UK Mont Blanc & Matterhorn Training Weekends

If you are keen to develop your mountaineering skills and fitness or you are heading off to the Alps in future, a great way of enhancing your enjoyment, mountain performance and summit chances is to do some UK based training before you go.  Our open group weekend courses offer quality relevant technical & physical training as part of an enjoyable & sociable weekend in the mountains… of Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands.

Mont Blanc Training – Snowdonia

Mont Blanc Training – West Highlands

Mont Blanc Training – Cairngorms

Matterhorn Training – Snowdonia

Matterhorn Training – West Highlands

UK Alpine Training Course Reports

Here is a list of forthcoming course dates with more specific detail on each course below.

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The UK mountains offer a fantastic arena for developing your mountaineering skills whilst building fitness and enjoying the stunning scenery.  We have chosen each venue and time of year specifically to offer different conditions and thus training elements and progress through the skills of mountaineering whilst enjoying the UK mountains and preparing for the Alps.

So whether you are off to climb Mont Blanc, the The Matterhorn, Eiger or discover our classic Becoming an Alpinist courses or training for a mountaineering expedition, the confidence and experience gained from this extra preparation can go along way to help getting you there…

Mont Blanc Training – Snowdonia

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Mont Blanc is a magnet for climbers and strong walkers around the world, and rightly so.  It is a superb high glaciated mountain, dominating the Northern Alps and providing a brilliant mountain challenge for those willing to undertake the right preparation, both physical and technical…

Whilst the challenges on Mont Blanc are mainly physical (you will not be hanging off your finger nails!) you also need to prepare technically for the mixed / rocky scrambling  between the Tête Rousse and Gouter Huts on the classic northern ascent route from the French side of the mountain.   Many aspiring climbers have been shocked at how steep this appears on the approach trek.  As this photo of the approach to the Gouter Hut shows, those expecting a ‘non-technical’ trek, might be rather alarmed!  This section is just below the old Gouter Hut with the Tete Rousse Hut 700m below on the other (right) side of the Grand Couloir.

The terrain is actually quite moderate scrambling terrain, albeit it at high altitude and sometimes done in the dark. With the right preparation, and in the right conditions (and on the right route!) it can be one of the most enjoyable sections of the whole ascent route. Our Scottish Winter and intro alpine mountaineering courses prepare you for the mountaineering sections involving crampons and glacier travel whilst this spring weekned in Snowdonia helps prepare you for both the long endurance element of the climb and more technical rocky scrambling sections in ascent and descent. You will also just generally improve your mountain skills and fitness along the way.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and to enjoy a safe and stylish ascent you will need to focus on your own personal fitness and body weight management programme as well as doing some more specific training in the mountains.  This specific mountain preparation will not only help to prepare physically but, with greater competence and confidence moving over the more technical terrain, you will also be more efficient and save energy for the really demanding final high altitude section of the summit climb.

Our Snowdonia based Mont Blanc Training weekend addresses these related and enjoyable elements in helping you to prepare for this big challenge.  It should also provide a great opportunity to meet some other llike minded Mont Blanc climbers for a sociable weekend in the mountains.

There will also be an early evening talk describing the ascent and opportunity to discuss the equipment requirements and ask any questions about the ascent and preparation with plenty of time remaining so that you can actually do some effective training to build progressively for your summit attempt during the forthcoming alpine summer season…

Viv Tuck, MB Training Wknd April 2017

Awesome weekend! Totally met my expectations especially in preparation for my upcoming Mont Blanc trip with High Mountain Guides. First class guiding, knowledge sharing and a lot of fun. Thanks HMG

Day 1 – Mountain Walking & Scrambling

• From 0800 in Pete’s Eats in Llanberis for an 0830 Welcome to the course, introductions, weather forecast and planned programme.  Equipment checks.
• Mountain day of c.6-8 hours starting with an approach walk to a steady scramble perhaps including the magnificent traverse of Tryfan and Glyder Fach – The Bochlwyd Horseshoe – whilst discussing movement skills; being efficient for general mountain travel and using your mountain boots accurately & securely.
• Use of technical mountaineering gear including harness, helmet and roping up for moving together in ‘alpine style’.
• Easy scrambling journey (generally Grade I) concentrating on improving your movement skills for scrambling in ascent & descent as well as your confidence moving efficiently on moderately technical terrain.
• Even if you have already done the classic scrambles on the North Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly Ridge & Snowdon horsehshoe, we plan to take various  variants on these routes and often reverse their normal order to focus on volume of quality down climbing.  So there will generally plenty of good new experiences.
• The skills covered can be reflected on, with a discussion regarding the progress made during the day and plans for putting it all in to practice the following day.
• Early evening informal talk, 6.30-7.30 PM at Pete’s Eats, describing the ascent of Mont Blanc, what is involved, fitness levels, equipment requirements and a chance to ask any questions about any aspect of the ascent and preparation.

