UKC

I have been offered a place on the Jonathan Conville Alpine courses in June this year.

As this will be my first trip to the alps; I was hoping to tap into the UKC wisdom for any handy hints and tips about things to take/not take and what to expect on the course? The course notes cover a range of topics but don't mention whether we'll be attempting to summit a peak or just spending some time on the glacier etc.

I am there for 3 nights, one of which will be in a mountain hut. Am I best booking the hotel/b&b for 3 nights though so I have somewhere to store the remainder of my kit while I'm in the mountain hut?

Any best practice would be appreciated!

In reply to JamesLamont:

Hi I did this course last year. They were very flexible to what the group wanted to do but we did some crevasse rescue stuff on the mer de glace and then moving together on scrambling type terrain on the auguille rouge and a bit of both near the midi on the last day. We didn't stay in a hut but this was our choice. Most camp and this is where the guides pick you up from so is probably the best place to stay.http://www.campingchamonix.com. But if you do want to stay in a hotel/hostel. I would book all the nights your there as you may not go to a hut.

In reply to barkell:

Back in 2010 I did this as my first trip to the alps too. We had good weather and spent one day near the Petit Aguille Vert looking at movement techniques and scrambling, one day walking up to a hut with an afternoon on crevasse rescue, and the final day on a small peak near the Chardonnet before heading back down.

Definitely stay in the campsite mentioned above as that's where you'll be meeting the guides and other course members. Chances are they will all be staying there too and it will give you a chance to be social in the evenings.

Remember that the Alps can be hot in the summer. Make sure you pack lots of versatile layers when you head out to France so that you can take the right thing on the day. I remember one guy in our group being really over dressed and suffering somewhat.

Make sure your boots are a good fit, are broken in, and fit your crampons well.

Don't leave your gloves in the hut if you stay in one (oops!).

If you can spend a few more days in Cham after the course to consolidate your skills you'll find it massively helpful. I wish I had done this, as many people in our group were sticking around and it would have been easy to team up and actually climb some proper mountains.

In reply to JamesLamont:

Watch this series of videos from Owen. There are about 3 or 4 videos.
vimeo.com/29363485

In reply to JamesLamont:

Stay here: http://www.campingchamonix.com/

Get airport transfer from Geneva, make sure you exit the correct side of the airport (Swiss or French). The Eurolines is hell.

Stay for longer than the course... at least 2 weeks. Go up for a few days at a time and leave everyone's stuff in one tent to save money. Also way more time efficient!

If you get Austrian alpine club membership you get rescue insurance and cheap rates at CAF huts.

The cheapest supermarket is the carefour in Chamonix. Its on the main road and it looks like a petrol station but is quite big.

In reply to JamesLamont:

Which dates were you offered? I'm going on the course 12-14th June, and would be keen on tracking down coursemates in advance! Planning on staying around for a few days after to consolidate, hoping others will too (or other people in the area looking for someone to do stuff with!). I'm likely to camp at the site recommended.

In reply to JamesLamont:

I'm on the 5th-7th June and will be watching this topic with interest.

In reply to ChrisH89:

I've been offered 15th - 17th June. So looking to fly to Geneva on the 14th and stick around until the 20th giving me the Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday after the course free

In reply to JamesLamont:

I did the course a few years back - still lives large in the memory. As above camp not hotel, then you can leave things in tent for the hut night. Definitely don't stay in central cham or you'll be catching tons of buses..

Also be sensible regarding the kit list...I literally bought everything on there, even stuff I had never needed before like gaiters, and hAve never used since. But make sure you do buy the essentials, dangerous advice that last one

In reply to JamesLamont:

Also did the course way back and was excellent!
Being fit helps, plus as above- make sure your crampons fit your boots! This book is useful;

http://www.joe-brown.com/10806/products/alpine-mountaineering---bruce-goodl...

In reply to JamesLamont:

I did this last year. First day we went up to the Mer de Glace and just did simple walking in crampons on different angles of ice and some closer to vertical ice stuff on a top rope.
Second day we did an easy ridge somewhere in the Aiguilles Rouges, practising moving together and taking coils etc.
Third day we went up the Aguille du Midi and did Arête à Laurence (PD 4b) for more moving together practice in the morning, then we practised crevasse rescue in the afternoon.

They gave us the choice after day one if we wanted to go stay in a hut and climb Aguille du Tour (which is more or less just a snowy walk), or do more practice of ropework and moving together on more technical ground. Most of us thought that we'd get more out of the second option so we did that, and I think it was definitely more useful (and cheaper as we didn't have to stay in the hut ).

