# AAC starts alpine mentorship track

> Eight AAC members began a yearlong alpine program with field coaching, rescue practice and ice climbing ahead.
- Title: AAC starts alpine mentorship track · Gripped Magazine
- Summary: Eight AAC members began a yearlong alpine program with field coaching, rescue practice and ice climbing ahead. Alpine skills grow best through direct…
- Keywords: climbing, alpine, mentorship, aac, mountains, starts, track, Gripped Magazine
- Source: Gripped Magazine — https://gripped.com/news/new-alpine-climbing-mentorship-program-launches
- Author: gripped
- Published: 2026-09-15T23:03:43+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: climbing, alpine, mentorship, aac, mountains
## First module complete
The American Alpine Club finished the first field module of its new Alpine Track, a yearlong mentorship program for eight members building technical alpine skills.
## Multipitch basics first
The opening session focused on gear placement, anchor systems, descent techniques, rock rescue and planning for overnight climbs.
## Guides lead the group
Sam Hennessey and Anne Gilbert Chase coach the program, bringing experience from the Cascades, Alaska Range, Alps, Himalayas and remote first ascents.
## Trust off the wall
At the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch, the group built connection through meals, map reviews and conversations away from climbing terrain.

> Mentorship is so much of the motivation behind why I climb.
## Mentees bring range
The eight participants include guides, ski mountaineers and climbers focused on access, representation, community, new routes and personal growth.
## Ice comes next
Expert advisors will join future clinics, and the mentees return in December to practice developing skills on ice in Bozeman and Cody.
## Key takeaway

Alpine skills grow best through direct mentorship, field time and trusted partners, not solo study alone.