Our Matterhorn Training Weekends based in North Wales are designed to help you prepare for an ascent of this iconic mountain. The course provides 2 days of intensive scrambling and easy rock climbing, linking routes to provide 500m+ of technical ascent each day.  We will climb in mountain boots and focus on efficient movement, practising in our Alpine ropework skills, and enjoy some of the longest mountain routes in North Wales.

Trip Info

If you are planning to climb the Matterhorn, and want to brush up on your skills and fitness before your trip, then this is a perfect 2 day training weekend based in North Wales.

North Wales is a fantastic venue for ‘enchaining’ (the posh Alpine term for linking!) routes together to give long mountain days similar to those experienced in the Alps. Over the two days you will climb some of Wales most classic grade 2/3 scrambles and mountain rock climbs, focussing on efficient movement and getting as much mileage as possible.  Advice will be given about the Matterhorn itself: what to expect on the route including timings, prep and anything else you need to know.

To take part you should be at Fitness Level 2 and minimum Tech Level 2 (see our Fitness/Experience guidelines below).

Any items of specialist climbing equipment that you need are also included (eg helmet, harness, rock climbing shoes etc).

The itinerary described below is a typical plan for the weekend, but we regularly vary itineraries and objectives to suit your ambitions and the weather.

Dates

You can book one of the advertised course dates as an individual, and we will team you up with another climber of similar standard. Or, if you are a ready made team of 2 people and would like to choose your own course dates, please get in touch and we will do our best to help.

Guiding ratio

One IFMGA guide working with 2 clients.

All our UK guides are fully qualified IFMGA guides and members of British Association of Mountain Guides, the professional association for mountain guides in the UK – meet some of our  team here.

In terms of added value, climbing with an IFMGA guide is a great option if you want to learn from someone with the widest possible range of experience, or you aspire to/are already obsessed with winter or Alpine climbing!  IFMGA guides work worldwide on rock, ice, glaciers and ski – so we can offer training, advice and recommendations for all your future plans, whatever and wherever they may be.

Included in price

• 2 days of guiding and instruction
• All guides expenses
• Local transport in guides vehicle to complete the itinerary
• Use of communal technical equipment eg ropes and climbing hardware
• Hire of personal equipment including harness, helmet and belay equipment

Excluded from price

• Travel to North Wales
• Food and accommodation

Accommodation

We price this course on a guiding & instruction only basis. Food and accommodation must be paid for separately. Hotel/BnB/camping ideas can be found on our Accommodation page.

Subject to weather and climbing conditions, the plan is as follows. Please note that this is a sample itinerary only – on trips like this, itineraries are always subject to change as the current weather and climbing conditions need to be taken into account. This is an essential part of safety planning for all mountaineering, so please be ready for changes as part of your trip.

Saturday

Meet in morning for Course Briefing.

Your guide will run through kit checks and safety routines, as well as hand out any rental equipment, before going on to discuss the itinerary for the weekend, together with the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our planning. We’ll have maps and guidebooks of the area 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 into the mountains.

We usually head to the Ogwen Valley on day one; tackling a series of multi pitch scrambles and easier grade rock routes, focussing on the following skills:

• Movement skills – efficient climbing technique in mountain boots, whilst wearing a rucksack
• Alpine ropework and taking body coils – shortening the rope by taking in and locking off body coils is a fundamental skill for alpine climbing, so naturally it’s one of the first things we look at!
• Moving together using natural terrain belays – an essential time saving technique that is used every day in the Alps for traversing moderate but exposed terrain on longer climbs.
• Short pitching – used for dealing quickly and safely with short, trickier sections along a route.

Typical Enchainments:

• Ordinary Route on Idwal Slabs (Diff) > Continuation scramble to Cwm Cneifion > Cneifion Arete (Mod) > Traverse/descend to Glyder Fach > Dolmen Ridge (grade 3)

PM Overnight in Snowdonia

Sunday

On Sunday we consolidate our skills with a further big mountain day – again climbing in mountain boots, and concentrating on safe and efficient movement. Typical linkups may include:

• Parsons Nose and Clogwyn Y Person Arete (grade 3S/Diff/V Diff), onto the summit of Snowdon, then descent via Crib Goch (grade 1).
• Pulpit Route on Milestone Buttress (Diff) > Milestone Buttress Scramble (grade 2) > North Ridge of Tryfan (grade 1)
• First Pinnacle Rib on Tryfan (Diff) > Bristly Ridge on Glyder Fach (grade 1)

PM Q+A session, course debrief and advice for the future.

In addition we will talk through any questions you may have about the Matterhorn.

PM Farewells and depart

Your initial meeting point is the village of Llanberis in the heart of this historic rock climbing region, on the Northern edge of the Snowdonia National park.

