Beginning the climb and five days of training on Mt. Baker, one of the most heavily glaciated peaks in the lower 48 states. Photo by Gerry Chike

American Alpine Institute's Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program utilizes mountaineering and outdoor adventure to develop decision making and judgment skills for young leaders. While learning new and exciting technical skills, LOT places you in a position to organize and identify strategies and to make key decisions. In this process you, like other young leaders before you, will acquire the confidence required to clearly identify needed outcomes, to develop effective strategic plans for accomplishing goals, and to inspire others into action.

LOT courses effectively develop the confidence and knowledge of how and when to step into a leadership role with a vision. The skills and understanding that you gain will be applicable to personal activities among friends, in the diverse challenges of university life, and later in your chosen career. In the repeated processes of learning how to get yourself and a group successfully and safely to the top of complex mountains, you'll also learn how to effectively address challenges that you meet in life.

The guides and instructors at AAI are among America's most accomplished outdoor educators and climbing instructors. They don't just theorize about leadership. They are true leaders in climbing and in their profession. All are formally trained Alpine and Rock Guides, Leave No Trace Master Educators, Wilderness First Responder Certified (or higher), and Avalanche Level 2 Certified (or higher).

Rock climbing at Mt. Erie, WA. Photo by Richard Riquelme

Itinerary:

• 5 days: Backpacking and Wilderness Travel: North Cascades National Park
• 1 day: Environmental Service Project
• 3 days Introduction to Rock Climbing
• 5 days: Glacier Mountaineering training and summit climb of Mt. Baker

Leadership Skills:

• Formal lessons in decision making processes & leading a group
• Risk assessment, judgment, and management
• Mentoring processes and supportive guidance for your peers
• Self-knowledge: capitalizing on strengths
• Self-awareness: the ability to lead one's own self prior to leading others
• Cooperation: working well with others & inspiring others to strong teamwork
• Decision-making processes, including one full day as "Expedition Leader"

Outdoor Skills and Technical Mountaineering Skills:

• Glacier travel and mountaineering: navigation, crampon and ice axe use, belaying and knots, roped team travel, and hazard evaluation
• Rock climbing: knots, anchors, rappelling, belaying, climbing techniques
• Leave No Trace travel, camping, and climbing
• Introduction to Mountaineering Oriented First Aid

Certifications Granted:

• Certification in Leadership Training Level 1 with three endorsements: Wilderness Travel, Environmental Stewardship, & Alpine Mountaineering
• Certification as a Leave No Trace Trainer
• You will also have the opportunity to build references and receive letters of recommendation from the program's instructors and the program directors

Glacier training high on Mt. Shuksan. Photo by Dylan Taylor

Itinerary:

• 4 days: Rock Climbing and Wilderness First Aid in Pasayten Wilderness
• 4 days: Off-Trail navigation at Washington Pass with Student Leadership
• 6 days: Review of Mountaineering Skills and student-led ascents

Leadership Skills:

• Strategic and operational planning: identifying primary goals and strategies
• Initiative and entrepreneurial drive as keys to success
• Charismatic inspiration: the ability to leverage respect to motivate others
• Ability to encourage and nurture others on the team; delegating responsibilities
• Listening well to others and finding ways to effectively use their contributions
• Risk assessment, judgment, and management
• Decision-making processes, including one full day as "Expedition Leader"

Technical Mountaineering & Environmental Skills:

• Advanced map and compass; uses of altimeters
• Glacier travel, snow and ice climbing: including crampon and ice axe use on intermediate terrain, protective systems, hazard assessment, and rescue
• Rock climbing: Intro to leading, advanced anchors, advanced climbing technique
• Techniques for training others in Leave No Trace travel, camping, and climbing
• Alpine ecology and environmental preservation/restoration issues
• Mountaineering Oriented First Aid Skills

Certifications Granted:

• Certification in Leadership Training Level 2 with three endorsements: Glacier Climbing, Rock Climbing, & Emergency Response
• Certification as a Leave No Trace Master Educator
• Certification in Mountaineering Oriented First Aid
• You will also have the opportunity to build references and receive letters of recommendation from the program instructors and the program director

Jun. 17 - Jun. 30, 2012
Jul. 8 - Jul. 21, 2012
Jul. 29 - Aug. 11, 2012

Jul. 2 - Jul. 15, 2012
Jul. 23 - Aug. 5, 2012
Aug. 13 - Aug. 26, 2012

Once you have successfully completed Parts 1 & 2 of the Lot Program, you will be eligible to join the following expeditions. These are special departures exclusively for LOT graduates:

St. Elias Range 1st Ascents Expedition June of each year. Limit of 10 climbers.

Ecuador Intro to High Altitude June & December of each year. Limit of 10 climbers.

Denali Highest summit in North America June of each year. Limit of 9 climbers.