A Comprehensive Guide to Basic Mountaineering Course

If you are an adventure sports enthusiast, you must have mountaineering somewhere on your bucket list. And to fulfill that wish of yours, you must go through a basic mountaineering course, or BMC. not just for fun, but also teaches you various basic yet important skills for mountaineering. Moreover, it also opens up a brand new and exciting career option for you. 

Keep reading the article for more details about basic mountaineering courses. Also, we have something for you very special at the end of the article.

Objectives of a Basic Mountaineering Course

People who have recently come across this newfound interest in mountaineering have to accumulate as much basic knowledge as possible before getting initiated with the activity to understand what they are getting themselves into. The Basic Mountaineering Course provides this insight to them.

Some of the key targets and sole goals of the Basic mountaineering course available in India are the following:

Basic Mountaineering Course Institutes

There are mainly four institutes recognized by the IMF (Indian Mountaineering Foundation) that provide basic mountaineering courses in India, namely:

1. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand

It was set up in the year of 1965 and is one of the most well-known institutes of mountaineering in India.

2. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, West Bengal

HMI was set up in 1954 and is at a location that provides a very scenic view of Mt. Kanchenjunga which stands at 8,512 meters where when the sunrays first hit its tip it gives a golden hue to the peak.

3. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, Himachal Pradesh

It was set up in 1961 and is, today, the largest sports adventure training center in India.

4. Jawaharlal Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports, Pahalgam, Jammu, and Kashmir

With its headquarters in Pahalgam, it was set up in 1961 at Aru, Jammu, and Kashmir. It has various sub-centers now in Nalthi Bhaderwah, Sanasar-Patnitop-Kud, Shey (Leh), and Gulmarg.

There are also several other institutes that provide the basic mountaineering course, although they are not recognized by the IMF, like:

1.   National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh

It was established in 2013 and was authorized as the first national institute to be allowed to conduct all land, aqua, and aero courses. The first basic mountaineering course conducted by this institute was from August 26 to September 30 in 2013.

2.   Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, Gulmarg, Jammu, and Kashmir

With its main attraction on snow skiing, IISM was established in 1969, and now provides a variety of other adventure courses.

3.   Pandit Nain Singh Surveyor Mountaineering Training Institute, Munsiyari, Uttarakhand

Located at an altitude of 2,200 meters in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, it is a newly established institute that is the second primary institute in Uttarakhand after NIM.

4.   Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute, Gangtok, Sikkim

Headquartered in Gangtok, Sikkim, it was first established in 1963 with its new complex inaugurated in December 2009. However, it only provides courses for Armed Forces.

5.   High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, Jammu, and Kashmir

This institute was also established for the Indian Army in 1948 and only provides courses to Armed Forces.

How to Prepare for a Basic Mountaineering Course

There are several preparations that one needs to take before starting out with the basic mountaineering course and that includes physical exercise as well as packing things from home.

Other than the items and equipment that will be provided by the institute, you will also need to carry a number of things from home like carrying extra t-shirts, underwear, and socks, even though there is a facility of laundry in the institute, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

For the food, you can carry your dry fruits and dry snacks, although you will be provided snacks for the 14 days that you are in the mountains. You can carry sachets of your skincare, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and paper soap or Dettol for hygiene. One should also pack a pair of good quality trekking shoes and extra money. It is also always better to carry ORS, a hydration pack, running shoes, a bandana, a power bank, napkins, tissues, and a couple of basic medicines, etc. just in case of an emergency.

For physical preparation for the basic mountaineering course, it is best to ask your gym trainer for a well-planned routine according to your desired goals (since it is not weight loss) two months prior to the day you start the course. Training should include lots of weight training, push-ups, pull-ups, and running with a heavy backpack on as that will be the most helpful for the course and in the future as a mountaineer. It is also a good idea to cycle through the exercises for comfort and would work better for the body.

Basic Mountaineering Course Duration in India

The length of the course differs by the institute, but it typically lasts from 24 days to 28 days and provides you with appropriate training to learn the techniques on rock, ice, and snow and necessary lectures related to mountaineering. The program is designed so that both beginner and intermediate climbers have an equal chance to improve fundamentals in all elements of mountain climbing, glacier climbing, and snow movement.

The general schedule of NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering), which is the most renowned mountaineering institute in India recognized by the IMF (Indian Mountaineering Foundation), is of 28 days and is divided into four parts: 2 days for Introduction (i.e.  Day 1-2); 9 days for Rock-craft (Days 3-11); 14 days for Snowcraft, Ice-craft, and Height Gain (Days 12-25), and lastly 3 days for Written Graduation Test (Days 26-27) and Dispersal (Day 28).

Prerequisites for the Basic Mountaineering Course

To enlist in the institutes, one must be at least between 18 years to 40 years of age and in good physical condition with no major injuries or heart conditions, or surgeries. The instructors will ask you to run a 5-8 km track on a routine basis, which is why age and muscular stamina are important factors in learning mountain climbing skills.

Individuals are also required to submit a form with a lab section on it at the time of registration. This section consists of various blood tests and urine tests. The reports of these tests are then required to be taken to a doctor who will then fill the section according to the reports.

Required Equipment for BMC

Mountaineering courses require certain equipment and clothing to keep you safe and secure while learning the skills for this difficult activity. However, the equipment is provided by the institutes only. 

