Alpine Mountain Guides

Alpine Mountain Guides are adventure specialists. We provide guiding and courses in alpine mountaineering, climbing and skiing throughout the European Alps and beyond. Based in Chamonix and ...

Alpine Climbing in the Kichatna Range, Alaska

Alaska is a land of superlatives. It’s big, wild and hairy (and, as the joke goes, that’s just the girls in Talkeetna). I’d heard so much about it that I knew sooner or later I’d end up there. And I did. And I came away again with a great new route. Twid and I had...

How to Climb the Eiger

Another ‘How to’ Article for the BMC – this time the Eiger No other mountain in the Alps elicits emotions like the Eiger. Foreboding and dominant above the Alpine village of Grindelwald, it has been inspiration for Hollywood films, books and countless mountaineers. At 3970 metres it fails to hit the ‘magical’ 4000 metres height...

How to Climb the Matterhorn

A short article I wrote for the BMC How to Climb the Matterhorn The Matterhorn is surely the world’s most iconic peak. Its commanding, isolated position at the head of the valley is unique in the Alps and its claim to being one of the world’s most beautiful mountains is well justified. It is also...

2015 Ski Touring Season Round Up

This year’s ski touring season has been a good one but not straightforward. A good example of this was my usual week with John (we’ve skied together since I qualified) which was a planned tour around the Zinal area (often called the Imperial Haute Route or Tour de Ciel depending upon where you start and...

Ski & Sail Trip in Norway – Tromso and Lyngen

One of the great joys of working for yourself is the freedom to drive your work where you want it. I increasingly enjoy designing and leading small bespoke trips to interesting places, and am blessed with a small cadre of likeminded clients who buy into this philosophy. When I received an email from Andy and...

Scottish Ski Touring & Climbing

I remember asking my French teacher what the French phrase for “I work too much” was. When she struggled to answer immediately it gave me a great opportunity to point out that it probably didn’t exist in France? A cheap and funny line that hid a truth not that the French work too little but...

Mixed Climbing in the Alps and the Schmid Route, Matterhorn North face

The alps this season are the best I’ve known for icy, mixed conditions. The Grande Jorasses, Sans Nom and other north faces have been consistently in good condition and have had many, many repeats. I’ve managed to get out amongst it, both with work and personal climbing and mostly have got it right. Kevin came...