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Alpine beginner in Autumn/Winter

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 TaxusBaccata 26 Jul 2016
Hi,

I am going to North Italy in about 6 weeks for 6 months (September-March). My plan was always to end up in the alps but until recently it seemed a few years away and i was planning on building up more experience in the UK, Scottish Winter etc first. However I've now got the opportunity to go for a decent period and it seems to me that in theory it would be just as valid to learn in the alps for the alps instead of elsewhere. In terms of experience I'm fairly fit in general and done a decent amount of camping/hillwalking/outdoors stuff, sport climbing as well as a trip up snowdon last winter in snow/blizzard conditions which let me get some cramponing and ice axe practice. I'm aware i've got almost the opposite 6 months (summer would be better) but is there any chance of me finding partners/being able to learn the ropes in autumn/winter conditions?

Thanks, Peter
 Misha 27 Jul 2016
In reply to TaxusBaccata:

Some thoughts:

Do you speak Italian? There won't be many English native speaking climbers hanging out in the Italian Alps. Chamonix is the best place to find partners.

On average, September is still summer season, then it gets into autumn and winter.

Alpine climbing is much more serious in autumn and winter and no place for a beginner.

On the other hand, you can do sport and trad down on the valley crags or further south in Italy until well into autumn and indeed over winter if you go south.

It will be a great opportunity to learn to ski or get better if you ski already, but the ski season won't start till December.
OP TaxusBaccata 28 Jul 2016
In reply to Misha:

Hi,

I Don't speak Italian but my father does, i learnt some when i was younger but now mostly forgotten, however I've already signed up to an intensive course for when I arrive and I'm hoping that + the immersion will help, I'll be spending up to a year there. Learning to ski is something I've already thought about, costs allowing, however mountaineering is what my sights are set on, I've done a lot of reading and I understand what you say about the situation however I'm hoping a combination of starting on 'easy' routes and finding more experienced partners will help to get me started, feel free to tell me if im being stupid.

Peter
 Misha 28 Jul 2016
In reply to TaxusBaccata:

Well skiing is good fun and you need to be able to ski to go alpine climbing in winter and spring.
Bhealey 29 Jul 2016
In reply to TaxusBaccata:
Where in Italy will you be I'm going to be in Munich for the whole time and would be keen to meet up. Depends on your views on travelling a lot for climbing but Suisse and Austria are good half way points. I have little experience but have climbed a lot of ice and done big walls and a lot of trad.
OP TaxusBaccata 29 Jul 2016
In reply to Bhealey:

Hi Mate,

i'll be based in Brescia for the entire trip, I'd already planned to try and visit as many areas as possible (not just for climbing but in general) and had already factored that in, more than happy to meet up to climb anywhere really, would you like to chat more on facebook or something?
 JohnBson 05 Aug 2016
In reply to TaxusBaccata:

Hi. Me and my girlfriend are looking to be spending the winter in the Italian alps working. If you are in need of a partner get in touch. We have summer experience and we are looking at any winter opportunity.
testagrigia 09 Aug 2016
In reply to TaxusBaccata:
I've been living in Italy for a few years now. When I arrived, I joined the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) and signed up for climbing and mountaineering courses with them. That way, I learned the ropes, and got to meet people to go climbing with. And I learnt a lot of Italian. Round these parts, for regular duffers, the alpine season is pretty short, mid-June-mid-September. You'll be surprised how quickly winter sets in at altitude. Winter alpine is pretty specialised stuff, and not something you'd want to do unless you really have a point to prove. From Mid-September to November, it's rock climbing, then the ski touring season starts, then January-March there's ice climbing, then rock climbing starts again, or more ski touring through to June, when the high alps start to get approachable again.
Check these guys out: http://www.cai.bs.it/vedit/pagina.asp?pagina=1209


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