Everett Mountaineers Navigation Course

The Everett Branch of the Mountaineers offers a •navigation course•, open to anyone interested in topographical map reading and navigation using a map, altimeter and compass. This year two classes were held in March (7th & 28th). Students enrolled in backcountry skiing, basic climbing and alpine scrambling are required to take the course, but many of this year's participants were simply looking to refine the map & compass skills needed for those weekend adventures in the back country. The Seattle Branch of the Mountaineers also offer a separate course covering •GPS navigation• in May '09.

"The •Everett Mountaineers Alpine Scrambling Course• provides instruction on how to travel safely off-trail and scramble to mountain summits. Most Northwest mountain summits are accessible by scramble routes. Scrambles are typically strenuous, and usually involve off-trail travel over rock, snow, or brush. The scramble course provides a program of instruction about proper equipment, clothing, navigation, route-finding, avalanche avoidance, weather awareness, rock and off-trail scrambling, wilderness ethics, snow travel, ice axe arrest, and glissade techniques. The course goal is to teach the skills necessary to scramble enjoyably while minimizing risk."