• Climbing your first 4000m peak - what's involved
• Mountain Rescue in the UK - top tips on avoiding needing us and how to call us as well as an insiders view of life as an MRT volunteer
• Top navigation tips for dealing with all weathers in the mountains 
• Ticks & Lymes Disease - what is it and how do we avoid it?

The Alps are pretty accessible for us from the UK and are a natural stepping stone from the mountains we enjoy here at home. We are also approaching the peak alpine season of July to September so here are some ways of improving your trip. 

I first visited in my early twenties, joining a course and learning from Guides the many hazards and many pleasures that the Alpine environment offers. I go each year on four or five trips a year and for adventure and beauty its hard to beat. 

If you are heading out to the Alps to climb your first 4000m peak you are going to want a few skills in place first. Whatever mountain you choose it will involve moving on snow and ice and so you are going to want some winter skills such as the ability to move confidently and efficiently in crampons and know how and when to use an ice axe. These sorts of skills can be learnt in the UK mountains through the winter months in preparation for your summer of Alpine dreams.

See winter skills courses

Before you head out get some big hill days in the UK preferably on scrambling ground in big boots to improve movement skills and hill fitness. One of the things that us Brits are notoriously bad at is going down steep terrain. All of our scrambling tends to be in ascent and then we walk off the top, the Alps don't generally allow us this luxury and we need to be equally adept at going down the steep stuff. The closest place we get to this in the UK is the Cuillin Ridge on Skye which demand good footwork and concentration in ascent and descent as well as the ability to move quickly and safely. Link up scrambles in ascent and descent, make the day as long as possible and carry a reasonable pack to add to the hill fitness gained and get familiar with ropework until it becomes second nature. This also allows you to get to know your partner so that you can look after each other and recognise each others strengths and weaknesses. 

See scrambling courses

Another great way of preparing for a trip to the Alps is to visit some other 4000m peaks in an environment that does not have the objective dangers of the Alps. (In the Alps we are constantly racing the clock because of the objective dangers of seracs, crevasses, avalanches and stonewall) A great example is the Atlas Mountains of Morocco where there are no glaciers, seracs, crevasses etc and they are also easily accessible from the UK. Our week each December climbs 3-4 x 4000m peaks as well as teaching you the winter skills required. A trip like this also allows you to see how your body reacts to altitude. 

See our Toubkal trip to the Atlas Mountains

Once you arrive you will need to learn how to safely navigate across glaciers including how to escape or help your partner escape from a crevasse. You will also need to learn about the additional objective dangers you will find in an Alpine setting such as serac collapse, rockfall and avalanches. These are best learnt from experienced friends or an IFMGA qualified guide at the start of your trip.

Before climbing at 4000m you will need to tackle some smaller peaks or passes to get you fit and acclimatised. Over 3000m go slowly and sleep no more than 300m higher each day. You can get lots of helpful advice and a free book on altitude sickness here: http://medex.org.uk

Alpine trekking is a great way of getting acclimatised and getting used to the system of huts in the Alps. We run trekking trips in the Alps each August that will teach you hut etiquette, alpine navigation and route planning in a non threatening environment. These can be a great way of easing into the alpine world and of acclimatising prior to a week of climbing. (Our Swiss 3000m peaks week climbs summits upto about 3500m without any technical climbing, glaciers, crevasses etc and we have 2 spaces left on our trip this August)

View our Alpine Trekking courses

Finally use plenty of high factor sun cream, be prepared to get up early each day, learn to drink red wine with lunch and enjoy strong coffee! Have fun!

If you want to enjoy the mountains safely then you will benefit from being able to plan a route, interpret contours, use a compass, estimate distance and follow your planned route in any weather. Many of the phone calls that we get on the rescue team are as a result of people going the wrong way, either onto serious ground that they never intended to place themselves on or simply getting misplaced so that they no longer know where they are.

Once you have planned your route let someone know what it is and give them a time that you are likely to be back and then a time by which they should summon Mountain Rescue if they have not heard from you. If you use mapping software you can simply print off the route for them. Otherwise you can use tracing paper or a photocopy or simply a written description of the route you will take.

It is a good idea to have a couple of different route options to allow for the weather, however make sure that the person who has a copy knows which option you have taken.

The simple slip: The most common injury that we see in the mountains is the lower leg injury caused by a simple slip. This can be a twisted ankle, a dislocation or a break. The best way to avoid this is to wear walking boots that have a good grippy sole and some ankle support. You can also learn to walk steadily using small steps that maximise efficiency and balance, placing feet carefully and thinking about your body positioning with each step. Watch how somebody who is experienced moves and copy them. When was the last time you saw a shepherd run? You could also consider investing in some First Aid skills. These can be invaluable in all walks of life, I seem to use mine more often in Road Traffic incidents than on the mountains - perhaps that says something about my driving!

The weather: People are often surprised by the ferocity of mountain weather. Wind speeds will often be 3 times that of the valley once you are on the summits and on a clear day the temperature will drop by 1 degree for every 100 metres of height gain. That can mean that it is 14 degrees colder on the summit of the Ben than it is in Fort William. Check the weather forecast before you go. The Met Office and MWIS do mountain specific forecasts that will tell you summit temperatures and wind speeds. I try not to be too specific about my plans until I read the forecast in the morning. If the wind speeds are above 35mph I will avoid exposed ridges. In winter I need to know where the freezing level is so that I can pack axes and crampons if necessary.

Winter Hazards: When snow and ice cloak the mountains they offer far more challenge. The daylight hours are shorter, the days more physical, temperatures are obviously a lot lower, the potential for a slip much greater and the weather more ferocious. There is also the added risk of avalanches across the UK.

