Mountaineers climb away in the 2025 Mountaineers Climbing School. Courtesy photo

LAM News:

The Los Alamos Mountaineers would like to announce their 2026 rock climbing school, in conjunction with Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Adventures of Taos. Details can be found on the climbing school page. Scholarship aid may be possible in cases of need.

Mountain Skills, supported by Mountaineers volunteers, will teach rock climbing with a safety-first attitude, including movement on rock, belaying, rappelling, cleaning protective gear, and removing anchors, with extensive on-rock practice. The course objective is such that successful students should develop the skills needed to participate in top roping, follow a leader in a multi-pitch trad climb, and be able to climb or descend moderate technical obstacles in unplanned backcountry situations using improvised gear (e.g. rope and carabiners). No previous rock-climbing experience is required.

Outdoor sessions will be held at Northern New Mexico climbing areas, principally Tres Piedras.

The outdoor sessions will encompass a full day (6 hours) on the Saturdays of May 2, 9, 16, and May 30. Participants will sign a Los Alamos Mountaineers waiver at the first session, and additional waivers as required by Mountain Skills. Helmets, harnesses, and climbing shoes will be provided based on the information provided by participants in their registration form.

Participants should bring their own lunches and water to these outdoor sessions.

The course syllabus includes:

• May 2: Climbing movement, introduction to belaying. 
• May 9: Belaying and climbing fun, simple anchors.
• May 16: Introduction to trad equipment, removing gear, seconding, climbing fun.
• May 30: Cleaning of sport anchors, more climbing. 

The cost for the school will be $650; a slot in the school will be secured when (1) participants sign up online as indicated on the climbing school page, (2) payment is received by the Mountaineers, and (3) participants sign up for Mountaineer membership, if needed. (Participants may also want to provide an optional tip for the Mountain Skills instructors at the conclusion of the course.) Payment may be made by check, made out to “Los Alamos Mountaineers”, mailed to LAM c/o Claire Schappert at 115 Grand Canyon, White Rock, NM 87547. The school will take place if we register at least 7 participants, and will fill at 25 participants. Payment will be refunded only if the slot can be filled by a suitable replacement. Participants will be responsible for obtaining their own copy of the course book. Registration will close on April 11.

Thanks to a generous donation from Suzy Miller and William Straight in honor of Jim Straight, the Mountaineers are offering a limited number of scholarships to help climbing students with their enrollment fees. The scholarship application form can found on the climbing school page.

Completed forms should be sent to Toni Taylor at taylortrugman@gmail.com by noon April 1, 2025.

Participants should be at least 18 years old, except that 16- or 17-year olds can take part if a parent or guardian is present at all outdoor activities, either as a fellow student or an observer.

All participants should be members of the Los Alamos Mountaineers; joining the Mountaineers is easy, and can be done at https://www.lamountaineers.org/drupal7/Member_Benefits.html.

The climbing school has been a highlight of the Mountaineers year for decades, and the Club is excited to have it continue. Friendships made at the climbing school lasted for years, and participants went on to become Mountaineers participants and leaders. We trust that climbing skills learned will open the door to adventures for decades to come.