Arête des Cosmiques

Cosmiques ridge 

The most classic alpine climb in Chamonix. Easily accessible with the Aiguille du Midi lift it's a must-do route, possible to do all year.

Period - Itinerary

ALL YEAR

Duration: 1 day (4 hours)

Meet in the morning at the Aiguille du Midi lift 

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 2/5

This is for you if you have already some experience using crampons and ice axe and you have done some rock climbing.

Endurance 2/5

It's a short walk into a 250 mts climb. The difficulty it's mostly that we are in altitude (3800 mts).

Price - include/not include

250.- EUR per person for a group of 2

500.- EUR for 1 person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Rebuffat, Aiguille du Midi

This is the historical route up the south face of the Aiguille du Midi. A short but steep walk on the glacier followed by a 8-pitch 6a climb.

Period - Itinerary

ALL YEAR

Duration: 1 day

Meet in the morning at the Aiguille du Midi lift 

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 3/5

You need multipitch climbing experience, you know how to use crampons and you can climb 6a/6a+.

Endurance 2/5

It's a short walk into a 200 mts climb.

Price - include/not include

250.- EUR per person for a group of 2

500.- EUR for 1 person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Chamonix Rock climbing

From sharp granite spires, quality limestone multipitches, easily accessible all-grade routes to a great beginners crag, I can't think of a better place to do rock climbing.

Period - Itinerary

MARCH TO NOVEMBER 

Duration: 1 day or multiple days 

The route will be chosen to suit your wishes and abilities.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

You can be a beginner or a very experienced rock climber.

Multipitch routes go from 4a to 8.. and from 2/3 pitches to too many ;)

Rock Climbing is for everyone.

Price - include/not include

Ask me for prices as it depends on the size of the group and the climb we do.

A classic day would be 250.- EUR per person for a group of 2 and 500.- EUR for one person.

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Mont Blanc express

The highest summit in the Alps needs no presentation. You already did your training and you're ready to go.

Period - Itinerary

JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 

Duration: 2 days/1 night

Day 1 - take the Bellevue lift and the tramway du Mont Blanc to Nid d'Aigle. Hike to Tête Rousse hut and then climb to Goûter hut.

Day 2 - early start to climb Mont Blanc in the night and get to the summit for sunrise. Get back to Chamonix in the early afternoon.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

You have done your training during the last days/weeks and you're ready to go. You have done others 4000 meter peaks and you are in very good shape.

Technical level 2/5

You are comfortable with crampons and ice axe and you have experience scrambling on rock and mixte terrain.

Endurance 4/5

This is 2 days climbing over 1500 meters up and 3000 meters down. 8/10 hours of effort non stop.

Price - include/not include

800.- EUR per person for a group of 2

1500.- EUR for one person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Mont Blanc course

5 day course divided in 2 days of preparation to refresh ice axe and crampons skills and get used to the lack of oxygen in altitude and 3 days to do Mont Blanc to have more chances on our side.

Period - Itinerary

JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 

Day 1 - first day we get strait to the top of the Aiguille du Midi with the lift and climb the Pointes Lachenal

Day 2 - back to altitude to climb the Cosmiques ridge 

Day 3 - take the Bellevue lift and the tramway du Mont Blanc to Nid d'Aigle. Hike to Tête Rousse hut in the afternoon. (2 hours)

Day 4 - early start to climb the Goûter ridge on rock to the Goûter hut (2½ hours), after some snacks and tea we start the last climb on snow to the summit of Mont Blanc (4 hours) and back to the Goûter hut (2 hours) to spend the night.

Day 5 - after breakfast we get back down to the train (3 hours) and back to Chamonix

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 2/5

You need previous experience with crampons and ice axe and scrambling on rock and mixte terrain.

Endurance 3/5

You run or bike and train regulary (2/3 times a week) if you don't have access to the mountains. If you do, you can hike 6 hours with 1000 meters vertical several days in a row.

Price - include/not include

1600.- EUR per person for a group of 2

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Ice/Mixte Gulleys

Such a good playground to climb this kind of routes. We climb on them in winter but also in the spring and the autumn. There are routes for beginners or for very experienced climbers.

