Professional preparation for technical peaks – LVL 1 – High-altitude basics
Do you dream of conquering Himalayan peaks, but don’t yet have any experience of high-altitude mountaineering – or perhaps you have no climbing experience at all and would like to change that?
The LVL 1 course is the ideal preparation for beginner climbers and trekkers who want to safely enter the world of Himalayan peaks or technically challenging treks. The LVL 1 climbing course – Safe in the Himalayas – is the perfect choice if you’re considering climbing in the Himalayas either soon or in the future. Are you thinking about expeditions such as Mera, Lobuche, Island or Chulu Peak? On this course, we’ll help you prepare for your expedition.
Who is this training course aimed at?
- For those planning to tackle six-thousand-metre treks, such as Island Peak, Lobuche Peak or Chulu East, or similar peaks requiring a basic knowledge of rope techniques,
- Participants in expeditions that include exposed sections, travel across snow, steep slopes or easy glacier terrain,
- Those setting out on their journey towards more technical mountaineering goals,
- Anyone who wants to learn the basics of belaying, working with ropes and climbing equipment, and safety rules in the mountains.
Important: this training course is intended for adults only!
Scope of the training:
Preparatory workshops for technical Himalayan summits – Level 1
Objective: To prepare participants for climbing on rock and mixed terrain and for ascending technical peaks in the Himalayas, including their first six-thousanders.
Practical module
- Rock-climbing techniques, footwork, body balance
- Maintaining balance and using grips effectively
- Key safety and rescue points
- Harnesses, ropes, belay and descent devices – handling and use
- Classic technique and improvised ways of skiing downhill
- Descending in difficult terrain – on a steep slope with a significant overhang
- The technique of rope climbing using a jumar
- Working on scaffolding in an exposed area
Theoretical module – lectures and tutorials
„Altitude sickness – how to acclimatise and what to do if you do get it”
„Equipment and practical advice – how to prepare for a challenging trek in the Himalayas / your first Himalayan six-thousander”
Who is running the training course?
- Krzysztof Zabłotny – an instructor with the Polish Mountaineering Association, an organiser of high-altitude expeditions, or
- Mariusz Hatala – an experienced mountaineer and climbing instructor
- Arkadiusz Brzoza – Rock climbing and caving instructor, and PZA route setter
- Mariusz Lange – mountaineer, climbing instructor, member of the Polish Mountaineering Association’s (PZA) national sport climbing team
- Nima Sherpa – a Nepalese high-altitude guide.
Find out more about our instructors:
Krzysztof Zabłotny
Mountaineering instructor with the Polish Mountaineering Association (PZA), PZA equipment manager and paramedic. He has been involved with the mountains for over 20 years, both professionally and privately. His experience includes summer and winter climbing in the Tatra Mountains, the Alps and the Peruvian Andes. He has climbed El Capitan in Yosemite Valley four times using the piton technique. Since 2017, he has been a member of the National Mountaineering Team and the Polish Sport Himalayan Climbing Team. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as president of the Wrocław High-Altitude Mountaineering Club. As a sport climbing instructor since 2009, he has trained over 1,000 people. He is also the author of over 200 new climbing routes in Poland and abroad.
You can read more about Krzysztof on his on the website.
Mariusz Hatala
A mountaineer and instructor with an impressive track record. In 2019, together with Radosław Woźniak, he made the first Polish winter ascent of Khan Tengri (7,010 m above sea level). He attempted to establish a new route on the north-west face of Annapurna I, and subsequently took part in a rescue operation on Annapurna, where, together with Adam Bielecki and with the support of the Nepalese climber Anurag Maloo, he rescued a climber.
He is a qualified instructor in rock climbing, mountaineering rope techniques, helicopter-assisted rope techniques, as well as a PZN/SITN-accredited ski instructor and a PZA-accredited high-altitude skiing instructor. He is a paramedic, ski mountaineer, ultra-marathon runner and lecturer at the Faculty of Mountain Operations at the Land Forces Academy. Since 2020, he has been a member of the National Team for high-altitude climbing and the Polish Winter/Sport Himalayan Climbing Programme.
Arkadiusz Brzoza
A rock climbing and cave mountaineering instructor, and a PZA route-setter. He has been involved in mountaineering and climbing since 1997, and in training since 2010. He works professionally in the mountains and on rock faces. Member of the PZA Executive Committee from 2016 to 2018. He has been associated with the Wielkopolska Cave Mountaineering Club in Poznań since 2001. From 2009 to 2019, he was a rescuer with the Specialist Rescue Group (rescue dog handler).He climbs continuously in the world’s highest mountains – the Himalayas – as well as on the most spectacular rock faces, such as Jabal Misht in Oman and Pitz Badile in the Rhaetian Alps. He has established over a hundred rock routes in the Janowice Ore Mountains. He has taken part in over twenty exploratory expeditions in the mountains of Europe and Asia as part of cave mountaineering. In his spare time, he enjoys mushroom picking and traditional climbing, both in summer and winter.
Mariusz Lange
A mountaineer, Himalayan climber and sport climbing instructor, associated with the Katowice High-Altitude Mountaineering Club and the Artur Hajzer Polish Winter Himalayan Climbing Programme. He specialises in winter mountaineering, ice climbing, dry tooling and high-altitude expeditions in the Himalayas, the Alps, the Tatra Mountains and Patagonia. He is a member of the Polish Mountaineering Association’s national high-altitude mountaineering team. In his work, he combines his training experience with active climbing.
Nima Sherpa
A Nepalese mountain guide and high-altitude climber with extensive experience in leading expeditions in the Himalayas. Born in the Himalayas, he has over 15 years’ experience working as a Nepalese mountain guide. For years, he has been leading expeditions in the Himalayas and introducing mountain enthusiasts to these mountains and the Himalayan peaks. Founder of Meroway Adventure. He leads treks and expeditions to Himalayan peaks, but above all, he coordinates Meroway’s activities in such a way that participants on our expeditions not only feel fully satisfied, but, most importantly, very safe.
Thanks to our collaboration with such outstanding specialists, our „Safe in the Himalayas” workshops provide the highest standard of training and preparation for high-altitude expeditions.
„I took part in the „Safe in the Himalayas” training course organised by Meroway in Karpacz. The course was EXCELLENT!!! A full three days of lectures and practical exercises (literally from morning till night) covering everything that might come in handy in the Himalayas. Starting with a discussion of equipment (from hats to boots and climbing gear), through first-aid kits and medical issues, and ending with rope climbing and more 🙂 on the crags. We practised abseiling and ascending a rope in several different ways, dozens of times each, so we really had the chance to consolidate these skills. And we learnt from the very best 🙂 – people with vast experience in the Himalayas. Nima and Mariusz – a huge thank you for sharing your knowledge and for a wonderful time. Although the other, incredibly friendly course participants also played their part in making it such a great experience :-)”
Level 1 Climbing Course – Staying Safe in the Himalayas
Let’s Stay Safe in the Himalayas!