UKC

Apologies in advance for the long post; If you don't want to read it all, any advice for someone who has 2 years to develop the fitness for non-technical routes in the high alps; along with developing the winter skills and experience of their partner would be appreciated.



Some time ago I had a discussion with my missus (who generally speaking serves as my climbing partner) about climbing objectives, and I mentioned that the whole reason I started climbing was being fascinated with alpinism and mountaineering...

She then asked the suprisingly well developed question, "what would be a challenging objective, which is not too technically difficult"; after a bit of a discussion we settled on Mont Blanc (Long, High Altitude, mainly Glacier Travel and Winter Walking); and she suggested we aim to actually go do it, as pair when she finishes her Medical Training, which is about 2 years in the future.

She's kept coming back to the idea, so I'm starting to put a serious plan together to go out to Cham, climb some shorter, lower peaks for a mixture of experience and acclimatisation and then make an attempt on Mont Blanc, but I'm seeing a lot of gaps to fill in 2 years...

Experience: She has relatively little mountaineering experience, and no winter experience at all; I could do with more, really to be confident about it.

Fitness: Neither of us is particularly fit or unfit, I'm a heavy smoker who does a very physically demanding job, the two of which seem to counteract each other to some extent.

Specific Skills: Glacier Travel/Crevasse Rescue, Avalanche/Snowpack awareness


I've pretty much accepted that the two specific skill bits are going to have to be addressed by paid teaching, probably hiring a Guide at the start of any trip to the alps for the former.

Not so sure on the Avalanche Awareness, I'm not 100% clear on it's necessity for alpine summer but certainly I'd rather know more just for british winter, than what I and my old climbing partner pieced together from reading, looking and speaking to more experienced people than ourselves. I can only think of Glenmore who offer this as a "course" though again a guide may well be able to deliver it in scotland alongside other things.


In terms of Experience; in principle it's easy enough just get out lots... which for general navigation, mountaineering, climbing etc is easy enough; but with the winter skills (and a medical degree, and my own job/OU Degree/Professional Quals) to fit in it appears a bit more of a challenge, not least as I'm pretty rusty myself.

The temptation is to try and combine Avalanche Awareness and Basic Winter Skills into a long weekend with a decent MIC/Guide this winter, and then just cram in as much as possible both winters for experience, without having to worry so much about taking a number of trip solely to develop base skills.


Fitness; This is where I'm truly clueless, Thus far I've worked out that I Need To Quit Smoking, also regular cardiovascular (ideally intensive and high exertion aimed at increasing VO2 Max) and sport specific (i.e. Hill Fitness) training is going to be essential... How best to go about this, and what level of fitness to aim for is where I struggle, I've got the idea kicking about that to function comfortably at altitude a high level of base fitness is absolutely essential.

In reply to KellyKettle:

I think your partner needs to progress beyond 'winter skills' (which seems to be a synonym for winter walking skills) into low grade winter climbing skills - grade I/II stuff like ridges and gullys - to get a feel for exposed snow slopes/aretes.

Fitness requirements I think may be overstated. No need to be doing half marathons or carrying an over-laden rucksack or anything like that. If you can keep to Naismith's walking time over 6 hours or more/1000m plus ascent in the UK then that should do it. I think the crux is acclimatisation, which will be whatever it is and does call for some mental fitness as you are pretty much knocked back by its fuelling restriction.

In reply to KellyKettle:
Hi there, firstly you have time on your hands to gain skills/knowledge etc and brush up your skills, are you part of a mountaineering club ? if not i highly recommend it as there will be wealth of experience in all aspects of climbing disciplines. I've not been on any courses and this his is how i started, its kinda like an apprenticeship ! I'm a keen rock climber but have a real love of winter climbing and after my first trip to the Alps last year I'm hooked.

I've learned lots from the guys n gals in my club, from crampon techniques to testing the snow pack. The next stage in my winter climbing is a trip to Norway for some ice climbing, I've been to indoor ice walls around 4 times but cant wait for the real thing.

I have read lots of books and articles and married them up with my practical skills that I've acquired and allied with the climbers knowledge from the club its been like one long winter course, but free! You can practice your skills anywhere, I've set up a crevasse rescue in my living room before now and hung a rope from the top of my local crag and practiced prussiking to the top and lowering down again! Alpine essentials DVD is a really good intro, its produced by the BMC and can be bought from outdoor retailers, covers roping up, crevasse rescue, the weather etc.

My alpine trip was to Zermatt and we culminated a week of climbing/galcier walking with a successful summit of the Duforspitze (Monterosa) similar to Mont Blanc I guess, summit day was very long and tiring, good endurance and will power with little or no stops was medicine for the day. I'm pretty fit but leading up to the trip i paid particular attention to up my cv workouts, mix them up don't just plod on a tread mill, do circuits etc. I did lots of core work also. I cannot emphasis enough how much the training days in Snowdonia helped me, long days with lots of multi-pitch diff/vd climbing in big boots is great alpine training, gets your rope skills/communication and trust in your partner up to scratch. Snowdonia was the training ground for the likes of George Mallory & co, Hillary and Tenzing & co for their Everest expeditions and provides everything you need. No matter how fit you think you are get properly acclimatized as if you don't your trip will be ruined. (climb high sleep low) One of the lads on our trip was pretty fit i guess but he couldn't acclimatize and as a result he was sick and couldn't attempt the Duforspitze. He played squash a few times a week which wasn't enough, although squash is of high intensity and a cracking workout he lacked endurance and couldn't plod on for hours on end without stopping. he is working on this and we hope to partner up next year for a similar trip.

Getting out in winter if conditions allow is great for alpine training I think, Gullies at grades 1/11 are perfect and aretes like the cmd on the Ben are perfect, i packed in two good winters on the Ben before my Alps trip, one of our days in 2013 was like being in the Alps believe it or not, sun was shining and the snow pack was awesome (very rare!) It gets you used to your crampons, walking with your axes all whilst being roped up.

Train smart eat clean and keep it simple is my friends motto, Get fit stay fit and you will succeed! good luck!