Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir

Qualifications

This trip is open to all individuals in excellent physical condition. There are no technical climbing prerequisites to join this program.

Physical Fitness Training

Mountaineering requires a high degree of physical stamina and mental toughness. Even for the healthiest and fittest individuals, climbing mountains qualifies as an extremely challenging endeavor.

• Start immediately. Start a rigorous fitness and training program now with the goal of arriving in top physical condition and confident in your skills.
• Be intentional. Focus on gaining the necessary strength, stamina and skills to meet the physical and technical demands of the climb.
• Be sport-specific. The best fitness and training program mimics the physical and technical demands of your climbing objective. The closer you get to your program date, the more your training should resemble the climbing.

For the Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir, you are preparing for:

• Steep hiking, climbing and glacier travel with a 35-45 lb load
• A 12+ hour summit day
• Mountaineering techniques requiring core strength and flexibility

Nothing ensures a personally successful adventure like your level of fitness and training. Bottom line: Plan on being in the best shape of your life and ready for a very challenging adventure!

Below are approximate outlines of the program's physical demands that will be helpful in planning your training schedule and goals:

Please refer to our Resources for Mountaineering Fitness and Training for detailed fitness and training information.

Acclimatization

Excellent physical conditioning significantly increases your ability to acclimatize. Climbers in excellent physical condition simply have more energy to commit to the acclimatization process throughout the days and nights of the ascent, allowing their bodies to adjust to the altitude more easily.

While the key to climbing high is proper acclimatization, this climb effectively moves up and down the mountain at a rate that exceeds our body’s ability to adjust (acclimate) to the high altitude. This is true whether a program spends 2 days or 5 days on the upper mountain (elevations above 10,000 feet). During our short climb, our bodies simply do not have the time to completely adjust to the altitude, and because of this short stay, our bodies do not typically succumb to altitude’s ill effects. In short, climbers generally experience the mild but uncomfortable, yet normal, symptoms of their bodies beginning the adjustment process. While climbers will feel better rested on the slightly longer programs, fitness remains the key factor in a climber’s performance.

In addition, physical performance at altitude is often related to how well you have taken care of yourself throughout the hours, days and weeks prior to summit day. Arriving healthy and well-rested, maintaining proper hydration and caloric intake, and protecting against unnecessary heat loss (staying warm) are usually key factors in an individual’s success on a short-term visit to altitude.

MEALS

On the Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir you will need five days of climbing food, including five mountain lunches, four dinners, and four breakfasts while on the mountain.

OVERVIEW

Nutrition while training and nutrition while climbing are two very different things. You may follow a pretty specific nutrition regimen while you are training to aid your desired outcomes, but once it comes to the climb, calories are what count the most. While climbing, you are trying to maximize energy and performance over a short period of time.

Our food priorities when climbing are:

• a high-calorie intake
• a variety of flavor profiles (sweet, salty, sour, etc.)
• durability/packability
• enjoyment

Caloric requirements will vary widely from climber to climber based on physical size and metabolism. It is important for you to know what your body requires. One of the normal, albeit disconcerting, adjustments to altitude is a slight loss of appetite. Bring food you enjoy. If you don't love a food at home, you certainly won't like it on the mountain!

At camp, hot and cold water will be provided for your meals, drinks, and refilling water bottles. When planning your menu, don't bring any items that require extensive preparation, cooking, or simmering. We are able to provide you with boiling water but do not have the ability to actually cook food items.

Things to keep in mind as you plan your meals:

• How much space the food will take in your backpack
• How well the food will hold up throughout the trip in your backpack
• How much waste does the food produce

Consider repacking items into smaller Ziploc bags to minimize the space in your pack. Your food will get crammed into your backpack, jostled around, exposed to extreme temperatures, and even sat on (by you, of course!). What holds up better in these conditions, two slices of bread or a bagel? When packing, it is essential to consider the waste you will produce on the climb; after all, you have to carry it off the mountain. We've already mentioned repacking items to minimize space. Repacking items can also eliminate waste!

