Modern Alpinism Course
Getting started in mountaineering? Enroll in this beginner mountaineering course by Mark Smiley, the instructor, covering all aspects of alpine skills and mountaineering. Reaching a challenging summit is immensely rewarding. Yet, when you venture into the mountains, you contend with various elements that elevate risk exposure and failure potential. Stack the odds in your favor for your next mountain mission with the skills acquired here.
After this mountaineering course:
- Go anywhere and reach the summit in style
- Apply alpine skills
- Reduce stress while preparing
- Avoid rookie mistakes that can ruin the experience
- Be mentored by a mountain guide (Mark Smiley) that's 'been there done that'
If Yes, Then This Course Will Help:
- Gear recommendations to keep your pack light
- Ice climbing movement techniques
- Expedition planning
- Winter survival and camping beta
- Systematically organize route info
Forever Access
MTN Sense offers no subscriptions, no time limits, and avalanche certification. Reference this course forever.
One Of A Kind Mountaineering Courses
This unique course tackles the avalanche problems with real case studies.
Join 1300+ students
Lots of skiers and splitboarders have happily completed this avalanche online training course.
What sets this course apart?
- Get educated on your schedule.
- Access future updates for free.
- Ask direct questions to Mark Smiley throughout.
- Safe learning environment. Be bold with your questions.
Avalanche Course Video Curriculum
- User Interface Layout (1:27)
- Mountain Terms Defined (6:46) Preview
- Climbing Route Ratings (9:50)
- Block vs Swinging & More (6:52)
- Find A Good Partner (2:43)
- Managing Risk (7:42)
- Acceptance of Risk
- Factor Two Falls (4:42)
- Rock: 2-Bolt Anchors Hacks (10:40)
- Rock: Alpine Rock Anchors (17:02)
- Rock: Alpine Anchor Progression (8:55)
- Rock: Bail Anchors (5:03)
- Rock: Glue In & Mechanical Bolts (14:10)
- Ice: V-Thread Anchors (12:54)
- Snow: Deadman (6:42)
- Snow: Pickets (5:05)
- Butt Anchor (1:47)
- Anchor Progression Preference Chart
- Where To Place Pitons (4:25)
- Sizes & Placement (10:42)
- Removing Pitons (1:36)
- 'What If' Situations (6:00)
- 5 Rookie Mistakes (9:42)
- My Standard Rack (3:11)
- Ropes Ratings Explained (8:22)
- Crampons: Steel vs Aluminum (6:37)
- Complete Gear List - All 83 items
- Boots (2:04)
- Electronics (4:10)
- Gear...Top Recs
- Uncoil A New Rope...Zero Twists (1:56)
- Mt Rainier Packing List
- Warmth & Weight Considerations (6:44)
- Tents, Pads, & Sleeping Bags (12:41)
- Pitching A Strong Tent (5:42)
- Water Collection (9:51)
- Bivy Meals & Cooking (6:21)
- Camp Stoves (3:02)
- Fuel Efficient Snow Melting (4:26)
- Multi-Week Meal Plan (PDF)
- Intro: Dr. Christian Dean (0:54)
- AMS, HAPE & HACE (7:19)
- Frostbite & Blisters (5:56)
- A Guide's Guide To Denali Unguided (PDF)
- Training For Denali & Other Big Mtns (3:42)
- Glacier Sun Protection (2:51)
- Skis vs Snowshoes on Denali (4:20)
- Bikini Wax Your Butt Crack (1:14)
- Risk Management on Denali (2:54)
- Training Philosophy (52:20)
- Offline Beta on Mt Stuart's North Ridge (4:19)
- Quick Topo Hack (1:11)
- Check the Weather (1:54)
- What's Your Rescue Plan? (2:43)
- Should We Turn Around? (5:45)
- Create a .GPX File for a GPS App (14:57)
- Conclusion (1:18)
- Hummingbird Ridge, Mt Logan, Canada (13:42)
Enroll Here
- Complete the video course on your schedule. Reference lessons in the future.
- Ask Mark Smiley direct questions.
- Complete the video course on your schedule. Reference lessons in the future.
- Ask Mark Smiley direct questions.
- Complete the video course on your schedule. Reference lessons in the future.
- Ask Mark Smiley direct questions.
As I venture into more advanced terrain and beginner mountaineering objectives the Tetons, I'm very thankful to have a catalog of videos I can reference at my own pace. The format allows for an entertaining review of good material, with the ability to re-play the specific skills that I need more work on!
Dude...your video tutorials are perfect! All that info is absolutely invaluable. Answers all my questions. THANK YOU!
Frequently Asked Questions
Alpinism is just a cool way to say that you're climbing a mountain. Alpinist = Mountain Climber. Alpinist draw on many skills to reach the summit. Climbing rock and ice, navigation, reading weather, building anchors, route planning, and more.
Forever - across any devices you own.
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.
Yes. Every lesson has a place for questions, and Mark will reply personally. We will meet twice a month, from Nov 15 - May 15, via Zoom. The mountain meet-ups will also be a great time to connect and ask questions in real time.
Who is Mark Smiley?
Mark Smiley's passion for adventure has taken him on 30+ expeditions on five continents. He and his wife, Janelle, are the only people that have attempted to climb all 50 Classic Climbs of North America (48 successfully). He was part of a team to set a world record skiing across the entire Alps Mountain Range (1100 miles and 292,000 vertical feet) in a mere 36 days.
His avalanche safety training style is fun, mellow, and easy to understand. As an IFMGA Certified Mountain Guide, Mark Smiley is among the world's elite guides to have reached this status. More important than this certification is his candid style of conveying the best avalanche skills training techniques that will benefit you the most.
Victor Caldua was a friend and mountain guide and father who died in an avalanche while climbing Alpamayo, Peru. He left behind a wonderful wife, Alicia, and two amazing and talented daughters, Vanessa and Estefani. 10% of the profit from this course will be gifted to Victor's family for their education expenses. Vanesse wants to be an engineer and Estefani wants to be a mountain guide.
Sept 1, 2023 Update: $10,000+ sent to Victor's family, to help with school expenses. We are committed to supporting their needs indefinitely. As more people enroll, his kids' education prospects increase.
