Travel

Having just come back from a week long introductory winter mountaineering course in Glencoe we are keen to head for the alps for a long 4 day weekend at the end of June to practice our new skills. (Well all but self arrest hopefully)

We have already booked up for a two weeker in Chamonix in August including a stab at Mont Blanc so the June trip is planned as a bit of fun - and you can never have too much experience.

Firstly venue - Chamonix is easy to get to and we wont mind if we repeat routes in August - but any other ideas would be considered. The key point is its only a four day trip and we want as much time spent with the spikey things on our feet and weapons in our mitts.

Objectives - we always like to summit pointy things but we are not there long enough to acclimatize - any suggested peaks in the chamonix area? We are not averse to cable cars etc to get us to the snow line given the time constraints.

We would be prepared to hire a guide for a couple of the days to maximise our options and perhaps climb something a bit more technical. (We did ledge route and No3 Gully on Ben Nevis with our instructor up to scottish Grade 2). How do we go about finding a british guide in Chamonix?

Any suggestions for easier routes (F or PD) that we could do on our own on the days without a guide? - here practice on technique is more important than summits

Thanks in advance. Leighton

Don't know if you stay north of the border but getting to Switzerland is a lot easier now. Globespan fly direct from Edinburgh to Geneva and it is a morning flight so allows ample time to catch a train.

I think it is BMI that start up flights at the end of March also from Edinburgh but to Zurich.

You can catch the SBB trains without leaving these airports.

Lindsay, thanks I didn't mention that we live in Portsmouth - the only advantage of being so far from the UK hills is that Gatwick and Heathrow are within easy reach. That said if we went for switzerland where would you suggest would be a good place to look at. Thanks for the SBB train info I am just looking that up on the web.

I think Chamonix can be a bit intimidating as a first alpine venue and the weather is less reliable in my experience, but it's personal preference and others may disagree. If you go to Switzerland, I'd recommend Saas Grund / Saas Fee as a base. I don't think you should worry too much about acclimatisation. Given your time restrictions there's no harm in planning a route and turning back part way if the altitude gets too much; but I'd be surprised if it does.
It's feasible to do the Allalinhorn in a day from the valley by getting an early cable car. It's a very easy route, despite being high and lots of people use it for acclimatisation.
Another option would be to spend the night in the Mischabel Hut and then do the Ulrichshorn, which is another easy peak. The Nadelhorn is also a possibility from here if you're feeling fit and keen and want to do something slightly more technical. It's a bit like doing Crib Goch in the snow.
Another nice one is the Weissmeiss from the Weissmeiss hut.

PS To find British Mountain Guides in Chamonix (or wherever) go to http://www.bmg.org.uk/members.html and use Chamonix as the keyword. We bumped into Simon Abrahams in the Alps last year and he struck me as a very likeable and helpful bloke. I've also been on the hill with Jim Kerr and he was nice too. Hope that helps.

Leighton personally I like the Bernese Oberland, within 2.5 hours by train from Zurich. You can then get one of the local trains to Wengen or Grindelwald at the foot of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Monch.

I agree with Alison, The Mont Blanc area isn't the best for first timers, unless your doing the tourist routes on Mont Blanc with all the crowd!!!. However, the Auguille Rouges (on the other side of the valley) has some good climbing. otherwise, I would also recommend The Zermatt, Saas Fee/Grund areas. Particularly, Monte Rosa (Doufourspitze etc) has a number of 4000m peaks in the easy grades and there's a high level hut (Signalkuppe, Margeritta Hut) for safe retreat!. You need to be acclimatised to stay there overnight or you'll suffer (I speak from experience).

I was also in the Bernese Oberland last year and the 4000ers are easy grades, although the weather is less predictable.

The other one to consider is the Barre Des Ecrin, which I've done twice (it is so good). It's the most southerly 4000er, so weather is more likely settled, it's like the best ridge routes you,ve done in England, Wales and Scotland all in one. Excellent PD route, but one hell of a plod to that long summit ridge.

Thanks guys. Given your comments I think Saas Fee is favourite at the moment. I am doing some research on the web on it now - looks just the ticket.

Not much luck with guides for the area - keen to get one that is english speaking. Will keep looking unless you have a recommendation...

Thanks again

Leighton, Simon Abrahams was in Switzerland when we bumped into him, and we met several other Chamonix based British guides whilst we were in Switzerland, so I think you'll find they are quite happy to travel to different areas. It might be an idea to contact one or two and ask their advice. Even if they can't help personally they may well know others who can.

Alison, thanks again. Simon's name came up from someone else as a personal recommendation. I will drop him a line.