Linda,
I took the WTC course some years ago. I recommend it highly. It's a really broad course that covers everything from gear, to planning, to first aid, to snow, to navigation, etc. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned -- I had been hiking and backpacking for a lot of years.
It's also quite a bargain if you compare the price of taking classes taught by guide services (although guide services will teach more in depth courses on more advanced topics).
The text is also very much worth having (Freedom of the Hills). It's not perfect (the stove section in my opinion is SEVERELY outdated), but it's a good overall text.
HJ
