Jim Ebert will be the instructor for the National Top Rope Instructor Certification Course. Jim’s very diverse outdoor guiding experiences make him one of the most qualified outdoor instructors in North America. He is one of the most experienced rock climbing instructors and outdoor educators in North America. He has been climbing since he was five years old. He has been guiding and instructing since 1965.Jim has been instructing outdoor rock climbing instructors, in the nation’s first one-week Top Rope Instructor Certification Course that he started through the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc., a University of Iowa Mountaineering Club that was founded by Jim’s parents in 1940.
Jim will be in charge of personally instructing each and every participant. He will be able to offer each participant the very best and the most thorough top rope instruction because he has a tremendous background of experience, a tremendous background in academic programming and instructing, and he has already taught over 3550 top rope instructors in the nation’s first week long nationally advertised Top Rope Instructor Certification Course offered since 1973, and he has the patience and ability to work well with everyone.
Jim Ebert Will Be The Instructor For His National Outdoor Top Rope Instructor Certification Course. Why Should You Take A National Top Rope Instructor Certification Course From Jim Ebert?
Jim's Background: Jim Ebert's Guiding
Credentials Are From A Proven 37 Year Background Of "Successful 'In The Field'
Guiding Experiences" And "Successful 'Actual Guiding' Accomplishments" Without
Ever Getting A Single 'Client' Injured Or Killed.
1. Jim has guided 31 years from (1965-1996)for the Iowa
Mountaineers, Inc., a mid-western, University of Iowa Mountaineering Club that
his parents, John and Ede Ebert, founded in 1940.
2. Jim Ebert developed the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. into the largest University
Mountaineering Club in the world.
3. Jim Ebert developed the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. into the largest
instructional mountaineering club in the world. Over 6000 members, each year,
participated on Jim's instructional outdoor training courses that he programmed,
developed and personally taught, that were offered for "required" University of
Iowa academic credit and were taught at Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin. Not
another University mountaineering club nor any other mountaineering club of any
kind anywhere in the world taught more people, more outdoor mountaineering
training skills, than did Jim Ebert and the staff he trained and used through
the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc.
4. Jim and his Dad (S. John Ebert), using amateur Iowa Mountaineer climbing
leaders to assist them, have to their credit 103 "first" mountain ascents
(mountains never before ascended) in Alaska, Canada, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming,
Montana, and in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, South America; 32 second mountain
ascents (mountains ascended only for the second time), over 420 "new" mountain
routes (first time up a mountain by a new route), and 78 "second" ascents. The
Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. was the first American mountaineering club to ever climb
and/or pioneer, twenty five different mountain regions throughout eight western
states in the United States, British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, Alaska, and
into seven different Quebradas (major mountain valleys) in the Cordillera Blanca
of Peru. The Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. have recorded major mountaineering
accomplishments in their 56 year history from climbing 22 mountains for the very
first mountain ascents in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho and naming eleven of
these mountains, to ascending thirty-three major mountain peaks for first
ascents, many dozens of peaks for second ascents, recording many dozens of new
routes, and many dozens of first "woman" ascents on many of the most spectacular
Peruvian Cordillera Blanca's highest, and most famous peaks.
S.John Ebert led the first group ascent of Devil’s Tower, Wyoming in 1948 when
seventeen Iowa Mountaineer members ascended the Durrance Route and slept out on
the top overnight. Only four other people had ever stood on top of Devil’s Tower
National Monument before this historic ascent. The Iowa Mountaineers recorded
the second woman ascent (Bonnie Fisher) to climb Devil's Tower.
The Iowa Mountaineers was the very first mountaineering club to visit the
Northern Wind River Range of Wyoming in 1940; the Southern Wind Rivers of
Wyoming in 1958; the Beartooth Mountain Range of Montana in 1965, the Bighorn
Mountain Range of Wyoming in 1970.
The Iowa Mountaineers was the first American mountaineering club to ever climb
in the Bugaboo Range in British Columbia Canada in 1953, the Selkirk Range in
1946, the Lake O’Hara Region in 1950, the Mount Assiniboine, Lake Magog Area in
1956, Maligne Lake Area in 1957, Rampart Range Tonquin Valley in 1962, and the
Lake of the Hanging Glaciers/Commander Glacier Area in British Columbia, Canada
in 1976.
