This itinerary is an example of what can be achieved with good weather and the right conditions. It may be changed at any time by your mountain guide to give you the best possible experience in the safest conditions.

Your group will meet at our Chamonix office at the foot of the Aiguille du Midi the evening before the course begins. Your mountain guide will check your equipment and discuss the conditions and plans for the week ahead. You will have the chance to ask any questions that you may have.

A lot of mountaineering, especially in the Alps, involves crossing glaciated terrain where there is the inherent danger of crevasses and seracs. Today your mountain guide will take you on to the glacier to introduce and refresh the technical skills you need to keep safe in Alpine terrain. You will learn essential skills such as crevasse rescue and how to move safely across glacial terrain using crampons and ice axes.

Today will be your introduction to technical ice climbing on either the frozen waterfalls at the Crèmerie in Argentiere or in the Swiss village of Trient. Your mountain guide will decide which location has the best conditions for the day; both places are beautiful and have very nice and fairly easy ice climbing routes to start on.

Climbing over mixed (snow, ice and rock) terrain requires a wide range of climbing skills. Today is dedicated to this complex climbing discipline. La Flegere or Aiguille du Midi stations offer terrain suitable for the training. We will also cover skills such as safe rappelling techniques and snow anchors.

For these last two days you will have a maximum of 2 participants per guide, allowing for even greater progression and personal instruction. Today you will take the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi. There are many great routes accessible from here including the Cosmiques Arete and other mixed climbing routes on the Vallee Blanche. Your mountain guide will choose a suitable route for you to do some lead climbing on, high up in the Mont Blanc Massif overlooking the Chamonix Valley.

The goal today is to climb more ice - this time in Italy. We will take the short drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel to the village of Cognes, which is a paradise for ice climbers. There are approximately one hundred routes to choose from! We will spend the day exploring the ice falls and then return to Chamonix. The course will end with a coffee and debriefing at our office.

Glacier travel

• Crampon techniques (10 points) 
• Self arrest
• Understanding glaciers, recognition of hazards and risk management
• Basic glacier roping techniques

Climbing

• Mixed climbing - basic techniques
• Ice climbing - basic techniques
• Belaying techniques, belay devises, setting up safe belays and communication
• Rappelling, safety techniques, use of belay devises and use of the prussik 
• Placement and recovery of ice screws, friends and stoppers
• Building snow and ice anchors (Deadman, Abalakov, etc)
• Climbing knots workshop 

Basic avalanche rescue skills

Preparation for the climb - what to pack in your bag

• How to chose appropriate safety equipment for a given itinerary (single or double ropes, ice screws, friends & stoppers, technical or alpine ice axes, etc.)
• Food & water for mountaineering
• How to chose the right clothing, other essentials for a day / days in the mountains

No previous mountaineering skills are required to join this course. Rock climbing, hill walking and summer mountaineering experience are all helpful but not required. The small ratios enable participants to progress very quickly.

You need to have a high level of fitness. To enjoy this course you need to be happy doing a 6-8 hour hike in the mountains without being destroyed the next day.  The fitter you are, the more you will get out of the course. This is a course for people who want to learn and you will be expected to show initiative - it'll be challenging but a lot of fun!

Regular hiking and/or long distance running, swimming and/or cycling are great forms of training for this course. Remember that you have to include some uphill hiking and/or running - training on flat terrain will not give you the same kind of fitness, however it is better than no training at all! If you live in a city and have limited access to the outdoors, ask for advice at your local gym as many gyms have mountain climbing specific training programs.

If you need further advice on how to prepare for this course, please contact us on info@chamex.com

Please see the list of recommended equipment on the other tab. Most technical equipment can be rented here in Chamonix, please contact us if you would like prices and advice on whatever you need. Chamonix has dozens of outdoor shops selling everything from basic headtorches to expedition standard sleeping bags, so whatever you don't already have you can find it here.

• Thermos – Not essential due to weight, but it can be comforting to have a hot drink on a cold day.
• Water bottle – Should be at least 1.5 litres and durable.
• Camelbak hydration systems. Good as long as they are kept clean. Not recommended for winter sports / Mont Blanc as the tube tends to freeze up.
• A spare pair of warm gloves - essential!
• Lot of the climbing routes is easily and quickly accessed on skis. There is no better finish of a climbing day than an amazing powder ski down to Chamonix! So if you are comfortable off piste skiing in any snow conditions, bring your skis with you! Please note that the skis will be used for approaches / descends only if all of the course participants agree to it.

We suggest you bring snacks and packed lunch for each day that you are out in the mountains. Sandwiches, cereal bars, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate and sweets are all good for energy and easy to carry. Don't forget to bring plenty of water - dehydration occurs much more rapidly at altitude, especially when you are burning lots of energy.

You will generally stop for short breaks every hour or so, when you should eat and drink something in order to maintain your energy levels throughout the day.

Chamonix is one of the easiest alpine resorts to get to, being just over an hour's drive from Geneva international airport. Lyon, Turin and Milan airports are also all within a few hour's drive. The best way to get from Geneva airport to Chamonix is by transfer bus, either shared with other passengers or private. You will be met in the arrivals lounge by your driver and dropped at your accommodation in Chamonix, there is no extra charge for your luggage or equipment. We work only with the most reliable transfer companies in the valley and are happy to organise your journey for you, please contact us for prices and booking.

If you wish to book accommodation in Chamonix we would be happy to recommend some local hotels, gites, self-catered apartments, or chalets and advise on the best locations. Please contact us if you would like help finding accommodation in Chamonix.

Please note that to keep the itinerary as flexible as possible, lift passes are not included in the price of this trip. However, we are happy to organise them for you to make the week easier. We will discuss the options during the pre-course meeting. 

We are always happy to organise private guiding, tailored to the needs of any sized group. We have lots of experience in organising corporate events, specialist courses and group trips for all kinds of people no matter what your age or experience. Please get in touch if you would like more information

All Chamex mountain guides are fully qualified, highly experienced and passionate about what they do. Everyone who works as part of the Chamex team has been thoroughly vetting and is trusted by us to give our clients the best experience possible - you are in safe hands! If you would like to know more then you can meet the Chamex team here.

We don’t include mountain rescue insurance in any of our courses but we strongly recommend that you have it. Mountain rescue may be very expensive, particularly if helicopters are involved. Check with your travel insurance provider if you are covered for the specific activity you are going to do with us.

However, we can organise the mountain rescue insurance for you. The cost is 8€ per person per day for EU residents and 12€ per person per day for non-EU residents. Details of the insurance cover are different for EU and non-EU residents; please contact us for more information.

We highly recommend that you book any equipment with us at least 2 weeks in advance as the hire shops can have limited availability in the busy season.

You can collect your equipment the evening before the start of the course and return it in the evening at the end of your course. We work with the following Chamonix ski hire and mountain shop:

• Concept Pro Shop that is conveniently located directly next door from our office. Open 7/7 08:00-19:00