Day 2 – Mountain Scrambling Day

• An early start for an alpine style approach to the high mountains of Snowdonia and another C.6-8 hour day linking several scrambles and summits and covering plenty of mountain walking & scrambling terrain.
• Possible route choice could be scambling on and around the Snowdon Horseshoe, Cneifion Arete above the Ogwen Valley, with descents of other routes to practise scrambling in descent facing in, out, and across!
• There are lots of other good options which present the combination of sustained scrambling passages with easier walking sections, just like on the climb to the Gouter Hut on Mont Blanc.
• This final day will also give a good opportunity to put some mountain miles in the legs, add to your general endurance training and give you the chance to get some expert feedback on how your fitness is shaping up with regard to a future Mt Blanc ascent.  The vertical height interval from the Tête Rousse hut to summit of Mont Blanc is around 1700m, at high altitude, so you can compare the ascent done today and reflect on your fitness & movement skills levels accordingly and plan further training as necessary.
• This can all be discussed & concluded over a final tea & cakes café stop before the course finishes late afternoon on the Sunday.
• Please note that we will also be running winter Mont Blanc trainign weekends in 2018 based in Aviemore in the Cairngorms, Scottish Highlands. Please get in touch for details of this excellent opportunity for a wintery mountaineering & training weekend.

Kevin Hogarth, Mont Blanc Training Weekend, April 2017

Thoroughly enjoyed this weekend – first class coaching, great climbing companions, challenging routes and outstanding weather conditions! Kevin.

Course Fitness & Mountain Experience Pre-Requirements

An existing level of good mountain fitness is required for 2 days in the mountains up to 6-8 hours each day.  This will mean you have some existing mountain walking experience or a very good level of current fitness from other aerobic / endurance sports like running / cycling etc.
No previous scrambling or rock climbing experience is required but you should however be keen to embrace this enjoyable element of mountaineering; be ready for some exposed scrambling in the mountains and have a reasonable ‘head for heights’.

Snowdonia & Scottish Highlands Mont Blanc Training Weekends

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Course Fee:  £390

This is a guiding / training fee only and does not include any other expenses like travel, accommodation, insurance or equipment hire.

Course Guiding Ratio is 1:4 for the Saturday and 1:2 for the Sunday.

Course Base Camp – Llanberis, Snowdonia:  Dol Peris guesthouse (C. £30 self catering) or Plas Coch (C. £60 B & B) in Llanberis or other accomodation in Llanberis, or nearby, of your choice.

Snowdonia Course Kit List

Mont Blanc Training – Scottish Highlands

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This late spring course in the Scottish Highlands makes an inspiring complement and progression from our Snowdonia Mont Blanc training weekend.  The high mountains of Lochaber provide a superb arena for alpine mountaineering in the spring, often a magical time to be in the far north!  At this time of year they often provide a brilliant combination of stiff re-frozen snow, snowy gullies, mixed and rocky scrambling and lots of day light hours to enjoy it!

This then creates an inspiring mixture of terrain for quality alpine training and enjoying some long routes and physical journeys in the highest mountains in the UK.   The Western Highlands provides an ideal location for a physical challenge par excellence with sea level or low altitude starts to climb the higest and most celebrated mountains of the UK, like the North Face of Ben Nevis and Glencoe.

Just a short note to round off an excellent weekend under Graeme’s instruction.
Just what I wanted.  Great weather and a great learning experience.
Plotting the next trip……

Richard Evans, West Highlands Mont Blanc Training Weekend, April 2022

An incredible weekend in the beautiful highlands of Scotland. This course surpassed my expectations in many ways: The quality of the guides, which was as high as can be expected, very thorough and very reassuring throughout; the beauty of the surrounding area; the great balance found between making it challenging but not too difficult; and above all, just how very fun it all was! Perfect as preparation for Mt Blanc, but I would also recommend as a standalone course as well, just for the sheer fun of it.

