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FEEDBACK:
"Climbing the Mitilleggi Arête
was awesome, and my Guide made me feel safe
while I tacked one of the most revered summits
in the world by a tough route. Thanks for
all your planning to help this happen"
Stuart W, Dundee, 2001
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| Course
Overview |
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The
Eiger is one of the most famous and feared mountains
in the world, due to the renowned difficulty of
the routes on it's North face or 'Nordwand'. For
those looking to climb this great mountain by
a less dangerous method, there are a choice of
routes up the mountain, namely the Mitilleggi
Ridge and the West Arete. The course starts by
climbing similar classic routes in Chamonix, to
fine tune your skills and ropework, and to assist
your acclimatisation.
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Many
famous Alpine summits can be climbed with a low
amount of skill or talent. This is not so for the
Eiger, and inexperienced peak baggers should beware
that their chances of success will be low. To consider
yourself for this course, you should be very fit,
have good footwork on steep ground (including on
rock with crampons), and also have good ropework
skills. |
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This
course should also appeal to those who have attended
a Classics, Mont Blanc Summits or Matterhorn course.
If you have significant previous rock climbing experience,
but not much crampon or alpine experience, this
can be developed over the week of the course as
of greater importance are your ropework, ability
with exposure and balance / stability on your crampons.
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Please
also note that the itinerary for this course must
be fluid, as you will need to grasp the best 'weather
window' for a summit attempt, which presents itself
during your course. This means that if the weather
window for the ascent is during the first half of
the week, you must be prepared to head straight
for Grindelwald on the first day to attempt the
Eiger first, then return to Chamonix to attempt
other climbs afterwards. |
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As
Icicle have an office based in the centre of Chamonix
(so are in France rather than in the UK), and our
Course Reps are based there throughout the year,
we have excellent local contacts and knowledge of
the local conditions both in France, Italy and Switzerland,
for optimising your chance of summit success. |
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This
course is run on a 1:2 Guiding ratio for the first
three days, so the Guide can assess and devlop your
skills and abilities before attempting the Eiger
(1:1 ratio), to move at your speed while you are
on the routes. |
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Up
to two nights in mountain huts are included in the
course price. To keep the price low for you, and
give you the greatest route flexibility, your cable
cars in Chamonix and Grindelwald are not included
in the course price, and when you go to Grindelwald
you must pay for the Guide cable car (budget on
around £120 total). All Guide cable cars around
Chamonix are included, as are the costs or travelling
between Chamonix and Grindelwald. |
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Dates:
18
- 24 July 2010, 25
- 31 July 2010, 1
- 7 August 2010, 8
- 14 August 2010, 15
- 21 August 2010,
22 - 28 August 2010.
Dates
for this course run on demand for groups of two
people. For
current availability on this course click
here. |
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So
why choose Icicle? |
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We
are true specialists in climbing the Eiger.
See our blog, by clicking on the RSS logo
(right). |
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Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather and conditions each day, so
that you maximise the amount of time spent
climbing each day. |
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Our
prices are fixed in £ pounds sterling,
to protect you from euro currency fluctuations,
so that you can budget accurately. |
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We
have a team of over 30 IFMGA guides, and a
resort support team, who all want you to have
the best summit chances possible! For more
details on the guiding team and qualifications,
please click
here. |
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Course
Photo Gallery
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Brief
Course Itinerary |
| Sun |
Travel
to Chamonix to arrive for the 17:00 check-in and
course / itinerary briefings. There is time for
kit checks or rental. Briefings are over by 20:00
so you can go out for food. Night in Chamonix. |
| Mon |
Altitude
Route: Either climb Chappelle
de la Gliere, Aiguille de L'M or Petit Charmoz.
Guiding
ratio 1:2 (max). Return
to Chamonix for the night. |
| Tue |
Altitude
Route: Either climb Aiguille d'Entreves or the Marbrée
Arete. Possibility of staying in a hut for the night,
such as the Torino, for an Alpine start the next
day. Guiding
ratio 1:2 (max). |
| Wed |
Either
another day route such as the Chere Couloir, or
an Alpine start from the hut for a route such as
the Dent du Geant or the Rochefort Arete. Return
to Chamonix for the night. Guiding ratio 1:2 (max). |
| Thu |
Drive
over to Grindelwald. Ascend the Jungfraujoch railway,
spend time training on glacier. Traverse to Mitilleggi
Mountain Hut for the night. Guiding
ratio 1:1 (max). |
| Fri |
Alpine
start for the ascent of the Mitilleggi ridge of
the Eiger. After you reach the summit, you then
descend the normal route to Monchjoch, then
traverse the glacier to Jungfraujoch to catch the
Eiger train which descends to Grindelwald, from
where you return
to Chamonix, where you spend the final night of
your holiday. Guiding ratio 1:1 (max). |
| Sat |
Final
instruction in the morning, which covers avalanche
prediction and Alpine weather. There is also an
opportunity for individual feedback. By 12:00 midday
you are free to depart for home. |
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| ITINERARY
NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain
adventures are weather and conditions dependant,
so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans.
If this is the case, suitable alternatives are offered.
Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to
the types of route / activity that you will attempt. |
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Course
Photo Gallery
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| Course
Prices |
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Standard
course
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5
days guiding, 7 days holiday in total |
£1499 |
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Premium
course
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7
days guiding, 8 days holiday in total
(Standard course plus Acclimatisation
weekend)
LINK |
£1598 |
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Secure
online booking system |
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| Standard
Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guide
for five days, 2) Chamonix course hosts for logistics
& briefings, 3) B&B accommodation in Chamonix
(inc. beddings & towels), 4) Up to two nights half
board in mountain hut (inc. costs for guides), 5) Pre
course information booklet, 6) Equipment discount voucher
for UK shops, 7) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction
Booklet, 8) Road transport in Chamonix valley including
road transport to / from the Oberland region, 10) Evening
technical instruction on nights in Chamonix. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Equipment hire, 3)
Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches, evening meals
in valley, & any purchases in mountain huts / hotels
/ restaurants, 4) Cable cars and uplift for you and your
guide (cable cars for guide included in Chamonix), 5)
Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges. |
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Icicle
expedition kit bag for FREE
All those booking on
this course are entitled to a free Icicle expedition
kit bag. This tough c. 75 litre capacity kit bag
is designed for full expedition usage and is made
out of durable and waterproof rip-proof material.
It normally retails at £50. Postage within
the UK is included in the prices. If you live overseas,
it's not a problem at all. We'll let you know the
price for postage. Want a second bag? Order another,
click
here. |
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| Upgrade
options |
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Eiger
1:1 Course
£1999
(1:1 guiding) |
This
is the course as detailed above, but with all the
five days guiding being 1:1 guide ratio, to give
you maximum flexibility and the best summiting chances. |
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Mont
Blanc Extension
£449pp
(1:2 guiding) |
This
is a two day Mont Blanc extension directly after
the main course, with the days for guiding being
Saturday and Sunday,
click
here for details. |
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Half
Board Upgrade
£99
(throughout the season) |
For
every night that you are in town, you eat in a different
restaurant in the centre of Chamonix. Always three
courses, to power you for the next day. |
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Private
Room Upgrade
£120
(7-27 June & 6-26 Sept)
£150 (28 June - 5 Sept) |
The
course accommodation is usually in rooms of two
sharing. Two people booking / sending forms together
are guaranteed a room of two sharing. This upgrade
guarantees you a private room on
your own for your course. |
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