Last weekend saw the 13th edition of the Alpine Academy, an event organized by the Canadian sporting goods and clothing manufacturer Arc'teryx. Over 600 alpine enthusiasts gathered in front of the spectacular backdrop of the Aiguille du Midi and the Glacier des Bossons in Chamonix, France. We were there and mingled with the crowd.
When we say that the title is a superlative event, we are not exaggerating. We have often been invited to events in the outdoor industry, but the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy has surpassed everything that has come before in terms of size and diversity.
Over 600 participants from 31 nations, accompanied by 150 mountain guides and 42 professional athletes, spread over 80 workshops, made the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy 2024 what it promises: an event that covers all the interests of a modern alpinist and unites the climbing community.
The Arc'teryx Alpine Academy in numbers
- 600+ participants
- 34 nationalities
- 150 mountain guides
- 42 professional athletes
- 80 workshops
- 5 concerts
- 4 films (World premiere of the films “Andrea”, “Passion”, “Ground Up” and “Pourquoi tu vas la-haut”)
Workshops cover all facets of mountaineering
As a participant in the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy, you are faced with the challenge of choosing a suitable workshop from the 80 workshops before the event. The workshops cover all disciplines that mountain sports have to offer: climbing, bouldering, mountaineering, trail running, trekking and even the topic of "outdoor photography" were available. Our favorites were the workshops "How to spend the night in a portaledge", "Repairing/drilling routes" and "Cravage rescue". We ultimately decided on the latter.
And so, early in the morning, we took the train from Chamonix to the mountain station at 3 meters above sea level and from there via the ridge to a plateau with a view of the Refuge des Cosmiques. We deposited our equipment on the edge of a large crevasse and were given the necessary technical knowledge by the mountain guide Philippe so that we could then plunge into the depths at the edge of the crevasse. What initially caused us a queasy feeling suddenly became a pleasure.
Due to the ideal conditions, it was quite easy to hold and rescue his rope partner after he fell into the crevasse.
Experience away from the steep slopes
Arc'teryx offered the participants of the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy a varied program not only in the mountains around Chamonix. The "Alpine Village" in Parc Couttet in the middle of Chamonix attracted visitors every day with concerts, film premieres, bouldering competitions and offers from numerous outdoor brands.
On Saturday, two films premiered on the screen in the Alpine Village. Swiss professional climber Nina Caprez presented her film "Andrea", which tells the story of a special Morocco expedition of the young family, while American Jonathan Siegrist conveyed the joy of climbing to the audience with his film "Passion".
Sit down at the sewing machine yourself | ReBird
We particularly liked the Arc'teryx stand, where they presented their "ReBird" concept. In short, it's about using equipment for as long as possible thanks to care (ReCare) and repair (ReGear) and creating new things from leftover material (ReCut). And every participant at the "ReCut" stand was able to do this themselves.
I was really impressed by how quickly I was able to sew a bag with a roll-top closure from a piece of fabric. I'm going to buy myself a sewing machine right away!
In no time at all, under the guidance of an expert, you could sew a high-quality bag and then brand it.
5 reasons why you should attend the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy 2025
We will remember our time in Chamonix for a long time. Because where else can you learn so much in such a short time and exchange ideas with so many like-minded people? The Arc'teryx Alpine Academy offers you the opportunity:
- …learn from professionals like Will Gadd or Nina Caprez
- …to explore the spectacular mountain world around Chamonix under the guidance of mountain guides and to learn new things
- …to have a good time with mountain sports enthusiasts
- …experience exclusive concerts and film premieres
- …test material from brands like Scarpa, Camp and Arc'teryx for free
Convinced? Then follow Arc'teryx Academy on Instagram, Facebook or X.