Summits & Skills 4000m
Level 1: Instructional Course
Our six-day Summits and Skills 4000m course is designed to give you the best possible introduction to alpine mountaineering and, in addition, you'll get the chance to climb a 4000m peak as a culmination of your week.
This is a fantastic week, where you will learn all the basic skills required to have a fun and an enjoyable time summer alpine mountaineering.
This course is a great introduction to alpine mountaineering, which culminates with a chance to practise your new skills climbing a 4000m peak.
An ISM Level 1 certificate will be awarded at the end of the course to confirm the level you have achieved.
Course Highlights
A fun week learning alpine mountaineering skills
Climb your first alpine summits including a 4000m peak
Accommodation, breakfast and evening meals included
No hidden hotel or hut accommodation costs
Climbing equipment available to borrow free of charge
Low client to Guide ratio aiding the learning environment
ISM certificate on completion of the course
Expert instruction and coaching from professional ISM Guides
No additional uplift or cable car costs
Is this course for me?
ISM has designed this course to give you a safe and fun introduction to summer alpine mountaineering.
Each day is different, starting with the beginnings of basic rock climbing and ropework, putting on crampons, using a mountaineering ice axe for the first time, through to understanding the mountain environment and climbing your first alpine summits.
After learning these basic skills we consolidate these by climbing a 4000m peak at the end of the week.
An Introduction to Alpine Mountaineering
You will learn how to use crampons and an ice axe, rope up safely for glacier travel and be coached on planning and climbing your first alpine summits. No prior experience is necessary, but a good basic level of fitness is required to enjoy each day and to get the most from the course.
A great continuation on from this course would be our Monte Rosa 4000ers where you'll get the chance to practise the skills you have learned whilst gaining more experience whilst climbing some of the Alps most beautiful classic 4000m peaks. If you would prefer another instructional week, then our Classic AlpinISM course would be a great next step too.
Course Content
This course is aimed at those new to alpine mountaineering and covers all the essential alpine skills, including:
- Taking coils and an introduction to roped scrambling
- Abseiling and ascending a rope (prussiking)
- Using crampons and a mountaineering ice axe
- Safe glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques
- Navigation/planning and interpretation of the weather, maps and guidebooks
- Climbing a number of alpine peaks including a 4000m summit
- Staying in high mountain huts
Sample Programme
Saturday evening
The course starts with a 7pm briefing at the Hotel PlanB in Le Fayet, St Gervais Mont Blanc in Haute Savoie, France. This is a chance for you to meet your ISM Guide and the other course participants. Your ISM Guide will go through the plan for your week, and you’ll have a chance to sort out your equipment and ask them any questions.
Dinner will follow and a first nights stay in Le Fayet
Sunday
A rock climbing day locally in Le Fayet or Chamonix, provides a fantastic backdrop with a number of great crags with routes at all grades for you to either learn the fundamentals of climbing and to develop your climbing technique, or for those with some rock climbing experience to get more focused coaching maybe in lead climbing and to help everyone prepare for the week ahead.
Learnt Skills: Safety equipment, route choice, belaying, basic ropework, reading rock for feet and handholds & climbing movement, abseiling, prussiking, taking coils & crag awareness and safety.
We return to the hotel for dinner and stay in Le Fayet a second night.
Monday
We travel to the beautiful Ruitor Glacier hidden away in a quiet corner of the Aosta Valley with the glacier owing its name to the ‘Testa del Ruitor’ which is the highest mountain in the region (3,486m). Firstly, we walk into the amazing Rifugio Albert Deffeys, situated in amongst pristine alpine lakes, waterfalls and rocky alpine terrain at the north end of the Ruitor Glacier. The rifugio gives us easy access to the Ruitor Glacier which is a perfect venue an afternoon of ‘Ecole de glace’. The evening in the hut will be spent relaxing and planning the next day.
Learnt Skills: Mountain safety, crampon and ice axe techniques, ice screws for protection, ice belays, safe glacier travel, the beginnings of crevasse rescue, planning a mountain day and understanding a weather forecast & the impact on planning a mountain day.
Tuesday
We have an early start to climb the ‘Testa del Ruitor’ which is the highest mountain in the region (3,486m). The Ruitor Glacier and approach provides an excellent opportunity to practice glacial travel, route planning around glacial hazards and mountain terrain to learn ‘short roping’ techniques. From the summit, we descend back onto the upper Ruitor Glacier where there is an excellent spot to stop and learn the basics of building safe snow anchors and practice crevasse rescue techniques. We return to the Rifugio Albert Deffeys late afternoon, for a second night.
Learnt Skills: Mountain safety, practice crampon and ice axe techniques, safe glacier travel, short roping techniques, personal scrambling techniques, rock belays and anchors during alpine travel.
Wednesday
Another early start, and we head off to climb the Testa d’Assaly (3000m) which a lovely rocky summit on the NE edge of the Ruitor Glacier which provides excellent ground for practising those short roping and moving together techniques, and you may have the opportunity to lead the rope during the ascent and descent of this peak. From the summit, we descend back onto the Ruitor Glacier consolidating glacial travel techniques and rope work as we head back to the Rifugio Albert Deffeys. We then descend from the hut and back to the parking and then drive down to the Aosta valley and to Arvier, where we spend the night in valley-based accommodation.
Learnt Skills: Mountain safety, consolidate safe glacier travel and short roping techniques, personal scrambling and easy rock-climbing techniques, practice rock belays and anchors ascending and descending safely.
Thursday
After an early breakfast we go to Cervinia on the south side of the Monte Rosa Massif, where we take lifts up to the Rifugio Theodulo (3317m) situated on the edge of the Theodul Glacier. From the rifugio we have two options depending on the weather & conditions.
1, We leave the hut roped up for glacial travel, to traverse the Theodul Glacier and then up the Aventina Glacier to climb the Breithorn (4164m) a beautiful summit along the border of Italy & Switzerland and in the Monte Rosa Massif with amazing views over to Monte Rosa itself and across to the iconic Matterhorn and down to Zermatt far below.
2, We Leave the hut roped up for glacial travel and head north on the Theodul Glacier and climb the Theodulhorn (3472m) which is a lovely rocky summit and a great high mountain in a beautiful glacial setting to practice many of the learnt skills during your week.
We spend that night back in the Rifugio Theodulo.
Friday
We finish with climbing either the Breithorn (4164m) or the Theodulhorn (3472m)
Once returning to the rifugio after the climb, we’ll head back down the lift system to the parking and drive back to Aosta and onto Le Fayet where you’ll spend your last night enjoying a final dinner in Hotel PlanB.
Saturday
Breakfast is included before departure.
Course Dates & Booking
Meet the Team
Adrian Nelhams
ISM Director and IFMGA British Mountain Guide
As a Director of ISM, Adrian splits his time between guiding, the ISM office, family and climbing for himself. During his 30+ year commitment to the team, Adrian has played a key role in the development of ISM.
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Paolo Intropido
IFMGA Italian Mountain Guide
Born in NW Italy in a region surrounded by mountains, Paolo started to ski and trek as a kid, always wanting to explore 'beyond the next hill'.
Read MoreVital Information
Please check the vital information below to help when booking a course
- Equipment
- Prices
- Getting to Le Fayet Saint Gervais, Mt Blanc
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