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Washington Winter Mountaineering - Veterans

Join Outward Bound and other veterans on this wilderness expedition designed to provide veterans an opportunity to be together outside the military.

Course Areas

The North Cascades, Washington – Courses will travel through one or a combination of the Sawtooth Wilderness, North Cascades National Park, and the Pasayten Wilderness. This area is nicknamed the "American Alps," for the open cliff faces and deep glacially carved valleys that are characteristic of the European Alps. This is the perfect setting for multi-day ridge traverses that capture alpenglow sunsets and sunrises over hundreds of unnamed peaks. Climbing in this same area provides a few of the "50 Classic Climbs" in North America. The area is a very remote region with very dramatic & rugged terrain, high exposure, and intensive alpine vistas. 

In the early season (April-June), courses typically have a significant amount of snow travel and you will be sleeping on snow for a good portion of the experience. Students will learn roped team travel and self-arrest skills for traveling on steep snow and glaciers. The weather is most diverse during this time with a mix of snow, rain and sun. With the majority of the precipitation being in the form of snow. During the day temperatures typically range from freezing to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at night the temperature commonly drops below freezing.


Course Description

Your course will begin the moment you are picked up at the meeting location, and will continue through your trip into the North Cascades of Washington, where the real magic takes place. Winter Mountaineering means snow! And lots of it! Although it presents its own challenges, these challenges bring with them opportunities. You will acquire skills which promote warmth and dryness while living and traveling in this type of environment. Constructing your camp in snow. And in some cases, out of snow!  You will learn the skills to assess the snow conditions which will inform your planning of the days travel and the details of the route. Simply walking in snow shoes is a skill on its own and these techniques will be taught along with others particular to this environment. 

For more information on the veterans program at Outward Bound, please click here.