Andy Lintern, West Highlands Mont Blanc Training Weekend, April 2019

This spring course would work very well for anyone preparing for the ascent of Mont Blanc in the summer or any other strong hill walkers / scramblers keen to develop their alpine movement skills and enjoy a cracking couple of days mountaineering in the Scottish Highlands, whilst meeting some other like minded folk.

The venues used are usually the North Face of Ben Nevis and Glencoe although there are many other alternatives including low altitude high quality big boot rock climbing & training down Glen Nevis if the West Coast weather is not conducive to doing the high mountain routes.

Day 1 – Mountaineering Training & High Mountain Journey

The first day includes a welcome to the course and intro to other guests and the guides with a brief for the plan for the day and final equipment check.   The aim is to then make the long climb up one of the high valleys in Lochaber, eg on to the north side of Ben Nevis to find some of the stiff snow patches that are normally still extensive at this time of year.  These provide a great training venue for instruction in the use of stiff boot soles, crampons and ice axes in moving securely and efficiently over snow.  A key ingredient for a safe and enjoyable ascent of Mont Blanc!   Another key ingredient, mountain endurance, is then worked on with a continuing journey on to the tops to climb one of the big summits of this inspiring area.

This day has a maximum guide to guest ratio of 1:4.

Day 2 – Alpine Mountaineering Ridge

The second day start with an extra guide to allow some more technical scrambling to be done whilst completing a classic Highlands scramble like Curved Ridge or Ledge Route on Ben Nevis.  Ideally this will have an approach on stiff snow to allow crampons and axes to be used again and thus create terrain similar to the most technical sections on Mont Blanc.  Again we aim to complete a classic route / summit, ideally with some down climbing to replicate the descent of the Gouter Ridge on the north side of Mont Blanc.   After a course de-brief over tea and cakes the course usually finishes around 1630 on the 2nd day and you can either stay in Fort William another night or return home later that day.  We can also arrange private guiding after the course if you would like to do some 1:1 climbing for example and do some further climbing and Matterhorn preparation whilst you are about it!

This day has a maximum guide to guest ratio of 1:2.

The 2 physical and technical days should really compliment the fitness and endurance training you are able to do on a regular basis from home.  We call this ‘Bulls eye training” and we hope you can join us for a memorable weekend in the mountains of the West Highlands in April 2019.

Course Fitness & Mountain Experience Pre-Requirements

An existing level of good mountain fitness is required for 2 days in the mountains up to 6-8 hours each day.  This will mean you have some existing mountain walking experience or a very good level of current fitness from other aerobic / endurance sports like running / cycling etc.
No previous scrambling or rock climbing experience is required but you should however be keen to embrace this enjoyable element of mountaineering; be ready for some exposed scrambling in the mountains and have a reasonable ‘head for heights’.

Dariusz & Tom, Gran Paradiso & Mont Blanc Training Courses In Snowdonia & Scottish Highlands….

Hello Rob, just wanted to let you know that me and Tom successfully climbed Mont Blanc on September 2nd! :)I’d like to use this opportunity to thank you and your amazing team of guides for all the progressive training and knowledge sharing, which were essential to our success! 🙂

Mont Blanc Training Weekends – Scottish Highlands

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Course Fee:  £390

This is a guiding / training fee only and does not includes any other expenses like travel, accommodation, insurance or equipment hire.

Course Guiding Ratio is 1:4 for the Saturday and 1:2 for the Sunday.

Course Base Camp – Fort William, West Highlands:  Calluna guesthouse (from £20 pppn self catering) or The Lime Tree Hotel (starting from £80 to £130 B & B depending on dates) or other accommodation in Fort William, or nearby, of your choice.

Mont Blanc Winter Training Weekend – Cairngorms

This course offers an ideal introduction to the fundamental skills of winter mountaineering, with a particular emphasis on movement skills with mountaineering boots, crampons and an ice axe.  These are elements which will serve you well not only on Mont Blanc but on all other adventures along your mountaineering journey.

The first day of the course emphasises lots of this training with the opportunity to practice the skills in context as part of short yet interesting mountaineering journeys.  Whilst we focus on the positive training of sound cramponing on ice and steep snow with an axe, we also look at using the axe for self-arrest as an emergency response to a slip.

