In reply to upwego:
I have no idea from your profile of your experience / skill set so hard to give much advice. I would recommend the Bruce Goodlad book 'Alpine Mountaineering' as a great start. Depending on your experience levels scrambling, long days linking easier rock routes and winter hillwalking / climbing is a great way of developing some alpine skills.
You may find a combination of a club / clubs, a course and some personal independent ( or with a mate ) learning works. Some people are entirely self taught, some people use guides every time they go alpine climbing. Either private guiding or a course is arguably the fastest way to develop enough knowledge and skills to kick start your alpine career. As someone mentioned, if you are eligible the Conville course is great, Austrian AC also have great courses. Then there are the various groups such as Icicle, Jagged Globe, ISM - all of which are superb. If you choose a guide then all the British Mountain Guides are great, I would especially recommend Ben Bradford | High Mountain Guides.
Whatever you choose to do have fun and see you out there...