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Mountaineering Safety course Level 2





Level 1: You have never practiced.
Level 2: You have some initial experience.
Level 3: You practice occasionally.
Level 4: You practice regularly.
Level 5: You have a sustained practice.
Our mountaineering safety course, Level 2, concentrates on advanced safety techniques. Its primary objective is to impart the skill of moving as a team, ensuring safe travel and climbing in unison. You will advance in small groups, with a maximum of 3 or 4 participants in self-sufficient rope teams under the guidance of your instructor. Throughout this program, you will encounter the realities of the mountains, gaining the capability to manage your own rock, snow, or mixed climbs. The overnight stay in a mountain hut provides an opportunity to relish the unique atmosphere of an evening amidst the heart of the Mont Blanc Massif and partake in meaningful exchanges. This program serves as a natural progression from our mountaineering safety course, Level 1. It's designed for individuals who have already acquired the fundamentals of safety and seek to master advanced techniques.
This course is part of a series of mountaineering courses designed to accompany you from your first alpine adventures to lead climbing. Explore mountaineering with our 3-day or 5-day courses, and acquire safety techniques through our level 1 and level 2 safety courses, as well as our lead climbing course. Additionally, our courses are available in winter with a focus on mixed climbing and ice climbing.
Objectives of the mountaineering safety course - Level 2
- Perfect knowledge of safety basics on rocky terrain: roping and belaying techniques
- Perfect knowledge of safety basics on snow terrain: roping and crevasse rescue techniques
- Moving as a team on rocky, snow and mixed terrain, including shortening the rope and belaying techniques
- Use of ice screws and cams
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 : See below for the group booking module
Price 2024 : 895€ per person based on minimum of 3 participants
Included in the package :
- IFMGA English speaking mountain guiding service
- one half-board to the Cosmiques 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 2024 :
2 people : 1545€ per person
3 people : 1115€ per person
4 people : 895€ per person
Included in the package :
- IFMGA English speaking mountain guiding service
- one half-board (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.
Physical level : For people who regularly exercise/take part in sports. Six to seven hours of exercise per day
Technical Level : You should have prior mountaineering experience and aspire to achieve autonomy
Prerequisites : I have already climbed French mountaineering grade “Peu diffcile” routes and I know crevasse rescue basics, I have already climbed French grade 4 multi-pitch routes. I have already abseiled down a route
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 accompanied by a parent.
Accommodation : One Half-board in hut on Day 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.
Equipment
- 35-litre backpack,
- Climbing shoes, rentable
- Mountaineering boots, rentable
- Gaiters, if needed for your trousers
- Telescopic trekking poles, rentable
- Crampons with anti-balling plates; helmet, harness and straight ice axe, rentable
- 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, rentable
- Down jacket
- Base layer leggings
- Durable summer mountaineering trousers (not ski trousers)
- ‘Gore Tex’ style over-trousers, rentable
- 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 : Multi-pitch climbing. Night in the valley
Get to know your guide. Review of safety basics on rocky terrain and multi-pitch climbing.
Day 2 : Ridge climb. Night in the valley
Basics of moving together in rocky terrain: shortening the rope, belaying, setting up a belay.
Exemples of possible routes: Frêtes des Charmoz (2 500m), Dent de Fenestral (2 578m), Traversée des Crochues (2 837m)
Day 3 : Mixed climb, night at the Cosmiques mountain hut
Review of safety basics on glacier. Basics of moving together on glacier and mixed terrain: shortening the rope, belaying, setting up a belay.
Exemples of possible routes : Arête à Laurence (3 613m), Pointes Lachenal (3 613m)
Day 4 : Route on mixed terrain, starting from the Cosmiques mountain hut
Basics of moving together on glacier and mixed terrain: shortening the rope, belaying, setting up a belay.
Exemples of possible routes : Arête nord du Petit Flambeau (3 440m), Arête des Cosmiques (3 842m), Pointes Lachenal (3 613m).
Your guide could modify the itinerary according to weather conditions or technical level of participants.
Booking
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Calculate your carbon footprint
Discover the carbon emissions of this activity and add your trip to the meeting point.
CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 59 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity
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.