The second day, with a lower 1:2 guiding ratio, is then a great opportunity to build these good movement skills into a bigger and more physical mountain day.  We aim to both climb some of the big peaks of the area like Cairngorm or Ben Macdui (at 1309m the UKs 2nd highest mountain) as well as tackling some steeper terrain and a classic Scottish snow gully if conditions allow.

This winter course would work very well for anyone preparing for the ascent of Mont Blanc in the summer or any other strong hill walkers / scramblers keen to develop their mountaineering movement skills and enjoy a cracking couple of days mountaineering in the Scottish Highlands, whilst meeting some other like minded folk.

The 2 physical and technical days should really compliment the fitness and endurance training you are able to do on a regular basis from home.  We call this ‘Bulls eye training” and we hope you can join us for a memorable winter weekend in the Scottish Highlands 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Mont Blanc Training Weekends – Cairngorms

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Course Fee:  £375

This is a guiding / training fee only and does not include any other expenses like travel, accommodation, insurance or equipment hire.

Course Guiding Ratio is 1:4 for the Saturday and 1:2 for the Sunday.

Course Base Camp – Aviemore, Cairngorms:  Ravenscraig Guest House this 12-bedrooms guest house is situated on the main street of Aviemore or the Eriskay B&B & Glamping, a family-run guest house close to the town center.

Snowdonia Course Kit List

Scottish Highlands Course Kit List

 Scottish Winter Mountaineering Kit list

Steven Law, Mont Blanc Training Weekend, April 2017

Thanks for organizing a great weekend in the mountains and around town.
It was a pleasure spending time with the team and I look forward to meeting you all again soon

Alpine Courses This Training Would Be Good Preparartion For

Climb Mont Blanc
Chamonix Intro Alpine Mountaineering
Climb Gran Paradiso
Climb The Weissmies
Chamonix Mountaineer

Matterhorn Training – Snowdonia

Many climbers, alpinists, ambitious mountain walkers and even arm chair mountaineers dream of climbing the Matterhorn.  Well, why not, it’s one of the world’s great iconic mountains.  There is a true gasp factor added to almost any view of it, but especially the view from the high street in Zermatt and especially when viewed by somone who has come to climb it!  It’s an intimidating route up an intimidating yet truly inspiring mountain.  Common sense tells you that the ascent will not be easy and, as is often the case in the mountains, common sense is right.  The ascent is long, with very sustained moderate scrambling and some short steep & tricky sections.  The trick is to arrive in the Alps well prepared for this demading ascent and this is where our training courses will make a big difference.

Unlike on some easier alpine peaks where just good fitness is required and we can do the relevant technical training during the course, preparation for the Matterhorn ascent requires a conscientious and determined approach.  You will need to arrive for the climb not only fighting fit and raring to go but scrambling fluently in ascent and descent and happy to tackle short, steep & physical sections of rock climbing & climbing fixed ropes.  You will also need to be mentally prepared for sustained exposure, following instructions for the route finding in descent and looking after yourself during the demanding mountain marathon of a 7 – 11 hour day.

Our Snowdonia based Matterhorn Training weekend addresses all these complicated elements in helping you to prepare for this big challenge.  It also gives you the chance to get some great technical mountain miles under the belt whilst enjoying a fun & social weekend in the mountains and perhaps even meeting other like minded Matterhorn climbers on the same course.

Day 1 – Climbing, Scrambling & Training Day

• 0830 Welcome to the course & intro chat about the weekend.  Final equipment check – but please ensure everything is ready to go for the day.
• Transfer to a suitable crag which provides interesting terrain for training both scrambling (grades I-III) and more technical pitched climbing in big boots (Mod, Diff, V.Diff etc)
• This will be a day concentrating on improving your movement skills for scrambling in ascent & descent as well as your confidence moving efficiently on moderately technical terrain where short roping & short pitching techniques are being employed by the rope.
• There will also be the opportunity to tackle some steeper rock pitches similar to those encountered for example on the Matterhorn’s Hornli Ridge at about V. Diff in standard.  Other important features of the ascent of the Matterhorn are ascending strenuous sections of fixed rope and being lowered confidently down steep walls.  Both of these will also be addressed although some improvistation is required for the fixed ropes as these are not a feature of the mountains in Snowdonia!
• The skills covered can be summarised in the café on the way back with a discussion regarding the progress made during the day and plans for putting it all into practice, higher in the mountains, and with a greater volume of scrambling, the following day.

