Classic Alpine Icefalls

2009 DATES Click Dates To Book.... Week 4: 17 Jan - 24 Jan Week 5: 24 Jan - 31 Jan Week 6: 31 Jan - 7 Feb Week 7: 7 Feb - 14 Feb Week 8: 14 Feb - 21 Feb Full Ice Programme Click Here COURSE DURATION 6 days, 7 nights ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE £1395 Your course price covers: • Guiding + guides expenses • Full board + accommodation • All picnic lunches/snack food • All course transportation • All mechanical uplift • Loan of technical equipment Click here for Full Details RATIO 2:1 COURSE GRADE Difficulty: 3 Fitness: 3 Click Here for Grading Details

In ice climbing perhaps more than in any other aspect of mountaineering, gaining the right technical skills at an early stage enables you to progress confidently through the grades and ultimately to achieve climbs at your full potential.

This ice climbing course offers a thorough grounding in skills blended into 6 days of high-quality icefall climbing on routes of Grade III and IV standard, building up to attempt grade V by the end of the week. It is designed for people learning to climb with two technical ice-tools and for people with previous ice climbing experience who want to improve their technique to be able to tackle more ambitious ice climbs with confidence (either as leader or second).

We operate in some of Switzerland's finest icefall-climbing areas, doing classic climbs throughout the week. By the end of the course we aim to have you following competently on ice routes up to grade V standard. There will be opportunities to learn lead-climbing skills for those whose goal is to gain the full range of techniques to be able to climb independently with the best possible safety margin.

Sample Programme

Day 1. Climbing on the Lauenen Icefall near Leysin, which offers routes up to 3 pitches long in beautiful quiet surroundings. Here we focus on climbing skills, teaching the most effective use of ice tools and crampons on various angles of ice and analysing your technique, thereby giving the right foundation for more challenging climbs later in the week.

Days 2 - 6. Climbing in two of Switzerland's premier icefall climbing areas, typically Arolla in the Swiss Valais and Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland.

Our choice of venues will take into account prevailing conditions, the weather forecast and the needs of the group, ensuring that we make the most of your time and attempt the most suitable climbs. If the weather is better in the south we go through the St Bernard tunnel to the ice-climbing mecca of Cogne.

Technical Skills covered: During the climbing programme we teach such technical aspects as rapid ice screw placement and removal, racking equipment for steep ice, double rope technique, setting up stances and belays, retreating safely from an ice climb, assessing ice conditions, mixed-climbing techniques and adapting technique for higher-grade climbing. At the guide's discretion we teach lead climbing on suitable terrain.

Note: This course can be used to prepare for our more advanced Technical Alpine Icefalls week, and the two courses may be taken consecutively for a superb two-week holiday in a variety of world-class ice-climbing venues throughout the western Alps.

Experience and Fitness. Technical roped climbing experience is important as well as some previous experience with ice axe and crampons. Indoor ice climbing facilities such as Vertical Chill (at Ellis Brigham's London Covent Garden store) or the Toyota Wall at Castleford in Yorkshire, can offer very effective preparation for the course. General fitness and upper body excercise such as indoor or outdoor rock climbing will be found beneficial.

Our favourite venues for Winter Ice courses

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