The course changes to the Winter mountaineering and climbing from November to March each year. The difference is we drop the glacier travel in the winter and add avalanche awareness and rock climbing becomes ice or mixed climbing.
About the course
This is one of our favourite courses; There is a relaxed pace and tempo during the week, we can spend time in the mountains, soaking up nature, the sounds, smells, sites, there is no rush, we spend as much time as we need on each aspect of mountaineering.
The course will be based both at our mountain lodge and out camping in the high mountains. Each evening we go through the day, check in with each other, find out whats working, and what doesn’t and plan the next day. The participants of the course set the pace, tempo and goals, after all, it’s your course.
We build the course upon building blocks, so by the end of the week you have a toolbox of skills that can be turned to any mountaineering adventure.
Course objectives:
- Glacier travel
- Basic scrambling / easy rock climbing
- How to use a rope when ascending and descending
- How to ascend/descend steep snow; with and without axes and crampons
- How to cross rivers when there is no bridge available
- How to navigate with a map, compass and GPS
- Basic mountain survival if someone is injured or you get benighted
- Camping, skills, food and safety
- What to wear and when
- A closer look at nature and the landscape. It’s true beauty
We are always open and flexible to add additional subjects as and when required. The instructors we use definitely think out of the box.
Combine it with other courses
This is a self-sufficient course. However, it can be combined as part of our alpine mentoring program.
Difficulty
Endurance
No previous experience skills necessary.
Equipment list:
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
Accommodation
The Mountain Cottage is include in the price.
Flights, train and getting there
From the Oslo Gardermoen 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.