MOUNTAIN LUNCHES

Mountain lunches, aka snacks, are eaten during short breaks throughout the day. We continually snack to keep our energy levels up while we climb. We typically take rest breaks every hour or so to adjust our clothing layers, eat, and hydrate. Avoid packing any items that require preparation or hot water at each break. In terms of quantity, aim to bring 1 lb. of climbing food per day. We suggest using snack or sandwich size Ziploc bags to portion out snack food.

The importance of having foods that you genuinely enjoy cannot be overstated. Eating properly is the key to maintaining strength while in the mountains. To combat the loss of appetite at altitude, we aim to have a variety of foods that stimulate the whole palate, from sweet to sour to salty. See the sample menu and packing list below for ideas!

Breakfast

Single-serving instant oatmeal, Cream-of-Wheat, or granola make a good main course fare. A variety of granola bars, pastries, fruit, and a hot drink mix of coffee, tea, cocoa, or cider are suggested. Plan on eating a breakfast that tastes good, and you find filling. See the sample menu and packing list below for additional ideas!

Dinner

This meal will give your body the initial fuel it needs during your summit attempt. Spend time considering your options so that you go to bed nourished and ready for the climb ahead of you. Freeze-dried entrees are very convenient mountain dinners. Pay attention to the caloric quantity – it varies from meal to meal. See the sample menu and packing list below for more ideas!

BEVERAGES

Staying hydrated on the climb is crucial. You will have access to ample cold water while at camp for drinking and replenishing water bottles. When you are climbing, you will want to ration how much water you drink at each rest break to ensure you have water throughout the entirety of your climb. You can expect breaks to occur approximately every hour or so of climbing.

Just as with food, it is important to have a variety of things to drink that excite your taste buds. You may love water, but it may not sound good at 10,000'! Drink mixes such as Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Liquid IV, Nuun, etc., are great for flavor. Hot beverage options are also an important component to consider while at camp. Coffee, tea, cocoa, and cider are great ways to warm up in the evening before bed, when you wake up for your alpine start on summit day, and to recharge once back at camp.

SAMPLE MENU

This is an example of what someone may eat for each meal on the Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir. Use this to guide and inspire your own meal planning.

SAMPLE PACKING LIST

This is an example of quantities when thinking about packing the food listed in our Sample Menu. While it is important to keep in mind space and weight, it is also important to pack enough food. When in doubt, err on the side of packing more food. Better to take food off the mountain with you than to go hungry. Besides, you can always share or trade food with your teammates! Use this packing list as a guide for your own meal packing, so you won't forget anything (a salami sandwich without mustard is a sad sandwich).

• Ziploc bags (sandwich size) for portioning food
• Bagels (4 – 5)
• Salami, pre-sliced (2 packages)
• Cheese, pre-sliced (2 packages)
• Oreos or other cookies* (3 – 4 lunch-size packs)
• Chips (4 small lunch-sized bags)
• Apple slices (3 apple)
• Peanut butter pretzels or crackers* (enough to portion into 4 Ziplocs)
• Candy Bars (4 – 5 assorted), ones with nuts/peanut butter and chocolate are great for combining quick energy and lasting energy
• Goldfish* (enough to portion into 4 Ziplocs)
• Chewy candy such as Starbursts or Sour Patch Kids (3 – 4 packages)
• Trail mix* (enough to portion into 4 Ziplocs), Target and Trader Joe's have excellent trail mix options
• M & Ms (3 – 4 bags), great for snacking or for adjusting the chocolate to nut ratio in your trail mix
• Crackers* (enough to portion into 3 – 5 Ziplocs)
• Hummus (4 individual packets)
• Freeze-dried dinner entrées (4)
• Veggies such as carrots and celery* (enough for 3 Ziploc)
• Instant oatmeal (8 packets)
• Energy Gels or Chews (8 – 9 total)
• Granola and/or Protein Bars (4 – 5 bars)
• Hot Cocoa (4 – 5 packets)
• Tea (4 – 5 packets)
• Instant Coffee (4 – 5 packets)
• Nuun (4 – 5 packets or tablets)

• Condiments

  • Mustard (3 – 5 individual packets)
  • Mayo (3 – 5 individual packets)
  • Honey (3 packets)
  • Peanut butter (3 pouches)
  • Raisins (3 kids lunch size box)
  • Sugar, as needed for your coffee/tea
  • Instant creamer, as needed for your coffee/tea

*Portion these items into Ziploc bags for snacks. This will allow you to pull them out easily during our rest breaks to refuel your body.

