North Faces of the Alps guided 4-day training program

The North Faces of Eiger, Grandes Jorasses and Matterhorn —known as ‘the Trilogy’— are a series of challenging and mythical ascents in the Alps. If your goal is to climb any of them, this 4-day training clinic is mandatory.

The main objective of this training is to assess your competence in a variety of terrains and decide if you are prepared for a big climb or not. The fact that you take the clinic doesn’t necessarily imply a commitment from my side to go for the North Faces.

For me, a big climb is like a small life trip. Both client and guide form a team and we put our lives in the hands of each other. So it’s very important to know who is attached to the other end of the rope. Climbing is about team work. That’s why having a good relationship and communication with your rope partner is essential to feel safe. Bonding with the team is crucial so that both climbers can work efficiently and safely during the climb, and understand each other with no words.

As a leader, I consider extremely important to know how my client will behave or potentially react to any problems or tough situations that may occur.

The ‘Trilogy’ is a group of very committing faces and you need to be very well prepared. This 4-day training clinic will challenge you on various terrains and improve your technical and physical skills. Besides, it will work as an acclimatization. We will start with specific training and tests, and then eventually tackle a longer route such as Supercouloir, Aiguille Verte, Grand Capoucin or Petites Jorasses W face, depending on the nature of the final goal.

It would be great to engage this trip right before the big climb. However, the conditions of the North faces are not easy to predict in advance.

The best months to join this training are between March and November, depending on your goal.

Are you interested in this 4-day training program to prepare for climbing one of the big north faces of the Alps? Send me a request so we can talk about your goals and start planning this trip. 

If you successfully complete this training, you can start planning a climb to a great north face like Grandes Jorasses, Matterhorn and Eiger. In case you’d like to know more about these extreme climbs, read this article.