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This course spends the week climbing some of the 4000m peaks that surround the alpine village of Saas Fee. A real Jewel of the Alps, the Saas Fee chain of mountains are very accessible and some of the finest 4000m peaks. We will aim to climb at least 3 of the 4000m summits during the six-day course, all at a comfortable pace and simple mountaineering grade. A real insight and superb opportunity to experience and climb some of the Alpine 4000m mountains. We will always aim to share the planning and our decisions and teach along the way. Involving you at every stage part of the team, giving you the skills and experience to maybe climb these peaks independently in the future.
You can secure your place with a deposit. Call the office on 01479 861 256.
DETAILED INFO
AIMS
To climb and link up 4000m peaks during the week, exact summits depending on weather, conditions and teams experience. The week can be tailored to the team, but we will aim to climb the accessible 4000m at a grade around PD. During the 6 days we can expect and hope to climb at least 3 of the 4000m peaks, some can be accessed straight from the valley but on average most will involve staying in a mountain hut close to the base of the mountain. Everyone will be involved in the planning and decision making, with the aim to teach alpine techniques and decision making. The week will be based out of a hotel in Saas Grund provided an excellent base to rest and plan between summits.
PRE-REQUISITES
Good fitness and being in good healthy condition is a minimum for this course, and so you get the most from the week some previous basic alpine mountaineering/Scottish winter mountaineering would be required too (including use of an ice axe and crampons) I would recommend our 3 day discover alpine mountaineering as an example if no previous experience was already gained. As the week will be spent at 4000m with valley rests between, there will be little time for thorough acclimatization, so some time spent 3000/3500m prior to the course or some other mountaineering/acclimatization would be required. If you have any questions or required advice on how to acquire any of these please get in touch.
IS IT FOR ME?
If you have some Scottish winter mountaineering and /or some basic alpine mountaineering experience and want a full week of climbing the alpine big mountains at 4000m this is the week for you. Learning skills on the way and involved throughout, you will also get an insight to other potential alpine mountain adventures too. Climbing with like minded people, all these skills and experience gained is useful and important development of your UK summer and winter mountaineering skillset. All you have to do is travel/get to Saas Grund meet us at our hotel/base and the rest is done for you.
CONTENT
To ensure we get the most out of the 6 days the programme will be flexible, involving you in the planning and decision making at every step. The mountains in no particular order that we can expect to attempt will be the following:
Weissmies 4017m
Lagginhorn 4010m
Allalinhorn 4027
Nadelhorn 4327m
It’s important to retain some flexibility and adapt to the weather/ conditions at the time, to get the most from the course. However, below is a sample programme of how a Saas Fee 4000m course may run.
The programme will be depending on weather/mountain conditions at the time and be tailored to the team’s overall ability and experience, and to maximise the week it is recommended that a few days prior to the course is spent acclimatizing with easy walks and/or staying in easy access alpine huts. If there is any questions or advice and anything we can do to help with this, please get in touch.
You’ll meet up with the group on the evening before the course start date – Saturday evening at 18:45pm – pre course meeting at hotel base in Saas Grund, Valais, Switzerland.
• Welcome and introductions, course intro and aims/objectives
• Weather and planning, maps, and guidebooks
• Equipment checks and packing
Day 1 Sunday – Walk to the Almageller hutte 2894m
Following a planning brief and update a chance for some system checking and final packing. We then walk to the Almageller hutte (approx.3 -4hrs) Once at the hutte there will be time to relax and practice mountaineering ropework and some easy rock-climbing techniques near the hutte.
Day 2 Monday – Weissmies 4017m
After an early ‘alpine’ start we will make an ascent of the South ridge of the Weissmies. A mountaineering ridge with short scrambling rock steps and a final snow ridge to the summit. We will descend back down this ridge and back to the hut to rest and recover for another evening at the hutte.
Day 3 Tuesday – Weissmies hutte 2726m
After a relaxed start from the hutte we will walk back to the valley and begin the access to the Weissmies hutte. When we arrive in the valley there will be an opportunity to restock/refresh and make our way to the Saas Grund-Hohsaas lift station and take the cable car to Kreuzboden at 2400m. From here it is a short easy walk to the Weissmies hutte, a perfect place to rest and get ready for the Lagginhorn the next day.
Day 4 Wednesday – Lagginhorn 4010m
After an early start we will aim to climb the Lagginhorn via its West ridge (normal route). It’s a mountaineering rock ridge, mainly walking and short scramble sections, and this may include early season snow patches to cross too. The ridge gets steeper higher up and more scramble/ridge terrain continues to the summit. The route will be descended too, reversing our route back to the hutte for a welcome cold drink and rest. Once recovered we will slowly walk back to the cable car and descend to the valley for some home comforts back at our hotel base.
Day 5 Thursday – Mischabel hutte 3329m
After a relaxed start and breakfast, we will take the bus up to Saas Fee and from there start the walk to Mischabel hutte. This will include a short cable car at the start to help with the ascent. From here it will be an easy path to a ridge walk and then a simple via ferrata (metal cable way and ladders) to the hutte (approx. 4hrs)
Day 6 Friday – Nadelhorn 4327m
After an early ‘alpine’ start we will continue from the hutte up to the glacier and make our way to the NE ridge. Mainly on snow, we will make our way up the ridge where it steepens for the final slopes. We will reverse our route and descend back to the hutte for some food and a short rest, before continuing down the approach via ferrata and ridge path to Saas Fee. Once back at our hotel base in Saas Grund, we will rest and celebrate the week in the mountains. There will be chance to reflect on all our efforts and experiences, followed by evening drinks and dinner.