Day 2 – The Mountain Day

• An earlier, 0800 start for an alpine style approach to the high mountains of Snowdonia concentrating on lots of quality scrambling mileage and descent facing in, out, and across!.  Possible route choice / areas include Clogwyn y Person Arete, Parsons Nose (Diff) start to Crib y Ddysgl, Idwal Slabs, Cneifion Arete, NW Face Glyder Fach & E Face of Tryfan.
• There are lots of other good options which present this combination of a long sustained scramble with both easier sections and short, harder, more technical sections which can be pitched thereby simulating the terrain and style of climbing expereinced on the Matterhorn.
• This final day will also give a good opportunity to put some mountain miles in the legs, add to your general endurance training and give you the chance to get some expert feedback on how your fitness is shaping up with regard to a future Matterhorn ascent.  The vertical height interval of the Hornli Ridge to the Matterhorn summit is around 1200m, so you can compare the ascent done today and reflect on your fitness & movement skills levels accordingly and plan further training as necessary.

Snowdonia Matterhorn Training Weekends

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Course Fee:  £425

This is a guiding / training fee only and does not includes any other expenses like travel, accomodation, insurance or equipment hire.

Course Base Camp:  Dol Peris guesthouse (C. £30 self catering) or Plas Coch (C. £60 B & B) in Llanberis or other accomodation in Llanberis, or nearby, of your choice.

Team Size / Guiding Ratio:   Maximum 2 guests to 1 Mountain Instructor / Guide.

Course Kit List

Course Fitness & Mountain Experience Pre-Requirements

An existing level of good mountain fitness is required for 2 potentially long and tough days in the mountains often with 6-8 hours of sustained mountain walking, scrambling & climbing.  This will mean you have existing mountain walking & some scrambling experience and good current aerobic fitness / endurance.  Some previous rock climbing experience is also required but does not need to be extensive or on difficult routes.

Matterhorn Equipment List

Åsa Banner, Matterhorn Training, May 2017

As mentioned yesterday, we really enjoyed it & thought it was a very well organised & professional two day training & we learned loads. Our guide/instructor, Jon, was great in every way and we loved the Plas Coch B&B, we’re hoping to be able to come back in the beginning of July for some more training before our Matterhorn attempt week later in July.  Thanks a million!

Alpine Courses This Training Would Be Good Preparartion For

Climb The Matterhorn
Climb The Eiger
Becoming An Alpinist
Chamonix Alpinist

Rick Wilton Matterhorn Training Weekend, Snowdonia, October 2018

Would like to say I enjoyed the weekend training with Calum, what a top man, knows his stuff. 100% will be back in Wales for more training with you guys. I’m off in 4 weeks to have a crack at Ama Dablam. I know this was meant to be a Matterhorn training weeks end but I think this was well worth doing for any technical climbs outside of normal mountaineering. Its also now sawn a seed in my head to climb the Matterhorn next summer!!!

Matterhorn Training Weekend – Fort Willliam

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This spring course in the Scottish Highlands makes an inspiring complement and progression from our Snowdonia Matterhorn training weekend.  The high mountains of Lochaber provide a superb arena for alpine mountaineering in the spring, often a magical time to be in the far north.  At this time of year they often provide a brilliant combination of stiff re-frozen snow for an alpine approach to a long rocky alpine ridge, often with an icy mixed finish, just like the Matterhorn summit climb itself!

The Western Highlands also provide an ideal location for a physical challenge par excellence with sea level or low altitude starts to climb the higest and most celebrated mountains of the UK, like the North Face of Ben Nevis and Glencoe.

This course would work very well for anyone preparing for the Matterhorn ascent the following summer; for aspiring alpinists or any mountaineers keen to develop their alpine movement skills and enjoy a cracking couple of days mountaineering in the Scottish Highlands, whilst meeting some other like minded folk.

Here is a summary of the ‘Plan A’ schedule for the weekend which may have to be adjusted according to weather & mountain conditions at the time.

Day -1, Friday – Pre-Course / Arrival

If you are able to arrive early and do some pre-course walking / scrambling / training that is good and we can arrange private guiding for this day if you would like to brush up on skills or do an additional route.  We  also offer this service after the course if you want to pack in the mountaineering having made a long journey to the Highlands.  We normally have an informal intro chat and welcome drink in Fort William on this evening, equipment check / issue and meet the other members of the team.

