Arguably the most well known mountain range in the world, the alps is where mountaineering began, amongst the dramatic mountain faces in the shadow of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.
The Alps were first systematically explored in the early 1700’s, but mountaineering only really took off in the early 19th century, due to stimulus fueled by the creation of alpine clubs. During this time, many of the standard alpine objectives were established, yet the major ones eluded climbers until the early 20th century.
Farming and forestry continue to be the mainstays of alpine culture, providing to the big cities and maintaining the mountain ecology.
The town of Chamonix in France, now bustling with tourists and cable cars, was once a small farming village with views on Mont Blanc and other famous peaks such as the Aguille Du Midi. Similarly in Switzerland, the town of Zermat is a photographer’s dream, with views on alpine lakes reflecting the Matterhorn, the most asthetically beautiful mountain in the world.
Follow the footsteps of the first alpinists and ice climb in the valley of Chamonix, or take it up a notch and attempt to summit western Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc.
Overall Difficulty
Overall Difficulty
Overall Difficulty
Overall Difficulty
Overall Difficulty
