HOLIDAY OFFERS - Summer Multi Activity Holidays - Mountain Adventure Holiday - Mountain Adventure Itinerary

• Day 1 - Arrival
• Day 2 - Via Ferrata
• Day 3 - Rock Climbing
• Day 4 - Mountain Day
• Day 5 - Rest / Choice Day
• Day 6 - Walk into refuge Pigeonnier
• Day 7 - Ascent of Les Rouies
• Day 8 Say Goodbye

Mountain Adventure Itinerary

Feel the sun on your back as you negotiate an exposed via ferrata or climb a dramatic cliff face, enjoy the high mountain ambiance of a glacier traverse, walk through beautiful alpine scenery and tackle a big mountain route!

A week of adventure for passionate mountain lovers with a head for heights!

This is a varied and progressive week exploring some of the different ways to climb a mountain; via ferrata, rock climbing, scrambling, traversing a glacier... with the challenge of a 2 day mountaineering summit, Les Rouies 3589m at the end.

This itinerary is an example one aimed at people with a reasonable level of fitness with little or no climbing experience.

Day 1 - Arrival

We'll come and meet you at your accommodation, welcome you to the area and go through the week. We will give you everything you need for your holiday including maps and directions for getting to the meeting points and answer any questions.

We will also suggest walks and other things to in the area and give you advice on markets, events and other things to see and do for your free day. There are some beautiful lakes (including a great life-guarded swimming lake), villages, museums, nature walks...

Then you can settle down to a hearty evening meal before a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow!

Day 2 - Via Ferrata

If you like a challenge and like being in unusual situations, you'll love via ferratas!

Via Ferratas were invented by the Italian army as a means of getting their troops through the inaccessible mountain ranges of the Alps. They have since become a sport in their own right and there are now via ferrata courses dotted all over the Alps.

They consist of metal ladders and thick wires positioned strategically over rock faces and some have wire bridges crossing over the narrow gorges above rivers.

You wear a harness, with two cow's tails (ropes with carabiners attached) attached and a helmet, clip into the wires or ladders and then climb, following the course of ladders, wires and bridges. You make sure you are always attached to the wires by one of the cow's tails at all times so can never fall very far.

They allow you to climb on exposed rock faces normally inaccessible to mere mortals such as ourselves!

Day 3 - Rock Climbing

A half a day of climbing at a beautiful cliff in the Champsaur valley just on the edge of the Ecrins National Park. It is a veritable sun trap so you can look forward to a bit of bronzing whilst you climb on lovely warm rock!

There are a variety of routes so climbers of all abilities can be challenged. You will learn how to belay and climb safely and try out different climbing techniques for scaling those cliff faces!

More experienced climbers will have an opportunity to lead and try out new techniques.

Day 4 - Mountain Day

There are a few choices of what to do today depending on what you feel like.

A popular choice is to climb the Obiou which is the highest mountain in the Devoluy massif at 2789m and is a spectacular and dramatic trekking peak.

This is a limestone mountain and where there is limestone there are usually caves!! Here is no exception and it is worth bringing your headtorch as there is an ice cave just under the col de L'Obiou. Inside the cave you can go right underground where you will find a wall of transparent ice - it is magnificent!

On the route, there are several exposed and 'airy' sections where you will need to take care not to slip and the guide may decide to rope up for security. There are also possible variations involving some scrambling and easy climbing which you can choose to do once you are there.

Starting altitude: 1562m

Summit altitude: 2789m

Ascent: 1227m

Average walking time: 6 - 7 hours (4 - 5 hours up and 2 hours down)

At the start of the walk you get your first taste of the 'airy' ambiance of this mountain with a little exposed section.

After that there are two choices of itineraries, which the guide will explain to you on the day and you can decide which way you want to go. Either you can follow the GR route which contours around to the right or you can go straight up through the rocks.

