Alpine Climbing:
Ascending to higher heights on cold hard ice, fissured rock and white snow is elemental and representative of our life’s process. There are many lessons to be learned from the mountains and centuries of metaphors are based around their presence. Alpine Climbing is the synthesis of all mediums of climbing along with the indomitable human spirit, the pure awesome beauty of the mountains and the freedom therein. Come experience the tinkling of the firnspiegal as it shatters and slides down the slope in crystal-like melodies while the alpine glow sheds its light onto new perspectives and stellar peaks.
photo credit: S.P. Parker
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir
Alpine Climbing in the Alps with AGI
Equipment List for Climbing in the Alps
Please come to the birthplace of alpinism and the heart of the international guiding community to see for yourself what all the buzz has been for the last couple centuries. I run trips based out of the Chamonix valley but will climb where conditions are best. Close proximity to Italy and Switzerland gives us outrageous options of the most classic and accessible routes in the world. This trip is for you if hearing names like the Eiger, the Matterhorn, Mt. Blanc make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Did I mention riding telepherics and trains to access all but the coolest terrain for us to climb then whisk us back into the valley for a lovely local meal? There are so many amazing alpine routes to choose from and we'll be in position to jump on whatever feels right at the time. Pricing details will be worked out once we customize your itinerary to meet your goals and objectives.
Possible Objectives Based out of Chamonix:
Day 0 – Evening equipment check, help get any rentals, briefing and dinner
Day 1 – 6 – Based on your climbing ambitions, movement skills, past experiences and conditions we will create an itinerary appropriate for our time together. While working out of the Chamonix valley we can be in position for such routes as the following:
6 Day Mt. Blanc programs
N. face, Gerversutti or SE arete of the Tour Rond
Aguilles d'Entreves Traverse
Dent de Geant
Cosmiques arete, Epron, S. Face rock routes on the Ag. De Midi
Midi Plan Traverse
Table couloir on Ag. De Tour
Aguilles Crochues
Petite Aiguille Verte
Vallée Blanche Traverse
Trient Plateau Traverse with ascents of Petite Fourche and Ag. De Tour
Aiguille de Index
South Arête
Aiguille du Chardonnet
Forbes Arête
If conditions are not favorable on the Mt. Blanc side of the valley we can go climb alpine rock routes off the Brevent and Index lifts in the Aiguille Rouge. Sometimes the Cham. valley is socked in but the sun is shinning in Italy and we can travel through the Mt Blanc tunnel for some sport climbing.
Possible Objectives Based out of Zermatt:
Matterhorn Hornli or Italian Ridge only 1 to 1
Breithorn Half Traverse
Castor and Pollux
3 day Mont Rosa, Normal route
5 day Spaghetti Traverse, a lovely loop out of Zermatt cresting the high peaks in route while culminating in the Dufourspitze of Mt Rosa, 4618m /15150'
Riffelhorn, great training day for Matterhorn
Liskam only 1 to 1
Zinalrothorn SE to SW Ridge or SW Ridge
6 day Trilogy of the Monch SW Ridge, Jungfrau, Mittellegi Ridge on the Eiger
Trip Cost and Dates:
400 Euro per day plus all our expensesMid June to Mid August
Trip Cost Includes:
IFMGA/UIAGM guide for 2 to 1 or 1 to 1 ratioOffice support
Trip Cost Does NOT include:
Air transportation to or from Geneva, SwitzerlandTrain transfers from Geneva to Chamonix
Train transfers from Geneva to Zermatt
Hotels
Huts including dinner/breakfast
Trams, Trains and buses
Guides Huts, Transpo., Lifts
Lunch food or town food
Drinks and treats at huts (water is Very Expensive)
Rescue insurance see AAC www.americanalpineclub.org
Travel insurance (optional but highly recommended)
Delays due to unpredictable circumstances such as bad weather, transportation problems including trams and trains, sickness, lost baggage etc…
Gratuities
Terms and Agreement:
$500.00 Deposit per person is due at time of booking
Total payment due 60 days prior to departure date
Cancellations of 60 or more days prior to departure, A.G.I will charge $100.00 fee and refund the remaining amount.
