Neil Hitchings

IFMGA Mountain Guide

Neil works year round as an IFMGA high mountain guide, since 1995. I am a member of the (A.I.G.M.B.) Association Internationale des Guides du Mont Blanc, based here in Chamonix.

He discovered rock climbing at the age of 16 and it quickly became the passion of my life. From rock climbing I graduated to Alpine summits and frozen waterfalls.

Neil settled in the Chamonix valley in the late 1970s and, among other things, I have worked as a ski-patroller at the Brévent ski area in Chamonix. At that time I was almost certainly the only Englishman to be working as a ski patroller in France. This work involved maintaining security on the marked pistes, evacuating the injured from the pistes and avalanche control. For several years, before deciding to become a guide, I ran my own rope access business.

Testimonials For ISM

Thanks for a fantastic week. It was really one of the best things I have ever done. I learned a lot during the week, not only about climbing technique, but also about attitude.

Lachlan MacGregor
Bernese Oberland 4000ers

Thank you very much for an enjoyable and inspiring week in the Alps, and for your patience and good humour throughout. You have a completely satisfied customer and I hope to join another ISM course sometime in the future.

Michael Firth
Classic AlpinISM (Instructional Course)

The course was excellent, lots of variety and provided me with a good range of skills. Loved reaching the summit of the Weissmeis, for such a nervous and unconfident novice like me, I gained a real sense of achievement from the ascent and the whole week. Huge thanks to Pat.

Jo Clark
Summits & Skills 4000m (Instructional Course)

All Reviews