Intro to Mountaineering

Guides and group sizes

Ratio is 1 Mountain Guide per 6 guests on the instruction days, and 1 Mountain Guide per 3 guests for the scent.

Difficulty and perquisites

Guest must be comfortable using crampons to flat foot and front point on moderate angle ice up to 30 degrees.

These are all physically demanding days and participants must be in good hiking shape.

Guests are required to carry a backpack with their personal gear (clothes, sleeping bag, pad, etc), group (tents, pot, stoves, etc) and food. About 20 to 25 kg, only on day 1 and 5. Personal porters could be arranged in advance.

No mountaineering experience is required, however if you had some it helps a lot.

Transportation

Participants are responsible for their own transportation to El Chaltén, Argentina. Your travel agent should be able to arrange this for you. You could get there either by flying to Buenos Aires, and then flying to El Calafate and a bus ride to El Chaltén.

Accommodation & Meals

All meals and accommodations (in tents) are included from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 6. Tents are provided in double and triple basis.

Please let us know if need us to arrange accommodations (Hotel/hostel) for you before and after the course.

Please let us know of any special food/allergies preferences while booking.

Weather consideration

The fame of the area regarding wind and fast changeable conditions are not a legend. Be ready to experience nature and all its beauties and power. Program might change according to weather.

ITINERARY

Depending on mountain conditions, weather and group, we can go to Superior Pass or to Marconi Pass for this activity.

Day 1

After arriving to the base camp we will use the afternoon to cover topics that will expedite learning when we’ll be in glacial terrain.

Camp & tent setting, models, recommendations, etc.
Harness and crampons fitting. Different types of crampons and harnesses pros and cons
Glacier travel and crevasse rescue knots.
Rope management and roping up for glacier travel.

Day 2

Early breakfast. Hike into Marconi Glacier.

Safety procedures on glaciers
Glacier morphology and movement
Ice characteristics
Flat footing/French technique/10 points technique with crampons
Hike on glacier and practice technique (you will gain confidence on the gear)
Classics ice axe technique, how to use ice axe while walking
Self belay and self arrest with the ice axe.
Fronting pointing/German technique/12 point technique with crampons
Piolet traction technique
Ice screw placement
Top rope ice climbing
Belaying and communication
Basic ice anchors

Day 3

Today we’ll get on these subjects:

Review yesterday’s subjects
Warm up ice bouldering on the glacier
Knots in situ and with gloves
Rope management on glaciers. Glacier travel
Route finding on glaciers.
Snow bridges crossing
Self or partner arrest while falling
Basic crevasse rescue
Load transfer to an anchor
Teamwork and communication

Day 4