HIGH ALPINE BASIC
ORTOVOX SAFETY ACADEMY
3 days
Südtirolalpin
IFMGA certified mountain and ski guides
South Tyrolean Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Email suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Price from:
€450
per person for 5 or more participants
Duration:
3 days
Mountaineering course – High Alpine Basic
With the Ortovox Safety Academy High Alpine Basic alpine tour course, you get to know the world of glaciers from the ground up – with rope, crampons and a good dose of hands-on practice.
3 days
Alpine tours are the supreme discipline of classic alpinism. This is where all rope and belaying techniques come together. Experience the world of glaciers with our Ortovox Safety Academy alpine tour course – in cooperation with Ortovox! Our comprehensive training gives you the skills to move safely and successfully in the alpine environment. Careful planning and preparation are essential to recognise and avoid potential alpine hazards quickly. We place particular emphasis on choosing your equipment and handling it safely, including essential knot techniques that will help you in all kinds of situations. We not only teach you how to handle a rope, ice axe and crampons safely, but also how to move and navigate independently and safely on glaciers. Of course, rescue techniques are not neglected either: you learn how to get yourself or your rope partners out of a crevasse after a fall. After the course, you have the tools to set out on glacier tours independently and with confidence in this fascinating world.
COURSE CONTENT
✧ Alpine hazards & weather
✧ Materials, equipment & knots
✧ Introduction to tour planning and preparation
✧ Navigation on tour
✧ Independent travel on glaciers as a rope team
✧ Moving with rope, ice axe & crampons
✧ Vertical-point & front-pointing technique
✧ Building anchors in firn & ice
✧ Crevasse rescue by self-rescue
✧ Crevasse rescue with a loose pulley system
✧ Crevasse rescue with a pulley system
✧ Falling techniques and holding falls
✧ Environmental aspects and the rapid changes on glaciers
✧ Practice tour
INFO
Services
Included in the price
- Complete organisation and guiding by an IFMGA certified mountain and ski guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs for participants
- 2 nights with half board in a hut (the mountain guide's overnight expenses are split among all participants)
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item of equipment)
Facts
Location
South Tyrol
Best time of year
June - September
Duration
3 days
Meeting point
arranged individually
Requirements
Prior knowledge
- none, we will get to know the world of alpine tours from the ground up
Physical requirements
- Fitness for mountain tours with up to 1,500 metres of ascent
- Sure-footedness
PRICE
Participants:
5 - 6 people
Price from
€450
per person for 5 or more participants
PROGRAMME
Day 1: Hut approach and fundamentals
We meet at the agreed meeting point and carry out a short equipment check at the starting point of our glacier course before beginning the ascent to the hut. In the afternoon, we look at the equipment used on glacier tours and at the basics of moving on glaciers. When it comes to knots, all participants are brought up to date, learning and practising the knots needed for the course content ahead. In the hut, we work on map reading and learn how to find our way in the terrain. We will also touch on environmental influences and on the consequences of climate change and the rapid changes it brings to the glaciers.
Day 2: Training on the glacier
On the second day, we head out onto the glacier. Using various exercises and techniques, we refine the participants' crampon technique. We learn how to move on hard ground with crampons and ice axe and which options there are for travelling safely on ice. Falling also needs to be practised so that you can react correctly in an emergency. What do you do if you slip yourself, and how do you manage to stop? What happens if a rope partner falls? We will also practise the various rescue methods and set them up for real at a crevasse. This is where the knots we practised the day before come into play. In the evening, we turn to tour planning. The participants' task is then to plan and prepare a final tour together for the last day. On this day in particular, we vary the content according to the participants' level of knowledge and, if necessary, focus on the most important aspects – it is better to learn the basics properly than to cram too much into one day.
Day 3: Practice tour
The last day is all about the tour planned the evening before. Everything you have learned comes together on this day, and we put it all into practice to reach the summit safely and get back to the car park. This is where you, the participants, are challenged – we as mountain guides are of course always on hand with advice and valuable tips, and step in should anything be misjudged.
Info: The programme is not set in stone. In the mountains, we have to adapt to local conditions and the weather. That's why we shift content around as needed, adapt it to the participants' level of knowledge and get the most out of these 3 days, even if the weather doesn't play along! =)
Any changes to the programme that may become necessary for various reasons (weather, conditions, availability of accommodation, etc.) are always made in consultation with the participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Who is the High Alpine Basic course for?
The course is aimed at beginners who want to learn to move on glaciers and the fundamentals of alpine tours properly. If you want to understand how to handle a rope, ice axe and crampons from the ground up, this is the course for you.
What equipment do I need for the course?
You will receive the exact packing list with the confirmation email. Above all, you need suitable mountain boots and weatherproof clothing. Technical equipment can be rented from the organiser for a small wear-and-tear fee.
Is there a real tour on the last day?
Yes, the last day features a joint practice tour. You put the course content straight into practice – from tour planning to moving through the terrain. Exactly which tour we do depends on the conditions and the group.
Looking for a different course? Send us your request
MOUNTAINEERING COURSES WITH A MOUNTAIN GUIDE
# ORTOVOX SAFETY ACADEMY # ALPINE TOUR COURSE # HIGH ALPINE BASIC