Winter Mountaineering course Itinerary

The itinerary presented here is purely an example of what might happen in a perfect week and could be changed due to circumstances beyond the control of the Guides, including adverse weather conditions.   

Arrival Day.

The group will rendez-vous at the Chamonix Experience Office in Argentière (altitude 1240m.), just a few kilometres from Chamonix. Here, we will have an informal chat about the upcoming week. There will also be a chance for the guide to check out your clothing and gear and to decide if you need to pick up any further items of equipment before setting out in the morning.

Day 1. Crevasse rescue on the Argentière Glacier

A lot of mountaineering, especially in the Alps, involves crossing glaciated terrain where there is the inherent danger of crevasses and seracs. You will be taught: how to read glacial terrain to minimise crevasse risk; how to travel roped up on glaciers, on foot; and how to carry out a crevasse rescue in a number of different scenarios.

After breakfast, we will take the lift up to the Lognan station at the Grands Montets. There we put our snowshoes on and walk up to the Argentière Glacier. This is a perfect spot to practise crevasse rescue and glacier travel techniques. On the way back we have time to stop at the Hôtel Lognan for a hot chocolate before we had back towards the lift and back to the chalet.

Day 2. Avalanche Awareness day

This day is ideal for all winter sport enthusiasts. Avoidance of risks is the principle safety policy, but should accidents occur, the nature of being outside patrolled areas means dealing with the scenario without external assistance.

This one day course covers both risk analysis and disaster management. You will be taught to recognise avalanche hazards, and how terrain, aspect, wind and temperature, together with weather history, all play a part in assessing avalanche risk. You will be shown how to dig a snow pit and analyse the snow pack. You will be taken through the use of avalanche transceivers and practice a number of search scenarios using transceivers together with other techniques.

Day 3. Ice climbing the frozen waterfalls at the Crémerie or in the Swiss village of Trient

Today we are going to try some more technical ice climbing. Depending on where the conditions are best we will either stay in Argentière at a local spot or drive just across the border to Trient in Switzerland. Both places have some very nice and fairly easy ice climbing routes. You will be taught climbing techniques, gear placement, safety, rope handling at the same time as doing some exciting climbing.

Day 4. Cosmiques Arête

Today we are moving up to higher altitudes by taking the Aiguille du Midi lift up to 3842m. After a look around this impressive lift station, we will encounter the exposed arête leading down to the Col de l’Aiguille du Midi. Today we will get to try out our crampon skills on some mixed ground. This is a ridge climb leading back up to the lift station.

Day 5. Petite Aiguille Verte

We are heading up the Grands Montets again but this time all the way to the top at 3450m. We climb up a snowy slope to the rockier terrain and from there continue along a rocky ridge towards the summit of the Petite Aiguille Verte, 3512m.

Day 6. Ice climbing

The goal for today is to climb some more technical ice and in order to do so we will drive to where the conditions are the best. Ideally we will find a spot in the Chamonix valley but we also have the possibility to drive to Cognes in Italy for the day, should the conditions be better over there.

In the evening, we have the opportunity to reflect on the adventures of the week, during the course of a dinner at your hotel. 

Departure Day.

Services end after breakfast