No refund for cancellation made within 60 days of departure date! If you or I are able to resell your trip space we will refund all but $100.00 of the total amount.
If A.G.I. cancels the trip you can expect a full refund
Transportation to and from:
I suggest flying into Geneva, Switzerland, access Chamonix via one of the many shuttle services such as Chamexpress.com for the 1 hr. 30 Euro One way.
The Swiss train can be caught every hour from Zermatt for the 4 hrs to Geneva via rail.
| Peru, Cordillera Blanca Expedition: June – August The cobalt blue skies and planetarium night sky keep my head clear and eyes fixed on the gems of the Blanca. Over 15 expeditions in the last 10 years have this trip running quite smoothly. We base our acclimatization and climbs out of the comfortable city of Hauraz and venture into the mountains for 3 – 10 day's at a time. I’ve climbed in every major Quebrada (canyon) in the range and will meet the objectives to match the conditions and groups ability. Options include all the popular peaks such as Hauscuran (shield route only), Chopicalci, Pisco, Artesonraju, Urus, Ishinca, Tocllaraju, and the less popular Yanapaqcha, Maparaju, Haupi, and Vajunaraju. Come meet my Hauraz family and know you are in good hands to help meet all your expeditions needs. This is one of my favorite venues with accessibility to a couple dozen 6,000-meter peaks, stable weather, wonderful community and culture. I often recommend folks start their expedition with a trip to Machupichu for acclimatization and cultural interest. Pricing details will be worked out once we customize your itinerary to meet your goals and objectives. See rates page for more info. |
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| Bolivia, Cordillera Real and Condirri Group: June – July La Paz sets the stage for our acclimatization days to lake Titicaca and the island of the sun, Tiahuanaco ruins or downhill mountain biking, if that’s your fancy. We focus our alpine climbing and glacier travel training to take place while acclimatizing in the Condirri group of peaks. From the same base camp we can train and climb beautifully varied peaks including Pequeno Alpamayo, Piramide Blanca, Ilusioncita and Condirri. From these initial 5,000-meter climbs we can move onto 6,000-meter slopes of either Huayna Potasi or Illimani. Pricing details will be worked out once we customize your itinerary to meet your goals and objectives. See rates page for more info. |
 photo credit: Basil Tsimoyianis |
| North Cascades, Washington: July – September There are so many wonderful routes in the Cascades and we will choose the best options based on your abilities, desires and conditions. I can customize a trip to accommodate your learning objectives for glacial travel, crevasse rescue, alpine rock and ice climbing techniques and the associated rope techniques. Often these skills are taught in conjunction with a peak ascent. We stay flexible with our itinerary and pick regions to go into for 2-4 days at a time such as Boston Basin, Shuksan, and the Picketts Range. Peak objectives are some of the finest alpine climbs in North America. Come enjoy a bit of “living” on the North faces of Baker, Shuksan and Buckner or Forbiddens NW face to Torment Traverse, just to name some of the classics. Of course there are many others to choose from based on the conditions and group needs. Pricing details will be worked out once we customize your itinerary to meet your goals and objectives. See rates page for more info. |
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| B.C./Alberta: July – September Ratchet up the intensity a bit more from the Cascades expedition or hone alpine skills you’ve developed in other areas. Staying flexible with the weather allows us to get the goods, be it in the Buggs, Icefields Parkway or the Front Range. Diverse terrain in the Rockies and Bugaboos allows an eclectic climbing experience. North faces on superb neive and blue ice one day, to climbing splitter cracks on grandiose spires with glacial approaches the next. This trip will be as objective-based as possible with exposure to glacier travel, crevasse rescue, alpine rock and ice climbing techniques, anchors and rope systems. Some routes to dream about would include: North face of Athabasca, North Bowl on Andromeda, East ridge of Temple, North face of Aberdeen, NE ridge on Bugaboo Spire, West ridge of Pigeon, North ridge of Howser Spire. See rates page for more info. |
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