How to Book
| Mountaineering |
| Rock Climbing |
| Off Piste Skiing |
| Ski Touring |
| Snow Shoeing |
| Insurance |
| Travel to Chamonix |
| Accommodation in the Alps |
| Alpine Photo Gallery |
| Routes with Clients |
| About Walter |
| Links |
| walter@guidedsummits.co.uk |
| 0033 450 541 907 |
| 200 Chemin du Cerro |
| Les Bossons |
| 74400 CHAMONIX Mt Blanc |
| FRANCE |
Private Guiding
Fees
My daily rate for 2010 is £ 250 plus any expenses for me above the valley floor (such as cable cars, hut fees and meals, etc.). This is reduced to £ 240 if you are a returning Client. If you are interested in a partial day taster session in the Chamonix Valley (4 hours are a minimum), starting from when we meet up at the venue, the fee is £ 30 per hour. For off piste skiing the venue is the main ski area at approximately 2000m. For other activities, the venue is where we carry out the activity. Within reason and as previously arranged, I can pick you up from your accommodation to take you to the venue.
The hourly rate is applicable to skiing the Vallee Blanche, where the clock starts when I have booked the cable car. I will arrive half an hour before. It finishes when we get to the valley floor, unless, if we cannot ski to the valley floor, you want to stay at Montenvers yourselves, in which case I will add on 30 minutes to get myself down or nothing if you want to treat me to a meal at the Montenvers Hotel! My time for a convivial drink at the end of the day is included in my fee, if you enjoy such activities! I do not charge for such activities.
Use of my car for travel to and from climbing/skiing venues is included, up to 30 kilometres per full day booked; thereafter there is a charge of € 0.10 per kilometre plus any tolls. If we have arranged to meet in an area away from Chamonix, I am responsible for making my own way to meet you.
Exchange Rates
Looking forward to the day when there is a single currency for the whole world, I know this is a difficult one for some Visitors to the Alps. Who knows how the speculators will vary the exchange rate over the coming year. If you want to pay in euros then we will agree a rate at the time of booking. If the rate changes between the booking and the holiday, I will not surcharge you but if it is in my favour - TOUGH!
The rate does not change in relation to the number of Clients, but the appropriate size of a group would depend on the activity to be undertaken. For example, alpine climbing can require a 1:1 (Matterhorn), 2:1 (Mt. Blanc) or 6:1 (Breithorn) ratio; a glacier skills day could be carried out successfully with 4:1 together with off piste skiing or ski touring. The Vallee Blanche can be skied at 8:1.
EnquiryIf you are thinking about private guiding and would like to talk over some ideas and dates, or would like further information about any of the places and activities mentioned in this site, please get in touch with me by e-mail at:
I would be very happy to answer your questions by e-mail, or telephone me for a chat if you would prefer. It would be very helpful to me if you could give me a brief resume of your mountaineering or skiing experience with your first enquiry, together with some idea of what you would like to get out of your holiday.
Participation Statement
Participants recognise that there is a potential danger of serious injury or death when skiing, mountaineering and/or snow shoeing with Walter Phipps and/or other Mountain Guides who are working with Walter Phipps's Participant(s). Walter Phipps and/or the other Mountain Guides will minimise this risk with his/their experience and training but the Participant(s) must accept the risks and be responsible for their involvement and actions, with the Guide(s) taking into account the Participant(s) previous experience. The Mountain Guide's decision is final.
Deposit and Payments
A deposit of one day's fee would secure the booking and indicate acceptance of the Participation Statement. The balance will be payable 4 weeks before the start of your holiday. Once your booking is confirmed I will send you a list of the equipment you will need for your trip, together with some ideas on how to prepare, physically, for it. Please let me know of any medical and/or dietary conditions that I might need to know at the time of booking.
Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint about my services which we cannot resolve at the time, the British Association of Mountain Guides has a Professional Complaints Committee that you can take your grievance to. The most severe sanction they can apply is to remove my Mountain Guide's qualification, something I hope will never be necessary!
Cancellation
If, for any reason, you have to cancel up to 28 days before the start date of the holiday I would refund your deposit and fee in full, minus any expenses I may have incurred in arranging the holiday. If you cancel less than 28 days before the start of the holiday, I would expect you to pay the full fee as arranged and make the appropriate claim on your insurance. IF I were able to fill your dates at that late stage I would refund your deposit and fee in full once you have sent me details of your insurance policy.
PLEASE CHECK THAT YOUR INSURANCE COVERS CANCELLATION
(You can claim from the Insurers should you have to cancel for any reason)