Crampons, glaciers and ridges: a guide’s account of a beginner mountaineering course, from Pic d’Arsine to the Bruyère ridge, building independence.
An introductory mountaineering course focused on self-reliance! Yohan is here for 2 days, Julie and Olivier for 3 days, Tom and Jérémie for 5 days... none of these folks know each other, but they’re getting along great! I’ll admit it feels a little strange to be the oldest in the group, but if my math is right, the older I get, the more likely this is to happen to me!
Days 1 and 2: Ice Climbing School and Pic d'Arsine
Starting from almost zero, my companions have everything to learn! We begin with the basics of crampon use and glacier safety... By the end of the day, everyone knows how to tie into a rope properly without risking being strangled to death! The path to independence is taken one small step at a time, without rushing things...
For their first hike, I’m taking the group on a traverse of Pic d’Arsine—an easy and very varied hike. Couloirs, ridges, snow slopes… there’s so much to learn—this is the real deal! I also show the trainees how to take a one-hour nap on a summit—and everyone seems to be pretty good at that!
Back on the glacier, Yohan takes advantage of a rope team heading down to get a ride across the glacier section. With the rest of the team, we head up to the Refuge des Ecrins to spend the rest of the afternoon and the night there!
Day 3: Roche Faurio
We manage to make our way out of the Refuge des Ecrins before the bulk of the crowd arrives, and we quickly find ourselves back in the tranquility of the high mountains. Most of today’s climbing parties are headed to the Dôme des Ecrins. So we’ll be much better off on the opposite side!
On the long, gently sloping stretch, I set a steady pace to give us the best chance of catching the sunrise from a good spot! Everyone’s in good shape and keeping up without too much trouble... In the end, we even waited a few minutes for the sun to come up!
From the shoulder, my two rope teams continue on their own to the Faurio rock pre-summit
Behind us, Robin, a friend who's our guide, is right on our heels!
We continue along the summit ridge, which gets a little steeper. Only Julie decides to wait for us at the secondary summit—she’s already quite satisfied with the view!
In the distance, you can see some well-known and lesser-known peaks...
Back at the secondary summit, we take in the view of the main summit once more—and let's face it, the conditions are just perfect for it! Then we begin our descent toward the valley... more adventures with Tom and Jérémie for two more days!
Day 4: West Râteau
Today, Tom, Jérémie, and I are succumbing to the charms of modernity—if you can even call the La Grave cable car “modern”! With the help of mechanical assistance, in just a few minutes we’re transported to an altitude of 3,200 meters on the Girose Glacier, heading toward the Râteau Ouest—a climb that should allow my two companions to reach a new milestone.
I'll let Jérémie and Tom handle the roping-up on the glacier as well as the belaying while moving during the first part of the climb.
I take the lead again for the next, slightly more difficult section, which allows them to take their first steps as climbers in complete safety!
Just like the rest of the week, we're enjoying fantastic conditions at the summit—not a breath of wind... All around us, quite a few peaks are shrouded in clouds, and it seems like we're almost the only ones spared... What a lucky break!
Day 5: Arête de la Bruyère
For this last day together, no independent hiking for Tom and Jérémie—instead, a slightly tougher hike just to see what it’s like at the next level! A guide can also help you step outside your comfort zone!
This stegosaur-like ridge offers a superb climb in a truly exhilarating atmosphere—so many new challenges for the two friends to tackle... Despite their virtually nonexistent climbing experience, they did pretty well and came back from the day super motivated to sign up for a climbing gym while they wait for their next mountain adventures!
Thank you all for this wonderful week filled with good cheer! And I'm sorry for helping to infect you with the mountain bug, which—in addition to swallowing up all your savings—will occupy your thoughts day and night! Good luck!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 — Ice skills and the basics
- An introduction to crampon technique, roping up and glacier safety. Everyone starts building the skills needed to become more independent, one step at a time.
Day 2 — Pic d’Arsine traverse
- A varied first alpine climb combining a couloir, a ridge and snow slopes, with a summit nap to round off the training. Yohan descends with another rope team on the glacier, while the rest of us head to the Écrins hut for the night.
Day 3 — Roche Faurio at sunrise
- We leave ahead of the crowds to enjoy the first light. The two rope teams manage their own progress from the shoulder to the fore-summit. Julie waits there while we continue along the rocky summit ridge, before everyone descends to the valley.
Day 4 — Râteau Ouest from La Grave
- With Tom and Jérémie, we take the cable car to the Glacier de la Girose. They handle roping up and manage the rope while moving together on the first section, then I take the lead for the harder rock passages.
Day 5 — Arêtes de la Bruyère
- A final guided climb with more rock climbing and exposure introduces the next level. Tom and Jérémie finish the day keen to keep climbing and return for more mountain adventures.
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