Mountaineering is climbing the heights using different progression techniques and above all having fun.

To practice this discipline you must have a taste for effort, a dose of courage and an adventurous soul.
The Alps are a huge playground, limestone pre-Alpine massifs like the Aravis to the great peaks of the Mont Blanc massif in Haute-Savoie, the choice of mountain races is wide and varied.

There are several categories of races to be carried out according to the seasons:

Rock races, these are mostly edge races that take place at altitude, they can involve a glacial approach or not, sometimes long, sometimes committed, and sometimes easy… rock races are really the basis of mountaineering , it requires a sense of the route and an ease in climbing, some examples: Arête du Doigt at Pointe Percée, Traversée des Aiguilles d’Arolla, Aiguille de l’M in Chamonix, Voie Bacquet-Rébuffat at Aiguille du Midday…. Or the main routes behind the Aiguilles.
You must have already practiced rock or cliff climbing before embarking on this type of ascent, some passages to climb also require good physical condition and experience in rocky terrain due to the altitude or the type of rock.

Mixed, mixed ice, snow and rock races, the master discipline of mountaineering these altitude races require particularly good conditions, different mountaineering techniques are used such as 10-point or 2-point crampons, progression techniques in ice and snow, progression techniques in rock and ice. These races require good physical condition and prerequisites. Some examples: Grépon-Mer de Glace, Crossing the Aiguilles d’Entréves, L’Aête des Cosmiques, Goulotte du Tacul, Matterhorn

Climbing a mountain like the Matterhorn remains reserved for mountaineers who already have a good experience of the mountain, climbing this summit remains a committed adventure and preparation is essential to deal with possible hazards.

Snow races, they take place mainly on snow slopes of 30 to 55 °, they are often classic and at altitude, in glacial zones … these are races that can be done with good conditions of hard snow so as not to not too “sink”. They often make you dream because this is a bit of mountaineering: A beautiful peak of immaculate and sharp snow! Some examples: Mont-Blanc, L’Aiguille verte by the Whymper, Tête Blanche, Mt Blanc du Tacul, the Dome de Neige des Écrins, Everest!

How to get started in Mountaineering?

Mountaineering is not necessarily synonymous with performance and difficulty, it can also be a way of contemplating the mountain and enjoying nature while evolving in this sensitive and protected universe, mountaineers also like climbing for the pleasure of sharing a great mountain adventure.
The beginner mountaineer will have to train on all types of terrain: rock, snow and ice because during an ascent you can meet a lot of different terrain, more often the high mountain races are mixed because there is a part of evolution on glacier.
In general, we start with schools, most often a rock climbing school to learn the basics of rock climbing, but also the handling of ropes and belaying techniques.

The rock allows you to become mountain and have alpine feet, that is to say to be able to be comfortable in the steep terrain that can be found on steep trails or during easy passage in easy climbing in a corridor or a rock fireplace.

The ice school allows you to familiarize yourself with the use of crampons and the ice ax on a glacier but also in ice climbing with the ice ax traction technique.
But before we get there to climb gullies, we will have to master the technique of 12 points, that is to say, use your crampons in slopes at 45-55 ° leaving all points flat on the ice.

The Snow School is also very important, it will allow you to know the limits of crampons on soft snow and also to train yourself to stop a fall on a ridge or in the snow.

Once these three schools have been completed, it is possible to start a small initiation race in order to familiarize yourself with the world of high mountains and altitude with a high mountain guide.

Improve your mountaineering skills?

In mountaineering we reach technical autonomy, but we still need to have experience and knowledge specific to the environment in order to be able to grasp the risks and dangers.
The ascent of the highest peaks or simple excursions can turn into a disaster if the rules are not followed.
The mountain guides are also there, to allow you to gain autonomy, the improvement will be to become first of c

Improve your mountaineering skills?

In mountaineering we reach technical autonomy, but we still need to have experience and knowledge specific to the environment in order to be able to grasp the risks and dangers.
The ascent of the highest peaks or simple excursions can turn into a disaster if the rules are not followed.
The high mountain guides are also there, to allow you to gain autonomy, the improvement will be to become first of the rope, and to be autonomous in glacial environment during a first ascent like the Aiguille du Tour, Tête Blanche or the little green needle.
The guide will give you technical advice but will also train you on how to ride a rope in mixed terrain, corridors and rocky terrain.
Belaying, rescue, progression technique, meteorological aspect etc … a lot of very complete topic to approach to improve your safety.