Guides

Leon grew up in Argentiere, at the foot of the glacier, and started Cordee with one rope and a phone number. Twenty eight seasons later he still guides most weeks of the summer.

He is the one who will tell you, calmly, that today is not the day. And the one who will be at the hut door at two in the morning when it is.

Sanna came from northern Sweden for one winter and stayed. She leads our Haute Route weeks and teaches the avalanche courses every December.

Her days start before everyone else's, with the snow report, a shovel test and a cup of tea.

Matteo is from the Aosta valley and knows the falls of Cogne the way other people know their street. In summer he guides the Italian side of Mont Blanc.

He carries a small coffee pot in his pack and will make you a cup on any ledge wide enough to sit on.

Ilka was a teacher in Munich before she became a guide, and it shows. Our glacier courses and first four thousanders are hers.

She explains every knot twice, walks a little slower on the first day and makes sure nobody is ever the last on the rope.