Becoming an Alpinist: Skills Upgrade - Part 1

By early 2021, the seed of alpinism had firmly taken root. I wasn’t just chasing summits anymore—I was preparing to become more self-reliant in the mountains. Up until this point, my climbs had tested endurance, glacier skills, and mental toughness. But I wanted to go deeper: into technical terrain, rope systems, and mixed environments. That meant training differently.

First came fitness. I began hiking regularly through the winter, often with weighted packs to simulate the strain of big mountain days. One of the more memorable outings was a winter attempt on Merchant Peak—a complex scramble that we didn’t summit, but which gave me valuable experience in navigating technical terrain under challenging conditions. Success or not, these efforts improved my mountain legs and sharpened my judgment. I also completed my AIARE 1 Avalanche Awareness course—essential knowledge for winter travel and reading terrain safely.

Next came climbing. I signed up for a 4-day intensive outdoor rock climbing course with the American Alpine Institute. My buddy Steve joined, and this was where I first met Lauren, a Montana-based guide I’d go on to climb with in future. The course started with the basics—tie-ins, belaying, and gear placements—but quickly progressed into building trad anchors, rappelling, and multi-pitch climbing.

The culmination of the course was a climb of Groundhog Day, a fun and exposed 3-pitch 5.6 route. It was my first true multi-pitch trad climb, and it delivered everything I’d hoped for: exposure, movement, teamwork, and that elevated sense of flow you only get when you're fully in sync with the rock. That climb wasn’t just a capstone to the course—it was a gateway. I came off the wall more excited than ever about the style of climbing that blends technical skill, problem-solving, and decision-making. In short: alpinism.

Everything I did in these months—whether snow hikes, gear practice, or anchor building—was part of preparing for a full Alpine Climbing course I had signed up for next. But even before that, the shift was already happening. I was no longer just chasing big peaks—I was slowly becoming a climber who could earn them through skill, judgment, and preparation. And that shift, subtle but powerful, set the tone for everything that followed.