Orpierre: a weekend to train the mountaineers of tomorrow

It was at the foot of the sun-drenched cliffs of Orpierre, a climbing mecca in the Hautes-Alpes, that the new adventure of the École de la Montagne's spring mountaineering class began. Three days of immersion, amidst the limestone, to take a first step towards autonomy on a multi-pitch route.

Around five passionate guides — Ludo (Lagoped partner guide), Rémy, Niels, Hugo and Didier —, twenty students divided into teams with apt names: the Zebras, the Buffaloes, the Orangutans, the Leopards and the Raccoons , embark on the adventure. The tone is set from the first evening at the lodge: here, we don't come to consume a service, we come to learn to become actors of our own progress , by appropriating the tools of the mountain — ropes, map, chocks, topo... and team spirit.

On Friday, it's off to the mountaineering slopes to get their bearings. Everyone climbs in the lead, reviews belaying techniques, and learns how to manage a rappel. In the evening, there's an orienteering workshop: azimuths, reading IGN maps, and even a small group challenge. All in a studious, joyful, and responsible atmosphere. After a long journey, the Buffalos team emerged victorious from the orienteering event.

On Saturday, the serious stuff begins: each group sets off to climb an easy multi-pitch route. The goal? To learn by doing , with the guide's advice, but making decisions at the head of the rope. Some groups are already testing more advanced scenarios: climbing a rope, losing equipment, helping a second... Realistic situations, designed to prepare future climbers to methodically manage the unexpected .

In the evening, return to the lodge for a key exercise: the complete preparation for the next day's outing (the "race preparation") , done by the students, then presented to their guide as if they were going to take him into the mountains. A demanding, but very educational, situation.

On the final day, the roped parties head out on longer routes, with rappels to manage and, for some, a chance to explore the adventure terrain. This is an opportunity to learn the basics of using chocks (on equipped routes) and reading the rock. The atmosphere is focused, the movements are precise. Each move reinforces a sense of independence that slowly but surely develops.

This weekend in Orpierre was not just a technical learning session. It was also a way to convey a different vision of the mountains: more responsible, more collective, more committed .

Values ​​that Lagoped shares deeply with the École de la Montagne . Producing locally, using recycled materials, protecting this fragile space that is the mountain… so many principles that we have in common.

A class is born. The adventure is just beginning. 🏔️