Wilderness Trekking School (WTS)

Lecture Dates: Tuesdays, April 2, 9, 23 and 30, May 14 @ 6:30 pm, Foss Auditorium, AMC Golden

Field Dates: Your Choice of all Thursdays, Saturdays, or Sundays; April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 16; or April 13, 20, 27, May 4, 18; or April 14, 21, 28, May 5, 19.

Enrollment fee: $90 Denver Group Members; $100 non DG members, until March 26, then $110, $120 until April 2.

Hiking in Colorado’s mountains is fabulous recreation! Wilderness Trekking School (WTS) is for all – whether you want to bag a few 14ers – OR – just want to enjoy the scenery. WTS is a great introduction to the Colorado Mountain Club and a place to meet new friends. WTS is Colorado Mountain Club’s largest school, a comprehensive course on mountain hiking. Students are all ages, from 18 to 80. If you’re new to hiking, WTS gives you the opportunity to learn how to travel safely – and with confidence – in the backcountry. If you’re an experienced hiker, WTS gives you a chance to review, to enhance your skills, and possibly to fill in some gaps. WTS also fulfills one of the requirements to obtain a Denver Group C hiker classification and to attend Basic Mountaineering School.

Topics covered include:

• Essential gear, helping you decide what you need to buy and carry

• Off-trail travel techniques, from boulders and talus to tundra

• Map & compass skills, figuring out where you are, navigation and route-finding

• Weather, how to anticipate and handle wind, rain, lightning, and snow

• Nutrition, helping you choose what food to carry

• Handling an unexpected night in the backcountry and a backcountry emergency

• Snow travel and avalanche awareness, handling unexpected snow on the trail

• Leave No Trace practices

The course consists of five Tuesday night lectures, four field days, a group hike, and some homework (yes, really!).  Students are divided into groups of 10-12 people, based on hiking pace, conditioning, and prior experience. Instructor teams consist of a senior instructor and two assistant instructors. Students have the opportunity to learn techniques of safe backcountry travel and to practice in a non-competitive, non-confrontational setting.  Students plan and complete a hike with their field group.  WTS is a great place to learn and practice new skills, make new friends, and become a safe backcountry traveler.

I thought I knew a lot about hiking. Was I wrong! WTS taught me so much more than I imagined.” –WTS Student

Note - Registration for the Spring 2013 session  is now closed!  Sign up for the Fall 2013 session starting in June!

Overview and Curriculum

2013 Spring Schedule   2013 tentative Fall Schedule

Online sign-up 

WTS Student Application Download for mail/fax/in person

FAQs

Student Manual

Student Discounts

Photos of WTS in Action!

Instructor Photos

WTS Committee Contacts

Testimonial – Don’t Leave Home Without It

Testimonial – Learning the ABC’s of Hiking

Denver Post article – 4/24/12

WTS Waiver

Wanted: WTS Instructors

Instructor Forms

Poetry Corner

Now on Twitter!

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