North Faces of the Alps guided 4-day training program
Would you like to attempt a big climb on the Alps? Join Enrico, IFMGA-certified mountain guide and expert climber on the great North Faces of the Alps, on this 4-day training program to assess your competence on a variety of terrains prior to your big goal.
Private
Alps
4 Days
Jan - Jun, Oct, Dec
High
Intermediate
Description
The North Faces of Eiger, Grandes Jorasses and Matterhorn —known as ‘the Trilogy’— are a series of challenging and mythical ascents in the Alps. If your goal is to climb any of them, this 4-day training clinic is mandatory.
The main objective of this training is to assess your competence in a variety of terrains and decide if you are prepared for a big climb or not. The fact that you take the clinic doesn’t necessarily imply a commitment from my side to go for the North Faces.
For me, a big climb is like a small life trip. Both client and guide form a team and we put our lives in the hands of each other. So it’s very important to know who is attached to the other end of the rope. Climbing is about team work. That’s why having a good relationship and communication with your rope partner is essential to feel safe. Bonding with the team is crucial so that both climbers can work efficiently and safely during the climb, and understand each other with no words.
As a leader, I consider extremely important to know how my client will behave or potentially react to any problems or tough situations that may occur.
The ‘Trilogy’ is a group of very committing faces and you need to be very well prepared. This 4-day training clinic will challenge you on various terrains and improve your technical and physical skills. Besides, it will work as an acclimatization. We will start with specific training and tests, and then eventually tackle a longer route such as Supercouloir, Aiguille Verte, Grand Capoucin or Petites Jorasses W face, depending on the nature of the final goal.
It would be great to engage this trip right before the big climb. However, the conditions of the North faces are not easy to predict in advance.
The best months to join this training are between January to December except for July, August and September, depending on your goal.
Are you interested in this 4-day training program to prepare for climbing one of the big north faces of the Alps? Send me a request so we can talk about your goals and start planning this trip.
If you successfully complete this training, you can start planning a climb to a great north face like Grandes Jorasses, Matterhorn and Eiger. In case you’d like to know more about these extreme climbs, read this article.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Price details
- The price does NOT include lodging, meals, and/or transportation, lifts tickets for both clients and the guide. We can provide lodging at B&B Maison de la montagne (http://www.maisondelamontagne.net/) when based down the valley (Arvier village halfway between Aosta and Courmayeur).
Details
More info
Skill level: intermediate to advanced. According to the new directives of the Aosta Valley Regional College, insurance for recovery in the event of an accident is in charge of the customer and can be purchased by registering with the ITALIAN ALPINE CLUB (or corresponding local alpine club) or on the UVGAM website (https://pos.larcasrl.it/default.aspx?IDCON=926 ).
Meeting point
FAQs
What is the main objective of this 4-day training program?
The main objective of this training program is to assess your competence on various terrains in the Alps and determine if you are adequately prepared for a significant climb, such as the North Faces of Eiger, Grandes Jorasses, or Matterhorn.
Do I commit to guide you on one of the North Faces if I participate in this training clinic?
No, participating in the clinic does not imply a commitment from my side to guide you on the North Faces. It serves as an assessment of your readiness and competence for such climbs. At the end of the clinic, I will debrief you highlighting crucial missing if needed and pointing out the best way to get to your goal.
When is the best time to join this training program and what months should I avoid?
The best months for this training are between January and December, except for July, August, and September if the goal is a winter route; and summer if the goal is a summer route. Conditions on the North Face are difficult to predict in advance.
What is the skill level required to participate in this training program?
The skill level required is an overall basic experience on all the mountaineering and climbing terrain either in summer or in winter. If you do not have some of the specific skills, we will personalize the program for you. Please let us know about your experience in detail when applying.
What does the price of this program include?
The price includes the guiding fee. However, it does not cover lodging, meals, transportation, lift tickets for both clients and the guide. I will suggest the best place to stay depending on the mountain conditions of the moment.
Can I plan a climb to one of the North Faces after successfully completing this training program?
Yes, if you successfully complete this training, you can start planning a climb to one of the North Faces such as Grandes Jorasses, Matterhorn, or Eiger. The training is a prerequisite for those ambitious climbs.
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
About the guide
Enrico
4.9
(22)
Mountain Guide
My biggest satisfaction is to explore new places, and share it with a rope-mate. And to do it as a professional is the realization of a dream. At the age of 15, I knew I wanted to become a mountain guide, I wanted to live in the mountains, teach and share my new passion. In 2006 I realized my dream and I became a professional mountain guide. I like sharing my knowledge and experience with my clients, taking a journey that transforms slowly the guide-client relationship in climbing partner and often in friendship. I am not and never will be a lone climber but "a company" 'explorer. My specialty lies certainly in climbing on ice and mixed in the high mountains. With my clients I climbed the most difficult faces in the Alps, explored mountain ranges, traveled between America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Languages
Italian | French | English
Certificates
IFMGA
What people are saying about this trip
Chloe
Enrico is a fantastic person and a very good guide, very professional. We climbed Auguille d'Entreves.
Brandon
Enrico is a mountaineering expert. I did many tours, summits and expeditions with him over the past 15 years Not only does he know the environment, but he is also technically very proficient, which is very comforting when the going gets tougher. He is a very safe guide, does not take chances as he wants both of us to get back home safely! And he likes to share and explain every decision he makes. Every outing with Enrico is a 5 star experience.
Emily
I've had quite a bit of guided climbing experience. What makes Enrico stand out is the amount of effort he puts into improvement in skills and technique. He's also extremely patient with the difficulties that need to be overcome in the learning process. I learned so much and had a great time.
Brad
I really enjoyed the course and would definitely recommend the four day North Face course with Enrico. Thank you for organising this for me.
Tony
Spend 4 days with Enrico - training for a north face attempt next year. Enrico was a superb guide across all aspects - technical skills, coaching skills and all round mountaineering skills. Enrico‘s experience in the Alps is second to none and I thoroughly enjoyed the 4 days - which Enrico planned to cover a range of skills and exposure including ice climbing, dry tooling, multi pitch mixed routes and on day 4 we were ‘blessed’ with a storm high up on ‘Via dai Cristallieri’ - what a great challenge to finish the 4 days. I’m addition.to being a phenomenal climber and teacher - Enrico was a perfect host and nothing was too much trouble. I had the pleasure to stay in Arvier, at Enrico and Ilaria’s fantastic B&B - Maison de la Montagne. Overall I would highly recommend Enrico as a guide and tutor for the mountains and also Explore Share for linking me up.
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