Mountaineering Lead climbing course

Duration: 4 days

Level:

Confirmed

Beginner: You have no experience.

Intermediate/Confirmed: You have had at least one previous experience.

Advanced/Expert: You practice regularly.

Price from: 845€

For more information, contact Pôle Alpinisme :

+33 (0)4 28 70 28 92

Information Request

The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix has developed a set of mountaineering courses to accompany you from your first alpine adventures to lead climbing:

- Beginner course, 3 days: To learn the basic mountaineering techniques
- Beginner course, 5 days: To learn the basic techniques with an overnight in hut
- Safety course - Level 1, 4 days: To know all the basics about safety in the mountains
- Safety course -Level 2, 4 days: To learn the advanced safety techniques
- Lead climbing course, 4 days: To learn how to plan and manage a climb
- Winter mountaineering course, 3 days: To develop your skills focus on ice & snow

Our mountaineering Lead climbing course focuses on how to plan and manage a route in the mountains. During this course, you will tackle the most important topics: basics of cartography, tools for weather forecast, methods of risk management, evaluation of the conditions. You will also improve your safety techniques, while developing your skills in snow, rocky and mixed terrain. You will progress in small groups of 3 or 4 people maximum in autonomous rope parties under the supervision of your guide. After a day climb, you will choose with your guide a basecamp in a mountain hut to spend 3 days in full immersion in the Mont Blanc massif.

This programme is our final level of mountaineering training and is the logical continuation of our mountaineering safety courses - Level 1&2. It is perfect for people who already know basic safety techniques, willing to learn how to plan and manage a route in mountains.

Objectives of the mountaineering lead climbing course
- Perfect knowledge of all safety techniques in rocky, snow and mixed terrain
- Basics of planning and management of a climb in the mountains

Group session associates several people who don’t know each other. It allows for a planned program to benefit from an attractive price on fixed dates. This formula is ideal for people looking for the friendliness of a group.

Dates : Find all the dates available in the drop-down list below

Price 2023 : 850€ per person based on minimum of 3 participants

Included in the package :
- IFMGA English speaking mountain guiding service
- one half-board in hut (dinner, breakfast and night)
- lift access as per programme

Not included in the package :
- personal drinks and other personal expenses (we recommend you bring Euros)
- take out lunches and daily snacks
- cost of getting to meeting point
- personal technical equipment including your mountaineering shoes

Private guiding is the historical relationship that binds a guide to his/her client. It allows you to be alone, or in a constituted group, with your guide that meets your specific needs. It is undoubtedly the ideal formula to realize your projects because it guarantees you a maximum of comfort. You are free to choose your departure date and the itinerary can be adjusted, according to your specific expectations.

Prices 2023 :
2 people : 1460€ per person
3 people : 1050€ per person
4 people : 845€ per person

Included in the package :
- IFMGA English speaking mountain guiding service
- two half-board in hut (dinner, breakfast and night)
- lift access as per programme

Not included in the package :
- personal drinks and other personal expenses (we recommend you bring Euros)
- take out lunches and daily snacks
- cost of getting to meeting point
- personal technical equipment including your mountaineering shoes

In this section, find all the information about this activity. For further information, please contact our advisor (contact details above).

Meeting point : Meet at 8.30am at the Chamonix Guides Company: 190 place de l’église.

Ability level : For people who regularly exercise/take part in sports. Six to seven hours of exercise per day. You have previous mountaineering experience and want to become autonomous. Ideally you have done the mountaineering safety course - Level 2.

Pre-requirements for the mountaineering lead climbing course
- I have already climbed French mountaineering grade “Peu diffcile +” routes and I know crevasse rescue basics
- I have already climb French grade 4 multi-pitch routes
- I know how to shorten the rope and how to use cams & ice screws

Guiding policy : 3 to 4 people. The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix's guiding policy guarantees the most balanced groups as possible as well as high-quality personalised advice. Minor, only accompagnied by a parent.

Accommodation : Two Half-board in hut on Day 2&3 (Dinner, breakfast & night).

Documentation : Participants must have mountain sports insurance with repatriation cover. We strongly recommend that this also includes cancellation cover. You can take out insurance when you sign up. Participants must also take valid ID with them.

Documents available for download

We recommend you take particular care over you choice of equipment, as it plays a large role in the success of your trip. Weight is critical, and you must always evaluate the weight-to-comfort ratio to find the best compromise. Generally speaking, it is better to put on several thin layers than to have one bulky item of warm clothing, and it is vital that you remain dry at all times.

Equipment
- 35-litre backpack
- Mountaineering boots
- Gaiters, if needed for your trousers
- Telescopic trekking poles
- Crampons with anti-balling plates; helmet, harness and straight ice axe
- Bring the technical equipment you have (rope, belay device, slings, ice screws, carabiners...)

Clothing
- Warm hat that can be worn under a helmet
- Sun hat or cap
- Neck protection such as a ‘Buff’
- ‘Micro-fibre’ style long-sleeve base layer
- Fleece
- ‘Gore Tex’ style shell jacket with hood
- Down jacket
- Base layer leggings
- Durable summer mountaineering trousers (not ski trousers)
- ‘Gore Tex’ style over-trousers
- Warm specialist walking socks
- Lightweight specialist walking socks
- Ski gloves or good quality mitts
- Leather or fleece gloves
- Change of clothes at your discretion

Accessories
- Category 4 sunglasses
- Headtorch plus spare batteries
- Sheet sleeping bag
- Water bottle (minimum 1.5l) and thermos bottle
- Personalised first aid kit with a minimum of: sun cream, lip balm, cotton buds, blister kit, antisickness medication
- Watertight bag to contain your ID/passport and Euros

Our Rental Partners : You can rent your equipment with our rental shops partners and benefit from special price Sanglard Sports, Ravanel & Co & Concept Pro Shop
Our Equipment Partners : Millet, Dynastar, Julbo, Grivel & Monnet

Itinerary

Day 1 : Day climb in the Mont Blanc massif. Night in the valley
Exemples of possible routes : Frêtes des Charmoz (2 630m), Arête sud de la Chapelle de la Glière (2 836m)

Day 2 to 4 : Basecamp in a mountain hut
Exemple of basecamp: refuge d’Argentière (2 771m).
Exemples of possible routes : Oreille de Lapin ( 2 928m), Aiguille du Génépi (3 059m), Aiguille du refuge (3 057m)

Your guide could modify the itinerary according to weather conditions or technical level of participants.

Booking

Book your activity

Calculate your carbon footprint

CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 59 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity

CO2 emitted per person for this activity & journey(s) = 0 kgIn order to limit global warming to +2°C by 2100, the COP-21 agreement stipulates that each human should emit no more than 2t of CO2 per year. According to the French Ministry of Ecology, today European citizens emit an average of 11t per year, and American citizens emit an average of 21t annually., or 5.9€The price for a ton of CO2 is currently 100€ in the European Union to offset.

Find out more about our zero impact strategy.