3
Countries Summits 2024   
Climb in up to three
Alpine countries during this week
of summits! |
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Course
overview
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This
is a week of summit bagging, designed for
those who want to progress from an Alpine
Intro style course, with more nights in
mountain huts, and a full week of Alpine
mountaineering routes on glaciated terrain.
The course is based in Chamonix, and you
have a couple of two-day mini expeditions
with nights in mountain huts, and an extra
day for acclimatisation / flexibility /
training / contingency, as required. |
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During
the week, you frequently get the opportunity
to climb in three different Alpine countries,
as a couple of the routes in the itinerary
straddle the borders. It's typical to climb
in France, Italy and Switzerland. There are
many choices of which peaks you can ascend,
so this course provides real flexibility for
you to tackle good routes in condition. |
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The
mountain huts we use are comfortable, and
you are booked in on a half board basis, and
are well fed with a three course evening meal,
as well as a breakfast early on the morning
for your Alpine starts. There are up to two
nights included in huts on a half board basis
during the week, if required. |
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This
trip is a good alternative to our Monte
Rosa 4000m week, for those who do not
wish to spend as many nights in mountain huts
during the week, or who have some issues with
acclimatisation. |
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This
course is designed for either those with a
little previous climbing experience, or
those keen on developing their crampon skills
and gain acclimatisation, as Mont Blanc can
be attempted after the course on an extension
(see: Mont
Blanc Extension). For those who
do not want a 'technical climbing' course,
yet want to experience remote and easy Alpine
summits, this is the holiday for you. If you
are looking at more of a 'skills' course,
consider the Alpine Autonomy Techniques course,
and for details click
here. |
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Dates: these
are listed in the column on the right, and
they show the live availability from our secure
online booking system. When you book online,
you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine
Information Booklet, course specific kit list
and invoice. |
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Daily Course Itinerary |
| Sun |
Travel
to Chamonix to arrive for the 17:00 check-in
followed by and course safety and itinerary
briefings. There is time for kit checks or
rental of equipment. Briefings are over by
19:00 and the Chamonix hosts accompany the group
to pre-dinner drinks to answer any queries.
Night in Chamonix. |
| Mon |
Meet
your guide in the morning, and drive up to
the village of Le Tour at the head of the
Chamonix valley. Here you take the cable car,
then chair lift, to access the trail that
leads you up to the Albert Premier hut. After
a break for lunch, you spend the afternoon
on the glacer / snowfields close to the hut,
to refresh your crampon skills, and practice
walking roped up with Alpine coils. Night
spent in the Albert Premier hut, which has
been recently refurbished to a high standard. Guiding
ratio 1:3 (max). Night in hut. |
| Tue |
A
very early start to cross the boulder field
behind the hut, to reach the glacier, then
it's crampons and harnesses on for the ascent
to the Aiguille du Tour 3544m, which straddles
the Franco-Swiss border. On the glacier you
are roped up for safety, and it is a long
but gradual ascent to Col Superior du Tour,
where you cross into Switzerland, then turn
left to just below the summit, where you scramble
up to the top. The descent is made by the
same route, to Le Tour. Guiding
ratio 1:3 (max). Night in Chamonix. |
| Wed |
Typically
a day route, and you drive to Argentiere and
ascend the Grands Montets cable car. Descend
the stairs onto the glacier surface, where
you rope up, and start ascending towards the
rimaye / bergschrund on the Petite Aiguille
Verte. Once this is crossed you soon reach
the summit ridge, where you turn left and
head upwards to the rocky summit block. On
the top you are rewarded by the view onto
the North Face of Les Drus, and down into
the Chamonix valley. Guiding
ratio 1:3 (max). Night in Chamonix. |
| Thu |
Today
you take the cable car to the Aiguille du
Midi 3842m, and descend the ridge onto the
Col du Midi, before crossing it to then climb Pointe
Lachenal 3613m. Descend to the glacier again, and traverse
the whole Vallee Blanche to reach Punta Helbronner
in Italy. This traverse crosses complex glaciers,
in spectacular scenery. You reach the Rifugio
Torino, which looks down to Courmayeur, and
spend the night in this mountain hut. Guiding
ratio 1:3 (max). Night in hut. |
| Fri |
An
early start to ascend the Aiguille
du Toula 3538m (3 clients),
or possibly the Aiguilles Marbrées
3535m (if 2 clients). Both
these routes are situated on the Franco-Italian
border, offering you the opportunity to finish
week of summits in a trilogy of Alpine countries.
Return to Punta Helbronner, and take the cable
car back across the Vallee Blanche to Aiguille
du Midi, and down to Chamonix. In the evening
all the different course clients meet up to
celebrate. Guiding ratio 1:3 (max). Night in Chamonix. |
| Sat |
Breakfast
then the accommodation check out is by 10:00.
