Introductory Alpin-ISM

This course is designed to be a thoroughly enjoyable, informative and well-rounded introduction to climbing in the Alps with a guide. It is perfect for people who are keen hill-walkers in the UK and who would like to move to the next stage - to learn mountaineering skills in the inspiring alpine environment of peaks and glaciers. No previous climbing experience is necessary.

During the five activity days we teach all the important alpine skills within a full mountaineering programme which is normally based in the Swiss part of the Mont Blanc Massif. This region has every type of mountaineering terrain - superb rocky ridges as well as higher glaciated peaks where all the associated skills of glacier travel, ice axe & crampon technique and crevasse rescue are covered as part of the climbing days.

The course is less 'instructional' than Summits & Skills 4000m and slightly less arduous, but it offers a sound introduction to alpine climbing for those who enjoy their local hills and who would like to try mountaineering in the more challenging environment of the high Alps.

Throughout the week you climb with the security of the guide for the whole time, enabling you to enjoy the spectacular surroundings to the full. The summits we climb are exceptional viewpoints and will give you experience of every facet of alpine climbing.

Who the course will suit

This course has been designed with the complete beginner to alpine climbing in mind. It is suitable for people with no previous mountaineering experience as well as those with who are experienced in the British hills and feel ready to tackle higher peaks in glaciated regions. In order to fully enjoy the course you need to have a good level of general fitness, such as that gained from hill walking in the UK (or other) mountains or another regular aerobic exercise.

This course also provides excellent preparation for those planning other alpine objectives with a guide, or as a lead-in to our ‘Classic’ range of courses and our Mont Blanc Special course.

What the course covers

During the week we cover or refresh all of the basic climbing and alpine skills, including:

• Introduction to basic climbing equipment.
• Attaching to the rope and other climbing knots.
• Moving efficiently over rocky 'scrambling' terrain.
• Belaying and protection on rock, ice and snow.
• Use of crampons and ice axe on snow and ice.
• Taking coils and moving together with the rope.
• Short rope techniques for different types of alpine terrain.
• Safe glacier travel and crevasse rescue.
• Descending on snow and ice.
• Alpine navigation and interpretation of maps and guidebook.
• Preparation and selection of climbing equipment.
• Alpine huts and the ‘alpine start’.

You will have the chance to learn and practice these skills continually throughout the week during ascents of (normally) three or four peaks, carefully selected to give a varied climbing week and experience of all types of alpine terrain.

Typical course programme

Sunday evening.

The course starts with participants and guides meeting at 7.00pm at Le Grand Chalet hotel in Leysin. This is the chance for the guides to give you a thorough briefing on the details of the course, to sort out any particular personal equipment requirements, to get to know other course members and to ask any questions that you may have!

Monday.

After a short drive across the Rhone Valley to Champex we take a chairlift up to the high, fairly level track which leads around and up to the Cabane d'Orny. The view from this path of the Grand Combin massif are truly wonderful. Outside the hut is a very convenient climbing area where we spend the afternoon learning alpine ropework and other essential skills.

Tuesday.

The focus today is gaining proficiency with ice axe and crampons and learning all the skills associated with safe glacier travel. We descend to the Orny glacier and begin with an 'ecole de glace' to learn correct use of crampons on all angles of ice, as well as different ways to use the ice axe as the angle/harness of snow varies. We make an ascent of the Orny glacier which issmooth and safe lower down but then becomes more crevassed, giving a chance to demonstratethe importance of correct rope work for glacier trtavel. In the afternoon we have a proper crevasse rescue session (using a relatively friendly crevasse!) where you have the opportunity to see and practice different techniques for rescuing someone after a crevasse fall. Return to theOrny hut.

Wednesday.

Today we make an 'alpine' start to get the best conditions for an ascent of two fine snow peaks - the Tete Blanche and the Petite Fourche. After ascending the glacier we cross most of the Trient Plateau (a vast flat snow basin) to reach the base of the NE ridge of the Tete Blanche. This gives a most enjoyable climb, partly on snow and partly on lovely golden granite, to a flat summit area which is ideal for a snack stop.

We continue to the base of the Petite Fourche and climb an icy slope to its rocky summit at 3512m. This is easy in snow but demands good crampon technique if the ice is hard. After descending part way we have to make an exciting abseil over a serac wall to regain the Trient Plateau, which is traversed to the Trient Hut (situated at 3170m and one of the best in the Alps from which to watch the sunset).

Thursday.

Another ‘alpine start’ in the morning gets us on to the Trient Plateau while it is still frozen hard and quick to walk on. This time we cross the whole plateau to reach the Aiguille du Tour (3540m), a superb little peak offering several good routes of ascent. Again we climb partly on snow and partly on the excellent granite that the Mt Blanc Massif is famous for, either climbing the standard route or a more ambitious traverse over both summits (depending on which the guide feels is appropriate for the group). If the day is sunny and warm we need to be heading back before the glacier gets too soft, and once at the Col d'Orny we can head straight down the glacier to overnight at the very comfortable Orny hut.

Friday.

Several granite peaks and spires rise up in the vicinity of the Orny hut, and at least two of them offer friendly alpine rock ridges suitable for ascent on this course. The Aiguille d'Arpette is more of a mountaineering route with some fabulous scrambling and a couple of rock climbing pitches, while the Arete de la Cabane is a little more sustained. Each offers very enjoyable climbing on perfect granite with every opportunity to develop the skills required for all types of alpine rock terrain, from easy scrambling to fully pitched climbing. We return via the traversing path to the chairlift at La Breya which takes us down to our transport back to Leysin, where no course would be complete without a night out at the Lynx bar - with many tales of the week’s adventures being told…. and future plans being hatched!

Saturday morning.

Breakfast at the hotel is included before departure.

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