Alaska Mountaineering School Home Courses Expeditions Instructors Schedule

CLICK General Information AMS courses and expeditions are self-reliant and travel in remote mountain ranges. From day one, students and expedition members are involved in all activities, live in the outdoors, and learn how to care for themselves. Our format emphasizes hands-on learning and the application of new skills in a variety of situations. Our goal for graduates is to prepare them to repeat course or expedition goals without supervision. Most courses do not require prior experience-only average athletic ability and a desire to learn and work hard. Advanced courses and expeditions require prior climbing and winter camping experience and excellent physical conditioning. A positive and team-oriented attitude is important on all AMS programs. CLICK Please scroll down the page for general information and answers to common questions, or click for detailed information on: [INSTRUCTORS]  [TRAVEL & LOGISTICS]  [FITNESS & TRAINING] AMS headquarters in Talkeetna CLICK AMS' office and outfitting facilities in downtown Talkeetna make the enormous task of properly outfitting courses and expeditions a breeze. Only two blocks from Main street, AMS is located at the end of 3rd street and an easy walk to any where in town. CLICK Our students and expedition members practice fixed-line ascension, a vital crevasse rescue skill, before leaving for the field. Our indoor climbing gym makes for an excellent in town classroom in bad weather. Our kitchen kicks out an awesome lunch so you don't waste a minute getting ready for your trip. AMS has a video and book resource library and power point presentations on mountaineering. From day one, we want you to see the care and attention to detail that goes into everything we do both in town and in the field. Instructors CLICK AMS instructors are professional educators and mountain guides committed to excellence in mountaineering, wilderness travel, and instruction. We share a love for what we do. Most of our staff have earned their apprenticeship at other respected outfits before they come to AMS. They are senior instructors at NOLS, they run outdoor programs for colleges and universities, they have their own guiding businesses, or work for other guiding companies like Jackson Hole Mountain Guides in the off season. Some of AMS' most senior members have jumped ship from our competitors because in their eyes, "AMS runs the best outfit in Alaska." AMS maintains the highest standards in guiding and instruction and has earned the respect of leading members of the mountain guiding community. Many of our staff are certified through organizations like the AMGA, UIAGM, AEE, and NOLS IC. We encourage are staff to pursue all means of continued education and especially support them going on personal climbs and expeditions. All AMS instructors are certified in Wilderness First Responder or EMT. [Click For The Instructors Page] Expedition Behavior Successful expeditions rely on each member's commitment to the well-being of each other and the group. We call this expedition behavior. AMS courses attract people with diverse backgrounds and we will not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Student Behavior AMS is a school, and on courses, classes are held regularly. AMS courses can not accommodate behavioral, motivational or rehabilitation issues. Participants ignoring instructions, demonstrating low motivation or poor expedition behavior, disrupting or distracting from the goals of the course, or behaving in a fashion that may endanger themselves, others, or the environment may be asked to leave. Anyone who withdraws or is expelled is responsible for all evacuation costs. CLICK Safety The number one priority at the Alaska Mountaineering School is the safety of our students and expedition members. Although we cannot eliminate the possibility of an accident, risk and exposure to hazards are constantly discussed, monitored and minimized. Safety related concerns are taught and practiced and underlie all AMS curriculum. AMS' back country medical direction protocols were written by our medical director, Dr. Peter Hackett, and Medical Training supervisor Lance Taysom, RN, WMT-P. Peter is an emergency room physician and world renowned researcher on altitude-related illnesses. Lance is the chief life flight nurse out of Pocatello, Idaho and is often CLICK participating on Denali NPS ranger patrols. Buck Tilton, author of over 50 books and articles on wilderness medicine, certifies many of AMS' staff. All three help keep AMS up to date on current issues in wilderness medicine. AMS programs are insured, carry all necessary permits, and leave for the field with medical kits, radios, cell phones, and emergency procedures for all areas of operation. What is the average age of the students and is there an age limitation? Student ages range from 15-55 and a variety of ages are typically present on all courses and expedition. The minimum age is 15 on all our mountaineering courses due to concern for adequate body development and maturity. We find that age plays a minor role due to the high pace and learning curve for all participants on AMS courses. The average age of instructors is 35 and growing! We have a number of staff in their 40's now. CLICK Gender Student gender ratio is 32/78, female:male. AMS would prefer to increase the ratio of females on courses. We believe having both genders present makes for a higher quality learning experience for everyone. Instructor gender ratio is 40:60, female:male. We make it a priority to have mixed gender instructor teAMS on every course, especially when there are female students enrolled. Are scholarships available? Students have received federal Vista grants for courses in the past. Scholarships are currently available to local area residents: Talkeetna, Trapper, Creek, and Sunshine communities. Persons from these areas should contact AMS for a scholarship application. AMS is deeply committed to education and its accessibility to all persons regardless of their economic circumstances. As a tuition-based institution, AMS tries hard to keep its overhead to a minimum