Arc'teryx and Altus Guides acknowledge that we had the privilege of filming these clinics on the unceded, ancestral, and occupied, traditional lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Watuth), Stó:lō, Shíshálh (Sechelt) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nations of the Coast Salish peoples.
Created specifically for the Arc'teryx Academy, we have created six complete online clinics built to educate students on how to take their mountain skills to the next level. From backcountry camping to moving fast in the alpine, we have teamed up with industry leading ACMG guides, combined with our very own team of elite athletes, to share their knowledge. Learn at your own pace, in your own space, on your own schedule.
Each clinic has been meticulously crafted based on the combined mountain experiences and training from some of the top guides and athletes in the industry.
• FORMAT: These clinics are broken down into chapters so you can easily digest the information and learn at your own pace.
• CONTENT: Every chapter will consist of a series of recorded videos, followed by a quiz to further implant the key takeaways.
Altus Mountain Guides is a team of certified ACMG and IFMGA mountain guides with experience instructing and guiding all around the world. Based in the heart of Squamish BC, they are committed to deliver high level education to exceptional mountain experiences. Building off their extensive experience working with clients in the field, Altus Mountains Guides and the Arc’teryx Academy have come together to create this unique offering of online education.
To deliver these clinics we have compiled a group of top athletes and ACMG guides. Our instructors collectively represent the pinnacle of mountain adventuring and have dedicated their careers to educating, training and furthering their knowledge and skills in the mountains. We are pleased to work directly with these instructors to tailor each clinic with their instructors' own personal touch.
The Sport Climbing progression clinic is targeted towards beginner to intermediate sport climbers. The main focus of this clinic will be to provide the best tips and tricks to enhance your ability to excel whilst clipping bolts, projecting, training, and recovering.
• How to master the “mental game” from fear to pushing past your limits
• Learn the best way to project a climb
• Tips on training for a specific goal
• Learn how to let your body recover so you get the most out of your training
Alannah won her first National Climbing Championship at the tender age of 12. Today she’s Canada’s top “Overall” climber and part of the historic first wave of Olympic hopefuls who are evolving the sport of competition climbing. Alannah grew up in Vancouver and spent her childhood in the mountains. Her local gym was home to Canada’s top competitors and coaches, and as a young climber, Alannah drew inspiration from the warm camaraderie and support.
The Crack Climbing clinic is an intermediate level clinic covering all crack sizes, from fingertips to off-width. We will also cover intermediate to advanced lead strategies, as well as tips from Will’s climbing career.
This clinic is geared towards anyone who is new to outdoor crack climbing or experienced climbers looking to challenge themselves on new crack sizes.
• Skills to confidently tackle cracks of all sizes
• Identifying offwidths and tips cracks, how to approach and climb them
Will might have started his career as a youngster, but he's always had an old soul. The virtuoso crack climber is known for freeing the hardest route in the Bugaboos, the Tom Egan Memorial Route, although, freeing the three west faces of the Howser Towers in just a day might be one of his finest firsts. When Will isn’t stunting in movies or sending aesthetically pleasing and ridiculously hard cracks, he can be found guiding as an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides certified rock guide or serenading stray dogs with Bob Dylan songs.
Refine your backpacking and overnight camping skills with our Backpacking clinic. Learn how to plan and execute a day out on the trails, as well as how to set up a safe, efficient, backcountry camp.
Studying photojournalism seemed like a good plan, until she realised that her crushing shyness wasn’t well-suited to a profession that demands you to walk up to complete strangers. After transitioning back to guiding (her original dream) and becoming the first female snowboarder to hold an ACMG qualification, Christine outgrew her shyness and found her place in the mountains, even though that meant enduring an endless stream of “helpful” advice suggesting she ditch the splitboard and just ski.
Our backcountry cooking clinic is designed to provide tips and tricks even the most experienced backpacking and camping users will love. No matter the nature of your next adventure you are guaranteed to glean a surplus of knowledge from one of our most experienced instructors.
• Backcountry cooking Basics- learn how to make the best meals without sacrificing weight or quality
• 4 complete recipes for the ultimate backcountry smorgasbord
• How to make backcountry cocktails
• The art of managing quality ingredients vs. weight
Paul’s drive for climbing comes from the unknown of each new route and the comradery of the friends that join him. Paul has had many first ascents, including The Canadian Route on Fitzroy, Beluga Spire's Harpoon and the Southwest Buttress on the NW Summit of Mt. Waddington. A guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, a high ropes rigger and a multi-talented mountain sports polymath, Paul would always rather have no information and go through the rousing journey of discovery.
The Alpine Efficiency clinic was built to propel current entry level alpine enthusiasts into advanced climbing machines. Instructor Julia Niles will use her over 20 years of experience to give you the tools to make the next leap in alpine objectives. Whether you are learning the nuances of alpine transitions or moving efficiently over easier terrain, this clinic covers it all.
• How to identify alpine hazards
• Efficient snow and alpine rock anchors
• The art of short roping and short pitching
• Snow climbing techniques
• Efficiently manage glaciers and transitions
One of the first female mountain guides ever to attain the US IFMGA qualification, Niles is now based out of Squamish, where she’s raising two children, heli-guiding, leading women’s expeditions around the world and undertaking a Masters degree in psychology. Julia’s biggest achievements of late are in the personal landscape of peaks and valleys, navigating working motherhood, tending friendships, study, and work, with grace, and still making time to get on rock to replenish her soul.
The Alpine Running clinic is designed to instruct runners of all types and propel them into the world of alpine running. We will cover topics such as, scrambling, running on snow, downclimbing and training.
• The basics of scrambling
• Tips for managing alpine hazards
• Learn how to best train and achieve your goals
• Discover what foods will provide you with the best energy - weight ratio
Eric is not only obsessed with moving quickly in the mountains, but also with the 'how'. Aerobic alpinism is his jam, and he's not afraid to show it. Originally from Minnesota, Eric got his taste for heart-pumping in the cold during his early days as a competitive XC ski racer. He fell hard for the mountains when he moved to British Columbia in 2009, and the rest is history: Eric has been a consistently top-ranked member of the US National Ski Mountaineering Team since 2014.
For any inquiries regarding the Arc'teryx Climbing Academy, please contact climbingacademy@arcteryx.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
The Arc'teryx Climbing Academy Team