GUIDE PICKS

RMI Guides climb A LOT. They've eaten a lot of food in the mountains, and they know what food they absolutely LOVE and what to leave behind. Here are some of their favorite foods to pack:

James Bealer

“I don’t go on a climb without packing lots of Oreos!”

Pete Van Deventer

“I am a big fan of baguette sandwiches. Prosciutto, brie or a good hard cheese, slices of cucumber, and a touch of butter on the bread!”

Dominic Cifelli

“Anything fresh, pizza, a sub, some fruit, etc. That’s how I stay on top of my game in the mountains.” OR “Anything I’d crave on my couch at home. Chips, chocolate, and cheese. If I wouldn’t eat it at home I probably wouldn’t want it at altitude!”

Jackson Breen

"I like to have something salty and savory to compliment the sweeter options. My go to is left over nachos wrapped in tin foil. Make sure you leave the sauce out or you'll have a soggy mess on your hands!"

BEN LUEDTKE

"I bring a twinkie with me on every climb to the summit. And I never forget my baby Nalgene with coffee for the first portion of the climb!"

Dustin Wittmier

“Caffeinated Nuun tablets! They make water more palatable and I prefer the caffeinated variety for a boost in the middle of the night.”

Payments

Deposit Payments: A non-refundable deposit of $550 per person is required to secure your reservation.

• Deposits can be paid using MasterCard*, Visa*, American Express*, e-check/ACH, U.S. bank check, or wire transfer**.

Balance Payments: The remaining balance is due 120 days before your program's start date.

• Balance payments can be made via MasterCard*, Visa*, American Express*, e-check/ACH, U.S. bank check, or wire transfer**.
• You will receive a payment reminder approximately three weeks before your payment is due. If your balance is not paid 120 days before the program starts, your reservation will be canceled, and all fees will be forfeited.A payment reminder is emailed approximately three weeks before your payment due date. If your balance payment is not received 120 days before the start of your program, your reservation will be canceled, and all program fees will be forfeited.
• Full payment is required when registering within 120 days of the program start date.

*Note: A 3% surcharge applies to all credit/debit card transactions. Payments over $10,000 must be made via wire transfer or check.
**Wire transfers must include all fees charged by your bank. The amount received by our bank must match the deposit amount.

Cancellation

The $550 deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

• Cancellations must be submitted in writing. Once received, the following policy applies:
  • Cancellations made 120 or more days before the program start date will forfeit the $550 deposit.
  • Cancellations made less than 120 days before the program start date will not receive refunds or credits.

We do not offer refunds. Please remember this before registering for this program. Due to the time-sensitive nature of this program, no exceptions will be made to the cancellation policy.

Cancellation Insurance

We highly recommend travel insurance for this trip. Please see our Travel Tab for details.

Change of Date

Date changes are subject to availability and can only be applied to the current climbing season. Changes must be requested at least 90 days before the departure date and will incur a $200 fee per person. No date changes are allowed within 90 days of departure.

Risk Management

Please clearly understand that mountaineering is inherently a hazardous sport. Managing risk is RMI’s number one priority. Our guides manage significant hazards inherent in mountaineering, but they cannot eliminate them. Objective hazards include rockfall, icefall, avalanches, slides or falls by individuals and rope teams on steeper slopes, weather-related problems including cold, heat, high winds, and other unnamed dangers that can occur while climbing. 
You are choosing to engage in an activity in which guided and non-guided climbers have been injured and killed. While those accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge the risk and hazards of mountaineering and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity.

Summit Attempt

RMI cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit. Weather, route conditions, your own abilities, or the abilities of other climbers may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe, and you or your entire group may have to turn around without reaching the summit. 

Failure to reach the summit due to a person’s own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route conditions, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.) are not Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.’s responsibility and will not result in a refund, credit, or reschedule.