The Iowa Mountaineers have ascended over 120 peaks above 16,700 feet in the
Peruvian Andes of Peru, South
America with many first ascents and new routes ascended for the first time by
women including the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th woman ascents of 22,220 foot Nevado
Huascaran, Peru’s highest peak. The Iowa Mountaineers was the first American
mountaineering group to hold large mountaineering camps (55 or more
mountaineers) in each of seven different mountain valleys in the Cordillera
Blanca in Peru to include the Quebrada Yanganuco in 1961; Quebrada Ishinca in
1965; Quebrada Santa Cruz in 1972, the Quebrada Ulta in 1972, Quebrada Hondo in
1978; Quebrada Rurec in 1981; the Quebrada Rajucolta in 1983.
The Iowa Mountaineers have over 523 first ascents and new routes in 17 alpine
countries around the world. Many hundreds of the finest amateur climbers in
North America and Europe have helped lead mountain ascents with the Iowa
Mountaineers since 1940. The Iowa Mountaineers have maintained a 56 year perfect
safety record.
5. [The Iowa Mountaineers, Inc., founded by S. John and Ede Ebert, is now
In-Active. The Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. was voted In-Active by the Club's
"Active" Voting Members in 1996 as a way to commemorate the Club's incredible 56
year mountaineering history to it's founder, S. John Ebert, who passed away
during February of that year at age 89. The Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. maintained a
perfect 56 year safety record.]
6. Jim, using a superbly skilled and experienced amateur Iowa Mountaineer
climbing staff, that he personally trained, or directed, came from twelve
different States and two foreign countries, to assist Jim in guiding over 16,500
Iowa Mountaineer members to the summits of 1220 of the world's most famous
mountain peaks located in 17 Alpine countries.
7. Over 78,000 people have climbed with the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. to the tops
of 1320 mountain summits throughout the world, guided by some of America's and
the World's finest and most recognized amateur mountain climbing and rock
climbing leaders. Jim will easily credit that his greatest wealth of
mountaineering knowledge and judgement was gained from his Dad and from the
hundreds of incredible climbing leaders that he has used to help him with
getting Iowa Mountaineer Members safely to the tops of the world's finest
mountain summits and into the finest and most challenging mountain regions
around the world.
8. Jim has planned and led over 134 six week or longer mountaineering
expeditions to 17 Alpine countries involving 6200 people. These trips included:
2 trips to Uganda, East Africa (9 peaks climbed); 9 trips to Tanzania, East
Africa (2 peaks climbed); 9 trips to Kenya, East Africa (8 peaks climbed); 12
trips to Albania, Europe (5 peaks climbed); 12 trips to Austria, Europe (16
peaks climbed); 12 trips to France, Europe (15 peaks climbed); 12 trips to
Germany, Europe (16 peaks climbed); 12 trips to Italy, Europe (25 peaks
climbed); 12 trips to Switzerland, Europe (26 peaks climbed); 4 trips to the
Former Yugoslavia, Europe (6 peaks climbed); Mexico (3 peaks climbed); 25 trips
to British Columbia, Canada (225 peaks climbed); 21 trips to Alberta, Canada (80
peaks climbed); 9 trips to Peru (Cordillera Blanca), South America (120 peaks
climbed); Argentina, South America (1 peak climbed); 4 trips to New Zealand (6
peaks climbed).
9. Jim has also planned and led over 160 10-Day mountaineering camps involving
10,500 people to 11 western mountain states and Alaska (652 major peaks
climbed).
