CONVILLE MEMORIAL TRUST ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING

CONVILLE MEMORIAL
TRUST ALPINE
MOUNTAINEERING
SYLLABUS
The course aims to cover essential Alpine Skills such as movement on snow and
ice with and without crampons, use of an axe in an alpine environment, rope work
for safe and efficient travel on glaciers and mixed terrain, and awareness of alpine
hazards.

The course will look at how to tackle an alpine route including the use of guide
books and maps, timings for an Alpine day, using huts, an understanding of grade’s
and choosing appropriate routes.

The focus of rope work will be on alpine techniques for glacier travel and easy mixed
ground and will include snow and ice anchors as well as emergency techniques
such as crevasse rescue. With some groups, a greater focus on rock may be
appropriate.

DATES & YOUR CONFIRMATION
The JCMT will consider all applications but will prioritise young people and those
that the trust feel will benefit the most from the course. You will be informed of the
Trust’s decision by 29th March.

It is important that you confirm acceptance of your place with Plas y Brenin within
two weeks of being offered a place.

PAYMENT
Your payment of £150 will be processed on receipt of your acceptance.

CANCELLATION
If after you have confirmed your acceptance you have to cancel your place for any
reason please telephone Plas y Brenin on 01690 720214 immediately. In the event
of cancellation, your fee will be refunded provided Plas y Brenin receives notice of
the cancellation at least 21 days before the start of your course and a replacement
can be found. There will be a £25 administrative charge deducted.

Apart from in exceptional circumstances, in the event that you fail to give any
reasonable notice to Plas y Brenin that you cannot attend the course, you will be
liable for the full un-subsidised cost of the course (£270).

RENDEZVOUS

Please meet your Guide at the office of the LES CHOSALETS CAMPSITE (161
Chemin des Chosalets), ARGENTIERE at 08.30 hours on the first day of your
course (i.e. Sunday or Wednesday). Please note that the guides leave shortly after
that (by 08.50 latest). If you have not arrived by 08.40 and if there is someone
waiting to get on the course, your place will probably be given to that person. The
Guide will be identifiable by the IFMGA badge. A Plas y Brenin member of staff will
direct the course.

Les Chosalets is also known as Le Glacier d’Argentiere. From Argentiere Centre,
take the road towards Chamonix for approximately 1km to the S-bend over the river.
It is signposted here to Les Chosalets Camping.

Please note: Accommodation should be booked in the valley for each night of the
course. Day 3, the final day of the course will finish around 17:00.

INSURANCE
It is essential that you are adequately insured (to cover France, Switzerland and
Italy) against personal accident, rescue, sudden illness etc. The Guide will ask for
your certificate at the start of the course. You will need to carry proof during the
course.

The BMC operates a suitable competitive insurance policy (for example the BMC
‘Alpine and Ski’ policy). Please note, if you are a BMC member or BMC affiliated
club member but have NO travel insurance, you are insured for Civil Liability up to
£5,000,000 – you must then ensure additional cover is taken against personal
accident, rescue, sudden illness, etc. If you are not properly insured you will not be
able to participate on the hill.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation is not included in the course fee and is to be arranged by the
course participants. It is recommended that you stay in the Argentiere area
immediately before and during the course so that communication with your Guide
is made easier. Les Chosalets Camping is the campsite that many Conville course
participants stay at whilst participating on the course. Please contact Les
Chosalets Camping direct for all enquiries about the campsite (Tel: 00 33 4 50 54
17 36 / Fax: 00 33 4 50 54 03 73).

For alternative accommodation please see the Argentiere/Chamonix website
www.chamonix.com or contact the Argentiere Tourist Board on Tel: 00 33 450 54
02 14.

COSTS
Apart from the cost of attending the course itself, accommodation and food you
should expect to spend the following on other items such as:

Flight to Geneva or Lyon airport
Geneva is the nearest to Chamonix approx 1hr 30mins drive.
Lyon is approx 2 hr 15 mins.