Arrival/Departure

You should arrange outward travel in order to meet your guide in Llanberis at 9am on the first day of guiding. We usually meet in the famous climbers cafe ‘Petes Eats’ on Llanberis high street – a great place to plan the day ahead over a cup of tea! Return travel should be arranged after 5pm on the last day of guiding.

Travel

Llanberis is just 25 mins drive from Bangor, off the main A55 which runs along the North coast of Wales – use the RAC or AA online route planners online for your best route by car. Llanberis can also be reached by train to Bangor, then a connecting bus service – use the Travel Line website to plan your journey.

To enjoy this trip you should be comfortable operating at Fitness Level 2, and Tech Level 2 (as appropriate for the style of climbing on this trip ie Alpine, rock climbing or ice climbing).

Fitness Level 2
You do 2-3 hours CV training/sport per week. At this level you should be happy doing either a 3-4 hour hillwalk, cycling 30-40 miles or mountain biking 2-3 hours without being exhausted. Eg: you should be able to walk from Ogwen Cottage in North Wales up Glyder Fach – Glyder Fawr – Y Garn – Ogwen in ~5hrs. Or in the Lake District Langdale – Bowfell – Esk Pike – Angle Tarn – Langdale in ~ 6hrs.

Tech Level 2
Novice climber. Indoor or outdoor sport climbing experience / seconding traditionally protected climbs at V Diff – Severe standard / winter hillwalking or mountaineering using an ice axe and crampons / alpine glacier treks or alpine peaks to F standard.

To view all climbing Technical and Fitness Levels, and for advice on trip preparation and training, please visit our training advice page.

UK Rock Climbing Kit List

Above all, your kit needs to do the job but be as light as possible. Lightweight breathable fabrics are ideal for waterproofs, which are carried as often as worn (hopefully!).

Technical Clothing

• Waterproof jacket – lightweight breathable model
• Overtrousers – with long side zips
• Socks – warm ‘Smartwool’ type, plus thin liner socks and spares
• Wicking thermal tops/t-shirts
• Softshell jacket – or equivalent light insulating layer
• Mountain trousers – light/mid-weight windproof softshell model
• Thin gloves – windproof ‘hardfleece’ model is good
• Warm hat – must fit under a helmet
• Spare warm layer – fleece or lightweight synthetic belay jacket

Personal Items

• Water Container – at least 1 litre
• Headtorch and batteries
• Map, compass and whistle (optional, but a good idea)
• Personal medications and blister kit – zinc oxide tape, compeed, painkillers etc
• Sun Glasses – CE rated 3 or 4
• Sun and lip cream – factor 30+
• Sun hat
• Shorts and t-shirt

Technical Equipment

• Rucsac 35/45l is perfect for general use
• Approach shoes or trainers – sticky rubber models are excellent
• Rock climbing shoes – must be comfortable enough to wear for several hours
• Climbing Harness – with locking karabiner and belay device
• 120cm sling and locking karabiner
• Climbing helmet
• *Semi rigid B2 mountaineering boots – Axe, Boot and Crampon advice

Other Equipment

Depending on the trip, these may be ‘nice to have’ or ‘required’ items – see individual joining instructions.

• Superlight rucsac – superlight 15/20l model, for taking on long multi-pitch rock routes
• 2 prussik loops and karabiner – if in doubt, bring 3m of 6mm climbing cord!
• Trekking poles
• Camping gear if you choose to camp in the valley

Your guide will have ropes, climbing rack, first aid and survival equipment.

*On trips where boots are required, these should be reasonably stiff 3/4 season mountaineering models. They will be needed if we decide to go ‘big boots’ climbing on easy rock climbs or scrambling terrain. Soft bendy walking boots are not very good for technical scrambling/climbing (you may be better off in a pair of ‘sticky rubber’ approach shoes). See below for advice.

Recommendations and Advice
Visit the Knowledge Base section of our website or our blog for equipment advice. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please get in touch!

Purchasing Equipment
Backcountry UK in Otley offer an excellent walking boot fitting service and general equipment advice.

Hiring Equipment
It’s best to have your own rock climbing shoes so you can get a proper fit, but if you need to hire some please get in touch. Other safety equipment can also be hired from us (subject to availability) – please see our Equipment Hire page for details.

For UK residents – we strongly recommend that you purchase cancellation cover, in case you’re unable to attend your trip due to personal circumstances or injury.

For non UK residents – search and rescue is currently free in the UK, but you may be charged by the NHS for certain treatments, and you should also consider the need for emergency repatriation in the event of a serious illness/accident. We also strongly recommend that you purchase cancellation cover, in case you’re unable to attend your trip due to personal circumstances or injury.

Please arrange your insurance as soon as your trip is confirmed to run.

Please find further details on our insurance info page.