Welcome to the Excursion Club Mountaineering page! We have run trips to Mt. Shasta, Mt. Whitney, and Cornell peak to name a few. Our mountaineering trip leaders have extensive experience on different types of terrain.

The difference between mountaineering and back packing is that mountaineering is climbing on semi-vertical ice using ice axes, crampons, and other types of equipment, while backpacking is on snow or solid ground. It is totally insane and ridiculously fun. It is a dangerous activity and for some peaks a certain level of experience is required. The club has a limited supply of helmets, and ice axes. Other gear will need to be rented.

"So why do we do it? What good is it? Does it teach us anything? Like determination? Invention? Improvisation? Foresight? Hindsight? Love? Art? Music? Religion? Strength or patience or accuracy or quickness or tolerance or which wood will burn and how long is a day and how far is a mile and how delicious is water and smoky green pea soup? And how to rely on your self?" -Terry and Renny Russel