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Solo/guided beginner routes in Chamonix for young beginner

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 m8611 24 Mar 2022

 I'm currently 19 and have a relatively small budget for a trip this summer £1500-+, As for my current experience level last summer i soloed Mont Blanc which was great but was a physical challenge i didn't find any off it technically difficult only near the top the exposure was quite big, i have in mind to maybe hire a guide to learn some technical alpine climbing on some steep or vertical ice as i would not attempt anything above PD+ alone, I have the DOM Festigrat route in mind to solo as it has a small section of not too steep ice where i can get a feel for something harder which is PD+, rope work wise i know how to abseil and that's it, otherwise would anyone recommend a a guide which would teach me everything else and take me up maybe something AD i really would like to try the Contamine Grisolle on the Mont blanc de tacul triangle its looks pretty steep for something so lightly graded above Mont Blanc but looks scary and suicidal to try it alone but with a guide looks doable after a few days of easier stuff.

I would like genuine replies and no nonsense answers just because of my low expertise thanks

 Alex Riley 24 Mar 2022
In reply to m8611:

A good budget way of boosting your skills would be a Conville couse which are subsidised. https://www.jcmt.org.uk/courses

My other suggestions would be to try and find some partners to get out with (there are usually lots knocking around), take it steady whilst you build up your skills + experience and don't get fixated on specific routes, pick routes based on good conditions on the day/week.

Post edited at 07:59
 ExiledScot 24 Mar 2022
In reply to m8611:

your alps grade will in part be influenced by how much non alpine summer and winter climbing you've done and your grades, what you can climb quickly and safely etc.. And your general hill fitness. 

 mcawle 24 Mar 2022
In reply to m8611:

Your post acknowledges the risks/scariness from exposure, steepness, iciness, when on the route but not from glaciers and crevasses. I'm not sure how aware you are of this risk generally speaking. I haven't done the Festigrat but I believe that glacier can be heavily crevassed and I know someone very experienced who fell into a big crevasse descending that route last season (2021) whilst roped.

Contamine Grisolle crosses a bergschrund on the ascent and then (depending on conditions) descends the Tacul NW face, which contains a number of significant crevasses. These have have been visible both times I have descended but not necessarily easy to cross. Last year the snow bridge crossing the second one was narrow and I was glad for a rope and the option to belay from a snow anchor.

People will take different views on this, but I believe that soloing involving glaciers carries significant risk that can't be fully quantified or mitigated, and travelling on them alone unroped is not recommended - especially when learning.

Edit - with the above in mind, I think the best approach is to explore the Conville course as posted by Alex Riley above, and/or hire a guide for 2-3 days of instruction. The British Mountain Guides association has an option to e-mail all registered qualified guides on this page, which is one way to articulate what you are looking for and will let them reply to you with proposals and prices: https://www.bmg.org.uk/activity/alpinism/

Edit 2 - if you are living in the UK then joining the British chaper of the Austrian Alpine Club could be a good way to access rescue insurance and also the many training courses that they run, usually for a pretty competitive price using qualified guides: https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia/ -- here is a link to the course information for a week long 2022 Alpine skills training course they are running in Austria: https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia/activities/Training/WELT-Training-Form...

And regardless of what training you obtain it is good to be on a glacier (and a route) with a climbing partner, not alone.

Post edited at 16:37
 smithg 24 Mar 2022
In reply to m8611:

Join the AAC UK section. https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia/
You get the rescue insurance, discounted rates in the huts, they run a range of training courses and they provide discounts/grants for younger members. You’ll probably make back the membership fee in benefits pretty quick.


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