About The Basic Mountaineering School

Basic Mountaineering School (BMS) provides you with the skills needed to participate safely on non-glaciated CMC mountaineering climbs within Colorado in all weather conditions. These skills include navigation and route finding, planning and organizing climbs, rock climbing skills for following on fourth and fifth class routes, and snow climbing skills up to and including roped climbing with crampons.

The goal of the school is to graduate only members who can safely and competently participate in club mountaineering activities. As a result, BMS is a physically and psychologically demanding school for CMC members who are interested in high peak climbing or rock climbing. It teaches the knowledge and skills they need to pursue these sports safely and sensibly and it gives them an appreciation of their strengths and limitations with an understanding and respect for the mountain environment. These objectives are achieved through a time-intensive schedule of lectures and field trips. Significant personal effort (reading, trip planning, knot practice etc.) outside of class is also required.

Successful completion of Denver BMS (or its equivalent) is a requirement for a Denver Group D hiking classification and is a requirement for Trad Lead Climb School (TLCS) and the High Altitude Mountaineering School (HAMS).

The 2009 BMS Schedule (tentative) is as follows:

January 5 (Mon) - BMS Orientation Meeting - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

January 13 (Tue) - BMS Orientation Meeting - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

February 20 - Complete BMS Applications due in CMC Office

March 23 - First Lecture Night - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

March 30 - Second Lecture Night - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

April 4 or 5 - Navigation Field Trip (All Day)

April 13 – Third Lecture Night - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

April 20 - Fourth Lecture Night - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

April 18 or 19 - 1st Rock Day (All Day)

April 27 - Fifth Lecture Night - CMC Foss Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

April 25 or 26 - 2nd Rock Day (All Day)

May 2 or 3 - Basic Snow Day (All Day)

May 9 or 10 – Hard Snow Day (All Day)

May 16 or 17 – 3^rd Rock Day (All Day)

May 30 or 31 - (If required) 3^rd Rock Day Rain Day

TBD* Before July 1 – Successful Participation in CMC Qualifying Routefinding Trip (Moderate C minimum)

TBD* Before Sept 30 – Successful Participation in CMC Qualifying High Peak Climb (Overnight D minimum)

TBD* Before Sept 30 – Successful Participation in any official trail building outing

*The Routefinding trip and the High Peak Climb are planned and coordinated by students and scheduled on line by a BMS-qualified Trip Leader. A successful routefinding trip must be completed by July 1st. A successful high peak climb must be completed by September 30th.  A trail work outing also must be complete by Setpt. 30th.

PREREQUISITES: Admission to BMS is open to people who are at least eighteen years old and who meet the following requirements: 1) have attended an orientation session at the CMC in January, 2) have a current CMC membership; 3) possess at least a Denver group C hiking classification and 4) prepay the $200 tuition (An additional $10 for non-Denver Group members is required).

Potential BMS students do not need to possess any previous technical rock climbing experience. They do need to possess conditioning and stamina.

ORIENTATION MEETING/APPLICATON: On Monday, January 5 and Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the CMC Foss Auditorium in Golden, BMS orientation meetings will be held for prospective applicants. Attendance at ONE of the orientation meetings is required for application to BMS.

Application packets will be available at this presentation. The BMS application forms are due back to the CMC office no later than close-of-business Friday, February 20, 2009. You must include a check for the tuition with your application, or your VISA or MC number with the expiration date for your card.  Copies of C classification cards, classification change requests submitted, and/or waivers granted to the WTS/BKPS prerequisites is recommended, in the event there are delays in processing.

Enrollment in BMS will be dictated by the number of qualified instructors available, in order to maintain the low student/instructor ratio (2:1). If more people apply than can be accommodated, priority will be based on the evaluation of the applicant’s responses on their complete and acceptable application and on service to the Club.

If you are not committed to attending all of the lectures and field trips please consider applying when you can make the full commitment. This will allow room in the school for those who are able to complete course.

If you have any questions regarding BMS, please contact the BMS Director, Frank Moore via e-mail (frank.moore@mindspring.com). E-mail is the preferred method of contact and will result in the most timely response.