How to Climb a Winter Fourteener
February 21, 2023 | 6:00 pm Mountain Time | Free Webinar
Climbing a 14,000 foot peak in winter is not an easy task. In addition to the obvious cold temperatures, you’ll need to make it through deep snow drifts, avoid avalanches, and watch out for frostbite and hypothermia. In this webinar we’ll share everything you need to know to have a safe and successful first winter ascent. If you cannot attend on February 28th, register anyway and we’ll send you a video recording to watch later. Don’t wait – register below today to save a spot!
Meet the Presenter: Bruce Beckmann, Alpine Rescue Team
Bruce Beckmann is the Co-Director of Preventive SAR (PSAR) education with the Alpine Rescue Team. He conducts training for Search and Rescue volunteers from across the state and the general public, with previous sessions focused on lightning risk in the mountains, group decision-making dynamics, and GPS devices for backcountry navigation. In this session, he will share some tried-and-true advice for safely climbing winter 14ers. He’ll also provide common examples of rescues on winter 14ers, the group dynamics involved, and what you can do to be prepared.
What Will You Learn in This Webinar?
In this engaging 60-minute session, you’ll cover all the essential steps for planning and carrying out a winter hike or climb on a class 1 or 2 fourteener. Specifically, we will be discussing the following:
- How to pick a peak and route for a winter ascent
- What to research, with a focus on weather and snow conditions
- Packing for your trip and what you should wear
- Avalanche Awareness and Risk Mitigation
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Essential Wilderness Survival and First Aid
Here from a past webinar attendee...
Alex cares about our mountains and our community. If you’re reading this and about to tackle your first 14er, it will behoove you to participate in Alex Derr’s webinar."