10. Some of the many famous and more popular mountain ascents that Jim has been
personally responsible for guiding Iowa Mountaineer Members to the summits
include: 250 members to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet, Africa's
highest summit); 225 members to the summit of the famous Matterhorn (14,688
feet)located near Zermatt in Switzerland; 210 members to the summit of Monte
Rosa (15,770 feet, both Switzerland's and Italy's highest peak); 260 members to
the summit of Monte Blanc (15,770 feet, the highest peak in France and the
highest peak in the European Alps by two routes); 255 members to the summit of
the GrossGlockner,the highest peak in Austria by three routes; 240 members to
the summit of the Grosse Zinnen and the Kleine Zinnen located in the Dri Zinnen
region of the Italian Dolomites; 225 members to the summit of Nevado Huascaran
(22,220 feet, Peru's highest peak, and the second highest peak in the Western
Hemisphere); 425 members to the top of Devil's Tower, Wyoming our Nation's first
National Monument via eight different routes; 80 members to the summit of Mount
Rainier in Washington State; 120 members to the summit of the Grand in Grand
Teton National Park, Wyoming by three routes; 220 members to the summit of Mount
Heyburn in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, 174 members to the summit of
Warbonnet Peak by four routes, 96 members to the summit of Finger of Fate by
four routes, all three peaks located in the Sawtooth Mountain Range in Idaho; 70
members to the summit of Mount Assiniboine in British Columbia, Canada; 130
members to the summit of Mount Victoria in Alberta, Canada; 160 members to the
summit of Mount Athabaska in Alberta, Canada by three routes; and 620 members to
the summits of over 120 peaks above 16,800 feet in the Cordillera Blanca in
Peru, South America to mention just a very few of Jim's many popular "client"
guided mountain ascents.
11. Jim is one of America's most experienced outdoor educators. Jim has been
involved with the instructing, training and guiding of over 62,200 clients on as
many as 1820 10-day mountaineering camps, 6-8 week long international
mountaineering expeditions, 7-day long wilderness training courses and weekend
wilderness skills training courses to ten States, and seventeen Alpine countries
throughout the world and has been personally responsible for training and
guiding over 16,500 clients safely to the tops of 1220 major mountain summits
throughout the world since 1965.
12.Besides having an incredible mountain guiding background, Jim is also one of
the world's most experienced outdoor academic educators. Jim has personally
instructed and trained over 33,400 University of Iowa and University of
Wisconsin students in outdoor academic training skills courses that he
programmed, developed and taught in wilderness areas around the country. These
courses included the basic, intermediate and advanced skills of rock climbing,
backpacking, wilderness hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering, wilderness
cross-country skiing and winter mountain survival and the National Outdoor Top
Rope Instructor Certification Course. Jim developed these courses and they have
all been offered for required academic credit through the University of Iowa
Physical Education Department since 1973, and many were still offered up through
1996.
13. Under Jim's leadership and organizational abilities, and by offering very
thorough and entertaining course instruction, and by developing his training
courses in order to "push" every participant's "comfort zones", these courses
soon became some of the very most highly recommended and popular courses ever
offered to University of Iowa students. This resulted in the University of Iowa
becoming the largest outdoor academic skills training University in the world
with over 6000 students leaving the State of Iowa each year to take outdoor
skills training courses that were taught by Jim at Devil's Lake State Park,
Wisconsin, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon of Arizona, in the Collegiate Range
of Colorado and in eleven western mountain states and in the Provinces of
British Columbia and Alberta in the Canadian Rockies.
14. Jim has also taught for two years a 3 credit hour semester course for
University of Iowa academic credit for the University of Iowa Leisure Studies
Department titled "Mountain/Wilderness Trip Planning & Leadership".
15. Jim has taken over 4,180 people on 120 week long backpacking training
courses to the bottom of the one mile deep Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National
Park, Arizona for hiking, backpacking and wilderness camping experiences since
1973. Over 580 people have also participated with Jim at the Havasupai Indian
Reservation located west of the Grand Canyon National Park of Arizona for an
incredible hiking and camping experience from a beautiful campsite located
between Mooney and Havasu Falls. Each participant on both Grand Canyon trips
hiked and explored over 80 miles of remote Grand Canyon trails while on a five
day training course.
16. Jim has taken and guided over 1600 people into the heart of the Colorado
Rocky Mountain's Collegiate Range for a week of winter mountain survival
training, igloo building, emergency shelter camping techniques, and mountain
cross-country skiing skills and technique training with a wilderness base camp
situated above 11,000 feet elevation near Tennessee Pass. Participants were
trained to live, sleep, and construct winter mountain survival shelters, and
were taught mountain cross-country skiing techniques, avalanche awareness,
prevention and rescue skills, and skied over 75 miles on remote mountain trails
during each five day winter mountain survival training course. For most all of
the participants, this was their very first winter camping and mountain
cross-country skiing experience.
