Basic Alpinism Course in the Mont Blanc and Matterhorn range

Altitude: from 1200m to 4165m |  State - Country: Aosta Valley - Courmayeur - Cervinia - Haute Savoie - Chamonix - Italy - France |  Mountains: Mont Blanc - Matterhorn |  Top Altitude: Breithorn 4165m

This full 6 day program has been carefully designed to teach you all the skills needed to climb safely in glaciated terrain.

Throughout the week the emphasis is on equipping you with the skills to go alpine climbing and alpine mountaineering independently in the future, or tackle bigger objectives on one our more technical courses.

COURSE AIM.

✓ Personal climbing movement skills & rock climbing techniques with the aim of climbing efficiently & enjoyably.
✓ Basic rock climbing skills like putting on your harness and tying in to the rope.
✓ Technical sessions will include further knots, tying in to anchors and using protection equipment (slings, nuts, cams, hexes etc).
✓ Descending or retreating safely from rock climbs.
✓ Alpine rock skills, managing the rope on easy ground, taking coils & moving together.
✓ Alpine mountain skills, approaching a rock climb with a snow or glacial approach.
✓ Crampon and ice axe training / skills.
✓ Crevasse rescue techniques, keeping it simple and effective.
✓ Personal movement skills on a variety of types of terrain.
✓ Safe, simple and efficient glacier travel protocol & techniques.
✓ Efficient use of the rope on mountaineering terrain.
✓ Selecting appropriate equipment to be safe but also light and effective.
✓ Using mountain huts.
✓ Use of maps, guide books, GPS and the latest ‘Apps’ for route planning and navigation.
✓ Emergency Procedures in the Alps.

DURATION

Six days in the mountain

FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED

GROUPS

4 peoples.

COST

€ 1150 per person.

$USD 1,250 per person
£ 983 per person

INCLUDE

  Services of an Mountain Guide

  All transfers as shown in the program

  The cablecars tickets as shown in the program, including cablecars tickets of the Mountain Guide

  Half board in the huts, including the halfs boards of the Mountain Guide

NOT INCLUDE

  Accomodation

  Lunch in both mountain and valley

  Mountaineering – Off Piste/Ski Mountaineering Insurance IMPORTANT: Please read this section.

  Transfer from/to airport,

  Airfare

  Anything not specified

NB Trip is confirmed from 3 peoples.

Day 0 - Sun
Arrival

Travel to Courmayeur, to arrive in time for the Evening Briefing.

Your guide will run through safety routines and kit checks, as well as hand out rental equipment for the week, before we go on to a detailed discussion of everyones ambitions for the week, together with the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our planning. We’ll also have maps and guidebooks to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up before we head on to dinner.

Day 1 - Mon

9.00am – 4.00pm: Refresh rock climbing skills to analyse the personal technical level.

We move to a local valley crag and do some top roped climbing with an introduction to basic climbing and ropework techniques. Most likely venues are the famous valley crags of the Courmayeur Valley - Morgex e.g “Palestra Jordaney”.
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.

Day 2 - Tue

7.30am – 4.00pm: From Courmayeur to Albert Premier hut 2706m via Mont Blanc Tunnel

Drive to Chamonix-Le Tour via the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Approach to Albert Premier Hut and glacier mountaineering / ice climbing training day on Tour Glacier.
Overnight and Half board in the hut
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
Ascent ~2.30-3.30hrs.

Day 3 - Wed

5.30am – 3.00pm: Ascent of Tête Blanche (3422m) – via the normal route.

Ascent of Tête Blanche (3422m) The first proper ‘alpine start’! Leaving at dawn we head to the glacier’s edge, rope up and set off – the plan is to now put everything in to practice on a good alpine route. Starting with glacier travel , we look at navigation, route finding and alpine hazard awareness along the way. The Tete Blanche itself is a relatively short climb, which gives plenty of time to practice moving to gether in a snow and ice setting. From the summit we head over in Switzerland to the Trient Hut 3170m.
Overnight and Half board in the hut
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
round trip ~6-8hrs.

Day 4 - Thu

6.00am – 4.00pm: Ascent of Aiguille du Tour (3544m) – via the normal route.

Ascent of Aiguille du Tour (3544m). From the Trient Hut. Another classic alpine summit, with spectacular views across Mont Blanc Range from the top. Areas covered today include route choice, hazard evaluation and moving together on rock and mixed terrain. In first afternoon descend to Chamonix and from here drive by Courmayeur via Mont Blanc Tunnel, planning session for the last two days.
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
round trip ~6-8hrs.

Day 5 - Fri

7.00am – 4.00pm: Courmayeur – Guide del Cervino hut 3515m.

1 hour by road takes us to the Cervinia town situated at foot south face of Matterhorn. A cable car is used to take us to 3515m and a spectacular glacial environment, a further 2 minutes on foot takes us to the hut. The day continue with the crevasse rescue session (this is a wide ranging topic – with different skills being appropriate to different levels of experience, so we tailor the training to each particular group). In afternoon briefing – short talk on alpine rescue, using guidebooks and how to obtain reliable and up to date climbing conditions information.
Overnight and Half board in the hut
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.

Day 6 - Sat

6.00am – 4.00pm: Ascent of Breithorn (4165m) – via the normal route.

Ascent of Breithorn (4165m). From Guide del Cervino hut follow up the glacier to the Klein Matterhorn area and from here in 1 hour to the top. The great views from the summit are definitely worth the effort. In the first afternoon return to Courmayeur via Cervinia
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
round trip ~6-7hrs.

End of Program

Day 7 - Sun

Return home.

After a night of well-deserved rest, departure from Courmayeur for your destination.