Most arrange their airport transfers to leave
around this time, to catch a flight from Geneva
about midday. 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
Prices |
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Standard
course |
5
days guiding, 7 days holiday in total |
£1499 |
Live
availability |
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
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Secure
online booking system |
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Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guide
for five days, 2) Chamonix course hosts for logistics
& briefings, 3) Self-catered accommodation in Chamonix
(inc. beddings & towels), 4) Up to two nights half
board in mountain huts (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, 9) Evening
technical instruction when 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 as required (budget
on about £80 for the week), 5) Transport / tunnel
ticket outside the Chamonix valley, 6) Sunday pre-dinner
drinks & Friday celebratory meal & drinks, 7)
Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges. |
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| Notes: Group
size 2 - 3 clients per guide. This trip can
be operated as a private course for a group of 3 people
booking together, at a 1:3 ratio throughout, on any date
you wish throughout the summer season. |
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Course
upgrade options
Many clients on this
trip consider upgrading with one or more of
the following course additions... |
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Private
room |
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Big
5 Alpine
extensions |
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Technical
kit rental |
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Acclimatise
weekend |
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Upgrade
to single from
£300-£500 in addition to
standard course price,
depending on week. |
Extend by 2 days after
to ascend one of the
Big 5 Alpine peaks as
an extra summit. |
Rent all technical kit
for a week. Full Alpine
Bundle costs you just
£100 for the week. |
Saturday
night spent in
Chamonix, with choice
of self-guided or guided
on Sunday. From £70. |
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Click
for details |
Click
for details |
Click
for details |
Click
for details |
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Standard
course accommodation - normally clients are based
in self-catered flats (details),
so take a look, and decide if it's for you. For
more luxury, contact us for quotes in higher standard
apartments, or hotels of any standard required.
If you have / source your own course accommodation,
or we cannot provide an upgrade, the standard course
price has a £100pp reduction applied on your
invoice. |
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Current
course availability
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Course Dates
3 Countries Summits
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NOTE:
This trip has scheduled
dates, but if there are three who
are booking together, it can be
operated on any date you wish |
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Client
feedback
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An
amazing week! The summit views were
fantastic, and each country was so different,
so it was a good way of getting three
different trips in one. Our Guides
were friendly and seemed to know everyone
in the huts so we were never short of
food or entertainment
Stuart
P , Glacier Summits
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All
the peaks were so different, as were
the views, cultures and food in each
country, which made the week for us
Martha
C , Glacier Summits
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A
brilliant and varied week, with a very
different 'feel' on each of the three
peaks we climbed
Lee
B , Glacier Summits
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| Testimonials |
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| Press
& media |
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| Films
& videos |
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| Photo
gallery |
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| Location
data for this trip |
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| The
trips meet in the Chamonix valley in the French Alps,
at the foot of Mont Blanc. It is easily accessed via a
90 minute transfer from Geneva airport. |
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Time
Difference
GMT +1hr |
Local
Currency
€ Euros |
Travel
from UK
1hr flight |
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| Why
choose us |
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Great
guiding ratios of 1:3 for every single day of the
holiday, to maximise flexibility and summit chances. |
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The highest quality and qualifications possible
for leaders, as you are led for five days with IFMGA
Guides. |
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Up to two nights spent half board in comfortable
mountain huts in the remote areas. |
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Itinerary flexibility to enable you to take in three
peaks in three countries during the week. |
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| Suggested
reading and kit |
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View
full course equipment list,
with examples of kit, click
here |
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| Why
choose our trips? |
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See
our Alpine blog, by clicking on the Word-press logo
to the right. |
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Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather windows on any day, to maximise your
summit chances. |
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Our
prices are fixed in £ Sterling, to protect
you from euro fluctuations, so you can budget accurately. |
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There
is a choice of routes to opt for, depending on the
weather, conditions, and your experience. |
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| Any
further questions? |
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A
key part of choosing a company is being able to come and
talk about your plans with an experienced course advisor
face to face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know
our clients value speaking to real people, getting open
and honest advice. The vast majority of our clients are
British, and our office and outdoor store is based in
Windermere in the English Lake District. Arrange a meeting,
and come in for a coffee to discuss your course in person
with a trip
advisor. Many people opt for this service,
and it is an integral part of what we offer, to ensure
that you are prepared as possible.
 
As
well as talking though your course, most clients have
queries about the kit they will require, to avoid expensive
mistakes, and we can show you some examples of that to
consider. Others have training queries, about how to best
prepare for your trip, and we will be able to steer you in the right direction. No question is too silly, and
we'll have heard them all before! An integral part of
booking is the ability to get good knowledgable advice,
and a highly personal service. Unlike companies that only
exist virtually in cyberspace, we are staffed by real
people, in a real office, who offer real honest advice.
Because we are tangible, we are accountable, and we take
great pride in that and the service that we offer you.
Get in touch to come in for a chat soon. |
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