Glacier – Foundation (Level 1)

Season: Summer (July-early September)
Length: between 3,5 and 5,5 days
Guide/Participant Ratio: 1:4
Price Guide: 3400 – 6000 NOK per person

About the course

The aim of this course is to take people with little or no glacier skills to a point where they can cross any glacier in Norway in a safe and competent manner. A great way to meet people!

The course runs over 3.5 to 5.5 days, will be based in the high mountains and will cover everything you need to know about traveling safely over a glacier in Norway.

There will be one tour day putting everything into action and will hopefully take in a peak! The courses are based in the Jotunheim and / or Finse and can be hostel based or tent based depending on budget.

We keep our groups small with the focus on good communication and learning environment.

Course objectives:

Safe travel on steep snow,. with and without crampons and axes
Making belays in snow and ice
Movement on the glacier both snow covered and blue ice
Techniques to cross snow bridges and negotiate challenging ice formations
Crevasse rescue
Route choice
Navigation
Glacial history and glaciology

Combine it with other courses

This is a self-sufficient course. However, it can be combined as part of our alpine mentoring program.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available on our farm from 250 NOK per person per night. Find it out more here.

Flights, train and getting there

bus station.

From the Airport, you can take the “flytoget” which is an express train to Oslo central station. From there it is a short walk to the bus station. You can take the Valdres Express bus From Oslo central to Fagernes Skysstasjon which is about 20min from my house. The bus is comfortable, has free wifi and takes about 3 hours. I like taking the bus to Oslo as I can look out the window and see all the waterfalls and dream about ice climbing 🙂

Nearly all participants on previous courses have travelled by the above method, and they have described it as straightforward and easy.

Equipment hire

If you need to rent equipment, that is no problem, just let us known in advance. You will receive a list of required items upon booking.

Skills level

Difficulty

Endurance

No previous glacial experience is necessary. A certain level of fitness is required to get the most out of the course.

Course Itinerary

We use first evening inside with theory, the rest of the course is practical instruction outside, traveling in mountain and glacial terrain.

Dates

G = Guaranteed to run
F = Full
W = Women only
D = Extra good deal, have a look!

Other dates available upon request.

Equipment

Upon registration we will send you a complete equipment list.

Boots: You will need your own mountaineering boots that can take crampons. If in doubt send us a picture of your boots so we can give the thumbs up. Boots_summer

In the rucksack: As a general guide the following is recommended In the rucksack

Mountaineering equipment (All this can be borrowed from us): Equipment to courses