Alpine Semester- Summer Program
- The longest most intensive single course on rock, snow and ice offered!
- Small groups (4:1 maximum rate)
- 11 full days in the mountains- the longest course out there!
- Our high end, modern “mountains” gear- all the technical gear is provided- free of charge!
About the activity
This revolutionary program is offered by us year after year: in full 12 (!) days, under the supervision of an IFMGA guide/Aspirant, you will be receiving the best professional inputs to start on your own a mountaineering career!
Course's contents:
- Rock climbing- gear intro
- Rock climbing- rope work, required knots and hitches, belay devices and rock manipulations
- Rock climbing- top- rope and lead climb, belaying and climbing techniques
- Rock climbing- rappelling
- Snow and ice- gear intro
- Snow and ice- walking on snow with or without crampons and ice exe
- Snow and ice- walking on ice with crampons an ice exe
- Snow and ice- self arrest techniques
- Snow and ice- anchors and belaying in ice/snow
- Snow and ice- steep ice climbing
- Snow and ice- topography, mountaineering day planning
- Snow and ice- glacier travel
- Snow and ice- crevasse rescue
Timetable:
Day 1- All our “Austrian Alps” courses start in Füssen im Allgäu (Germany) you will meet the guide at 17:00 for a briefing and gear distribution. After dinner you will practice together knots that will be used later in the course.
Day 2- (rock)- Today we will check out from the hotel and travel together to a nearby crag- a twenty minutes’ hike from the parking and an optimal choice for climbing courses. Today’s goal is to learn how to belay and move efficiently and balanced on rock. In the afternoon we will change base and drive to the charming little “climbers’ village” Nassereith, Nassereith is the perfect spot to teach any kind of rock-climbing contents.
Day 3- (rock)- We will learn and practice lead climbing; to those of you that have already lead-climb before we will give a multi pitch climbing intro and play a bit with friends and stoppers.
Day 4- (rock)- We will learn everything we need to learn to climb a long multi pitch- we will build belay stances, learn how to switch leads and belay efficiently, climb a short multi pitch and practice rappelling.
Day 5- (rock)- A long multi pitch climb with a rappel descent.
Day 6- (rock)- We will start early and after breakfast will drive together to the Pitztal, together we will climb on foot to one of the Austrian Alps most ideal huts- the Taschachhaus. After the 3 hours walk and a lunch break, we will go to the rocks nearby, and learn how to use "trad" gear for mobile protection as-well as building stances in rock.
Day 7- (ice)- The Tascachhaus is at a perfect location for mountaineering courses: after breakfast, we will cross over to the Taschachferner (The Taschach glacier) and learn how to walk on snow and ice, the usage of ice exe and crampons and self-arrest. in the late afternoon we will have the opportunity to practice self rescue from a crevasse.
Day 8- (ice)- Today we learn the important content of snow anchors and crevasse rescue and test our ice anchors by rappelling from them or rigging a rescue from them, in the evening, we will plan together our route for the next day.
Day 9- (ice)- An early start and off we go to climb our first alpine summit, such as the Sexegerten Spitze (3400 m). The summit has a classical snow and ice route with an exciting step of “Via Feratta” at the start. We will learn how to choose the best path as well as the energy efficient way to move on a mountaineering day. (about 1000 m elevation, 5-6 hours walk, short section of Via ferrata in the beginning).
Day 10- (ice)- Today is our steep ice day: we will work all day with 2 aggressive ice tools learning the ice climber’s craftsmanship and skills. The Taschach ferner offers many steep ice walls where we can place screws and lead a real ice multi pitch.
Day 11- (ice)- Knowing all the essentials, we are ready to tackle our second alpine summit- ether we will ascent the Hoch Vernagt Wand (3400 m- a steep summit with some sections of steep snow and ice that requires protection), or the Wildspitze (3760 m- the highest summit in Tyrol). Tonight, is our last night in the hut.
Day 12- (ice)- (ice)- Until mid-day we will work close to the hut’s proximity, where we will go over bits and pieces that we didn’t manage to teach through the intensive days before- we may rehearse crevasse rescue techniques, deal with trad work on rock or climb prusiks at the gym practicing self-rescue from a crevasse.
* The mentioned timetable is exemplary and may vary due to conditions, ability of the participants, safety & weather limitations.
Fitness Level & difficulty
Required fitness level & difficulty:
- Experience in trekking and mountain walks- applicants for the course should be sure- footed and and handle exposure well.
- The activity is hard and intense- participants should come healthy and with the right mindset and motivation to learn.
- Ability to ascend per day 1,400 meters elevation while maintaining a reasonable walking speed (fitness level C) with a light backpack.
- No need to present previous experience in rock and ice.
Price and details
Price:
2,300 € Per Person*
The Price Includes:
- 11 full days in the mountains!
- Planning and guiding by an IFMGA/UIAGM qualified guide/Aspirant.
- *Guiding in a in a min/max 1:4 ratio (allows a fast progress).
- Modern & high level technical equipment (excluding clothing and shoes) free of charge!.
- Transportation during the activity.
Price does not include:
- Flights and insurances.
- Transportation to or from the meeting place before and after the activity.
- Mountaineering or/and climbing shoes rental.
- 5 nights + half board in a hotel in Nassereith Tyrol and in Bad Hindelang (about 70 € a night in a shared bedroom).
- 6 nights in an alpine hut + half board (about 65 € for alpine club member).
- Gear transport from the valley to the hut (20 €).
- Membership in an international alpine club (recommended)/Insurance for mountain rescue