Alpine preparation Top tips

Alpine preparation:

Your first trip to the European Alps can be a daunting prospect, and is a large step from climbing in the UK. The following article aims to give you some useful advice and tips that even an alpine veteran may find useful. However it is only advice and cannot replace knowledge and experience and certainly is not a replacement for going on a course or hiring a guide.

Triumphant on the summit of Aiguille Du Repbulic

Speed

Overall Speed & efficiency will help keep you safe. Encountering afternoon thunderstorms, unplanned bivi’s, poor snow / ice conditions, & serrac / rock fall are often due to the fact that you moved too slow. Tips for speed:

·         Improve your cardiovascular fitness by training your aerobic system through big hill days, long scrambles, stacks of long routes, running, cycling, swimming or any endurance exercise.

·         Sort out everything the night before, as soon as the alarm clock goes the day has begun, you should be able to dress, eat, drink go to the toilet, rope up and leave your hut/bivi within 30mins.

·         Minimize reasons to stop.

·         Set a sustainable ‘all-day’ pace.

·         Start cool, as you’ll soon warm up.

·         Use clothing with plenty of ventilation and zips to reduce time spent stopping to delayer.

·         Keep high energy snacks in your pockets.

·         Keep regularly used items, such as sunglasses, sun cream, water & food, handy.

·         Develop an efficient climbing style.

·         Climb a grade that you know you can climb quickly.

·         Start early when the snow is hard, and aim to finish early.

·         Start on easy routes, where you will have confidence and therefore will climb faster.

·         Check the start of the approach the night before so you don’t set off in the wrong direction in the dark.

·         Don’t be afraid to ‘french-free’ (pull on gear) to speed things up.

·         Aim to always be doing something useful. Even when walking or belaying you can also be eating, drinking, looking at the topo etc.

·         When on Multi-pitch abseils, stick to the same roles, use a clear call for communication, and use a cow’s tail for quickly clipping into anchors.

Belaying two people using a petzl reverso in guide mode.

Equipment

In order to travel quickly and efficiently you need to take the minimum amount and lightest equipment that you can get away with whilst still taking emergency kit.

·         You should be able to fit everything in a 30L sac (Minus ropes & helmet which can be strapped to the outside) unless you’re tackling a multi-day route then you may require 40L.

·         Don’t forget regular applications of high factor sun cream & lip salve when on a snow.

·         I will often carry a small 1^st aid kit, repair kit, balaclava, spare gloves, foil blanket, group shelter, a communication device, rap cord, sun glasses, map, compass, spare socks, photocopy of the topo and description, bothy bag and sometimes a GPS.

·         Clothing system is personal preference and inevitably takes trial and error to perfect. I will normally wear a wicking layer, a mid layer, a soft-shell layer and then add a hard shell top (Goretex Paclite) and belay jacket when required.

·         Technical equipment will always depend on the route. Crevasse rescue kit & V-threader are a good idea. 60m half ropes will often be required with long routes with an abseil descent. A 30m half rope would suffice if the only need for a rope is protection for two people on a glacier. You can often get away with a single rope on technical routes that have a walk off.

·         ‘leash less’ climbing is a good time saver, but dropping a tool could have serious consequences, so use a harness lanyard on technical terrain.

·         Granite cracks eat cams, which are quick to place, but heavier than nuts.

·         If your route requires a bivi, then a down sleeping bag, roll mat and bivi bag or single skin tent can be added to the pack.

·         If the forecast is particularly warm, and your approach is from the bottom of the valley then a pair of shorts may be a nice addition.

·         An altimeter / barometer can be useful in predicting deteriorating weather (a large drop in pressure), and as a navigation tool.

·         Just enough toilet roll can prevent unwanted chafing.

Approaching a route on the Mer de glac, a dry Glacier.

Techniques

 Often you will have to use climbing techniques that compromise on safety in order to move faster.

·         Climbing well within your ability will lead to moving faster and with more confidence.

·         Read up on, and practice the art of ‘moving-together’. Only do it when all in your climbing team are happy to move together on that terrain.

·         Also knowing how to use an auto-blocking (e.g. Tibloc or Ropeman) device as a ‘moving-belay’ whilst ‘simul-climbing’ and knowing its advantages and disadvantages.

·         “Blocking leads” i.e. leading 4 or 5 pitches at a time is normally faster than “swinging” leaders.

·         Speed up change-overs at belays by: restacking the ropes before the 2^nd arrives, sorting out the remaining rack before the 2^nd arrives. The 2^nd racking using bandolier will speed-up passing the gear back to the leader.

·         Learn to build quick belays & efficient stance management

·         Using a belay devise in “guide mode”, when pitching, frees up your hands so that you can eat, drink, look at the topo, piss, restack the ropes, sort out the rack, take photo’s etc.

