Alpine Introduction Courses Sierra Nevada
If you would like to become more independent in the mountains and develop your skills in preparation for future trips, our introduction course will set you on the right track to acquiring the knowledge to venture out into the mountains under your own steam. This is why we have developed our Alpine Introduction course. Designed to pass on the essential skills needed to enable the independent-minded to attempt the simpler alpine summits unguided.
These Alpine Introduction courses are held during the months of December through to the end of May. These courses are based in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains. These hills are ideal with good snow lasting well into June. The north faces of Mulhacen and Alcazaba offer both beginner and experienced mountaineer good long routes in a quiet environment. In addition the ample sunshine hours guarantee good climbing weather. We will cover the basics needed to enable you to venture out on less technical alpine peaks. Throughout the course you will learn the essentials for safe travel on snow and glacial terrain including: crampon and ice axe techniques; glacier travel, including crevasse rescue; basic navigation. To tackle rocky ridges you will learn fixed belay and alpine style running belay techniques.
Excellent training areas exist all within easy reach of our transport....no 3 to 4 hour walk-ins to the snows anymore! Maximum time can be spent on learning the techniques to ensure your safety in the winter hills. After acquiring those new skills we take you into the hills, thus allowing you to put them into practice in a big mountain environment.
Typical course content
2 DAY COURSETopics covered:
Kitting out for winter
Use of Ice Axe
Use of Crampons
Avalanche awareness
Roping up
Snow belays - use and suitability
Ice Axe braking (self arrest) Click to see clients learning the art!
Abseiling
Crevasse Rescue
Snow Climbing and introdution to dry tooling
Moving together on mixed ground
Snowshoeing
Additional days
4/7DAY COURSEAdditional to the 2 day course a combination of the following will be done depending on snow and weather conditions:
Ascent of Veleta (3,398 metres)
Traverse over Veleta to Poqueira Hut via Collado del Veleta
Ascent of Mulhacen (3,479 metres)
Mixed climbing on Puntal de la Caldera (3,215 metres)
Traverse of Tajos de Nevero ridge
Ascent of Cerro de Caballo (3,215 metres)
You may also be interested in
Sierra Nevada high peaks - in winter, much tougher, very rewarding!
Introduction to ropework courses for scramblers and beginner rock climbers
Scrambling adventures
Short Roping by Gottleib Braun-Elwert (PDF)
Animated Knots Link to interesting site about how to tie knots!
Avalanche awareness Excellent online course by C.A.A
