Expeditions
ISM specialises in ‘alpine-style’ expeditions
to the greater ranges, running at least two such trips each year
as well as other ventures offered by individual ISM Member Guides.
Participants must have mountaineering experience (either gained
at ISM or elsewhere) and be conversant with the range of skills
and techniques demanded by Alpine climbing (i.e. those taught
within our Summits & Skills/Technical Alpinism instructional
course programme).
The Andes expedition has a relatively set
itinerary and involves mountaineering at alpine AD standard
and ice climbing at grade III. On the Tien Shan expeditions
we go
to remote areas which offer a variety of objectives at different
standards. Here fitness, enthusiasm and a taste for adventure
are more important than climbing grade.
'Alpine-style' means
applying the style of climbing normally practised in the Alps
to higher mountains.
It is a lightweight,
environmentally friendly approach to mountaineering which
rejects tactics like using fixed ropes to overcome difficult
sections and to shuttle between fixed camps. On our trips
you climb the mountain properly using your own climbing skill
to
overcome
difficult
terrain.
The guides are there to take care of the safety aspects,
giving protection with the rope whenever necessary. They
don't fix
ropes for people to jumar up behind them - if you want
to reach the summit, you have to climb there! In our considerable
experience,
mountaineering 'alpine-style' always gives the greatest
satisfaction
and sense of achievement.
Andes Summits (late May / early June)
The Cordillera Blanca of Peru is an enchanting mountain range,
containing some of the world's most beautiful mountains.
On this 3-week trip we enjoy mountaineering in the Cordillera
Blanca to the full by climbing in two different areas, beginning
in the secluded Ishinka valley, working up to an
ascent
of Tocllaraju (a superb 6000m peak), then travelling north
to devote the second part of the trip to climbing the impressive
Chopicalqui (6400m), a superb summit in the Huascaran region.
For people with Alpine
and ice-climbing experience, we recommend this as an ideal
first expedition to the greater ranges.
Virgin Peaks of the Tien Shan (September)
Since 1995 we have been running adventurous expeditions to
little-explored mountain ranges in Central Asia, making
the first ascents of around forty peaks, many of them stunning
summits and among the most important in their area. Several
of the trips have been documented in 'High' magazine and
other mountaineering journals. An opportunity to combine
fantastic mountaineering with genuine exploration.
These
expeditions visit very remote areas and can involve tough
conditions in the high camps. They are recommended
for people
who are adventurous, hardy, and who have had at least two
alpine climbing trips and/or previous expedition experience.
Normally
run first 3 weeks in September each year.