Period - Itinerary

SEPTEMBER to JUNE

Duration: 1 day or multiple days 

The route will be chosen to suit your wishes and abilities.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

You can be a beginner or a very experienced ice/mixte climber.

Some climbs need the skis for the approach and could be a couple of hours to the climb. Other routes start straight from the lift.

Most routes are multipitch and you will need previous experience. Others are 2 pitches and perfect for a first experience.

Price - include/not include

Ask me for prices as it depends on the climb we do.

From 500.- EUR for one person 1:1 guiding ratio 

1:2 guiding ratio also possible on certain routes.

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Alpine course advance

Get ready to climb Eiger, Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, Schreckhorn or any other technical 4000 meter peak you have in mind. A 4 day intense course.

Period - Itinerary

JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 

Duration: 4 days (but can be adapted)

The itinerary here is an example, it will be adapted to your goal.

Day 1 - chapelle de la Gliere, S ridge

Day 2 - arête des Papillons 

Day 3 - eperon des Cosmiques, Rebuffat

Day 4 - Aiguille du Peigne, normal route

Difficulty - Is this for you?

This is for you if you want to get ready to climb Eiger, Matterhorn or any other technical 4000 meter peak.

Tecnical level 3/5

We will climb grade IV+ in alpine boots, V+/6a on climbing shoes and grade III+ with crampons 

Endurance 3/5

You can climb 1000 meters vertical and hike 6/7 hours per day

Price - include/not include

1200.- EUR per person for a group of 2

2000.- EUR for one person.

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Alpine course beginners 

Discover the secrets of alpine climbing. Learn how to use ice axe, crampons, rope.., how to move on a glacier and how to climb. A 4-day course made for a first experience and to get you ready for your big projects. This course can be individual or adapted to a group of 4 people.

Period - Itinerary

MAY TO OCTOBER 

Duration: 4 days (but can be adapted)

Day 1 - day at the local crag Gaillands, to practice climbing, knots, rope techniques 

Day 2 - we go to the Mer de Glace to practice on ice. Crampons and ice axe techniques 

Day 3 - we get altitude taking the lift to the Aiguille du Midi or the Skyway and hike on the glacier 

Day 4 - the last day we choose an objective that could be a summit or a climb adapted to the group (Pointes Lachenal, Marbrées, etc)

Difficulty - Is this for you?

This is for you if you want to get an introduction to alpine climbing or you're planning to do an alpine summit and you want to be ready.

Tecnical level 1/5

Endurance 1/5

The days aren't meant to be physically tiring but being in good shape it's always a bonus

Price - include/not include

750.- EUR per person for a group of 4 

900.- EUR per person for a group of 3 

1200.- EUR per person for a group of 2

2000.- EUR for one person.

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide
  • Ice axe, crampons, harness, helmet (if required)
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Entrêves - Marbrées ridges

These are the classic Italian ridges with access from the Skyway lift. Usually done by traversing the ridge from one side to the other. You can do both of them with an overnight in the Torino hut.

Period - Itinerary

MARCH TO OCTOBER 

Duration: 1 day - 2 days for both ridges 

We start from the Skyway lift or from the Midi and Panoramic lift during the summer season 

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 2/5

The Marbrées could be your first alpine ridge. The Entreves is longer and harder

Endurance 2/5

The difficulty is mainly that we're above 3000 meters

Price - include/not include

250.- EUR per person for a group of 2

500.- EUR for 1 person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Gran Paradiso 4061 mts

This beautiful mountain is the highest summit standing entirely in Italy. Is a good objective for a first 4000 meter peak or a good warm up for something bigger. Possible in spring on skitour or in summer.

Period - Itinerary

MARCH TO OCTOBER 

In the spring we need to use skitouring set up. In the summer is best early season as it's nicer with more snow

Day 1 - we start the hike to the hut in the small village of Pont in Italy. We hike 2 hours to the Vittorio Emmanuelle hut.

Day 2 - wake up at 4am to climb for about 5/6 hours round trip and then descend to the parking and back home.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 2/5

The Gran Paradiso could be your first 4000 meter peak, some 100 meters of airy ridge on crampons is the hardest part, just right before the summit.

