Alps Intro Course

If you’d like to give Alpine mountaineering a go and meet like-minded people, then this is the course for you. It will include ascents of a number of peaks, and you will learn the essential skills needed to travel confidently over glaciated mountains. The programme covers how to use crampons and ice axe; roped glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques; ridge scrambling and ‘moving together’ roped; advice on acclimatisation and fitness; use of huts and cable cars. All ascents will be via simple routes, the only requirement being a good level of fitness. The valley base will be in Chamonix, and three nights will be spent in high mountain huts. The ratio is 1:4. There is an two-day optional extension for an attempt on Mont Blanc immediately after this course, at a ratio of 1:2.

Dates

Intro Course: Sunday 22nd-Saturday 28th August 2010. Mont Blanc extension: Tuesday 31st August & Wednesday 1st September 2010. Please note that this is a date change.
Sunday Meet late afternoon or evening in Chamonix valley for introductions.
Monday: Day 1 Gear check. Introduction to glaciers and local ridge for prussik/rope training. Night in the valley.
Tuesday: Day 2 Walk to a mountain hut (possibly the Albert Premier Hut) and practice crevasse rescue from the hut. Night spent in the hut
Wednesday: Day 3 Ascend a 3,500m peak from the hut and move on to the Trient Hut
Thursday: Day 4 Descend to the valley via a simple peak.
Friday: Day 5 Drive over to Switzerland and walk up to a mountain hut
Saturday: Day 6 Ascent of 4,000m peak and descend to the valley. Return to Chamonix to celebrate successes!
This is a very full programme and it may well be changed to suit the weather and levels of fitness/experience of course members, without losing the gradual gain in height in order to allow acclimatisation. For example, days 5 and 6 could be changed for a lower mountain, depending on how folk are feeling. 
Mont Blance extension: Two days off on Sunday and Monday, with summit attempt on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Guiding fees

The Intro Course is £950 per person. This includes all hut nights with dinner and breakfast, cable cars, Guides’ expenses, valley accommodation (B&B), and transport during the course. It does not include insurance (see below), evening meals in the valley, packed lunches, or your return travel to the Alps.
The Mont Blanc two-day extension will be charged on a private guiding basis: £270 per person for two days @ 1:2, plus out-of-valley expenses for yourself and the Guide in local currency (in the region of 100 euros).

Preparation

The programme would be ideal for people with hill walking and scrambling experience in Britain. Whilst experience on snow and ice is preferable it is not essential, as this aspect of mountaineering will be covered in full during the course. The fitter you are, the more you will get out of your time with us, as all Alpine mountaineering requires considerable physical effort. Swimming, cycling, and hill-walking are all good preparation. We offer Alpine Dreamers days in the Lakes, which offer training including crevasse rescue and essential ropework, or a few days rock climbing in the Lakes would give the opportunity to introduce some techniques and to chat through your aspirations for the Alps.

Equipment

Check out the Equipment for Alpine Mountaineering page for a full list of all the kit you will need.

Insurance

Insurance is absolutely essential when climbing abroad. You must ensure you are covered for rescue from the mountain environment, medical treatment, and cancellation, as well as all the normal things such as personal belongings. Standard holiday insurance does not cover for adventurous activities. Try the British Mountaineering Council, tel 0161 445 6111.

Booking Conditions

Please send a non-refundable deposit cheque for £450 with your booking form. The balance of the fee will be due at the beginning of the course, and we may ask you to pay in euros or swiss francs. If you cancel for any reason and we cannot fill your place, we will expect you to pay the full fee as arranged and claim from the insurance company as appropriate. If we fill your place, we will refund your fee less the deposit. If we cancel, we will refund any money paid in full.