Course Life
42-Day Mountaineering Course in Patagonia

Sample Day

Today is our first day pulling sleds. It will be tough, but will mark the end of double carrying our cache for the second half of the trip. It also marks a milestone of attaining the Ice Cap properly, a real achievement. We will wake up early, with our usual 2.30am weather check. We want to be moving by first light and over the heavily crevassed areas by 3pm when the snow starts to soften.

By now the morning routine of cooking and packing is smooth. We can be ready in about two and a half hours. It takes us a little extra time to rig the sleds and then we are underway. Leaving camp in the still morning, all you can hear is the crunch of crampons, all you can see is the pool of light from your headlamp, and a faint glow from the rest of your rope team.

As day breaks, the shapes of the surrounding peaks become clear. At break times, you have time to take it in, while making sure that you drink and eat enough to keep going until we reach the next camp. We arrive at camp and after probing it out we all un-rope and jump into the next task for the day, digging in a snow camp. It’s hard work, but we are getting it down to a fine art. Then it’s time to cook, eat and melt snow for water for the coming day.

Evening debrief give us a time to talk and share our day, and to plan for the oncoming day. Tomorrow is another day of moving so we can set ourselves up in a Base camp for our peak attempt.

Sample Week

Week 5: Now we are in the final stages of the expedition and all the skills and experiences that you have amassed so far will be brought into play. Now you, the expedition members, will take over most of the running of the expedition. This is the time when it truly becomes your expedition. While you will be closely supported and monitored by your instructors, you will each rotate through the role of ‘Leader of the Day’, where you will be in charge of daily planning, route finding, and managing the group.

During our evening meeting the group will discuss its goals for the following day. We will decide how far we want to travel, the elevation gain and loss involved and whatever challenges we think lay ahead of us. Then the leaders will produce a progress plan for the coming day. This is your opportunity to lead the group on a glacier, plan a peak climb, and further your leadership skills.

Our ultimate goal for the final two and a half weeks will be to complete our traverse the Patagonian Ice Cap. During this time, the team as a whole decides on what its goals are and the plan will be modified to reflect the desires of the group. This is the time when you will attain a huge sense of achievement by planning and executing your goals.