Alpine 4000ers

Switzerland is home to some of Europe's and even the world's finest mountains. The Matterhorn, the Eiger are all mountains steeped in mountaineering history.

Trivia question: did you know that Toblerone takes its shape from the Matterhorn??

This course starts in Zermatt, next to the Matterhorn and finishes in the Saas Tal which is the valley next to it. The course is designed to get you up 4000m peaks.

Zermatt lies in a narrow valley which is surrounded by huge mountains, many of them amongst the highest in the Alps. Within this huge range it is possible to reach the summit of several 4000m peaks in the course of a week.

If you want to spend some time in the mountains and 'bag' some summits, then this is the one for you...

 

• 6 days guiding by qualified mountain guides.
• We provide technical equipment (crampons/ice axe/ helmets/harness + group gear).
• Accommodation provided in the valley as well as mountain huts.
• We run this trip between mid June and mid September due to weather and snow conditions.
• We provide open or bespoke courses for individuals to larger groups
• Many years experience in providing alpine courses.
• You need to have good fitness, have a head for heights and be technically coordinated.

A great challenge with an amazing sense of achievement!

We run a 6 day course, which, with an arrival and departure day, is an eight day round trip (Sunday - Sunday). We run the course over this duration because it provides the best chance of your trip meeting the necessary criteria; weather, acclimatisation, ability and fitness.

Your arrival in Zermatt is on a Sunday which gives you a bit of time to flavour the atmosphere of this splendid village. It should be nice and warm during the day in the valley (as opposed to the mountain) with cool evenings and a stunning backdrop of the largest mountains in Europe.

We will meet you at your accommodation on the Monday morning to go through the planned itinerary for the week ahead and ensure everyone has the kit they need.

If you have no previous crampon experience, then you will need to join the course a day earlier for initial training in the use of ice axe, crampons, ropes, etc. This therefore means an arrival on Saturday.

A typical tour itinerary may look like this:

Day	Activity
Sunday	Arrive in Zermatt and check into your accommodation. Zermatt is served well with rail connections from Geneva Airport. Take a tour of the village, make any last minute purchases as well as arrange hire of mountain boots. In the evening discuss the forthcoming week over dinner.
Monday	Attempted ascent of Breithorn (4164m). Your first 4000er? Descend back to the valley.
Tuesday	Transfer to Saastal - ascend to the Britannia Hut, overnight at a mountain hut.
Wednesday	Attempted ascent of Allalinhorn (4027m) via the normal route. Overnight at a mountain hut.
Thursday	Attempted ascent of Alphubel (4206m) via the normal route. Descend to Saas Fee.
Friday	Ascend to Hoh Saas hut, overnight at the hut.
Saturday	Attempted ascent of Weissmies (4023m). Descend back to the valley.
Sunday	Coffee & croissants for breakfast, and then by train along beautiful Lake Geneva back to Geneva Airport.

Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent upon viability, course members' fitness, weather conditions or for any other reason the guide may deem necessary.

To do this trip you need to have sufficient fitness and stamina for vertical height gains of 1200m per day often on steep ground and at altitude. Ascent times are up to 5hrs and total day length is 5 -9hrs. You need to be technically coordinated (i.e. no two left feet!) and have a sense of balance.

If you have no previous crampon experience, then you will need to join the course a day earlier for initial training in the use of ice axe, crampons, ropes, etc.

We recommend that you follow a fitness plan in preparation for your challenge, an example of one will be sent to you when you have confirmed your booking.

Although the fitness plan we will send to you has been devised by a fitness professional, this is only provided as a guide and you should seek professional advice before starting your own fitness regime.

Weather conditions permit us to run this course anytime from mid June to mid September.

This trip is available for individuals and groups. You can request the date for when you want to take part in the trip. Please click on the link below to request a trip date.

These will then be advertised here.

For 1 person booking we will advertise the trip here and upon meeting minimum numbers confirm the trip.

For 2 people on a trip we will advertise the trip here as a confirmed trip and reserve the right to add additional people on to it.

For 3+ people on a trip we will run an exclusive trip.

All requested dates are unconfirmed until minimum numbers have been booked.

Create Your Own Trip Dates

• Professional event organisation.
• Qualified mountain guides.

• Twin or triple hotel room accommodation with breakfast in the valleys and mountain hut accommodation, half board. Single rooms in the valley hotels are available at a supplement.
• All technical equipment such as crampons, ice axe, helmets, harness + group gear.
  
• Group first aid kit with qualified first aiders.
  

2010 price £1395pp

Additional training day £145pp (if you have no previous crampon experience). This includes an extra night accommodation.

Please see our table below for approximate costs of what to budget with additional to the course fee for the week:

Hire of mountain boots	£30
Lunches, snacks, drinks	£15 per day
Cable cars	£125
Personal Insurance	£30
Transfer from Zermatt to Saastal	£50
Return flights to Geneva	£125
Return train transfers	£75
Total approximate costs	£600