This is a two-week alpine expedition in the gorgeous North Cascades; the "American Alps". Altitude is best served by a good attitude. Students on this course should expect challenge and inspiration and should bring a willingness to try their best, show compassion for others and walk away knowing they are stronger than they thought they were.

The North Cascades is the perfect setting for multi-day ridge traverses that are sure to capture alpine glow sunsets and sunrises over hundreds of unnamed peaks.  Climbing in this same area provides some of the notorious "50 classic climbs" in North America. Take this unique opportunity to rock climb, rappel, make peak ascents and navigate your way through the Sawtooth Wilderness Area, the North Cascades National Park and/or the Pasayten Wilderness in the Grizzly Bear mountain range. This breath-taking area is nicknamed the "American Alps," for the open cliff faces and deep glacially carved valleys, characteristic of the European Alpine environment.

The Outward Bound Difference

As the course progresses and your skills and experience increase, your instructors will turn more and more responsibility over to you and your patrol. You take over decision-making on navigation, route finding, distance to be covered, sharing of duties, campsite setup/cleanup and meal selection. This is your opportunity to make the course your own unique experience by setting up each day's challenges, setting a pace that is appropriate for your patrol, becoming each other's friends and confidantes, and having more fun. Successful completion of your course demands mastery of skills, trust, fitness, confidence, tenacity, leadership, initiative and compassion. The promotion of these qualities, and the discovery of what's in you, is the purpose of Outward Bound. Come travel with Outward Bound and reach some of the most beautiful terrain in the country.

 Service & Compassion

Outward Bound courses are team environments where you and your group work closely together to travel, navigate and camp together every day.  Group living can be challenging.  Inevitably students learn about one key facet of human interaction; compassion.  Throughout Outward Bound’s 60-year history we strove to deliver new perspective on compassion and being of service to others. Today most courses include a half to a full day of community service and we hope that your experience with us translates into a desire to engage in service to others when you return home.

Course Description

On the North Cascades Backpacking course, you'll experience a glaciated remote region that is very Alpine intensive with dramatic & rugged terrain, and high exposure. The emphasis of this course is to teach you smart and efficient backpacking and alpine travel techniques.  During this course, you can expect to travel on and off trail over wooded and alpine terrain which can be rough, steep and exposed to heights, but with lightweight gear for fast and light travel. You learn Leave No Trace camping and travel skills, outdoor cooking, basic first-aid, map and compass use, route finding, and how to use an ice axe if necessary on your route. You backpack up through the alpine environment full of gorgeous valleys, glacial lakes and challenging passes. You and your group will attempt one peak ascent.

Mountaineering vs. Backpacking -In alpine environments like the Rockies, the Cascades or the Sierra Nevada, or any of our courses in the west, backpacking and mountaineering are very similar. On both course types the majority of travel takes place around 9000'.  Both courses require strict adherence to alpine oriented Leave-No-Trace principles and practices and both include peak ascent attempts. Mountaineering courses attempt peaks that are higher in altitude and that require ropes, anchors or rock climbing to reach the peak. Backpacking peak attempts generally can be reached on foot without ropes or other gear.  Because mountaineering requires technical climbing gear, the pack weights are heavier and the course more challenging.

To apply for this course click the apply button next to the course dates that work for you. Or better yet call one of our expert Admission Advisers at 866-467-7651. Course tuitions listed below do not include our Application Fee or Transportation Fee.