This alpine introduction course is designed for newcomers to mountaineering and provides a solid foundation in the 3 main aspects of high mountain: Snow, Ice, and Rock. The Mont Blanc range offers a big variety of beautiful and technical climbs in the Alps. During the week we also teach you to choose wisely your clothing, equipment when up in the mountains, as well as basic navigation and finding your path.
Day 0: Phone appointment
Telephone appointment late afternoon with your guide for confirming meeting time in the morning of Day 1, around 9 AM.
Night in the hotel (2 or 3 *** depending availability) shared twin room on Bed & Breakfast base. Dinner is at your charge.
Your guide will bring the gear you have requested from us on day 1.
Day 1: Rock Climbing
9h00. Meeting with your guide at the reception of your hotel. Program briefing & gear check. This first day is designed to learn all the basic rope management techniques and get introduced or practice rock climbing. The base of a future alpine career is through rock climbing, gaining confidence and experience is a must for any upcoming climb.
Night in Chamonix – hotel***
Day 2: Ice Climbing
Taking the mythic Montenvers train from Chamonix to reach the glacier Mer de Glace. A short walk and a series of ladders will allow us to set foot on the glacier, where you will learn different technique of using crampons on slopes from 30° to 65°. This ice training day is fundamental to be able to evolve on snow in high mountain.
Night in Chamonix – hotel***
Day 3: Albert 1er hut
From the top of the Charamillon cable car we hike up to Albert 1er hut, 2702 m. You will be practicing ice climbing basics and crevasse rescue technique on the Tour glacier.
Altitude covered: +570 m
Dinner and night in the hut.
Day 4: Aiguille du Tour 3529 m
Early morning wake-up, hiking on the glacier du Tour towards Col superieur du Tour to summit Aiguille du Tour (3529 m). We pass on the Swiss side and the Trient glacier to reach the bottom of the Aiguille du Tour. We'll drop our ice axe and crampons to climb the easy rocks leading to the summit. The view from the summit is just awesome and you'll be able to admire the full Mont Blanc range. During this ascent you will learn the importance of rope management while evolving on a glacier, and during the rock climb, two different terrain requiring different techniques. You’ll experience a grade II and III rock climb in high mountains. Same way back on the glacier, down to the hut and to the cable car.
Hours : 5 to 6 h
Altitude covered : +820 m and – 1530 m
Dinner and night in Chamonix – hotel***
Day 5 : Pointe Lachenal
The famous cable car Aiguille du Midi, from Chamonix will take us in less than 20 minutes up to 3842m. A walk down on a steep and exposed snow ridge to the Col du Midi to reach the glacier and get to the foot of Pointe Lachenal. A 40/45° snow climb to the ridge, followed by a mixed climb between rocks, ice and snow. The Pointe Lachenal is the perfect summit to learn and improve your skills in different situations.
Hours : 4 to 5h
Altitude covered : +150 m and –300 m
Dinner and night at the Cosmique hut 3613 m.
Day 6 : Mont Blanc du Tacul
An early start brings us to the bottom of the snow slope 40° with steep but shorts steps of 50°. The final section to the top is an easy mixed climb and the view from the top is just magnificent. You can see the full Mont Blanc range with the Italian Brenva side. This climb we’ll be an excellent exercise to practice ice and snow techniques and to learn how to belay in this kind of climb.
Altitude covered : +1000 m and -7000 m.
Technical and physical difficulty
6 to 8 hours of walking covering 800m to 1400m per day, an excellent physical condition is required. You must get use to walk in mountain on rough terrain during 6 to 7 hours and also scrambling. This course is not made to teach you walking but to go beyond the path in high mountain. Walking with stiff boots change the way of walking and is physically more demanding.
Snow slopes up to 35°/50°
Easy rock climbing alpine grade II and III in some sections
Your guide
Alpinism state qualified High mountain guide. English-speaking
Accommodation
In mountain huts & hotel*** in Chamonix
Meals
Hotel*** - bed and breakfast, dinner at your charge
Huts - Half board (have cash on your for the drinks)
Packed lunch included for every day (vegetarian option available)
Meeting point
At 9.00 am on day 1 at the reception of your hotel in Chamonix
Local Transport
Free train/ bus in the Chamonix valley
Cost and availability for the 5 day Mont Blanc Climb course
Course Date | Price (per person) | Status | Book |
---|---|---|---|
05-10 June 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
12-17 June 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
19-24 June 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
26-01 July 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 4 places | |
03-08 July 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
10-15 July 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
17-22 July 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
24-29 July 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
31-05 August 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
07-12 August 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
14-19 August 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
21-26 August 2024 | 1955€ | Available - 6 places | |
28-02 September 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
04-09 September 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
11-16 September 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
18-23 September 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places | |
25-30 September 2024 | 2195€ | Available - 6 places |
We need a minimum of 4 persons to run this group course. Groups are made up of different nationalities, our guides speak both English & French during the course, if necessary.
Our planning is changing constantly due to opening of the huts and to the ongoing health situation - GET IN TOUCH directly by e-mail or phone/what's up + 33 6 95 04 23 02 as we have other different dates / program / routes available too.
If you are a private group, please get in touch as we are able to offer tailor-made courses with choice of date and duration.
INCLUDED in the price:
-
Organisation of the 6 day course trip
- Alpinism state qualified High mountain guide (maximum ratio of 1:6 on days 1-4, ratio of 1:2 on days 5-6)
- 6 nights accommodation : 2 nights in mountain huts and 4 nights in a 3* hotel on B&B base in Chamonix ( shared twin room)
- All meals, except dinners in Chamonix
- All transport within the Chamonix valley by local bus regular line
- Safety equipment provided by your guide (ropes, carabiners, ice screw)
- Tramway / cable cars
NOT INCLUDED in the price:
- Transport to and from Chamonix before and after your course
- Dinner in Chamonix on day 0 & 1 & 2 & 4
- Personal expenses (drinks in the refuges for you and your guide, additional snacks, etc)
- Equipment can be hired from CMBG, please ask (harness, crampons, ice axe, helmet...)
- Single room supplement for the 4 nights (Day 0, 1, 2, 4) in the hotel : 97 € per night
- Alpine climbing insurance - mandatory
- Gratuities
- Any extra expenses due to unforseeable circumstances like ( bad weather, injury, lack of fitness)