Introduction to Alpine Mountaineering

Day 1 - Fly London To Geneva (Or Zurich)

On arrival you will need to make your own way to Saas Grund, and we recommend you do this by public transport which is very efficient and straightforward in Switzerland.

We recommend either flying to Geneva or Zurich (Zurich is 15-20 minutes closer to Saas by public transport). It’s a train from either airport to Visp and then bus from Visp to Saas Grund Post where you change. To finish there’s a 4 minute bus from Saas Grund Post to Saas Grund-Unter den Bodmen. Taking public transport is by far the cheapest and most environmentally sound way of travelling to Saas Grund.

At around 7.30pm in the evening there will be an introductory meeting and kit check. You can hire any gear that you do not have from our agent and this is included in the price (with the exception of boots where you would need to hire these at a cost of around £35). Your guide will make sure that your Alpine Mountaineering Insurance is in order and discuss the itinerary for the next few days in the light of the most recent weather forecast.

Overnight: Schönblick Hotel, Saas Grund

Day 2 - 'Ecole du Glace' skills training on the Trift Glacier.

At approximately 9.30am you will be met by the guides and after a final check of gear make your way to the main Saas Grund lift station at 1,550 metres, for the lift up to Hohsaas at 3,130 m/10,264ft where you gear up for the Trift glacier and a session of what the French call 'Ecole de Glace' - learning or refreshing skills in the use of crampons & ice-axe, movement on snow & ice whilst roped, assessing for crevasse areas & coping with crossing crevasse zones, some simple crevasse rescue. You finish with a spot of real crevasse rescue practice - all on a second back-up safety rope but involving taking it in turns being lowered into a crevasse (cameras on a leash advised!) then being hoisted out again. Or you can try climbing out using two ice-axes - not compulsory though! All the while you are gaining acclimatisation at over 3,000 metres in a stunning Alpine setting. There should also be time to practice jumaring and abseiling.

After this first day on a glacier you descend back to the hotel in the valley to rehydrate on the sun terrace and enjoy a good night's sleep at a lower altitude.

Overnight: Schönblick Hotel, Saas Grund

Day 3 - Jegihorn Via Ferrata

This morning you take the long lift from the village up to Hohsaas 3,200m. After leaving kit you do not need at the Hohsaas hut, just 100m across from the lift, you set off for the Jegihorn Via Ferrata nearby. All the kit needed for the via ferrata is provided, for a thrilling day with great views all around. The route follows a safety wire for about 600m of easy scrambling, including a spectacular wire bridge crossing a deep gap, all the while safeguarded by two lanyards attached to the safety wire. Full instruction will be given in the use of the lanyards. After topping out on the Jegihorn 3,200m, you walk down on the walkers' track around the back of the peak then take the lift back up to the Hohsaas hut and spend the night there, enjoying one of their famous three course meals with a view.

Overnight: Hohsaas Hut

Day 4 - Ascent of Weissmies, 4,017m/13,179ft.

The final day sees the biggest effort - that of getting up at 4am! Then after a good breakfast you head outside in the dark, and with headtorches on, set off for the ascent of the Weissmies, a classic 4,000 metre alpine snow peak involving crossing a glacier and weaving your way through some spectacular serac and glacier scenery. All the skills you have learnt on the first day now come into play. You put on crampons, and with an ice-axe in hand and roped together, you take your time as the hut and starting point is so close to the mountain.

Experiencing an Alpine sunrise is something that will long be remembered, especially on this day as the sun comes over the Mischabel range across the valley, including the mighty Dom, the highest mountain wholly in Switzerland, and a view to fire the ambition of any budding Alpine mountaineer.

You get to the summit of the Weissmies by mid morning after an unrushed ascent with plenty of time to take photographs, time to drink to keep hydrated and eat to keep energy levels topped up. From the top of the Weissmies, weather permitting, you see glorious views of the Pennine Alps, from the Bernese Oberland in the far north, to the Bernina in the east, and to the west two of the alpine giants, Monte Rosa and the Dom. After a team photograph you descend the same way, getting back to the Hohsaas hut for lunch on the terrace. You then descend back to the valley on the long lift returning back to the hotel for a celebratory beer after an action packed three days.

Today's ascent from the Hohsaas hut to the Weissmies summit will be 887m/2,910 ft.

Overnight: Schönblick Hotel, Saas Grund

Day 5 - Take public transport to airport. Fly to London.

After breakfast, you will make your own arrangements to travel back to the airport. Again, bus and train is the best way to travel to either Geneva or Zurich.