How can l become more involved with mt. climbing if l am only 16 and most intermediate courses require parental supervision?

I've been rock climbing for a yr & half now (not too vigorously but about a few times a month). l try to stay in shape, run etc. What else can l do to make the first step to actual alpine climbing/learning ice ax/snowshoe skills?

Thanks!

l was climbing with people at work & some from the climbing gym & found a couple of people to show me the basics of mountaineering. If u find someone ur parents trust, they might let u go on a trip with a climbing mentor that wants to show a new guy the ropes - many old time climbers enjoy teaching skills to new climbers.

Rock climbing & mountaineering (especially on glaciers / ice) r quite different, so give them both a try & see what u really like.

Good Luck

actually youve reached the top of the summit no where to go here

It depends on where u live. There r undoubtedly groups of hikers & climbers in ur area if there r mountains nearby. These groups may have formal training or they might just help u learn the skills as u go along, like the group l belong to does. Having friends with like interests really helps a lot, so does reading about the sport. Indoor gyms r a place to meet people & get basic instruction, but make no mistake, the outdoors is very different. Check out rockclimbing.com for local areas & they have a partner finder page. Good Luck.

Join a youth team. The schedules are flexible, and your coach will teach you safety techniques, let you know about competitions, and organize climbing trips. Also check out triplecrownbouldering.com. They have a really awesome outdoor climbing competition.

Join a club. If you're in Canada you can join the Alpine Club of Canada, it is very inexpensive.