PHYSICAL AND TECHNICAL LEVEL

It is very important for us to determine the physical and technical needs that the activities require allowing you to choose the most adequate ones. To ensure that the day goes smoothly it’s important that we adapt to the level of the participants. Therefore, in each of the activities you will find two levels of difficulty, one that reflects the required physical level and the other will refer to the level of technical difficulty. Establishing a system that expresses the exact levels is very difficult when we have not been on the ground together yet. Use this guidance as an orientation, don’t forget that motivation and desire contribute to achieving your dreams. To help us gauge your level and advise you as best we can we recommend you provide us with a summary of your experience.

Physical Condition

  • : Normal Physical Condition.. You need to be able to carry out physical effort for 1 to 3 hours such as walking on rugged terrain, skiing or climbing without much technical difficulty. Uphill stretches of no more than 500m with a backpack.

  • : Good Physical Condition. You need to be able to carry out physical effort for 3 to 5 hours such as walking on challenging surfaces, skiing or climbing between III and IV on the difficulty scale. Hill stretches of no more than 1000m with a backpack.
  • : Very Good Physical Condition. You need to be able to carry out physical effort for 5 to 8 hours such as walking on a mixed challenging surface, skiing or climbing at V and 6a on the difficulty scale. Hill stretches of more than 1000m with a backpack. Some days will start or finish in a mountain refuge.

Technical Difficulty

Alpine Climbing

  • . Beginner: Mastering the cramponing techniques or use of a piolet is not necessary.
  • . Intermediate: You need to master the French and mixed technique with crampons and a classic piolet. You have to have a basic understanding of how to handle the rope and lead belay.
  • .Advanced: You need to master the techniques of ice climbing with two piolets. You need to be able to control autonomously and belay the rope and abseil independently.

Rock climbing

  • . Beginners: You need to have previous experience rock climbing between IV and 6a on sports climbing routes, be familiar with the basic technique and know how to lead belay. Approaches and descents walking for a short period of time.
  • . Intermediate: You need to have previous experience rock climbing regularly between grades IV and 6c on long routes, mastered the manoeuvrability in dihedrals, cracks, slabs and edges and not be afraid of traverse climbing (climbing horizontally). You need to know how to lead belay and abseil. Approaches and descents walking for a total of 1 to 3 hours.
  • .Advanced:: You need to be a frequent and experienced rock climber on long routes from IV and above, to have mastered manoeuvrability in dihedrals, cracks, slabs edges and overhangs and to not be afraid of traverse climbing (climbing horizontally). You need to know to lead belay, abseil and to have a knowledge of on wall self-rescue manoeuvres.  Approaches and descents of 1 to 4 hours, sometimes on glacier or steep terrain.

Mountain skiing

  • . Beginner: A skier that possesses a good technique on the slopes but lacks experience in untreated snow (off-piste). Able to walk 1 to 3 hours uphill on easy terrain without needing to master the kick turn (la vuelta maria) covering no more than 600 meters of slope with a light backpack.
  • . Intermediate: A skier who has practised skiing in all types of snow and with a basic technique in the use of the piolet and crampons on easy terrain. Able to walk 3 hours, do a kick turn and accomplish descents of 600 - 1000m with a backpack.
  • . Advanced: Independent skier with a good technique on all types of slopes and snow. Masters the kick turn.  Experienced in climbing and glaciers and in the use of the piolet and crampons on most terrains. Able to walk 5 to 8 hours and execute slopes of more than 1000m with a backpack.