Basic Alpinism Course in the Mont Blanc and Matterhorn range
This full 5 days 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.
Program involves reaching two 4000m summits in the Monte Rosa range as final ascents
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.
✓ Ascent two 4000m summits in the Monte Rosa range.
DURATION
Five days in the mountain
FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED
GROUPS
4 peoples.
COST
€ 1150 per person.
$USD 1,213 per person
£ 959 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
8.30am – 4.00pm: Glacier and peaks around Punta Helbronner 3462m. Refresh mixte and ice climbing skills to analyse the personal technical level. Acclimatisation day
We climb with Sky Way cable car to Punta Helbronner 3462m and on the Glacier around to the Punta refresh mixte and ice climbing skills sessions practicing mixte and ice climbing up and down, knots for tying on in the middle and ends of the rope, learning how to take in coils and rope up correctly for glacier travel. In the afternoon with the Sky Way lift from the Helbronner back down to the valley. This is the first part of our acclimatisation program – allowing you to spend as much time at altitude as possible during the week.
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
Day 3 - Wed
10.30am – 3.00pm: Mantova Hut 3498m.
Drive to Staffal (1820m) (Gressoney La Trinité), which is about a 1.30 - 2.00 hrs drive from Courmayeur. From Staffal we head up by three lifts to the Indren glacier (3200m). From here follow the glacier and the trak in the rock part we reach the Mantova Hut (3498 m). The hut walk takes about 1hr .
Overnight and Half board in the hut
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
Day 4 - Thu
3.30am – 4.00pm: Ascent of SignalKuppe (4554m) – via the normal route.
Climbing of the Tops – Today we reach along the Lys Glacier the Margherita Hut, which is the highest building in Europe on the summit of the Monte Rosa Summits. On the descent to Mantova Hut along the same route if our fitness condition is correct and we are in time we can climb the Parrotspize (4432m) or the Ludvigshohe (4341m).
Overnight and Half board in the hut
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
Round trip ~6-9hrs.
Day 5 - Fri
4.00am – 4.00pm: Ascent of another Monte Rosa 4000m peak – via the normal route.
Today we reach along the Lys Glacier the another Monte Rosa Summits. we can climb the Balmenhorn (4167m) or Piramide Vincent (4215m) or Punta Giordani (4046m).
Return to Courmayeur via Idren lift and by car from Staffal.
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out all day.
Round trip ~6-7hrs.
End of Program
Day 6 - Sun
Return home.
After a night of well-deserved rest, departure from Courmayeur for your destination.