Day 1, Saturday – Mountain Day

• 0730 start to the course, welcome & final equipment check – but please ensure everything is ready to go for the day, so we can get a swift start for a long day.
• Car transfer to the climbing venue for the day, eg North Face of Ben Nevis, then the walking approach to the North Face.
• We aim to choose one of the longer mountaineering routes on the North Face, like Tower or Castle Ridge or North East Buttress to give a feel for moving swiftly and completing a ‘grande course!’.
• This will often involve an approach on sustained re-frozen snow giving an excellent opportunity to refresh and practice crampon skills before the crampons usually come off for the lower rocky section of the route where scrambling skills and moving together on the rope and short pitching / rock climbing in big boots can be practised.
• If time / conditions allows we will aim to descend an easier scrambling route like Ledge Route or one of the snow gullies or walk off the summit plateau and return to base camp / café for tea and cakes.
• Evening talk on the Matterhorn ascent and preparing for alpine adventures.
• Team dinner – traditionally curry!

Day 2, Sunday – Mountain Day

• 0730 start for another alpine style route ideally combining lots of scrambling milage with some big boot rock climbing in a stunning location according to prevailing snow conditions and weather.
• In the past we have climbed in Glen Coe, eg on Curved Ridge and with an ascent of the briliant steep V.Diff on the Rannoch Wall above it, Agag’s Groove.  For the fit and keen we could also do a 2nd day on the North Face of Ben Nevis for example combining another 2 of the classic ridges on the mountain.
• This final day will also give a good opportunity to put some mountain miles in the legs, add to your general endurance training and give you the chance to get some expert feedback on how your fitness is shaping up with regard to a future Matterhorn ascent.  The vertical height interval of the Hornli Ridge to the Matterhorn summit is around 1200m, (1900m from Schwarzsee), so you can compare the ascent done over the weekend and reflect on your fitness & movement skills accordingly and plan further training as necessary / possible!

Brenton Booth, Matterhorn Training Courses, 2016

Hi Rob.
Just to let you know that i climbed the Matterhorn successfully this past week, 6hrs 10 min.  The two courses i did through your company were really helpful in the preparation, thank you

Fort William Matterhorn Training Weekends

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2 Full days, Saturday & Sunday

Course Fee:  £425
This is a guiding / training fee only and does not includes any other expenses like travel, accomodation, insurance or equipment hire

Course Base Camp:  Calluna Mountain Guesthouse in Fort William (Or other accomodation of your choice in Fort William, eg the Lime Tree Hotel)
Team Size / Guiding Ratio:  Maximum 2 guests to 1 Mountain Instructor / Guide

Scottish Highlands Winter Mountaineering Kit List

Matterhorn Equipment List

Course Fitness & Mountain Experience Pre-Requirements

• An existing level of very good mountain fitness is required for potentially 2 long mountain days of up to 6-9 hours duration. This will mean you have good mountain walking & also some previous scrambling experience and good current general aerobic fitness / endurance.
• Some previous rock climbing experience is also required but does not need to be extensive or on difficult routes.  The rock climbing standard will be up to around V.Diff, but this will be in mountain boots and could be exposed and in the wet, so you should be able to do this without too much struggling!
• This course does not focus on rope work or too many technical skills as it’s more about scrambling & big boot rock climbing mileage, however you should already be able to safely put your harness on, tie in and have some experience of using a belay plate.
• Some previous mountaineering experience and use of crampons / ice axe in winter or alpine conditions is required (although you could do a private guiding day beforehand if necessary).

Tobias, Matterhorn Training 2017
Thank you very much to you and the guides for this fantastic, amazing, instructive weekend experience in the Highlands!
The guides were great! The weather was as promised and as you can see, we all had a lot of fun as well.

Alpine Courses This Training Would Be Good Preparartion For

Climb The Matterhorn
Climb The Eiger
Becoming An Alpinist
Climb Mont Blanc
Climb The Weissmies

Carlo Stochetti, Mont Blanc Training Weekend in Fort William, April 2018 

Just wanted to say that the weekend lived up to all expectations. The location & scenery was stunning especially on Saturday on Ben Nevis.  Jonathan was great company and his experience and guidance were welcomed and added to the overall training, please pass on my appreciation. Loving the work on the snow with the crampons and the scrambling and rope work. I have come back with a taste for more and will spend the next week considering plans for the future to continue my mountaineering journey, perhaps a trip in the Alps will be next. I will let you know when I have made a decision.  Finally thank you for the well organised trip from start to finish you have been always there to answer questions which helped with my planning and preparation.

