Part 1 - In-Person Outdoor Classroom
Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center
11/15/25
NOTE: THIS CLASS IS RUN THE MORNING OF THE SAME DAY AS THE WINTER SNOWSHOE BACKPACKING CLASS.

PREREQUISITE: Adult Leader Basic Backpacking Course taught in the Spring and Fall

Are we going to learn how to climb frozen waterfalls in this course? No, of course not! The key phrase in the title of this course is non-Technical. This course will serve as an introduction to low angle snow travel using basic mountaineering ice axe technique, with and without MICROspikes on your boots. No crampons!!!

The course will include (1) anatomy of a mountaineering ice axe; (2) ice axe maintenance and safety; (3) how to carry and grasp an ice axe; (4) ascending low angle snow with an ice axe including climbing in balance, rest step and step-kicking; (5) making a direct ascent using the cane position, stake position, horizontal position; (6) making a diagonal ascent using the cane position, cross-body position, changing direction and traversing; (7) descending low angle snow including plunge stepping, backing down and glissading; (8) stopping a fall including self-belay and self-arrest; (9) introduction to MICRO spikes.
Part 2 - Overnight Snowshoe Backpack (Little Lakes Valley - Rock Creek)
Same location as the Adult Leader Winter Snowshoe Backpacking course

1/17/26 - 1/19/26
NOTE: THE OVERNIGHTER FOR THE ICE-AXE CLASS IS RUN WITH THE OVERNIGHTER FOR THE WINTER SNOWSHOE BACKPACKING COURSE.

On the overnighter snowshoe backpack with instructors, students and instructors will snowshoe backpack into a backcountry camp somewhere in the local So Cal mountains (possibly the Eastern Sierra if local So Cal snow levels are inadequate). Students will practice ice axe technique on low angle snow with instructors.
The date and location will be voted on by the students. The trek will be low mileage and low angle snow.

The overnight part of the trip will be held on the weekend of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday during January 17-19, 2026 if there is adequate snow or on the weekend of the President’s Day holiday during February 14-16, 2026 if there is not good snow in January. Valentine’s Day falls on the President’s Day weekend in 2026.