Grant recipient(s): Ian Patrick
Course description: ISM Student Alpine Week
Course cost: £635
Grant awarded: £50
In summer 2009 I went on the Student Alpine Week course offered by the ISM, based in Leysin and operating throughout the Swiss Valais. The course focuses on providing someone with hill walking and a little climbing experience with the skills necessary to be a safe alpine mountaineer.
The course covered all of the necessary techniques to get started in mountaineering, and included many of the skills needed for scrambling and winter walking in the UK. Our guide was friendly and helpful, and tailored the course to suit the group as the week went on. We managed successful ascents of the Pigne de la Le and the Pigne d’Arolla.
After the course we held the club trip at Saas Grund, where we climbed the Alphubel (4206m) – I definitely feel capable of mountaineering with friends unguided after my experiences on the course.
The course is excellent value compared to similar non-student courses, and I thoroughly recommend it to any experienced walker itching to get up some alpine peaks!
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