Day 7 Saturday – Departure
Breakfast is included on the last morning.
Step 1
Book your course place online
Step 2
Call to book accommodation. Prices from £60pn
DATES & PRICES
| 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COURSE DATE | COST (with accommodation) |
COST (no accommodation) |
PLACES | BOOKING |
| Date07/07/24 | Cost (with accommodation)£2,400.00 | Cost (no accommodation)N/A | PlacesFULL | Contact Us |
| Need a different date? Call 01479 861 256 to arrange your own date, or email [email protected] | ||||
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USEFUL INFORMATION
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
- All Guiding costs and expenses
- Half board accommodation, including Hotels (on a shared room basis. Single occupancy by separate request, if available) and Mountain Huts.
- Requested loan equipment from GL stores – by prior arrangement
- In course transport
- Guiding ratio 1:2 maximum
- Uplift within the Saas Fee / Saas Grund valley
Our valley base will be:https://www.pension-heino.ch/
What’s NOT Included:
- Travel to and from the start of the course
- Lunches – these can be bought at the huts or in local supermarkets
- Drinks in Hotel and Huts
- Alpine rescue insurance – Essential
Travel to Saas Grund
Getting to Saas Grund and Saas Fee on public transport is efficient and easy. The closest airports are Geneva and Zurich. Both airports provide excellent direct rail links to Visp, where you will transfer from the train to a bus. There are many direct trains to Visp and journey times are around 2 hr 15 minutes. For train time information click here Trainline : Search, Compare & Buy Cheap Train Tickets (thetrainline.com)
From Visp you can then connect with the Tourist bus. Again, these are cheap, frequent and take about 30 minutes to reach Saas Grund Visp to Saas-Grund (rome2rio.com) We recommend flying into your chosen airport early enough to allow you to catch the last bus up the valley. Buses run late into the night, but you have more choice earlier in the day.
In total it will take roughly 3.5 hours to travel from Geneva or Zurich airport to Saas Grund.
Insurance:
We recommend taking out an insurance policy that covers both rescue and medical, below are some options:
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Default.aspx
https://aacuk.org.uk/p-mountain-rescue-search-insuranse
Membership of an Alpine Club – Optional (this will however give you discount in most mountain huts)
Staff
All Glenmore Lodge alpine courses will be staffed by qualified IFMGA Mountain Guides. More information on the work of Mountain Guides can be found at www.bmg.org.uk.
Occasionally we will use Aspirant Mountain Guides, who will work alongside qualified Guides in order to gain further experience; this is an essential part of their training.
Pre-acclimatisation
Where at all possible, if you can build a few days of pre-acclimatisation days before the start of your trip, then you’ll have a much more enjoyable time at altitude. These can be simple day hikes and treks at around 2,600 – 2,700m. Even fit in a night at an alpine hut, for example:
Weismiess hut
Hohsas hut
Almageller hut
Please feel free to contact our Mountain Guides at Glenmore Lodge with any questions or for further pre-acclimatisation suggestions
NEED TO KNOW
WHAT WILL I NEED
Personal Equipment (* Starred Items are available to borrow from GL Stores – see equipment request form)
*Rock Climbing Harness with adjustable leg loops
*Helmet – for example Petzl Meteor or Elios.
*Belay device and locking karabiner – for example DMM Pivot and Phantom HMS
*2 x prusik loops and 1 x snapgate karabiner – 5-6mm cord tied with a double fisherman’s to produce a 30cm loop.
*2 x HMS karabiners
*1 x 120cm sewn Dynema sling- for example DMM Dynatec 11mm
*2 x Ice Screw 17cm plus karabiner.
*Ice Axe 50 or 60cm – for example Petzl Summit
*Crampons – for example Petzl Vasak (leverlock)
Mountaineering Boots – for example Scarpa Manta Tech or Mont Blanc Pro/ La Sportiva Nepal Evo GTX
Rock Climbing shoes – comfy!
Trekking Pole/s – optional
Personal Clothing
Approach Shoes
Waterproof Jacket
Waterproof Trousers – full length zips useful
Gaiters (optional)
Thermal Tops x 2 – long sleeves
Mid Layers
Soft Shell Jacket
Lightweight Belay Jacket
Sun hut and Warm Hat
Sunglasses – CE Cat 4 rating for high altitudes.
Ski Goggles – optional
Warm Gloves: Thick and Thin
Trekking Socks
Compass and whistle – your Guide will have all the necessary maps and guidebooks.
Head Torch (charged) or spare batteries
Rucksack – 35 – 45 litres.
Water bottle – 1ltr Nalgene, camel backs tend to freeze and don’t handle boiling water very well.
Sun cream and Lip Salve – SPF 30 minimum
Personal first aid – some tape, Compeed (plaster for blisters) and your own pain relief (aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol)
‘Very Small’ wash kit for hut – Hand gel, wet wipes or facecloth and toothbrush/toothpaste
Sheet Sleeping bag –compulsory in mountain huts which supply blankets/duvet and pillows.
Ear Plugs – optional
Camera, Money, Passport.
Personal Clothing – for wearing in the valley. Shorts and t-shirts can often be worn on hut approach walks but these should be light as they will have to be carried the following day
