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Technical Alpine Climbing Course

"Our Technical Alpine Climbing course is ideal for established UK rock and ice climbers, or those who have tried classic alpine mountaineering and now want to take on bigger objectives. The training program focuses on acquiring fast and efficient climbing style over varied alpine terrain."
  
5 days
Intermediate
2:1
Dates: 18 Jun - 07 Sept  
   
Price: £925
Fitness: 2-3
Experience: You need to either have prior alpine experience, or have climbed at least Scottish II in winter and Severe on rock in the UK (or equivalent).
Included: Guiding Fees and Expenses.
Other Costs: Accommodation, food, travel and uplift ~ £400
Book Online Here
 
Summary
A low 2:1 ratio gives flexibility to tailor each course to individual requirements - the aim being to develop your existing climbing skills, by teaching alpine specific techniques for moving quickly over rock, ice and mixed terrain on longer alpine routes.
Important areas such as multi pitch abseiling, route planning and advanced crevasse rescue are also covered during the week. Typical routes climbed are in the range PD+ to D depending on conditions and ability.
Recent Trip Reports - Tech Alpine Course, Sept 2008
 
Course Base
We base ourselves in the world famous alpine resort of Chamonix, climbing in the Mont Blanc range and other venues nearby in Italy and Switzerland during the week.
Training Notes
Our accompaning booklet 'Technical Alpinism Course - Advice Notes' is available to download when you book on this course. This is a practical guide to getting started in alpine climbing, once you've completed the course.
 
Sample Itinerary
Subject to weather and conditions, we follow the general format below:
alpine climbing course itinerary
Day 0 - Sun PM, meet in Chamonix - discuss plans, sort equipment and overnight in valley. See notes on alpine climbing grades.
Day 1 - Mon
Ropework + Skills Coaching. eg runners, belays, climbing technique, moving together etc - taught on a multipitch climb in the Aiguilles Rouges.
Day 2 - Tue
Long Alpine Rock Route. Putting it all into practice, concentrating on fast and efficient style, time saving techniques etc, on a route such as the Papillons Arete or Miroir D'Argentine.
Days 3 - 5 Wed - Fri

Alpine Climbing Days. Ascents of technical climbs in the Mt Blanc range with 2 nights spent in alpine huts. During this time we look at safe and efficient travel over different types of alpine terrain: rock, ice, mixed, ridges etc including skills such as:

  • taking in coils
  • short pitching
  • direct belaying
  • moving together
  • abseil descents
  • crevasse rescue
  • route selection
  • weather and planning etc.
Further Information
- alpine ice climbing
- glacier travel
- moving together
- direct belaying
- multipitch abseiling
- adv crevasse rescue
- alpine ninja article
Possible Climbs
- cosmiques arete
- chere couloir / tacul nf
- aiguille d'entreves

Fri PM - course debrief and advice for the future.

alpine climbing course
 
Food and Accommodation
We run all of our courses on a guiding & instruction only basis. Food and accommodation must be paid for seperately. Our recommended accommodation in the Chamonix valley is Ice and Orange - Chalet Tissières, who we will happily put you in touch with if you'd like to reserve a room. You are however free to make other accommodation arrangements if you choose (for a full hotel service, Hotel Les Lanchers in Chamonix Les Praz is another good option - Chamonix has numerous other hotels and rental apartments available at a wide variety of prices - click on 'reservation' at the Chamonix website for more details).
 
Travel
Chamonix is easily reached by flights to Geneva and an airport transfer, both of which are bookable online.
 
Ability and Experience
To get the most out of this course you need to either have prior alpine experience, or have climbed at least Scottish II in winter and Severe on rock in the UK (or equivalent). Alpine mountaineering requires good levels of fitness & stamina (see fitness level 2-3) so we advise you to prepare well in advance with days out in the UK hills or other regular exercise and some climbing training.
 
Equipment
We will supply you with a full kit list. All communal safety equipment (ropes etc) is provided by us. You are expected to come equiped with personal clothing and climbing equipment. For the more technical items (ice axe, crampons, harness, helmet, boots etc) local equipment hire is also available.
 
     
 
 
 
         
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