.
Your event does require a certain minimum number of participants to run. Don’t worry though, our group size is naturally quite small to keep it special and relaxing experience so the minimum booking requirement is also lower than other guide services.
Where does this course take place?
Lassen Volcanic National Park. Specific trailhead/meeting points will be determined closer to the event start date as we need to factor in snowpack and terrain criteria for safe travel. The winter weather and snow conditions vary from day to day and we strive to operate in extremely safe terrain.
Is there affordable lodging nearby?
We love staying at the Highlands Ranch Resort in Mill Creek, CA. You have the option of their pricier accommodations at the lodge side or across the street they have more affordable rooms. The alternative is car camping (sleeping in your car) at the Lassen trailhead. If you opt for the overnight course, you will be camping in the wilderness.
What is the closest airport?
Redding, CA (50 miles away)
Reno-Tahoe, NV (110 miles away)
Booking airfare?
If you are flying in for this trip, please contact us before booking airfare to make sure that your trip is confirmed. We require a minimum number of participants to operate.
General weather expectations
Mountaineering trips take place in the snow. Lassen daytime temperatures can range vastly during the winter and spring season. You may encounter freezing temperatures in the early morning or very warm temperatures during the day. We highly recommend wearing layers to accommodate changing temperatures.
Travel Insurance
We highly recommend travel insurance to protect your trip in the event unforeseeable circumstances, road conditions or illness comes up that interferes with your ability to join the trip.
“Dear women adventurers of all skill levels, you need to take a trip with Alpinistas! I just returned from the Cold Weather Skills workshop in Yosemite and I've learned more in three days than I have in all my years of hiking and camping. It's so rare to find guiding experiences that are fun, connect you with likeminded folks, AND equip you with a ton of new skills.”
— Ashley
“I had the absolute best experience on a rock climbing trip with Joanne! Every part of the weekend was fantastic - the camping experience was wonderful, the guides were knowledgeable and kept everyone safe, and the climbing was so much fun! I'm looking forward to future trips with Alpinistas, and love the work they are doing in making outdoor education more accessible to women!”
- Rebecca
What People Are Saying about Alpinistas
“The women I met that weekend were so amazing for their love of the outdoors, their curiosity, and their tenacious spirits. I learned so much from our skilled guides who made us feel safe to ask any and all questions regardless of how silly they might be. Thank you Alpinistas for a truly amazing weekend! I can’t wait for the next adventure 🏕️”
— Katarina
“I joined a Cold Weather course and winter camping weekend with them in Yosemite and absolutely love it! The guides are passionate about what they are teaching us, they are so supportive, and the event was organized so well.”
- Ashley-Marie