Alps Mountaineering

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Alps Advice

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In the world of alpinism, the Alps occupy a special place. There is no other mountain range in the world that can compare with the spectacular summits, fantastic climbing and ease of access. Where else can you leave your hotel early in the morning, complete a high alpine mixed route, on fine granite, surrounded by sparkling glaciers, and return in the evening to town for a well deserved gourmet meal, sipping your wine as the alpenglow settles over the Aiguilles above? It's incomparable.

Climbing, learning, and self-exploration are personal endeavors, best achieved when you have the freedom to move at your own pace and in ways best for you. All of our mountaineering programs in the Alps is on a custom, personal basis. We do not offer group programs, matching strangers with whom you might not be compatible, either technically, physically or personally. Our custom programs help individuals or private groups to achieve their personal and climbing goals more quickly and with greater rewards. For more discussion of the advantages of a custom climbing program go to our Choosing a Guide page, see the section entitled Climber to Guide Ratio.


Climbing on the Dent du Géant
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There is an inexhaustible supply of incredible routes in the Alps, and we can only scratch the surface with the suggestions we make here. In the list below we have chosen a few of our favorite routes. It was tough deciding what to include and what to leave out. There are literally thousands of great climbs, and a person could spend a lifetime wandering from valley to valley, picking off the gems. But we had to draw the line somewhere, rather arbitrarily I'm afraid.

Many of the climbs listed can readily be combined with other nearby routes, stringing together long outings, either hut to hut, or returning to the same hut each night. If you are curious about some of these combinations look at the "Combine With" links on in the gray info box on each climbs page. Or send us a note to discuss particulars.

Difficulty

We have divided up our selection in to four different categories of difficulty. And we have devised a simple symbology to show this. Click here to see a table with explanations.


Alps - Suggested Climbs

Area

Difficulty
symbol key
Climbs
Combinations

9-day Jungfrau, Monte Rosa & Mont Blanc
5-day Monte Rosa Traverse
3-day Piz Palu & Piz Bernina

12-day Mont Blanc, Matterhorn & Eiger
8-day Mont Blanc & Matterhorn
7-day Monte Rosa & Matterhorn
6-day Matterhorn Program
5-day Piz Bernina, Morteratch, Roseg & Palu
4-day Mönch, Jungfrau & Eiger

France

Les Gaillands rock climbing
Mer de Glace ice climbing
Aiguilles Crochues Traverse
Aiguille d'Entrèves Traverse
Aiguilles Marbrées Traverse
Aiguille du Midi, Arête des Cosmiques
Mont Blanc du Tacul, NW Face
Petite Aiguille Verte
Aiguille du Tour, normal route
Vallée Blanche Traverse

Pointe Lachenal Traverse
Dômes de Miage Traverse
Dent du Géant & Arête de Rochefort
Pyramide du Tacul, East Arête
Chapelle de la Gliere
Aiguille de l'Index, South Arête
Aig. de la Gliere, Mani Puliti & Nez Rouge
Aiguille du Tour, Arête de la Table
Tour Ronde, SE Arête
Mont Blanc, Goûter Route

Tour Ronde, North Face or Gervasutti Couloir
Aiguille du Midi, Eperon & South Face
North Face Triangle of Mont Blanc du Tacul
Mont Blanc Traverse
Midi-Plan Traverse
Aiguille du Peigne
Aiguille de Bionnassay Traverse
Aiguille du Chardonnet, Forbes Arête

Mont Maudit, Kuffner Arête
Mont Blanc du Tacul, Gervasutti Pillar
La Meije, Traverse
Aiguille du Midi, Frendo Spur

Switzerland

Mönch, Southeast Ridge
Allalinhorn, Normal Route
Weissmies, Normal Route
Pollux
Breithorn
Riffelhorn
Jegihorn

Rimpfischhorn
Monte Rosa, Normal Route
Breithorn Half Traverse
Jungfrau
Mönch, Southwest Ridge
Allalinhorn–Feechopf–Alphubel Traverse
Allalinhorn, Hohlaubgrat
Dri Horlini Traverse
Weissmies South Ridge & Traverse
Wellenkuppe

Eiger, South Ridge
Eiger, Mittellegi Ridge
Matterhorn, Hörnli Ridge
Mönch, Nollen route
Ober Gabelhorn, Normal Route
Ober Gabelhorn, Arbengrat
Piz Badile, North Ridge

Portjengrat Traverse
Zinal Rothorn

Piz Badile, Cassin NE Face
Weisshorn
Matterhorn, Zmutt Ridge

Italy

Gran Paradiso, Normal Route
Dolomites (routes of all grades)
Machaby Rock Climbing, Italy
Gran Paradiso, NW Face

Kathy Cosley & Mark Houston
UIAGM Internationally Licensed Mountain Guides

AMGA Certified • SNGM members
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All images, layout and text ©2004 Cosley & Houston Alpine Guides, All Rights Reserved


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