Technical Mountain Running (Basic Clinic)

Ready to take your trail running beyond the beaten path?

This clinic is built for runners who are curious about alpine terrain and eager to explore the blur between mountain running and mountaineering. Whether you're eyeing bigger objectives or just want to build confidence off-trail, this program will equip you with the skills to move safely and efficiently through technical mountain environments. Choose between the Basic Clinic and the Advanced Clinic depending on your experience and the skills you want to develop.

Join professional mountain athlete Eric Carter and ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide Drew De Panicis for a hands-on, progression-based experience. You'll learn essential techniques for rock and snow travel, technical descents, basic rope work, hazard assessment, and endurance strategies—no previous climbing or mountaineering experience required.

Step into the alpine with knowledge, confidence, and a crew to back you up.

BASIC CLINIC DETAILS:

DATES AND TIMES: Event takes place over two evenings in Squamish.

Evening 1: June 24, 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Evening 2: June 26, 5:30pm - 9:30pm

PRE-REQUISITES:

Be comfortable with approximately 2hrs of movement (running, jogging, scrambling) with many breaks interspersed for technical concepts or teaching moments. No climbing skills are needed but you should be comfortable with a small amount of exposure and interested in scrambling.

COURSE CONTENTS:

• Packing for mountain running - What to bring for different objectives, what stays in the pack always, or only sometimes. What to carry in duplicate, or as group gear.
• Technical descents - Learn how to negotiate descending on technical terrain, from rappelling, to establishing and building your own anchors, to hand lines and down-climbing techniques.
• Identifying mountain hazards - Learn how to identify, avoid and/or safely manage mountain hazards on snow, ice and rock, above your head and below your feet
• Technical gear - understand the equipment available for minimal safe travel from personal anchors, belay devices, carabiners, etc

SAMPLE ITINERARY:

Evening 1: Smoke Bluffs

5:30pm: Meet at Smoke Bluff Parking Lot for intros and light stretch and pack contents

6:00pm: Move to cliffs to discuss technical gear

6:30pm: Rappelling and technical descents

7:30pm: Smoke Bluff Loops Circuit

9:30pm: Close day

Evening 2: Chief Alpine Bypass

5:30pm: Meet at chief parking lot for quick warm up

6:00pm: Climb, run, and descend the “alpine bypass” with movement coaching, technical descents, mountain hazards discussion, views, and all your questions answered

9:30pm: Course Close

GEAR LIST:

Please note, bring additional layers for this course than you would for a typical running objective. We will be standing around more than normal.

• Running shoes (your highest grip runners will be helpful)
• Running pack
• Food and water
• Harness (Lightweight “ski” harnesses are recommended)
• Helmet (used while we rappel)
• Warm Layers (for standing around and learning)

TECHNICAL GEAR LIST: You will want the following items in your kit but we can provide this for you for the course

• 1 x Petzl "H-frame" Locking Carabiner or similar
• 1x Locking carabiner (Any type)
• 1 x 120 cm sewn sling
• 1 x 1m length of 5mm accessory cord
• ATC style belay device

WEATHER DISCLAIMER! This one is important, everyone. There are no refunds for this course and it will be held rain or shine with the venue and terrain being selected for a safe execution. We cannot promise summits or guarantee we will go to a selected area without consulting the weather forecast a few days prior to the trip. This decision making is also a large part of making safe decisions in the mountains and will hopefully prove valuable. Unfortunately, we can’t make it perfect. But we promise you will learn a ton and go running regardless of where we go.