without sacrificing quality in order to offer its courses at the lowest possible price. Even so, we understand that the expense of taking a course, particular for those traveling from out-of-state, is large. We are currently fostering relationships with a number of foundations, grants, and endowments to generate more funds and broaden AMS's scholarship effort. It is our hope and goal to have scholarships available to all persons requiring financial assistance. College Credit Students have received college credit through the University of Alaska, Anchorage and Alaska-Pacific University. Please contact AMS for more information on how to receive college credit. How many peaks do we climb and at what altitude? Denali National Park is home to North America's highest peak, Mt. McKinley at 20,320', but most of the mountains in the Park are smaller and average 8000'. This said, it is a common misconception of people familiar with Colorado 14-er's to think that lower elevation translates to less challenging. Far from it! Alaska mountains, with their snow corniced ridges, steep glaciers, and massive granite buttresses are everything but easy. Hence the term, "Alaska factor," a symbolic word referring to the common denominator in Alaska that everything is harder, longer, and more involved than it may first appear. An advantage to mountains with lower elevations is the absence of altitude-related illnesses and greater summit success. Given the factors that weather and snow conditions ultimately determine what is climbed, 6 day courses climb 1-2 peaks, 12-day courses climb 3-4. Getting to Talkeetna Students usually fly into Anchorage International Airport. Talkeetna Shuttle Service does one scheduled pickup a day leaving Anchorage 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. and arriving in Talkeetna at 10:30. There may be a later pickup and you should contact Stephanie at tshuttle@alaska.net or 907-733-1725 before making plane reservations.[Please click for more info on Travel & Logistics] Difficulty/Physical Conditioning You do not need to be an exceptional athlete to excel on an AMS course, but you do need to be within the limits of the average active person. Expeditions, with the demands of altitude, require a greater amount of physical fitness. A keen desire to learn, motivation, and a positive attitude are equally important to success. [Please click for more on Fitness & Training] Equipment CLICK The equipment list for your course goes into great detail. Please read it carefully. Given the huge market for outdoor equipment, it is difficult for us to know everything available out there and whether any particular item will be suitable for your course, ex. Retro-rocket 2000 or 3000 pile? We encourage students not to purchase items specifically for their course if it is available for rent at AMS. We keep a large inventory of good quality personal equipment available for rent. Instructors will go through all your equipment carefully with you and issue anything you might need. Once your course is over you will be an expert on what works, what doesn't, and why. How heavy are the packs? We are firm believers of a light pack is a good pack. Expect your pack to be around 45-55 pounds when moving camp, and 15-20 pounds during a peak ascent. People who weigh less an d have CLICK smaller frames carry less stuff than bigger people. The fact that courses fly onto the glacier and have the immediate option of using sleds greatly decreases pack weight. [Please click for more on Fitness & Training] Evaluations The evaluation process is an integral part of learning. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you become a more effective leader and outdoors person. Instructors provide verbal feedback throughout and written evaluations at the end of 12 day courses. You, in turn, will be asked to write evaluations on AMS. We expect everyone to be honest and open in giving and receiving feedback throughout the course. Food CLICK AMS provides a huge variety of hearty and nutritious meals on its courses and expeditions. We contract with specialized organic food wholesalers out of Washington and Oregon who consolidate and ship it to Alaska. Our menu boasts the finest quality , light weight, and tasty foods available. A typical ration includes a combination of dried and fresh foods and no pre-packaged dehydrated meals. A favorite student meal is hot cheddar Broccoli soup followed by Annie's Organic Macaroni and Cheese or baked burrito's with rice, beans, and salsa followed by cookies. The ability to cook nutritious, tasty meals in the back country is one of the most fundamental skills to a safe and enjoyable experience. During the first couple of days on a course, everyone eats in a group kitchen as a tent group, learning the techniques and what's available in the ration. Later in the course, tent groups retire to their own cook tent/mega mids to cook. This progression has proven quite popular and effective. Flying In AMS contracts with registered and permitted air service providers to fly students or rations and equipment into the mountains and land on glaciers and remote air strips. While being an unforgettable experience in itself, flying also allows us to minimize approach times and pack weights. Enrollment Please contact AMS' office in Talkeetna for an application, detailed course description or expedition itinerary, and equipment list. Upon receiving your application, we will send you an acceptance package which includes: equipment, travel, training, food, and recommended reading. We will also send you forms, such as medical and release forms, to fill out and return to us. Feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you! Student Comments Here is a link to comments made by people who signed up with AMS [Click for Graduate Comments page]

Top of Page Travel & Lodging General Info Email Us Alaska Mountaineering School Colby Coombs & Caitlin Palmer, Directors PO BOX 566, 3rd Street, Talkeetna, AK 99676 USA phone: (907)733-1016 fax: (907)733-1362 email: info@climbalaska.org AMS top image: Alaska Range viewed from Talkeetna Mount Foraker (17,400'), Mount Hunter (14,570'), Denali (20,320')