The two options meet up at about 2000m where the GR route continues to wind it's way through an apparent wall of stone up to the col de l'Obiou. Care is needed throughout this section as a slip could be very dangerous. It is necessary to scramble in certain places but otherwise the path follows a 'staircase' up. The views from this section are incredible - it has to be said!

At the col you follow the shoulder up to the top. This section is very exposed and captures the real high mountain 'airy' character of this mountain.

Enjoy spectacular views over the Ecrins National Park, the Champsaur, Valgaudemar and Devoluy valleys!

Day 5 - Rest / Choice day

A well deserved rest day to recover from your climbing, via ferrata and mountian day, before the big challenge of the week, Les Rouies summit at 3589m.

Chill out at your accommodation and enjoy the sun and mountain views or go for a short walk around the area. We can advise you on where is good to go and give you maps and route guidance.

Or you can visit one of the many french markets, the swimming lake, find a quiet cove to sun bathe in at the Lac du Serre Poncon, sit at a cafe in Gap and people watch.... the choice is yours!

Day 6 - Walk into Pigeonnier Refuge

This is a beautiful and easy walk up to the refuge where you will spend the night before attacking the summit of Les Rouies tomorrow.

You can walk up directly in about 2 1/2 hours or you can make a day of it and take in the Lac du Lauzon on your way which is a pretty alpine lake with a stunning mountain backdrop.

Once you get to the refuge you can either relax and enjoy the ambiance or go for a little scramble up in the rocks above the refuge.

The area is a great spot for ibex and other wild mountain animals!!

Your guide will meet you at the refuge in the evening and go through tomorrow's ascent.

George, the guardian who runs the refuge is a real character and will definitely make you welcome. It is one of the best refuges in the area! Just remember you have to get up at 4 in the morning before you get too carried away having a good time though!

Day 7 - Ascent of Les Rouies

Les Rouies is one of the easiest of the big summits of the dramatic Ecrins massif but is not to be underestimated!

It is a long day with a traverse over a glacier and a steep little scramble at the end. If you have never walked on a glacier before this is an excellent introduction.

It is situated on the end of a chain of peaks forming the cirque which bars the end of the Valgaudemar valley (the cirque from north to south: Les Rouies, Mont Gioberney, Les Bans, Pic Jocelme, Pic de Bonvoisin, Pointe Verdonne and le Sirac).

Have a look at our Les Rouies photo album on flickr.

Starting altitude: 2423m

Summit altitude: 3589m

Ascent: 1166m

Average walking time: 8 - 9 hours (5 - 6 hours up and 3 - 4 hours down)

George will wake you up at 4 am where you will experience the classic french mountain refuge breakfast (bread - usually a bit stale, jam or honey and hot chocolate!). It is advisable to bring some snacks with you as it's a long time from now until your lunch at 13:00!

It is at this point as you are preparing your sacks in the dark, that you will have a 'what on earth am I doing here?' moment! Don't worry it's worth it!

After a rocky traverse in the dark you will arrive at the edge of the glacier - usually just as the sun comes up so you can see what you are doing to put your crampons on!

After an explanation of how to use the equipment you will begin the climb up through the couloir to the top of the glacier, which is pretty spectacular in itself.

Once you arrive on top you will be rewarded with amazing views and will start to feel the heat of the sun - truly beautiful! Here you will rope up to traverse the glacier which takes you up to the summit.

The last climb is pretty steep and mixed snow and rock but is is worth the effort to get to the top, where you will really feel on top of the world.

From the summit you get an excellent view of the interior of the Ecrins massif including the Barre des Ecrins and La Meije and of the summit of L'Olan just next door - possibly your next challenge!

Then you come down the way you came up - although it goes much quicker and the going down technique and views are very different from the going up ones so you don't feel like you are retracing your steps.

At the refuge George will greet you with a well deserved hot meal before you make your way down to the car park and back to your accommodation.

Day 8 - Say Goodbye

This is your last day and the day we say goodbye. You should be feeling relaxed, tanned, healthy and probably a lot fitter than you did when you arrived!