Sample Programme

There are many combinations when planning a week around the classic 4000m peaks and we do our best to deliver the week at the right level of abilitiy for the course participants, taking into account the weather and conditions.

Sunday

The course starts with a briefing at 6.45pm at our hotel in Leysin. It's at this time you'll meet your ISM Guide, other course participants and then talk through the recent mountain conditions, weather for the coming days and together make a plan as to what area and 4000m peaks you'll attempt. There will also be time for you to ask any questions you may have about what to pack for the week ahead, equipment you might need to borrow, hut nights and any dietary requirements you may have. Dinner will follow the briefing.

Monday

After breakfast you'll leave Leysin and head up the Rhone valley towards Tasch, a small village below Zermatt. From here we'll will drive up the steep winding road to Tasch Alp from where you'll hike up to the Tasch Hut to stay the night.

Tuesday

A pre-dawn start sees the team walking by headlamp up good trails towards the glacier Alphubel. Once on the glacier we continue up and over the Alphubeljoch and onto the Fee Gletscher. We then head north up the steepening glacier, over the 'Ice Naso' and on to the summit of Alphubel at 4206m. The descent is back down the broad glacier to the Alphubeljoch and then we continue down to the Tasch hut and back to the valley. We'll then drive a short distance to Saas Grund where we'll stay the night.

Wednesday

After a more relaxed start, we walk up to the Almageller Hut above Saas Amagell, which gives us access to the Weissmies (4017m) via the stunning south ridge, which we hope to climb the following day. That night we will stay in the Almageller hut (2726m).

Thursday

An early start sees us leaving the Almageller Hut with headlamps on and heading up towards the South Ridge of the Weissmies. The ridge is a fantastic rock scramble which ends at a the start of a beautiful snow ridge and arete, which leads to a snow summit. From the summit which has great views across to the Mischabel and beyond to Zermatt, the Monte Rosa, the Mt Blanc Massif and to the north the Bernese Oberland, we then turn around and descend back down the south ridge and back to the Almageller hut where we'll stay a second night.

Friday

A more relaxed start, with just a short walk from the Almageller Hut, we walk up to the Almageller Hut above is the Dri Hornli, which is a
fantastic alpine rock ridge, which we may climb that morning before heading down to Saas Almagell. The Dri Hornli is one of the best alpine rock climbs in the area, with some amazing scrambling and climbing on immaculate granite-like rock. You follow the spine of this amazing rock summit, taking in three rocky 'horns' and traversing along knife edge ridges accessible in only 10mins from the Almageller Hut!
fun!

After climbing the Dri Hornli, we have a quick stop at the Almageller Hut, before heading back down the valley and driving back to Leysin where we have a final debrief and dinner back at our hotel.

Saturday

Morning - Breakfast at the hotel is included before departure.