The institute will supply you with

• Sleeping Bag
• Water Bottle
• Feather Jacket
• Good Pair of Snow Boots
• Mountaineering Boots
• Bag Pack, and So on. 

Apart from these items, you will also receive the necessary outfits for elevated climbing as well as an appropriate rock-climbing kit.

After the completion of the course, you are required to return all the equipment that you have borrowed from the institute.

Besides these, there are also gears like ropes, artificial anchor, and carabiner which is a metal ring that is latched onto an anchor through which the rope can be dragged. Other pieces of equipment include harnesses, belay devices, crevasse rescue equipment, ice axes, mountaineering gloves, avalanche transceiver, knives, pulleys, and basic materials which will help in building fire.

The course structure of the basic mountaineering course (BMC)

The course structure of a basic mountaineering course in every institute lasts between 26 days to 28 days and the said course of time is divided into the following parts of training:

1. Rock Climbing Training – 10 days

On the very first round of training, individuals are asked to get up early in the morning near 5:30 am, and are sent for the morning exercise including jogging, squats, high jumps, bridge, and running; and later, breakfast.

After breakfast, the rock-climbing training begins which consists of learning methods like rappelling, shoulder rappelling, jumaring, etc. which are the foundation of rock climbing. By using various methods, you can learn how to climb the cliff and subsequently descend it by rappelling. Individuals are also taught how to use their equipment. 

2. Snowcraft Training – 3 days

The objective of this training is to teach how to self-arrest while sliding and walking on snow. You will receive instruction from your instructor on how to use the tools and clothing required for snow crafting. The same routine is followed for the next three days.

3. Ice-Craft Training – 3 days

You will practice using your crampons and ice axe, as well as how to climb up the ice wall, and rescue yourself from a crevasse, and from self-arrest, during this training session, which will again continue for the next three days.

4. Height Gaining and Survival Night 

In this training, you will cover a height of 11,000 feet to 16,000 feet in 6 hours. After that you trek back to your tent. But here’s not the end. You are not allowed to move inside the tent nor to use sleep bags. This training might bring out a few health issues in people with no sleeping bag and tent along with an extremely low temperature. However, all of the hardship is to increase one’s survival skills which is an immensely significant skill for a mountaineer to have.

5. 1 Day Break 

One day of break is given to individuals to spend time with their friends, go shopping, and get ready for the next day. This one-day break is also called Adam Day,

6. River Crossing Training 

In this session, you are taken to the riverside to see the rapids of the river and you would have to cross the river with high flow. You will learn various techniques to cross the river without any difficulty.

7. Climbing Exam

After completing rock field training, river crossing training, and ice craft training, you will gain knowledge of rock-climbing techniques thus the trainee must climb a boulder using correct techniques, and if you do not finish this climbing test successfully, your grades will suffer.

8. Examined in writing

This will be the final day of your basic mountaineering course, and you will be required to take a written examination. The exam questions will be based solely on your training experience, so you will need to write down everything you have managed to learn in the field. The questions are usually MCQs, one-liners, fill-in-the-blanks, and name the following so there is no need to worry about it as long as you concentrate on the training well.

9. Ceremony of Closure

The closing ceremony is a platform where everybody is praised with certificates and mountaineering badges, and it’s one of the best moments of your 26-day training period. Those who wish to dance, sing, or perform a skit are welcome to do so following the closing ceremony. If you want to spend one further night with your fellow trainees and reminisce about your experiences, you are welcome to stay up overnight at the institute.

Read more: Mountaineering Course

Mountaineering as a career

Now, as we promised, here is the thing. As we have already introduced to you the basic mountaineering course, you must also be aware of the career options you can opt for. It is very important to understand the scopes you have and set your goals for an exciting and bright future.

Mountaineering is gaining more and more popularity with the passing of time due to the increasing popularity of travel companies, social media, books, and television. There are also several informative videos and documentaries shared on various video-sharing websites making people keener and keener to visit the mountains and experience them. 

However, many people are going trekking or adventure camps as compared to the number of people taking up mountaineering courses. This is because, up to a certain level, trekking could be considered a leisure activity while pursuing mountaineering puts an enormous amount of mental and physical stress. Although, people not being aware of the career opportunities in the field of mountaineering could very well be another of the various reasons. There is also the fact that one needs to invest a significant amount of time to become a certified mountaineer, though the pays are quite high. 

Some of the fields that mountaineering provides the scope for are given below:

Conclusion For Basic Mountaineering Course

Mountaineering has been a common practice for as long as time has passed. People have been ascending mountains as a hobby since 1336. Although, the ascent of the Swiss Wetterhorn by Sir Alfred Will is considered the birth of mountaineering as a sport.

The benefits of mountaineering go beyond just your physical health. When you see the places with your own eyes, whose pictures many have seen, it makes you stand out in the crowd. The view is always worth the effort and pain that you will face along the way. You will be able to meet a wide spectrum of positive, strong, and confident people along the way.

They are all happy because that is what this sport does to people. It heals them both mentally and physically. You learn why people say “the mountains are calling” and why when they call, you must go. Climbing mountains will teach you patience and persistence, it will make you want to protect our environment even more and it will teach you about change and will prepare you for change.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mountaineering Courses