Benightment: Its amazing how often during the autumn and winter months we are called to help people who have been benighted. It should not be a surprise when it gets dark, it happens every night! Plan your route realistically allowing for plenty of time to get back before it gets dark and carry a headtorch in case you do get it wrong. This will mean that you still have your hands free to navigate, sort out gloves etc

What kit to carry: You can reduce the likelihood of being caught out by carrying some kit with you that will help you deal with any weather that the mountains might choose to throw at you. Get into the habit of carrying emergency kit. In summer conditions I carry a good quality waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm layers, a couple of pairs of hats and gloves, food & drink for the day, a first aid kit, a group shelter and some form of emergency warmth. Choose your clothing so that you wear wicking layers next to the skin, avoiding cotton such as jeans. Make sure you have a map of the area and a couple of compasses (one as a spare) plus a head torch and spare batteries in case you get caught out at night. See Tech Skills for more info on shelters, torches etc. You can be pretty sure that your kit will get wet and rucksacks are not waterproof so put it in drybags. I like a range of sizes, say one for hats and gloves, another for first aid etc rather than one big bag that will get wet inside when I open it in the rain. 

Calling for help: 
If you carry a mobile phone this will make it easier for you to summon help if you need it. You should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Police and then Mountain Rescue.

Even if you have no phone signal it is worth making an attempt to call as your phone may be able to patch onto another network. If this happens then the Rescue Team will be unable to call you back so it is important to give as much information as possible in the first call. Useful info includes:

Your location
The nature of any injuries
Your equipment 
The weather
Number of people in your group and if children are present

You can register your phone with the emergency services to allow you to text 999 in the event of a poor signal or poor weather.

Keep your phone on and try and have an accurate position as to where you are. If you are lost then the team will ask you to describe your location and then when team members are nearby you will be asked to make lots of noise. A whistle is handy for this as are a good pair of lungs! Don't be afraid to ask for help from passing walkers - they might be able to save the team members a long walk! 

Mountain Rescue Needs Your Help
Both Llanberis MRT and SARDA Wales are charities that are funded and run entirely by volunteers with the help of donations from the general public. Of the 186 rescues that took place on Snowdon last year only 35 people were traced as having made a donation after the event and this year LLMRT need to raise £100,000 to cover the costs of a base refurbishment, new vehicle and normal annual running costs. If you feel you can help you can donate here:

http://www.llanberismountainrescue.co.uk/donate
or
https://www.justgiving.com/sardawales/Donate/
 

The Map 
Navigation requires the competent use of a map and compass. In the British Isles we are very lucky to have some of the best maps in the world made by Ordnance Survey and Harveys. We have a range of different scales to choose from to suit our particular needs. When I am wanting to be really accurate in my navigation I like a 1:25000 scale map. This means that everything on the map is 25000 times bigger on the ground and you will be amazed at how accurate and detailed they are. For really complex areas like the Ben Nevis summit plateau or the Skye ridge I use a specialist 1:12500 scale map from Harveys so that I can really zoom in on the detail I am looking for. 

Features on the ground are represented on maps using symbols and it is worth being able to identify a field boundary, footpath, crag etc before you leave home. The key on the map will provide you with all of the answers.

Contours are the most accurate part of the map and are brown/orange lines that connect points of equal height. They represent a 3 dimensional shape in a 2 dimensional image and are fantastically accurate but they do take some getting your head round. (See my seperate article on contours)

The Compass
I like a compass that has a large base plate, it makes taking and reading bearings easier. Be aware that shops sell military and civilian compasses so make sure you get the one you want. Civilian compasses read in degress whilst the military use mils. Read my article here on how to take a bearing.

Key Skills 
The ability to relate the map to the ground and vice versa is a fundamental skill in mountain navigation. How often have you convinced yourself that the map really does match the spot you are stood on only to realise later that you were miles out! I find it best to set the map when I am reading it. Imagine that the map is the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle and you need to slot it into the ground around you, twist it round until everything matches up and read the map that way.

Another top tip is to cut your map into sections and laminate it. This will mean that you don't need to carry an unwieldy map case around your neck and take your partners eye out. It will also avoid having to refold maps through the day and it will be waterproof. Carry the main map as a spare though in case you walk off the laminate sheet by mistake or it blows away.

I use a series of questions when I am navigating to make sure that I don't get lost, here they are:

1. Where am I now? If I can answer that I am not lost. 
2. Where do I want to go? Describe to yourself 3 points that you are trying to find to make sure you know when you get there
3. What will I see along the way? Break the route down into small tick features and tick them off as you go past
4. How long will it take? Use timing or pacing to calculate distance travelled 
5. What will I see if I go too far? Have a backstop feature

Good navigation involves taking your time to read the map

MTUK have launched a new set of Mountain Skills courses from the 1st April this year and we are providing them here in Snowdonia. Our weekend courses teach you all of the skills you need to be self sufficient in the mountains and if you register beforehand with MTUK you will get a certificate and a handbook into the bargain too! Check out the details of all of our navigation courses here: 

http://www.expeditionguide.com/hillskills.php


Contour only map for our advanced navigation day

For people who have already got some skills but fancy honing them further we have introduced a new one day "advanced" navigation course at the end of last year. This spends the day using contour only mapping that we have had specially commissioned and is extraordinarily good for getting your head tuned into contour interpretation - perhaps the most accurate form of mountain navigation. Check out the full details here: http://www.expeditionguide.com/advancednavigation.php (We have 4 spaces on the 14th June and offer a discount to MTA members)