Transfer from airport to Chamonix / Argentiere

Coach London to Chamonix www.eurolines.co.uk

Activity & Travel Insurance www.thebmc.co.uk under Insurance

Additional daily costs – guides will discuss lift pass options with you depending on
whether how long you plan to stay after. It is usual to get a lift up each day of the
course.    More     information      on   lift   costs    –    www.chamonix.com/

These are approximate costs and are to help you budget for the course, they
should be considered as a guideline only

FEEDBACK
The Mountain Training Trust and Conville Trust would like to receive feedback from
all participants on the courses. Please download and fill in the feedback form here.

EQUIPMENT LIST
On the course you will need:

Technical Mountaineering kit
Ice axe
12 point Crampons
Helmet
Harness
Rucksack 35-45ltr
Belay device & krab

Crevasse Rescue Kit
Ice screws (1-2) – min 17cm (if you have them)
2 x 120cm slings (length)
5 HMS screw gate karabiner

2/3 prussic of 5-6mm cord on a snap gate (see notes below)

Clothing
Gloves (1 thin, 1 thick minimum)
Sunglasses with side protection or tinted prescription glasses (cat 4)
Warm clothes
Waterproof jacket + trousers
Gaiters
Sunhat
Sun cream min. factor 30
Water bottle (1 litre minimum)
Boots (B2/B3)

Emergency Kit
Head torch
Emergency bivi bag
First Aid – strapping for blisters

Admin stuff
Passport
Insurance certificate
European Insurance Health Card
Money for lifts

Guidebooks:
Mont Blanc: Classic & Plasir by Marco Romelli
Chamonix Rockfax by Charlie Boscoe
Easy Ascents in the Mont Blanc Range by Francois Burnier & Dominque Potard
Snow, Ice and Mixed by Francois Damilano
Map: Chamonix – Massif du Mont Blanc (IGN 3630 OT/Top25)

NOTES ON ALPINE EQUIPMENT

Ice Axe
General purpose mountaineering axe - 50cm up to 65cm depending on your
height e.g DMM Cirque, Black Diamond Venom, Petzl Summit, Grivel Airtec
Evolution

Crampons
Make sure that your boots fit your feet and your crampons fit your boots.
Crampons must be fitted with anti-balling plates and not be lightweight ski touring
style crampons. They should have 12 points.
e.g. Grivel Air tech new matic or new classic, Black Diamond Sabretooth, Petzl
Vasak

Boots
B2 or B3 e.g. Scarpa Mont Blanc Pro, La Sportiva Nepal Cube,

Helmets
A well-fitting helmet is essential

Ice Screws
Each person should ideally have one ice screw min 17 cm preferably 22cm.
Guides will be able to provide screws if required for the duration of the course, but
you should have your own if you intend to stay on and climb for yourselves
afterwards.

Prussic loops
5-6mm cord that when tied the loop reaches from the base of thumb to elbow
1.5m of cord will make the right size prussic

Ropes
On the course, the Guides only use UIAA full or triple rated ropes (dry treated if
possible) as they are most versatile for glacier travel and easy routes.

Overtrousers
Must have long zips so that they can be put on and off when wearing crampons.

Sunglasses
Should offer good protection – EN Category 4 is best, a wrap-around design gives
the best protection.

Rucksack
35-45 litres is ideal, preferably with compression straps to take the axe spike-
down.

If you plan to climb after the course

The following are supplied on the course, but you may need them for your own
climbing after the course.
Ropes – 50m single or triple rated rope – if you plan to rock climb after you may
need half ropes
Climbing Equipment - Depending on the route, set of rocks 1-9, 3 friends, 6
quick-draws, 2-4 ice screws.

If you plan to visit huts then a reciprocal rights card is useful to gain discount -
These are available from the BMC. For further details, please go to the BMC
website to the International section.

USEFUL BOOKS
You may find the following books useful in preparation for your course:

   •    Alpine Mountaineering by Bruce Goodlad
   •    Winter Skills by Fyffe & Cunningham (Official MLTUK publication)
   •    Mont Blanc: The Finest routes by Philippe Batoux

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