Welcome to the Swiss Mountaineering School grindelwaldSPORTS.
Eiger, Mönch and powder skiing
The programme:
Day 1 Freeriding in Grindelwald We meet at the train station in Grindelwald and check our gear. Depending on the conditions we head to- wards the First ski area (south side) or decide to go and ski the shady slopes below the mighty Eiger north face. The glistening snow, the views to the big peaks of the Bernese Alps and the fresh air will all amalgam- ate into one wonderful day.
Day 2 In the footsteps of James Bond 007… Today we visit some of the locations where scenes for one of the earlier James Bond films were shot. The Schilthorn offers many possibilities, in general the skiing is a little steeper than on the previous day. We’ll finish the day either in Mürren or Gimmelwald, depending on where our last run will take us.
Freeriding asks for flexibility… The snow conditions are not always top. To find best powder sometimes a little luck with the weather is needed. After long periods of sunshine, most runs will be tracked out, however with short hikes of up to 1.5hrs it’s still possible to find nice skiing. That’s also the reason why we use ski touring equipment.
What you need to know…
Meeting point: 08:45am at our outdoorshop grindelwaldSPORTS (Dorfstrasse 103, Grindelwald).
Arrival/Departure: Travel by public transport or car. If you drive to Grindelwald, it’s best to park at the sports centre underground parking in Grindelwald. On the second day park in Stechelberg at the Schilthorn car park.
Requirements: You have previous freeriding experience. You master parallel turns on as well as off piste. On the second day the runs are a little steeper, however we won’t ski any ex- treme couloirs or slopes. When snow conditions are optimal, we use piste skis, oth- erwise we might hike with touring gear for us to 1.5hrs. No previous ski touring ex- perience needed.
Equipment: See equipment list in the appendix. In our Outdoorshop, we sell technical equip- ment, mountaineering clothing, shoes and backpacks. You can also rent the tech- nical equipment, just let us know.
Decision: The day before the tour, we check different weather forecasts and the conditions to decide whether we can start the tour.
Hut: Please be aware that we stay at a mountain hut. Depending on the season, there might not be any tap water. Also, in most huts you will not be able to charge any devices. Please let us know if you are a vegetarian or have other food allergies to make sure we can inform the hut.
Last Information: The day before the tour, we call you to let you know the name of the mountain guide as well as his/her mobile phone number. Please only use it in emergencies, for example if you missed the train. For all other questions, please contact our of- fice in Grindelwald: +41 (0)33 854 12 80 or [email protected]
Price per person: CHF 360.00 4-6 participants per mountain guide
Private trip: Bookable also as a private trip on your preferred date.
Costs CHF 1450.00 total with 1-3 participants per guide CHF 360.00 per person with 4-6 participants per guide
What you benefit from:
Inclusive: guiding by a licensed mountain guide His / her expenses
Not inclusive: Your expenses Snacks Rental equipment Possible expenses for a taxi (costs of the guide have to be paid by the guest)
Safety: All our courses are conducted by licenced IFMGA mountain guides. For a continu- ous high standard, regular training and further education are compulsory. This way we can guarantee the best possible security measures. grindelwaldSPORTS has been certified over the last couple of years with the „Safety Label in Adventures“. Our safety and emergency concepts are annually examined by this organization.
General terms of contract: Please read the general terms of contract.
We help you to prepare:
Clothing: Choose functional clothing that is water resistant, comfortable and breathable. We suggest the several layer principle for best adaption in fluctuating temperatures. Our experts in the Outdoorshop are happy to help.
Footwear: In the equipment list in the appendix, you see what kind of footwear you need for this tour. If you have bought new boots, we suggest you try them out on an easy hike before undertaking a tour.
Lunch: A little lunch per day should be enough – some bars, a sandwich, dried fruit, nuts, … We recommend to drink a lot the evening before and in the morning. It helps to handle the altitude.
Packing a backpack: Do not pack too much. In the equipment list in the appendix you see the size of backpack we recommend. Do not forget, you need to carry everything by yourself.
Any questions: That is what we are here for. Do not hesitate to contact us, either by phone on +41 (0)33 854 12 80, by e-mail ([email protected]) or on spot at our Outdoorshop at Dorfstrasse 103 in Grindelwald.
The necessary equipment for this tour is marked with a .
Equipment list
Listed below is the equipment we suggest bringing. Use it as a checklist to make sure you do not forget anything. Of course, you can always add to the list but remember everything you pack must also be carried ;-)
Backpack Backpack 20-25l Backpack 30-35l Backpack 25-30l Backpack 35+l
Clothing Warm, functional clothing Sun hat Windbreaker or GTX-jacket Gloves (ideal 1 thin pair 1 thick pair) Light windbreaker pants or GTX-pants Beanie or headband Mountaineering or hiking pants Extra underwear and extra socks Ski pants Thermo underwear short/long
Footwear Crampon proof mountaineering boots Hiking boots Ski touring boots/snowboard boots Solid and warm winter boots
The basics Sun glasses (category 3 or 4) Sunscreen lotion and lipstick (min. factor 30, better 50) Thermos flask, drinking bottle SAC/DAV permit (if holder) Silk sleeping bag Halbtaxabo/GA (if holder) Headlamp Maybe earplugs Toiletries Maybe camera and binoculars Identity card
Technical equipment Harness Ski touring skis with skins and tele crampons Crampons with anti-snow plates Ski poles, even better adjustable poles Ice axe Robust snow shoes with tele crampons Helmet LVS (avalanche beacon device) Descender with locking carabiner Avalanche probe Sling 120cm 1 piece Avalanche shovel Ice axe for steep ice fall climbing maybe avalanche airbag Ice screw maybe ski helmet locking carabiner 1 piece maybe gaiters