Sample Programme

There are many combinations of peaks and routes, but 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 the hotel in Leysin. This is a chance for you to meet your team mates and Guide and go through the details of the course. There will also be time for you to sort out any equipment you need and for you to ask questions. Dinner will follow the briefing.

Monday

After breakfast we head over to Champex and walk into the Trient Hut which overlooks the beautiful Trient plateau and glacier rimmed with lovely summits which will be our base for the next few days.

Tuesday

After breakfast we head over the Glacier du Trient to climb the Aiguille du Tour. This is a great snow and mixed climb to the summit which overlooks the Trient Plateau, with also very scenic panoramic views across the Glacier du Tour and the Chamonix valley and across to the impressive glaciated dome of Mt Blanc. On the way back we'll cover some of the essentials skills around crevasse rescue to help refresh some of these import techniques. We stay a second night in the Trient Hut.

Wednesday

We leave hut after an early breakfast and head back over the Trient Glacier, but this time heading towards the Tete Blanche and the Petite Fourche which are great rocky and snow summits on the other side of the Treint Plateau across from the Aiguille du Tour climbed the previous day. Descending the Petite Fourche there is a fun but technical glacial descent with a chance to develop further a number of different ice axe and snow/ice techniques. We continue on down the glacier to spend the night at the Cabane d'Orny.

Thursday

After breakfast we head out behind the hut to climb a classic alpine rock climb which summits the Aiguille d'Arpette. This is a lovely alpine rock route with some moderate scrambling and a couple of easy rock climbing pitches, giving everyone either a great introduction to some alpine rock climbing or a chance to develop those skills but both also just having a great day out rock climbing to help give the week a great balance of snowy alpine summits and an alpine rock climb. We stay a second night at the Cabane d'Orny.

Friday

We leave the hut after breakfast and head back down to Champex to the vehicles and then drive back to Leysin. On the way to Leysin we might have the option for some roadside rock climbing on the way back or maybe a fun via ferrata which can play out depending on the weather and what the group would like to do. Dinner and a final night back at the hotel in Leysin

Saturday

Breakfast at the hotel is included before departure.