Matterhorn Training – Zermatt

In 2017 we ran our first Matterhorn familiarisation long weekend in early autumn in Zermatt itself, at the foot of the Matterhorn!  The idea was to give guests the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the village, valley and amazing views of the mountain, without the pressure of having to actually climb it!

With a programme along the following lines, there was plenty of opportunity for training on a variety of relevant terrain.  This included rocky scrambling, big boot rock climbing, high altitude glacier journey / snow ascents, & icy mixed ground in crampons.  A great combination of fun climbing and giving a real insight in to what’s involved in the ascent of the Matterhorn with lots of relevant training along the way.

• Day 1, traverse of the Rifflehorn with good scrambling, big boot rock climbing and some mountain walking all just under 3000m altitude.   Night in Zermatt.
• Day 2, half traverse of the Breithorn with glacier approach, high altitude rock climbing / mixed ground and narrow snow ridge to the summit of the Breithorn, 4164m, overnight at Schwarzsee
• Day 3, ascent to Hornli Hut from Schwarzsee, then a short recconaissance climb on the lower Hornli Ridge to give a real flavour for the nature of the climbing and experience some of the lower fixed rope sections.  Return to Zermatt for café de-brief.

Please get in touch if you would like to arrange this for late September / early October 2018.

Some feedback from Richard Flint who did this course in early October 2017…

“Great trip to Zermatt with Rob Jarvis in preparation for a future go at the Matterhorn. Rob’s accumulated experience gained from guiding all over the world makes being in the mountains challenging, safe and a great laugh. A real professional with a low key approach who wants you to learn and get to your goal.”

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Chris Hovey, Matterhorn Training Weekend in Snowdonia, October 2018

The weekend met all my expectations and included all the topics which I wanted to cover and update my skills. The tuition and guidance from Andy was first class and I left on Sunday feeling that my money had been wisely spent

Mont Blanc & Matterhorn Training Course Reports

12 October 2020, Snowdonia

Very pleased that our guests on both Mont Blanc & Matterhorn training courses managed a full weekend of training and exciting mountain terrain, making the most of the wet and windy Saturday with 2 different approaches and then a superb dry, sunny & cold Sunday for big days in the mountains for both teams…

Our Matterhorn training teams escaped the wet and windy Snowdonia and found dry rock over on Anglesey for many technical rock pitches in big boots, rock boots, lowering, scrambling in ascent and descent, rope work – a very useful day which was then followed by a brilliant beefy link up starting with the physical but beautiful walk in to Cwm Glas to do the Parsons Nose with a continuation over the Clogwyn y Person Arete and over to Crib Goch to do the V.Diff rock climb ‘Reade’s Route’ leading back on to the main Pinnacle on Crib Goch, down the north ridge and back to the valley to complete a great day. 

The Mont Blanc training team had a fine physical weekend with ascents of Elidr Fawr and Y Garn as well as the Snowdon Horseshoe with extra scrambling sections en route and thus good training for both teams looking to climb Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn in summer 2021…

The Matterhorn training weekend was amazing. Big Tim got the measure of us and was able to take us to unimagined heights and levels – full marks to Tim. What a legend he is. Outstanding instructor. Massive experience and knowledge. Excellent advice and guidance. Knowing how to instill confidence and when / how to commit – all within the safety envelope. I felt totally confident as his pupil.  I would love to climb the Matterhorn – all I need to do is persuade Mrs Robinson!!

Tim Robinson, Matterhorn Training Weekend, Snowdonia, Oct 2020

27 September 2020, Ben Nevis & Glencoe Matterhorn Training, West Highlands

A lovely dry late summer weekend in the West Highlands saw our Matterhorn training group enjoy the sustained scrambling & movement skills training on Curved Ridge in Glencoe followed by some downclimbing training and short lowers / ropework relevant to the Hornli Ridge.  The Sunday was a brililant bright sunny day to enjoy the exposure and fine positions climbing on the north Face of Ben Nevis with an ascent of Castle Ridge and descent of Ledge Route.  Another excellent physical and technical Matterhorn training day.

April 2019, Fort William, West Highlands

A magic weekend of training & mountaineering plus a sociable time in Fort William and some world class mountain biking at Nevis Range…

29 April 2019, Mont Blanc & Matterhorn Training Weekend – Scottish West Highlands