Like everyone else says - stay here: http://www.campingchamonix.com/ it's great - if you tell the guy when you arrive that you're on the Conville course he'll put you in a pitch next to all the other people who're doing/have done/are about to do it. Stay on for as long as you can afterwards, there'll be other people around from the course to climb with.

In reply to JamesLamont:

I'm going on 29th June -1st July. I think I'll be staying till the 7th to show off my maad new skills .

In reply to JamesLamont:

I'm on 26-28th June course. Looking to stick around until at least 3rd of July...will also likely stay in the recommended camp site.

In reply to acollins615:

Probably see you there then mate I arrive on the 27th June and am leaving now on the 5th July. Flights been booked

In reply to AKClimber:
I'm doing the conville course on those days (29th-1st) too! Whereabouts are you based? If you're around the sort of north west/ north wales area would be cool to get a climb in before the course if you'd be up for it?

In reply to ChrisH89:

Hi Chris, I'm on same dates as you. Arriving on the Sat morn but have to leave on Tues night am afraid.

In reply to malteserEd:

Cool, I'll be there from Friday afternoon until the following friday. I see you're based in newcastle, I actually live there too so drop me a pm if you fancy meeting up for a climb before June!

In reply to ChrisH89:

I've actually just moved to the Netherlands a couple of weeks ago!

In reply to malteserEd:

No bother, see you in June then! Could you have found anywhere flatter to move to

In reply to JamesLamont:

I'm on the 8-10th June course, anyone else?

In reply to tehmarks:

I'm on the same dates. Will see you there! Are you planning on sticking around after?

In reply to mikdan7646:

My current plans are to hang around in Chamonix from the 31st until about the 17th, before heading to Orpierre to climb with some other friends. I'm most likely going to drive over to have the flexibility to change plans if needed.

In reply to tehmarks:

I'll be around until the 17th too, with the 15th and 16th available as climbing days post course if you're looking for anyone to do stuff with.

In reply to JELawrence:

I'm based in Loughborough mate so probably won't be able to make a trip down there lol. I'm staying till the 5th July.

In reply to ChrisH89:

Sounds like a plan. Is there anything in particular you're keen to look at?

In reply to tehmarks:

Pretty much anything and everything! First alpine trip so probably most keen on the easy classics, Cosmiques Arete etc (or anything less busy/better that anyone recommends!). Would be nice to get an alpine peak done if possible. Wouldn't say no to some trad if the weather isn't suitable for going up in the mountains either.

I'll likely be staying at the Argentiere campsite so might see you a few days beforehand if that's where you're staying too. I arrive 10th June.

My plan at the moment looks like:

Arrive 14th June
Course 15th - 17th
18th, 19th free to climb
20th travel back

Anybody free on the 18th and 19th and fancy doing a nice easy peak (first Alpine trip too) is welcome to join me! Was maybe thinking the Aiguille du Tour.

In reply to JamesLamont:

Am on the 19th-21th course.


Am I looking at driving out on the 16th June and coming back on the 30th June. Have 2 sets in my van would anyone be keen to share fuel for a ride?

I'm on the course 22-24th June. Planning on staying for a week post course probably until the 3rd July. Keen to consolidate my knowledge and get some Alpine routes in post course. Let me know if you're on the same course! Looks like a lot of us will overlap too which is good.

In reply to Stuart Hurworth:

Also on the same course dates Stuart, and planning on staying around in the Chamonix area for a week after the course and keen to get some practice in!

In reply to JamesLamont:

I recommend having a few possibilities scoped out as you may well end up doing one of them whilst on the course itself. We'd planned a few including Aiguille Du Tour, and then ended up doing that peak on the course.

In reply to Stuart Hurworth:

also on those dates. Coming out as part of a group of three and staying around the area for a few weeks

In reply to JamesLamont:

Quite possibly! I arrive on the 17th have Saturday and Sunday (daytime) free currently. Staying in town Friday night.

In reply to El_Dave_H:

Happy Days.

I'll be at the campsite at Argientere

In reply to JamesLamont:

I'm on the 29th-1st Course. Flying out the Monday but heading home Friday night. Would love to get a decent day out on the Tuesday before the course kicks off. Camping at the Argentiere site so I'm sure I'll see a load of you!
Looking forward to it!

I'm on the 19th-21st course, out from the 17th to the 28th. Would be cool to get in touch with anyone on the same course or who fancies doing some easy alpine routes together over those dates. Wouldn't mind doing some sport or trad either.

In reply to Peter Kincaid:

Hi Pete will be out the same time as you. Fancy meeting up the days before?