The Cascades have many great guide services for climbers, with the American Alpine Institute (AAI) and Mountain Madness being two of the best, both in the region and in the world. Throughout the season, there are many fixed departure mountaineering courses to choose from. This makes it easy to find a trip that fits your training needs and timing, without having to organize a group or hire a private guide. As a bonus, many courses stop by charming mountain towns, like Leavenworth, Winthrop, and Twisp.
The Cascades are a mountaineering mecca, with terrain that includes glaciated peaks, multi-pitch climbing routes, and steep scrambles. This range is perfect for those looking to round out their mountaineering skills, as you can practice ice climbing, rock climbing, crevasse rescue, glacier travel, avalanche risk awareness, and ski mountaineering all in one epic outdoor playground. The region’s relatively low altitude also makes it ideal for skill development without the mental challenges of operating on low oxygen.
Mount Baker (10,781 ft) is an ideal mountain for training because it features massive glaciers that can be reached in a few hours from the Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead. Other popular mountains in the Cascade Range, which are frequently used for mountaineering courses, include Mount Rainier (14,410 ft), Glacier Peak (10,541 ft), Mount Shuksan (9,131 ft), and Eldorado Peak (8,868 ft).
