Featured Courses
Summits & Skills 4000m
Level 1: Instructional Course
Summits & Skills 4000m – Your Alpine Adventure Starts Here
Our six-day Summits & Skills 4000m course is a fantastic introduction to summer alpine mountaineering, combining the excitement of climbing your first alpine summits with learning the essential skills and techniques needed to enjoy the high mountains.
Whether you're an experienced hillwalker or simply looking for a new adventure, you'll learn to use an ice axe and crampons, travel safely on glaciers and develop the skills, confidence and mountain awareness to work towards climbing your first 4000m peak.
But it's about more than learning new skills. It's about experiencing the magic of the Alps, staying in mountain huts, sharing adventures with like-minded people and discovering what makes alpine mountaineering so rewarding.
And your alpine journey doesn't have to end there. Our Level 2 courses provide exciting opportunities to build on your experience. Monte Rosa 4000ers allows you to consolidate your skills while climbing classic 4000m summits, while Classic AlpinISM helps you develop your technical skills, mountain judgement and confidence as you progress towards greater independence in the mountains.
Monte Rosa 4000ers
Level 2 : Guided Climbing
Our Monte Rosa 4000ers week links together the ultimate traverse of both 4000m summits and high mountain huts offering an amazing week based entirely in the highest mountains of the Alps and culminating in a stay at the highest hut - the Margherita Hut at 4559m.
This high mountain journey is a fantastic 'next step' for those who have completed out Summits and Skills 4000m course or similar, having learned the basic skills of summer alpine mountaineering and wishing to develop and practise these skills, or those who are experienced and who wish to enjoy a week of great mountaineering, whilst staying in high mountain huts, and climbing 4000m peaks.
There are few high mountain traverses like this one in the Alps. Centred in the Monte Rosa Massif, staying each night in a high mountain hut and then climbing one or more of the snowy 4000m peaks that make up this chain of high summits. The massif sits high above Zermatt with incredible views across to the Matterhorn, the Dent Blanche and Mischabel range in stark contrast to the flat plains of Italy to the south.
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Icefall Climbing Skills
Level 1 : Instructional Course
Our 5-Day Ice Climbing Skills Course is the perfect introduction to the world of ice climbing. Over five days you'll learn the essential skills, techniques and safety needed to climb frozen waterfalls with confidence exploring some of the finest ice climbing venues in the French and Italian Alps.
More InfoWhy Choose ISM?
Our pedigree speaks for itself
Founded in 1965, ISM is one of the world's longest-established alpine mountaineering schools. Based near Chamonix, our highly experienced IFMGA Mountain Guides share a lifelong passion for climbing, exploration & adventure, inspiring climbers of all abilities to discover the richness of the journey.
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Sharing Our Knowledge
Visit Our Knowledge Base
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The Art of Making Traditional Kyrgyz Bread!
Reflecting on a special day in the Pamir Mountains, Kyrgyzstan 2019
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