Mountain experience, good fitness, some climbing knowledge and crampon technique on slopes of around 40° are required.

Long Alpine days require strong endurance. Altitude, successive days of activity, wind and low temperatures can increase fatigue and difficulty. Read the full programme and ask us if you are unsure about the required level.

Prepare with endurance exercise and mountain walks, using a loaded backpack and the boots and equipment intended for the trip. Break in new boots beforehand. Previous long mountain days, ideally including a 3,000 m summit in the Pyrenees, are useful preparation. You must be comfortable with exposed terrain and heights. An assessment outing with one of our guides can help confirm whether the route suits you.

Included

• High mountain guide fees for five days.
• Mountain hut booking arrangements.
• Shared safety equipment, including ropes and anchoring systems.
• Technical equipment from the general information list that you do not own.

Not included

• Your accommodation and meal expenses.
• Local transfers to the activity starting points.
• Cable cars or trains used to access the mountains.
• The guide’s accommodation, meals and cable-car expenses.

Clothing and equipment

Clothing

• Gore-Tex or equivalent waterproof jacket and overtrousers.
• Technical mountain trousers in Schoeller fabric or equivalent.
• Fleece or softshell jacket.
• Thermal base layer and a spare.
• Thin and thick socks, plus spares.
• Gloves and a spare pair.
• Warm hat, sun cap, sunglasses and ski goggles.
• Headtorch with spare batteries and, if needed, a spare bulb.
• Sun protection for face and lips, and after-sun lotion.

Technical equipment

• Harness and 2 HMS locking carabiners.
• Ice axe and crampons with anti-balling plates.
• Telescopic ski poles.
• Helmet.
• 45–60 litre backpack.
• Water bottle of at least 1.5 litres and electrolyte salts.

Footwear

• Rigid or semi-rigid mountaineering boots and gaiters.

Personal first-aid kit

• Pain relief medication.
• Anti-inflammatory medication.
• Anti-diarrhoeal medication.
• Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory ointment.
• Antiseptic.
• Gauze, medical tape, plasters and bandages.
• Mineral salts for drinking water.
• Sunscreen.
• Lip protection.
• If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses during the activity, bring a suitable way to prevent losing them.

PirineoSur.es can provide

• Any technical equipment on the list that you do not own and request in advance.

The guide adapts this outline itinerary to the weather and participants.

Day 1: Meet in Cervinia, Italy. Take the Plateau Rosa cable car and walk approximately 45 minutes to Teodulo hut.

Day 2: Acclimatisation on the Breithorn summits (4,164 m and 4,159 m). Descend to Cervinia and overnight in a hotel.

Day 3: Lift to Plan Maison, then climb to Carrel hut for the night.

Day 4: Ascend the Matterhorn by the Italian normal route, the Lion Ridge, AD+. Overnight at Carrel hut.

Day 5: Descend to Cervinia. End of the activity.

Level 2 Alpine ascents

Follow normal routes that are more technical than those in our level 1 programme. Mountain experience, good fitness and familiarity with technical equipment are required. Previous experience on an Alpine 4,000-metre peak is useful; ask us about preparation courses.

One high mountain guide accompanies one or two participants, knows the route and gives daily instructions for each stage. PirineoSur works with highly qualified professionals with extensive high mountain experience and more than 20 years of guiding in the Alps. Their qualifications meet the relevant requirements in Alpine countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

A guide helps manage the risks so you can enjoy the trip, but no mountain activity is entirely risk-free.

You must know how to use an ice axe and crampons.