Our Introductory Mountaineering Courses offer solid instruction and varied experience of Alpine routes on snow, rock and mixed terrain, climbing to the highest peaks of the Alps including Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and stunning 4000m peaks in the Bernese Oberland. They are suitable for a first Alpine trip for aspiring mountaineers and will suit those who enjoy general mountaineering with some rope-work and technical interest. Some past experience of roped climbing on rock or snow/ice terrain is preferred and good walking fitness is essential.
Technical level: snow slopes up to 50 degrees, glacier ice to 40 degrees, rock scrambling/climbing to Alpine grade III UK Severe level; exposed narrow ridges; Scottish winter grade II; Alpine grades F to PD+ with occasional short sections of AD terrain.
To find out about the fitness and technical skills required for our courses and to find suitable preparatory courses see our fitness and course pre-requirements page.
For information on accommodation and what's included in our Swiss Alpine Mountaineering Course prices click here.
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We can organise any of our Introductory Mountaineering and High Summits courses on additional dates for private groups. Please contact us for availability and prices (info@frostguiding.co.uk).
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Introduction to Alpine Climbing
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A week of guided instruction and ascents up to 4,000 metres altitude in the Arolla and Zermatt ranges. Designed for mountaineers and climbers seeking a firm skills grounding in their first season in the Alps, including snow, ice and rock techniques. Some prior experience of winter mountaineering and/or roped climbing is helpful, but we will guide you from first steps in all the essential Alpine Mountaineering skills.
Cost: £1,595Ratio (Clients:Guides): 3:1 -
Alpine Progression
For climbers who seek to climb more technical routes at AD standard plus an instructional refresher in Alpine skills and a high-quality AD training climb around Arolla such as the traverse of L'Evêque or West Ridge of the Dent de Tsalion. This week can follow on from an Introduction course or be followed by our Grandes Courses week to make a fortnight.
Cost: £1,995Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 -
Alpine Climbing Skills - 3 days
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Ideal as a skills refresher or short introduction to climbing in the Alps, these 3 days of instruction in the Arolla valley will show you all the skills you need to cope with Alpine terrain.
Cost: £1,055Ratio (Clients:Guides): 3:1 -
Progression PLUS
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This is a more challenging Intermediate Mountaineering Course tackling harder Swiss peaks at AD/AD+ standard e.g. Dent Blanche South Ridge, Breithorn traverse, Zinal Rothorn.
Cost: £2,095Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 -
Performance Alpinism
For experienced and regular Alpinists who have completed many successful ascents at AD standard these courses offer the chance to extend your experience and utilise your skills to accomplish major "grandes courses" at D+, TD and even ED1 standard. We will provide a 1:1 guiding ratio for 3 days on a 6 day course.
Cost: £2,895Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 / 1:1 -
Performance Alpinism - 2 weeks
An extended version of our popular 1 week course for experienced and regular Alpinists who have completed many successful ascents at AD standard. These courses offer the chance to extend your experience and utilise your skills to accomplish major "grandes courses" at D+, TD and even ED1 standard. We will provide a 1:1 guiding ratio for 6 days on a two week course.
Cost: £5,695Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 / 1:1 -
Oberland Odyssey
Tackle the great peaks and glaciers of the Bernese Oberland, the wildest and most remote region of the Western Alps . The Jungfrau (4158m), Monch (4109m), Gross Fiescherhorn (4049m), Aletschhorn (4195m) and Finsteraarhorn (4274m) are among the peaks that can be climbed in an adventurous 5 day hut trip after an initial technical training day on the glacier. Highly recommended if you've already climbed peaks round Arolla, Zermatt or Chamonix. Mountain hut accommodation is of the highest quality with excellent food.
Cost: £2,095Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 -
Grandes Courses - 2 weeks
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A challenging programme tackling some of the great ridge and face routes on the harder Swiss and Chamonix peaks at AD or D standard. Potential routes include North faces such as Pigne d'Arolla, Tour Ronde, Lenspitze and mixed climbs e.g. Breithorn Traverse, Dent du Géant and Rochefort Ridge, Dent Blanche.
Cost: £4,195Ratio (Clients:Guides): 2:1 -
Swiss 4000'ers
Climb the snow peaks of the high Alps without undertaking technical climbing. You'll be able to climb summits up to 4200m altitude and learn all the essential skills of alpine mountaineering.
This week will suit mountaineers who already have a grounding in basic Alpine/Glacier skills and want to climb more peaks at PD / PD+ grades and gain high summits.
Cost: £1,965Ratio (Clients:Guides): 3:1 -
Italian Haute Route
Enjoy the finest high level glacier tour in the Alps after initial training and acclimatisation on the Arolla peaks. The 4-day Italian Haute Route makes a circuit of the Monte Rosa massif, starting and finishing at Zermatt, during which you can climb up to 7 4000m summits. Highlight is a night spent in the highest building in Europe - the Margherita Hut - which sits on the summit of the 4554m Signalkuppe.
Cost: £1,995Ratio (Clients:Guides): 3:1 -
Alpine North Faces
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Climb some classic North Faces with your own guide. An unforgettable experience! Early season is prime time for good conditions with well consolidated spring snow plastered on to the classic Alpine North Faces. Climbing with crampons and 2 axes, the "fly on the wall" feeling of exposure on a big alpine face is hard to forget!
This week is normally run on a 1:1 guiding ratio making it possible to attempt these harder climbs. If you wish to book as a pair of equal ability we can run the week 2:1 at a reduced cost (note that route choice would be limited by the higher ratio).
Cost: £3,595Ratio (Clients:Guides): 1:1
