Grade 11 Take on Their First Alpine Expedition of the Year| Collège Alpin Beau Soleil

Grade 11 Take on Their First Alpine Expedition of the Year

By Miss Fairweather, Grade 11 expedition leader

This week, our Grade 11 students swapped the classroom for the mountains as they headed out on their first Outdoor Education expedition of the year.

Outdoor Education is a cornerstone of life at Beau Soleil. Each term brings a different opportunity to get outside, learn new skills and take on experiences that can be fun and exciting, but also difficult and sometimes a little daunting.

Term 1 is all about the Alps. Every student takes part in an overnight expedition, sleeping in mountain huts and exploring the incredible environment that surrounds our home in Villars. Routes are carefully selected according to students' experience and ability, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to challenge themselves at the right level.

For Grade 11, that meant eight different adventures across the Swiss Alps.

Eight routes, eight different challenges

Students headed to Vanil Noir, Breithorn, Muveran, Nendaz, Anzère, Videmanettes, Chandolin and Salanfe, with each group facing a very different two-day experience.

Some set their sights on summits. Others tackled ridge scrambles, glaciers and Via Ferrata routes, while groups also took on abseiling, canyoning and long days of hiking through the mountains.

At Vanil Noir, the group faced a high-level two-day hike and ridge scramble, with every student ultimately reaching the summit. It was a particularly rewarding achievement for those who had started the expedition unsure whether they would make it all the way.

The Breithorn group faced another significant challenge. Starting from a much lower altitude made this year's route particularly demanding, with six of the eleven students completing the full objective.

At Muveran, students hiked to their mountain hut on the first day, developing scrambling techniques along the way before the strongest members of the group attempted the summit on day two.

Elsewhere, students explored the landscapes around Nendaz, Anzère and Chandolin on two-day hiking routes. The Videmanettes group combined hiking with a Via Ferrata, while at Salanfe, students hiked to their hut and practised abseiling before heading into the canyon on their second day.

Learning by doing

Of course, reaching a summit is only one measure of a successful expedition.

Outdoor Education at Beau Soleil is about encouraging students to take on challenges and discover something about themselves in the process. Spending two days in the mountains means dealing with tired legs, changing conditions and moments when continuing can feel difficult.

It is in these moments that students learn to support one another, work as a team and find the determination to keep going.

All eight Grade 11 groups achieved what they had hoped to accomplish, with extremely positive feedback from both guides and staff. Many even described this year's expedition as one of the best yet.

Whether that meant standing on a summit, crossing a glacier, completing a Via Ferrata or simply persevering through a difficult section of trail, every student returned having achieved something of their own.

And that is ultimately what our expeditions are about: setting yourself a challenge, stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering what you are capable of.