Students from two local high schools, Raymond Perry from BRHS and Mel Geisler, are looking for up to three more teens to join them in an "Introduction to Mountaineering" course during February vacation week at Mt. Washington, N.H. 

The 3-day course runs February 17-19 and includes one night camping on Mt. Washington and three days of winter climbing instruction, including all technical climbing gear. 

Organized by Synnott Mountain Guides in Jackson, N.H., the course will cover how to safely use ropes, harnesses, crampons and climbing axes to climb icy and snowy slopes, and the teens will use their new skills to climb part or all of Mt. Washington, New England's most challenging peak. 

“We’ll cover the basics you’ll need to know, like French technique, piolet traction, front pointing, plunge stepping, etc. We will quickly add a mountaineering ice axe into the equation and you’ll learn the various axe techniques which match with the different foot techniques,” said Mark Synnott, owner of Synnott Mountain Guides. 

Synnott is an accomplished mountaineer who has been on more than 25 big wall and alpine climbing expeditions worldwide, six with the National Geographic Society, and has several “first ascents” to his credit. 

Interested teens can learn more at www.synnottmountainguides.com, under the Mountaineering tab, “Intro to Mountaineering” section. 

Synnott is organizing this trip exclusively for teens, so this a rare opportunity for aspiring young climbers to learn from one of America's top mountaineers. Interested local families can also contact the Geislers at ageislertax@gmail.com, the Perrys at gina.perry@rocketmail.com or Gina Perry at 207-380-5334.