Multi-pitch climbing course: 4 days at your guide’s guesthouse in the Hautes-Alpes
You lead routes at around French 5c/6a, perhaps you’ve already seconded a few multi-pitch climbs, and now you’d like to get stuck in and become more independent on longer routes?
Join me for four days on my home turf in the Hautes-Alpes, at the foot of the Écrins National Park, on carefully chosen crags, with scenery that’ll make your eyes pop and an attentive, enthusiastic mountain guide to help you along. We’ll take the time to understand what we’re doing, practise and learn to work as a rope team.
Each evening, we return to the Gîte des Voûtes, renovated with my own two hands between mountain adventures: healthy materials, a welcoming atmosphere, wonderfully comfortable beds and generous meals made with organic produce. Just what you need to recover!
Day 1 — Get to know each other and lay the foundations
- This is the day we take stock of everyone’s experience, expectations and needs. In an accessible setting, we revisit the fundamentals: partner checks, communication, belaying, organising belay stations and rope management. Everyone practises, explains their choices and finds their feet — or gets back into the swing of things.
Day 2 — Take an active role in your rope team
- It’s time to put all this into practice on a multi-pitch route suited to the group. Depending on your existing skills, you lead selected pitches, belay the second or organise belay stations. I stay nearby to support your progress. We work on changeovers and the descent, including abseils where appropriate.
Day 3 — Consolidate your skills and learn to adapt
- We revisit what went well the previous day and what could use a little more practice: managing rope drag, smoother rope work, communication and sharing responsibilities. Depending on your needs, we also take time to practise techniques for assisting a second and explore the principles of retreating from a route. The idea is to repeat, understand and consolidate.
Day 4 — Plan, make decisions and review your progress
- This is the day you take more of the reins, starting with the planning: reading the guidebook, choosing equipment and working out the approach, route and descent. Your rope team manages its progress under my supervision. We finish by reviewing everyone’s strengths, what still needs work and which climbs you can reasonably consider next.
This programme is a very flexible framework! Routes and venues will be chosen for their learning opportunities, as well as the conditions at the time, the group’s existing skills and everyone’s expectations. We might head to Ponteil, the Biaysse gorge, Fournel, Ailefroide, Saint-Crépin, the Guisane valley, the Cerces or the Queyras.
Technical Details
Booking & advice by phone available
Upcoming Dates
Dates on request
SHARED OUTINGSThese dates are for individuals wishing to join and share the costs of an outing.
GROUPS & CUSTOM TRIPSIf you are an existing group or wish to open new dates on request, contact me directly for a private engagement.
Photo Gallery
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