Mountains are the means, the man is the end.

Posted by Ben Bradford | Jul 3, 2013 | Alpine Climbing, Alps, Ben's Climbs, Uncategorised

Mountains are the means, the man is the end. The goal is not to reach the tops of mountains, but to improve the man. Walter Bonatti

About The Author

Ben Bradford

Owner and Director of Vertical Frontiers Ltd After specialising in rock climbing I started guiding on expeditions around the world on many six and seven thousand meter peaks. I now live year round in the Chamonix valley, mountaineering in the summer and skiing during the winter. There's more on the "About Page"

Booking & Enquiry Process

• Browse the scheduled trips above and click View Details to check dates, guide ratios, and indicative pricing.

• Depending on the trip, you can enquire about your preferred dates (so we can confirm suitability and availability) or book online with a deposit (with the balance due six weeks before departure).

• Each participant reads our Terms & Conditions and completes a short medical form (sent by email).

• Once confirmed, final meeting details and logistics are sent out ten days before your trip.

Last-Minute Bookings & Custom Dates

Call us on +33 (0) 787371926 or send us an enquiry for last-minute availability or private guiding.

Please note that indicative prices shown are subject to change and are valid for bookings made at least one month in advance. Last-minute bookings may be subject to an additional charge depending on hut or lift availability.

Google Rating

5.0 ★★★★★ Based on 87
Reviews

Mike Newman

★★★★★

26th February 2026

Ben was highly professional and also great to spend the day with. We did the Vallee Blanche with him and had a great day out. He was very professional and careful to warn us of Read more

Marcea Ennamorato

★★★★★

1st March 2026

I had an amazing experience skiing the Vallée Blanche with Ben, who handled our group graciously, was highly professional and willing to share his knowledge throughout the day. Thank you again!

Niko Viglione

★★★★★

1st March 2026

We had an absolutely amazing time out with Ben. Knowledgeable, fun to ski with and a great teacher and educator - thanks again for a memorable day!

Jeremy Gold

★★★★★

18th July 2022

We spent the whole day out climbing. Ben is an excellent guy and fun to spend the day with. This was first time ever doing multi-pitch climbing and he made it easy to learn and Read more

Franco Boeri

★★★★★

8th July 2022

Fantastic guiding and organisation for some beautiful days in the Swiss Alps. Vertical Frontiers kept me well informed and updated on the trip and the guide was very friendly and Read more

Jonathan Baguley

★★★★★

1st June 2022

Amazing weekend on an alpine training course with Ben, going through all the basics like crampon and rope work, crevasse rescue and general mountain safety. Not only a lot of fun, Read more