Introduction to Alpinism

Introduction to Alpinism Course


Trip Overview

Join Women's Alpine Adventure Club in the Saas Valley 1st - 8th July 2023.
 
The Saastal is an alpine paradise for developing alpine climbers, with a great spread of accessible peaks and routes, as well as some classic AD ridges and traverses. There are also beautiful trails for hiking and running and a fantastic via ferrata with a very iconic bridge!
 
We will be based from the Kapellenweg Campsite which is well connected to chairlifts and trail heads via the free valley bus service. As part of the campsite fee you will receive a Saastal Card which gives free access to the chairlifts and bus in the valley (apart from the MetroAlpin lift). 
 
We are providing 2 course options with English speaking IFMGA Guides. Choose from this 5 day Introduction to Alpinism Course suitable for those that are either brand new or still beginners to alpinism, or our 2 Day Improver Course which is designed to refresh and gain confidence in skills already acquired.
 
Follow this link to book onto our 2 Day Improver Course.
 

Highlights

  • 5 Day Introduction to Summer Alpinism
  • Learn how to use crampons & ice axe
  • Walk on a glacier, rock, snow and ice
  • Stay in a high mountain hut
  • Summit an alpine peak
  • Learn vital skills on crevasse avoidance and rescue
  • Gain knowledge on weather, conditions & route finding

The Women's Alpine Adventure Club are a close community of women hoping to support each other in the mountains to achieve alpine dreams. We’re all about making connections and new friends to fuel our adventures.

For these courses the Women's Alpine Adventure Club are working with Tracks and Trails as the booking agent.


Learning new skills in a fun and supporting and inspiring environment of awesome women. The guides were really amazing people.

- Thank You WAAC!

Itinerary

It is always our aim to complete the proposed itinerary outlined above, however, it may be necessary for our guides/instructors to adjust the daily itinerary based on the weather conditions, group safety and enjoyment.

Accommodation

Camping Kapellenweg, Saas Grund

Camping

You will need to book your own accommodation for this course. 

Our base will be at the Saas Grund Kapellenweg campsite.

The campsite fees include the Saastal Card which gives free access to the chairlifts and bus in the valley (except on the Metro Alpin lift).


  • The Swiss Alps are easily reached from other European and worldwide destinations by road, rail or plane.

    You can book train tickets from any main European city to the town of Visp, and then taking the local post bus to Saas Grund.  We recommend using the Trainline to view schedules and book tickets.  For other options on travelling by public transport please refer to our travel blog.

    If travelling by plane, Geneva, in Switzerland is one of the closest international airports which is easily linked by train to Saas Grund. For train times from Geneva airport to Saas Grund please consult here. This will normally involve taking a train from Geneva, which is very convenient as the train station is within the airport building, getting off at the town of Visp and then taking the local post bus to Saas Grund. The journey from Geneva airport takes approximately 3h30.

  • When booking a trip we ask you to acquire insurance to cover you for the following:

    Mountain Rescue Insurance

    It is a condition of booking that you are insured against medical expenses, injury, illness, death, mountain rescue, cost of repatriation and personal accident risks. Please ensure that your insurance covers you to the maximum altitude given on your trip itinerary. The maximum altitude for any trip can be checked on the 'At A Glance' box on each trip page. Most of our trips have a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres. If you are unsure or are joining a bespoke trip, then please ask us for specific details.

    Trip Cancellation/Curtailment Insurance

    You should also have insurance to cover trip cancellation and curtailment. Please note that your deposit and balance payments are non-refundable, unless it is Tracks and Trails who cancel the trip due to a failure to reach the required minimum numbers. In this case we will offer you a refund or the option of transferring to another trip if one is available. We also advise that you should have insurance which covers baggage loss/equipment damage as Tracks and Trails will not be held responsible for loss/damage to baggage/equipment.

    COVID-19 Insurance

    As well as medical cover, we recommend that you have appropriate travel insurance so that if you fall ill and test positive for COVID-19 prior to (or during) your trip, you will be financially covered for cancelling your trip. You should also consider booking a policy that covers you if you have to cancel or curtail your holiday because you have to self-isolate. If you choose to cancel, cancellation charges will be payable, but if the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. Please read the clauses below detailing trip cancellation and curtailment.

    Travel Insurance covering COVID-19 is now available from a number of suppliers, Campbell Irvine, Trailfinders and Staysure. Please check their websites for the latest information on what is and isn't covered. It is likely that more companies will offer COVID related cover in the future.

    All of the above insurances are detailed in our Terms and Conditions

    If you are joining a trip in the UK helicopter/mountain rescue insurance is not required as this is a free service.

    For further details, please read the Insurance section on our website.

  • The advertised price is based on a full group which is 6.

    If the group size does not meet the minimum number required then the trip is still possible to run but a supplementary fee will be necessary to pay.

    If however at a later date the minimum group size is obtained the supplementary fee will be repaid.

  • Before booking consider whether you expect to be in the appropriate physical condition on the date of your  departure to allow you to fully participate in and enjoy your holiday. If you have any doubts because of an illness or injury it would be advisable to check with your doctor.

    For UK residents travelling to an EU country you should obtain and bring with you a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment in certain European countries, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance.

    If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will be valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Please check this before departing. We advise that you always carry your insurance documents with details of the Emergency Medical telephone number for your insurance provider, and your policy number. 

  • We feel strongly about protecting the environment and do not encourage the use of single-use plastic items. We would ask that you arrive with a ‘water bottle’ or ‘hydration system’ that can be used repeatedly. We would point out that we operate a ‘zero tolerance’ for rubbish, and would ask you to remove all your rubbish items from the mountain even those you consider to be bio-degradable. In particular we ask that you remove any toilet tissue.

    You can read our full policy here.


Prices may vary depending on date.

2023

Full
Full

What's Included

  • The services of an IFMGA International Mountain Guide for 5 days
  • Guide travel and meal expenses
  • Guides hut fees
  • Guides accommodation
  • Passenger protection insurance (i.e: Security of Pre-Payments)
  • Organisational Fee
  • WAAC T.shirt

What's Not Included

Please note that Tracks and Trails is acting as the booking agent for the Women's Alpine Adventure Club and the section of the Booking Form referring to a Ski Club Discount and Accommodation details does not apply for this course, nor does the reference to a gift from Tracks and Trails.

  • Travel 
  • Accommodation
  • Personal equipment - can be hired locally
  • Cable cars (cable cars are included in local accommodation fees apart from the Metro Alpin)
  • Travel and Activity Insurance
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • Maps/Guidebooks
Return to Search Print Trip Notes

At a Glance

From Price £810
Duration 5 Days
Group Size Min 6 - Max 6
Maximum Altitude 4200m / 13800ft
Countries Visited Switzerland
Meet In Saas Grund
View all Holidays

Women's Alpine Adventure Club

Why book with T&T?

  • Highly professional guides
  • Personal service guaranteed 
  • Attention to detail throughout
  • Explore off the beaten track
  • Single rooms on request
  • No surcharge guaranteed
Read More

Related Articles