Alpine Introduction

This is the ideal course for someone who has been hill walking in the UK before and wants to go a step further and try some alpine mountaineering.

This course will cover topics such as mountain safety, use of crampons and ice axes and rope techniques all under the watchful and helpful tuition of a qualified and experienced mountain guide. You will experience traditional mountain huts as well as walking on glaciers - ready for the real challenge.

This course gives you the opportunity to see if the alpine mountains are for you and climb an alpine peak! We know you will love it and get a taste for the mountains - just like we have!

 

• 5 days guiding by experienced mountain guides.
• We'll pick you up and drop you off at Geneva Airport.
• Secure luggage storage whilst staying in mountain huts.
• We run this trip between mid June and mid September.
• Set open dates or bespoke courses for individuals to larger groups - just ask if the date you want is not listed.
• Many years experience in providing alpine courses.
• You need to have good fitness and have a head for heights.

This course places a larger emphasis on learning the skills than our other alpine ascent courses.

The trip is run on a seven day basis from Sunday to Saturday, however if you would like to do this at any other time then please contact us.

Travel to Chamonix on Sunday and experience your first taste of an Alpine village. Warm summer days in the valley, and cool evenings with a stunning backdrop of the largest mountains in Europe.

During your trip you will meet your mountain guide on the morning of the first guiding day. You should arrive the afternoon/evening before this for you to be ready for the start of the course, and if possible a day or two earlier than this to enable you to do some walking/acclimatising on your own.

At this time they will go through the planned route and carry out an equipment check to ensure you have everything you need to enable you to enjoy the following days.

Day	Activity
Sunday	Fly to Geneva Airport and transfer to Chamonix. Take a tour of the village, sort out equipment, make any last minute purchases as well as arrange hire of mountain boots. In the evening discuss the forthcoming week over dinner.
Monday	Your guide for the week meets you at your accommodation to start the week. Your first time on a glacier? Take the cable car up to the glacier and practice your first steps with crampons on or maybe you have done it before and are just refreshing. Haul your rope partner out of a crevasse, learn rope techniques. That evening descend to Chamonix again and discuss the events of the day over dinner.
Tuesday	Further training on a suitable glacier. Descend back to Chamonix ready for the next few days.
Wednesday - Friday	3 day mountain expedition to put your learned skills into practice. Possible objectives include Petite Fourche (3520m) and Aiguille du Tour (3544m). Overnight at two mountain huts during this time, both at approximately 2700m. Descend back to Chamonix on Friday afternoon.
Saturday	Coffee and croissants, relaxation and debrief by guide. Transfer to Geneva Airport for the journey home.

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.

You don't need to have previous alpine mountaineering experience. That's what this course is for. However you do need to have a decent level of fitness. You should be able to cope with 4hrs of ascent (and then descent) on the mountain and height gains of 1000m. Most likely you will have previous UK hill walking experience (but not essential if you can demonstrate good fitness through other sports). Average day length is 6hrs. In addition you will also need a head for heights and be technically coordinated.

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 and snow 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 on a trip 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.
  
• 5 days guiding Qualified mountain guides.
  
• Arrival and departure transport between Geneva Airport and Chamonix.
  
• 4 nights twin room hotel accommodation with breakfast in Chamonix Valley. Single rooms are available at a supplement.
  
• 2 nights hut accommodation half board
  
• Technical equipment such as crampons, ice axe, helmets, harness + group gear.
  
• Group first aid kit with qualified first aiders.
  

2010 price - £1295pp

Below is a list detailing the approximate additional costs of what to budget for within the week:

Hire of mountain boots	£30
Evening meals in the Valley	£50
Lunches, snacks, drinks, etc.	£100
Cable cars	£75
Personal Insurance	£35
Flights	£120
Total approximate additional costs	£410