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Guided mountaineering courses and trips in the Alps with IFMGA certified guides from spring to Autumn...
We run guided mountaineering courses and trips in the Alps from spring to Autumn, including: Mont Blanc, Matterhorn and Grand Paradiso. All of our guides are IFMGA certified, and the summer guiding programme is managed by IFMGA British Mountain Guide Ben Bradford. Our summer base is in Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc although we run trips throughout Switzerland and Italy as well. We offer bespoke trips, with individuals and groups.
Classic Alpinism
Start your Alpine Climbing career with one of our experienced IFMGA Mountain Guides...
Soaring snow aretes or scrambles are what alpine climbing is all about. These classic alpine climbs can lead you to lofty 4000m summits or to quieter tops. A lot of our routes in our classic alpinism trips can be climbed on a first visit to the alps, with a couple of days technical training before heading to the objective for the trip.
We train and teach you along the way, looking at techniques for glacial travel, crevasse rescue, personal climbing skills as well as the rope work required for your planned ascent. Full details....
For climbers wanting to learn the techniques to be fully independent, you should attend one of our Alpine Training courses.
Guided mountaineering trips on the famous Alpine Big Peaks
We run guided mountaineering trips in the Alps from spring to Autumn, climbing some of the world famous big peaks such as the Matterhorn, Eiger and Mont Blanc by it's lesser known routes.
From 4000m mountains throughout the alps, to long alpine rock routes in Chamonix, we guide our clients on these challenging climbs throughout the spring and summer seasons. If you've had a taste of Alpine Mountaineering and want to take on one of these Big Peaks then we'd like to help you along the way Full details...
Ben and his Vertical Frontiers guides have taken me from a summit-less newbie to accomplishing the Matterhorn. Over three summers he has shown me some beautifully quite and tucked away summits in L'Eveque and Pigne d'Arolla, guided me to the summit of Mont Blanc despite unplanned disruptions to our plans and most recently four 4,000+ summits over five days, culminating with the Matterhorn. Ben is highly dependable, conscious of your skill level and capable of planning expeditions that pushes you just enough to challenge and develop your capabilities. I cannot recommend him more highly and count down the days to getting out on another expedition with Vertical Frontiers.
- Rob K - Matterhorn 2016
Guided Mont Blanc Ascent
Climb the highest summit in western Europe with one of our experienced IFMGA Mountain Guides...
Mont Blanc is western Europe’s highest peak. It’s been the focus of mountaineers since the first ascent in 1786. Every year hundreds of hopeful climbers come to have an attempt at the summit.
Our normal route of ascent follows the Gouter route, past the Tete Rousse and Gouter refuges. This route offers a long but technically easy ascent. There are other routes we also guide to the summit, but these often require more technical skill and some (like the 3 Monts route) are much harder to predict conditions wise. The Gouter route is an aesthetic route, first traversing the Dome du Gouter before ascending the Bosses ridge, a series of elegant snow aretes leading up to the summit of Mont Blanc. Full details...
I've used Vertical Frontiers a number of times now for skiing and alpine climbing. Ben and all the guides he works with work hard to deliver the best experiences; balancing achieving goals, some adventure whilst respecting the weather and conditions. Epic Mont Blanc summit from the Italian side in July, superb. Bens bants are half decent too…
- Niall C - Mont Blanc 2016
Guided Matterhorn Ascents
Climb the highest summit in western Europe with one of our experienced IFMGA Mountain Guides...
The Matterhorn is one of the worlds most recognisable mountains, standing tall and alone above the town of Zermatt in Switzerland. It’s an intimidating peak, with steep faces and ridge lines with no easy route to the summit. Combined with the Matterhorn’s climbing history it has to be the most famous mountain in the alps, if not the world, barring Everest maybe! There aren’t many mountaineers that haven’t dreamt of climbing the Matterhorn, and it is a great mountaineering challenge, with a choice of routes and tactics to suit different levels of experience and ability.
We generally climb the Matterhorn via the Hornli ridge, the route that was climbed on the first ascent of the mountain by Edward Whymper and his team. Along the route we pass many famous features, such a the mosely slabs and the emergency Solvay hut. We are quite often on the edge of the North Face and can look across and down that steep climb too. The Matterhorn is both technical and high, and so we spend three days preparing you for the altitude and the climb itself. Full details...
Ben and his Vertical Frontiers guides have taken me from a summit-less newbie to accomplishing the Matterhorn. Over three summers he has shown me some beautifully quite and tucked away summits in L'Eveque and Pigne d'Arolla, guided me to the summit of Mont Blanc despite unplanned disruptions to our plans and most recently four 4,000+ summits over five days, culminating with the Matterhorn. Ben is highly dependable, conscious of your skill level and capable of planning expeditions that pushes you just enough to challenge and develop your capabilities. I cannot recommend him more highly and count down the days to getting out on another expedition with Vertical Frontiers.
- Rob K - Matterhorn 2016
Alpine preparation courses..
At Vertical Frontiers we also run alpine preparation courses for climbers heading to Europe for some summer mountaineering. These are suitable for a wide range of ambitions, such as Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn etc. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Alpine Skills Training
Learn the fundamentals of Alpine Mountaineering with the expert guidance of an IFMGA Mountain Guide...
On this three day trip you will learn some essential skills for safe and efficient movement in the alpine environment, as well as climbing some great climbs. This trip is suitable for someone’s first trip to the Alps as well as a climber who has made a guided ascent of a peak such as the Grand Paradiso or Mont Blanc and who now wants some more skills. It’s the first step on the road to becoming self-sufficient in the mountains, without a guide.
During the three days we focus on the fundamentals of Alpine climbing, and allow enough time to practice. It is important to be practiced and slick at these rather than getting distracted by more complicated skills to early. Full details...
I did two weekend trad courses with Matt on Dartmoor. First time I wasn't fortunate enough to equip myself and use the skills I learnt but still had a fantastic weekend an enjoyed every aspect. Super friendly, helpful and calm instruction!
- Tommi Tresidder - Dartmoor Rock Climbing
Alpine Preparation and Training Course – Dartmoor
Prepare for your Alpine trip with our training courseon Dartmoor...
A one day course designed to prepare you with some solid skills if your heading to the Alps for a summer trip.
Especially suited to ascents such as the Matterhorn, Eiger and other AD ridge climbs. This is a highly practical course, and tailored to your ability and ambitions. We concentrate on basic ropework and movement skills on rocky terrain.
Based on Dartmoor in Devon, we use the Dewerstone Rock Climbing area which has a number of very good climbs to practice “big boot” climbing skills as well as some easier scrambling routes, both in ascent and descent. Full details...