Mountaineering – Foundation (Level 2)

Season: Spring to Autumn (May – October)
Length: 6,5 days
Guide/Participant Ratio: 1:3 with a maximum of 3 participants to 1 instructor
Price: 8500 NOK per person

About the course

A competent and safe mountaineer has many qualities; They are knowledgeable, skilled, brave and courageous and can turn their toolbox of skills to any task.

This course takes people with some mountaineering experience but wishes to crank it up a bit to tackle more technical and challenging mountains.

The course runs over 6,5 days and is based, in Valdres, Hemsedal and the Jotunheim.

You need to be fairly fit for this course to get the most out it, but we try our best to have lighter days between the full mountaineering days.

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

Course objectives:

The course is mainly focused on general mountaineering skills and includes:

Glacier travel
Using a rope in ascent and descent
Making belays on rock, snow and ice
Scrambling / easy climbing
Abseiling
Buddy rescue – glacier and rock
Ascending / descending snow slopes / ice with and without crampons and axes
Risk assessment and tour planning

At the end of this course, you will have a ‘toolbox’ of skills that can be deployed to take you up your dream mountain, in a safe and competent manner.

We try to cover two days on the snow/glacier, two days full mountaineering days and two days on scrambling/ climbing and rescue. Each day we sit down together and discuss the day’s activities, found out what worked and what didn’t and then plan for the next days. After all, it’s your course.

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

Some previous mountaineering and fitness are required. Please take contact with us to check if this course is for you.

Course Itinerary

We meet on the first evening get to know each other and check that we have all the equipment we need.

The next days will be spent out in the mountains. We usually try and spread the tour days apart with more relaxing days in between.

Dates

26th to 31st May (Running)

18th to 23rd June (Places available)

If these dates don’t work for you send us an email and we will see what we can do.

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