·         Practice rock climbing in your big boots, as on easy alpine routes you can save weight by ditching the rock shoes. Also practice climbing with a rucksack.  

·         It could also be worth practicing dry-tooling (at an established venue) as it is often quicker to keep on your crampons for short sections of rock.

·         Keep your boots in your bivi bag to stop them freezing /filling with snow.

Pete 2nding with a large pack

Food and drink

·         On an average alpine day you will probably burn 5-8000 Calories.

·         “Carbo-load” before setting off.

·         High energy dehydrated meals & snacks are lighter.

·         Get rid of excess packaging by using re-sealable freezer bags.

·         If you’re staying in a hut then check / pre-book the availability of dinner and breakfast.

·         Powdered isotonic energy drink improves hydration and energy levels.

·         Pre-hydrate by drinking lots before setting off.

·         1L of water is enough for short days but remember to re-hydrate after.

·         In the winter months you will need to insulate your water bottle / bladder.

·         Don’t stop for lunch, instead graze on high energy snacks, such as jelly sweets, dried fruit & nuts, cerial bars, biscuits, energy gel’s etc, throughout the day.

·         Remember Altitude and exercise are both appetite suppressors, aim to intake around 300-400 calories per hour whilst climbing.  

·         Refill your water were possible, get stuck in if you find a trickle or puddle.

An exposed bivi on the Central pillar of Freney

Route selection

·         Start with short easy routes and build up slowly.

·         Find out information from guide books, maps other climbers, guides office, magazine articles and the internet.

·         If there’s been precipitation the day before then rock routes will probably be covered in ice and snow.

·         Heavily crevassed glacial approaches will often become worse near the end of the season due to lack of snow filling the crevasses.

·         Normal routes up popular peaks are likely to be very busy in the summer, be prepared to put up with the crowds.

·         If your approach and decent is from the same hut then consider walking in and out in your lightweight trainers.

·         Practice and develop your route finding ability by climbing long mountain routes in the UK having only looked at a photo Topo.

·         As well as a topo photocopy, also photograph the topo for when your photocopy turns to mush. Unless you have a laminator, that also works well.

·         Cable cars offer a quick way to access the alpine environment and mean you can get a lot more climbing done, and therefore are worth the cost.

·         Take equal time to research & memorize your descent route, if its complex then bring a topo for this also.

Hanging belay whilst bag hauling

Safety

·         Practice crevasse rescue in a safe scenario

·         Acclimatize: A few days climbing to around 3,300m, whilst sleeping lower. Then increasing your height by no more than 300m per day until you’re fully acclimatized to tackle the 4000m peaks.

·         Read-up on the symptoms of acute mountain sickness, if you or your partner are showing obvious signs then it’s best to descend.

·         The Sun can quickly soften snow which can cause poor climbing conditions, slow walking conditions, wet snow avalanches & dangerous rock fall in couloirs.

·         Check in-situ abseil anchors and runners & back them up if necessary.

·         Use several sources for checking the weather forecast and always keep an eye on the weather when out climbing.

·         Don’t eat yellow snow.

·         Keep focused on the descent, this is when most accidents happen. “the top is only half way”.

·         Save the phone number for the local recue service, 112 often works in the Alps. Rescues are often expensive and insurance is recommended.

Huts

·         Half board in an alpine hut is normally starts from £25

·         Sleeping is often in bunk beds, ear plugs can help sleep.

·         In popular huts you will need to call and book ahead, especially if you want food.

·         A CAF card such as a BMC card can sometimes get you a discount, as can being under 26.

·         Being a member of the Austrian Alpine Club can get you a 50% discount in most huts.

·         Don’t camp too close to huts.

·         Don’t collect water directly down the hill from a hut, as it could be contaminated.

·         Huts are expensive, especially the food, one compromise is to bring your own food.

·         There are some free bivi huts that normally have blankets and mattresses.

Strategy

·         Research “guidebook” times, for the approach and the climb. Keep an eye on the time, and don’t be afraid to retreat.

·         Your better to do your approach to the hut or bivi early when it is cooler, and this gives you more time to prepare, eat and drinks lots and get an early night.

·         Objective dangers caused by the sun heating the snow may dictate your start time. These dangers are often present on the decent.

·         Avoid sweating, or getting too cold by using a layering system, and ventilation zips.

·         Know your partner. Know their experience, their ability and their strengths and weaknesses. It is best to climb with someone you get on with, as alpine climbing can be a stressful environment.

·         Play to your partners strengths, this can be more important on mixed routes e.g. the ice expert can lead the ice crux, and the rock master can tackle the rock difficulties.

·         If you do get benighted, and you’re lost then it’s probably best to crack out your bothy bag and your best jokes, and wait till dawn.

·         If you know you’ll move faster than the crowds then aim to be before the queues at ‘bottle necks’ on popular routes. Don’t be afraid to politely, and considerately pass slower moving parties.

Stay safe and have fun!