Mountaineering Courses

Please read though all the following information carefully and save this page or print it off now for your records. Your guide will contact you once via email before this booking (unless it is a last minute booking then they may not have chance to). Please call 1-888-284-8433 or email the office or your guide if you have any questions about your booking.

Cancellation Policies: To have made this booking you must have already read and agreed to our cancellation policies. Please click here to review these policies if you wish and contact the FMG office if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance: We strongly suggest you look into ‘travel insurance’ as this may protect you from losing your money if you have to cancel your booking.

Guides’ Contact Information: Click here for a list of our guides’ email and cell phone numbers.

Directions:  If you have questions about your location, meeting location or directions please email or call your guide.

What To Bring:

Technical Clothing

  • Lightweight base layer: 2 pair tops & bottoms, wool or synthetic. No cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single layer in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options.
  • Expedition weight mid layer top or fleece vest.
  • For extra warmth, fleece/synthetic jacket. Mid- to heavyweight pile (Polartec 200-300 depending upon cold tolerance). A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover.
  • Soft shell insulated pants. Full separating side zippers are helpful for ventilation and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle of a climb.
  • Gore-Tex or synthetic rain/snow shell pants (with side zippers) & shell jacket with hood and preferably with armpit zippers.
  • Heavy-weight down parka with hood.

Gloves & Mitts

  • 1 thin glove: Glove liner-weight. We strongly recommend a liner-weight glove that will easily fit under your heavier gloves. This allows you to remove your hand from the heavier glove and do more technical tasks while still having some protection from the elements.
  • 1-2 medium glove (ice climbing gloves are great
  • 1 thick glove
  • 1 pair of mitts

Socks

  • 3 pair heavyweight wool or synthetic socks (wool is warmer) to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots.
  • Liner socks. 3 pair of smooth thin wool or synthetic to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and helps the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavyweight socks.

Headwear

  • Warm lightweight wool hat that covers the ears and can fit under a helmet
  • Buff
  • Sunglasses
  • Goggles, light/amber tint is best

Additional Gear

  • Sleeping bag, 0 to +10F is ideal.
  • Backpack, 40-50L
  • Headlamp. Bring spare bulb & batteries.
  • Trekking poles, collapsible & lightweight
  • Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Antibiotic ointment, Moleskin, molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal prescriptions, etc. The guides will have extensive first-aid kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your guide know about any medical issues before the climb.
  • Sunscreen. SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes. Make sure that the sun screen is not older than 6 months. Sunscreen older than six months loses half of its SPF rating.
  • Lip screen. SPF 30, at least 2 sticks. Not older than 6 months.
  • Water Bottles: 2 liters minimum capacity. Wide mouth bottles required. No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill.
  • “Hot Hands”. hand warmers are the best thing to have on cold days out on the ice. Bring a pack per day. They can be bought from hunting, sporting stores as well as Wal-Mart. (I buy mine online).
  • Thermos. .75 or 1 liter. For hot tea/coffee when out.
  • Bandanas, handy for runny noses
  • Personal climbing gear. Optional according to preference; all climbing equipment is included in the booking but if you have your own gear please bring:  helmet, harness, belay/rappel device and carabineer, mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axes.

Technical Gear: This is supplied by with the course, but if you have your own please feel free to bring it

  • Climbing harness with belay loop
  • Helmet
  • Mountaineering axe
  • Crampons
  • Belay device
  • 2 locking carabiners
  • Double length sewn runner
  • Insulated mountaineering boots

Tips for a Successful Course; Final check list:

  • Read all the information carefully.
  • Review your meeting location, date and time. Please allow extra time so you will arrive on time.
  • Make a note of your guides cell phone number.
  • Review directions and print them out for your trip.
  • Download the FMG Waiver. Please print one for each participant and bring them with you. Review the information and call or email the FMG office if you have any questions. Parents/Guardians must sign any participants waiver under the age of 18 years old.
  • Look into trip insurance as this may protect you from losing your money if you have to cancel your trip for any reason at the last minute.
  • Review our cancellation policies and call or email the office with any questions.

Extra Information and Frequently Asked Questions:

Transport: It is your responsibility for your own transportation to and from the Trail Head each day.

Emergency Information: Please be aware that advanced medical care is normally over an hour away from the climbing and course sites, cell phones mostly do not work in the areas that the courses are run. All medical concerns, old injuries, and medications should be discussed with the Instructor prior to the course or day of guiding.

Readiness for Climbing: Please arrive in a state of physical and mental readiness.  Severe sleep deprivation, drug and alcohol use, and undisclosed medical conditions will greatly impair your ability to participate in a our programs and may create risks that will be difficult for your guide or instructor to manage.  Please do not consume drugs or alcohol within 12 hours of your climbing outing. Alcohol consumption and drug use are forbidden while on the trip.

Payment: We will charge your outstanding balance to the card you placed the original order on unless otherwise instructed. You may also pay the balance at any time before the trip by sending a check to: Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School, PO Box 1445, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 . Please include a note saying for whom the payment is for, what type of guiding or course and dates of booking. Please make checks payable to “Fox Mountain Guides, LLC”. There is a $30 service charge for all returned checks.

Tips: Clients may wish to tip there guide for a great day and while this is never expected it is always greatly appreciated. Many clients call the office to ask “how much should I tip?” Tips in the guiding industry are similar to those in other service industries, with 20% being typical for a great day. Please note that it is not possible to add a tip to your balance when paying with a credit card or check made payable to Fox Mountain Guides. If you do wish to tip your guide, you may do so with cash or a personal check made payable to the guide.