Endurance 2/5

There are no lifts, so it's a long day of 1400 meters uphill and 2000 downhill.

Price - include/not include

350.- EUR per person for a group of 4

450.- EUR per person for a group of 3

550.- EUR per person for a group of 2

1000.- EUR for 1 person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Aiguilles du Diable traverse

This exceptional ridge that reaches the Mont Blanc du Tacul summit is definitely aesthetic. For the 4000 meter peak collectors you can add 5 summits on the way, otherwise you can avoid 2 of them and climb more straight.

Period - Itinerary

JUNE AND JULY

Duration: 2 days/1 night

Day 1 - we go to the Torino hut to spend the night

Day 2 - we get an early start (around 3am). Then we have a 1 hour glacier approach and we climb a gulley to the ridge itself. On the ridge we can climb the Corne du Diable 4064m (optional), then we traverse over the Pointe Chaubert 4074m, the Pointe Médiane 4097m and the Pointe Carmen 4109m. We can climb the 2 pitches of the Isolée 4114m (also optional) to finally climb the ridge to the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul 4248m and back down by the normal route to the Aiguille du Midi.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

We need to have done other climbs together first to make sure it's a reasonable goal 

Technical level 4/5

There's steep terrain on crampons and ice axe, V+ alpine climbing on alpine boots.

Endurance 4/5

It's a 8-10 hour non stop push at 4000 meters

Price - include/not include

1500.- EUR for one person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Rochefort-Jorasses traverse

This is a great traverse that includes 7 summits above 4000 meters. Aiguille de Rochefort 4001m, Dôme de Rochefort 4015m, Pointe Marguérite 4065m, Pointe Hélène 4045m, Pointe Croz 4110m, Pointe Whymper 4184m and Pointe Walker 4208m.

Period - Itinerary

JULY and AUGUST maybe SEPTEMBER 

Duration: 3 days/2 nights

Day 1 - we go to the Torino hut to spend the night

Day 2 - we get an early start (around 3am) and climb towards the Dent du Géant, there starts the sharp ridge of the Rochefort traverse, some rappels bring us to the Canzio bivy, we keep climbing the hard pitches to the Pointe Young and start the long Jorasses traverse. We will bivouac somewhere on the ridge with our mat and sleeping bag.

Day 3 - we continue to the summit and use the early morning freezing conditions to descend via the normal Italian route.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

We need to have done other climbs together first to make sure it's a reasonable goal 

Technical level 4/5

There's steep terrain on crampons and ice axe, V+ alpine climbing on alpine boots.

Endurance 5/5

It's 2 days in a row of 10/12 hours push above 4000 meters

Price - include/not include

2000.- EUR for one person

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses
  • Everything else not written on 'include'

Aiguille Verte 4122 mts

The Aiguille Verte is a very special summit for the local people. The famous alpinist Rebuffat said "before the Verte you're an alpinist, when you climb the Verte you become a mountaineer"

Period - Itinerary

APRIL - MAY - JUNE 

Duration: 2 days/1 night for the Whymper couloir

Day 1 - we start in Chamonix from the Montenvers train station and we head to the Couvercle hut at 2687 mts

Day 2 - the alarm sounds at midnight. After a coffee we go over the glacier to the rimaye of the Whymper couloir, we climb the couloir which is sustained at 50° and occasionally steeper and mixte. Then the final snowy ridge to the summit. 15+ rappels to get back down to the glacier, back to the hut for lunch and back to the Montenvers station.

*notice that the Whymper couloir is the easiest way to the summit, other more difficult options are the Couturier couloir on the north face and the Jardin ridge that climb also the Aiguille de Jardin 4035 mts and the Grande Rocheuse 4102 mts

Difficulty - Is this for you?

We need to have done other similar climbs together first to make sure it's a reasonable goal 

Technical level 4/5

There's steep terrain on crampons and ice axes

Endurance 4/5

It's a 8-10 hour non stop push at 4000 meters

Price - include/not include

1500.- EUR for the Whymper

1750.- EUR for the Couturier 

2000.- EUR for the Jardin ridge

Include

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not include

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses
  • Everything else not written on 'include'