17. Jim has personally trained and certified over 3550 outdoor top rope
instructors in 280 seven day Top Rope Instructor Certification Courses since
1973 with no reported accidents to either his 3550 certified instructors or to
any of their clients. Jim started the Nation's very first Top Rope Instructor
Certification Course through the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. in 1973. Jim has
personally trained over 28,500 weekend rock climbing students in the basic,
intermediate and the advanced levels of outdoor top rope climbing at Devil's
Lake State Park, Wisconsin since 1973.
18. During the past five years, Jim has taught over 500 youth each summer for an
American Camping Association Accredited Youth Camp in Wisconsin in the basic
rock climbing skills at Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin.
19. Jim is a professional 16mm movie adventure photographer. Jim and his Dad, S.
John Ebert, have filmed and produced eight different 90 minute 16mm adventure
films. These films covered each of seventeen Alpine country's most incredible
and beautiful scenic vistas, it's people, it's culture, it's wildlife and it's
most challenging and most spectacular mountain climbing and hiking adventures.
These adventure films also documented some of the Iowa Mountaineer's many first
mountain ascents or new mountain routes, and it's pioneering mountain climbing
history throughout the world. These adventure films have been personally shown
and narrated "live" by Jim and his Dad to millions of people throughout North
America for over three decades.
20. Jim was an instructor for the U.S. Army Recondo/Mecondo School while
stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado 1971-1972. Jim spent a
solid year (two summers) teaching rock climbing and mountaineering to over 1500
military personal in North Cheyenne Canyon near Colorado Springs. Another solid
year (two winters) was spent teaching 1500 military personal cross-country
skiing and winter mountain survival training from a tented mountain camp in the
heart of the Colorado Collegiate Range near the 11,000 foot, Tennessee Pass. Jim
also served as a medic and an instructor for the Fort Carson Mountain Rescue
Team while serving in the U.S. Army and had mountain rescue experiences on
dozens of mountain rescue missions.
21. Jim maintains a perfect lifetime guiding safety record of 37 years, with no
client fatalities, with not one single client injury, and with not a single
'client' sprained ankle. Jim credits "Almighty God" for helping him reach and
maintain this perfect safety record.
22. Jim is a "Lifetime Member" of the American Alpine Club; an Honorary Member
and past president of the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc and is an "Individual" Guiding
Member of the American Mountain Guides Association.
23. Jim has been married to his wife, Margie, for twenty years
and they have four children: James (age 18), Justin (age 16), Jean (age 14),
Jared (age 11).
A Message From The Course Director:
I have been involved with the Nation’s top rope safety issues since 1973 and
have been taking people into the mountains and keeping them safe for over
thirty-seven years. I fully understand the risks that are present to every top
rope instructor and the risks that are present to their participants in top rope
areas. Every safety concern will be fully understood and addressed in my course.
My personal belief is that a top rope rock climbing or rappelling accident
should never occur in the lifetime of a top rope instructor or a properly
trained top rope climber. I truly believe that for many organizations, if there
is even one top rope climbing fatality, or one serious top rope injury, their
organization and it's outdoor programs could end up being “history”. This is the
way I have always taught while working for the University of Iowa, the
University of Wisconsin, for the Iowa Mountaineers, Inc. and for Camp Gray [ACA
Accredited], “There must never be an accident”! As a result, no one has ever
been hurt, not even a sprained ankle.
In addition, many state parks and top rope climbing areas located on private,
federal and state lands that are currently open to climbers may shut down if top
rope fatalities continue to occur on them. This would adversely and unfairly
affect every climber in that region of the country. With this understanding, and
knowing the risks that every organization assumes by teaching and sponsoring top
rope climbing and rappelling, I will continue to do my best to properly prepare
each National Outdoor Top Rope Instructor Certification Course Participant who
takes my course to be the safest and the most knowledgeable and the best
prepared and certified instructor to handle any top rope group or client. I feel
that there is no excuse for any organization or educational institution to not
have properly trained and top rope certified instructors handling all of their
top rope climbing and rappelling trips.
-Jim Ebert