Ski Touring Programmes

This document includes programme for the following ski tours: The St Moritz to Davos Gran Paradiso Bernese Oberland

The Haute Route - to Zermatt

Length: 9 guided days Maximum ratio: 1:6 Ski ability level: intermediate Fitness level: 2

The Haute Route is the most famous ski tour in the – 120km of high Alpine travel, with 6,000m of ascent and descent linking Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland. It includes long days at altitude, and so is considered an advanced level ski tour.

Day 0: arrive in Chamonix. Meet 7.00pm for gear check and chat about the course Day 1: ski off-piste; avalanche, transceiver, skinning training Day 2: intro day tour, Cols des Aiguilles Crochues (2704m) Day 3: Col du Chardonnet, Fenetre du Saleina, stay overnight in the (3170m) Day 4: Trient Hut to . Stay in valley accommodation Day 5: Taxi to Bourg St Pierre. Ascent to Valsorey Hut (3030m) Day6: Valsorey Hut to Chanrion Hut (2462m) via Plateau du Couloir (3662m) & Col du Sonadon (3520m) Day 7: Chanrion Hut to Vignettes Hut (3160m) Day 8: Vignettes Hut to Zermatt Day 9: day in hand for bad weather or skiing in Zermatt Day 10: return to Chamonix Day 11: depart

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Mont Blanc

Length: 5 guided days out of 6 with a built-in rest day Maximum ratio: Ski ability level: advanced Fitness level: 2

Day 0: arrive in Chamonix. Meet 7.00pm for gear check and chat about the course Day 1: Ski at the Grands Montets: avalanche awareness and transceiver training Day 2: Skin up the Amethyst Glacier to the Argentiere Hut (2771m), overnight in hut Day 3: Skin/climb over the Col du Passon (3028m) and ski to the Trient hut (3170m). Descend to the valley Day 4: Ski to the Grand Mulets hut (3051m) from the cable car (3842m), approx 2.5-3 hours. Overnight in hut. Day 5: Ski/climb to the summit of Mont Blanc (4807m), via the Ârete Royale and Dôme du Gôuter. 8-10 hours round trip. In normal conditions, leave the skis at the (4362m) and go on foot to the summit. If conditions are perfect, we can ski right from the summit. Return to the valley to celebrate Day 6: Flexible rest day Day 7: depart

St Moritz to Davos in the Albula Alps, Switzerland

Length: 6 guided days Maximum ratio: 1:6 Ski ability level: intermediate Fitness level: 2

Like the Haute Route, this is a hut to hut tour, but this one is well away from the crowds. It has a huge number of options to vary the level of difficulty and to allow for poor weather. The tour passes through the lovely unspoilt upper Engandine of E Switzerland, and can include north face descents which often hold powder

Day 0: arrive in St Moritz. Meet 7.00pm for gear check and chat about the course Day 1: train & taxi to the start of the tour at the Julier Pass, and skin up to the Col d’Agnel (2744m) and descend to the Jenatsch hut (2652m) for overnight stay Day 2: traverse to the Fourcla Laviner (3060m), and then descend the Val Mulix to Nax. Take the train to Bergun for a hotel night Day 3: Ski lift out of Bergun, and ascend Tschimas da Tisch (2872m), descend to the Pischa Pass and on to the Es-cha hut (2594m) Day 4: short roped climb up the Porta d’Es-Cha (3008m) passing Piz Kesch, the highest summit in the Albula Alps. Descend to the Kesch hut (2625m) Day 5: to Grialetsch hut via Valorgia and the Piz Grialetsch (3131m). North facing descent to the hut (2542m) Day 6: final day. Climb Piz Sarsura (3178m). Amazing 1700m descent to Susch. Return to St Moritz Day 7: depart

Gran Paradiso, Italy

Length: 3 guided days Maximum ratio: 1:6 Ski ability level: intro/intermediate Fitness level: 1

Some experience of day touring would be very useful before undertaking this three-day tour – three one-day tours followed by the Gran Paradiso tour would make a great week.

Day 0: arrive in Chamonix. Day 1: gear check and chat about the course. Drive to Rhêmes-Notre-Dame via the . Skin to the Benevolo hut (2285m), looking at avalanche awareness, transceiver training and kick turns. 2-3 hours Day 2: Possible peaks include Punta Basei (3338m) and Roc de Basagne (3219m). Overnight in hut Day 3: Possible peaks include Pointe de Galise (3343m). Descent to the valley. Return to Chamonix Day 4: depart

Bernese Oberland, Switzerland

Length: 6 guided days Maximum ratio: 1:6 Ski ability level: intermediate/advanced Fitness level: 2

Day 0: arrive in Interlaken. Meet 7.00pm for gear check and chat about the course Day 1: take the Jungfraujoch railway to 3454m, and ski to the Konkordia hut (2580m) via the Louwinhorn (3773m) Day 2: Grunhornlucke (3280m) and Wysnollen (3590m). Ski to Finsteraarhorn hut (3048m) for overnight. Day 3: ascent of Hinter Fiescherhorn (4025m) and return to hut for overnight. Big day round trip. Day 4: ascent of Gruneghorn (3860m), and descent to Konkordia hut (2580m) for overnight stay Day 5: ascent of Kranzberg (3666m), and down the Grosser Aletsch glacier to the Hollandia hut (3240m) for overnight stay Day 6: ascent of the Äbeni Flue (3962m) and descent to Lotschental in the valley. Return to Interlaken by train. Day 7: depart