Participant Responsibilities

Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team effort. Each participant shares responsibility for the safety and success of the group. Therefore, we ask that each participant:

• Be physically and mentally fit for the program.
• Review and understand all provided program information.
• Notify the RMI Office of any changes to your health or medical information before departure.
• Be properly attired and equipped according to the Equipment List.
• Act considerately towards all team members.
• Minimize environmental impact by following Leave No Trace practices.
• Honestly and accurately describe your fitness, health, skills, abilities, and equipment to the guide staff.
• Communicate any changes in medications or health to the guide staff during the program.
• Follow the advice of your guide staff.
• Continuously assess your fitness, health, skills, and abilities in relation to the program’s demands.

RMI reserves the right to remove a participant from the program or to send them to a lower altitude if the guide staff determines, at their discretion, that the participant is not adequately prepared or capable of participating safely. This decision may be based on physical, technical, or psychological factors, or any other reason that might affect the safety, health, or well-being of the participant or the group. If removed, the participant will not receive refunds or credits and will be responsible for all additional costs associated with early departure, including evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, and meals. 

Zero Tolerance Harassment Policy

RMI has a strict zero-tolerance policy for harassment or mistreatment of our participants or employees. Inappropriate behavior under this policy includes any conduct that creates a disrespectful, intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for others. Such behavior is considered a violation of this policy.

RMI may consider behavior to be in violation of this policy even if it does not meet the legal definition of harassment. When assessing whether conduct violates this policy, we will evaluate whether a reasonable person would perceive the behavior as creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or demeaning environment.

Violations of this policy may lead to removal from a program and denial of services indefinitely. We prioritize the safety and well-being of our participants and employees. Please report any incidents to RMI management.

Age requirements

All participants must be 18 years old at the time of registration.

Photo Release

RMI’s Photo Release outlines the terms and conditions for using your likeness in photographs, videos, or other digital media. 

I hereby grant Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) or its affiliates permission to use my likeness in a photograph, video, or other digital media (“photo”) in any and all of its publications, including web-based publications. By granting permission, you allow RMI to utilize these media for lawful purposes. 

Here are the key points:

1. Authorization: You authorize RMI to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute the photos.
2. Ownership: All photos become the property of RMI and will not be returned.
3. Compensation: You will not be compensated for these uses.
4. Rights: RMI exclusively owns all rights to the images, videos, and recordings and to any derivative works created from them. 
5. Waiver: You waive the right to inspect or approve printed or electronic copies.
6. Release: You release Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. and its assigns and licensees from any claims arising from these uses, including defamation, invasion of privacy, rights of publicity, or copyright.
7. Hold Harmless: You hold harmless, release, and forever discharge RMI or its affiliates from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action which I, my heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, or any other persons acting on my behalf or on behalf of my estate have or may have by reason of this authorization.

General Policies

RMI's program schedule and itineraries may change based on various factors such as route conditions, weather, group strength, terrain, and other environmental factors. RMI has the full discretion to modify plans in response to these or other factors, including adjustments to program fees, schedule, itinerary, or staffing as necessary to ensure the safety and proper conduct of the program. Once a program begins, the Lead Guide will determine any changes to the itinerary, including the possibility of ending the program early if continuing poses risks to the group's safety, health, or well-being.

RMI reserves the right to cancel any program due to insufficient participation, weather, route conditions, or other reasons. In such cases, we will try to reschedule the Participant for another program date. If rescheduling is not possible, RMI will refund the Participant for all program fees paid, minus any non-refundable payments made on the Participant's behalf prior to cancellation, such as the Cost Recovery Fee and Entrance Fee paid to the National Park Service. RMI is not responsible for any non-refundable expenses incurred by the Participant in preparation for the program, such as airline tickets, hotel reservations, rental cars, or equipment purchases or rentals.

Once a program has started, no refunds or credits will be given for cancellations due to weather, route conditions, or other factors that could jeopardize the group's health, safety, or well-being. Additionally, if the Participant chooses not to begin or decides to leave the program early, no refunds or credits will be issued. The Participant will be responsible for any extra costs related to early departure, including evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, and meals.

Program costs are offered as a package, and no refunds or credits will be provided for unused portions. The Participant acknowledges that RMI is not responsible for any travel or hospitality services provided by other companies, including airlines, hotels, rental cars, and transportation services. RMI is also not liable for any act, error, omission, injury, loss, delay, or danger caused by a travel or hospitality provider. The Participant will be responsible for any costs resulting from travel delays, missed connections, or lost baggage that require additional arrangements to rejoin the program.