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Skiing
- Haute route and Ski Tours
"The most
famous ski tour in the Alps"
Seven days
travelling through the most dramatic scenery the Alps can offer,
staying in mountain huts and crossing high passes, following the great
glaciers from one historic alpine capital to another.
Who is it
for: Reasonably fit
intermediate skiers with at least some touring (backcountry) experience.
Mountaineering skills are less important than an ability to cope with
a wide variety of off-piste snow conditions.
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Day 1
Sunday |
A chance
to ski at the Grands Montets to make sure our equipment is
sorted, practice some techniques and revise avalanche procedure,
then travel over to the Argentiere hut from the top lift. An
alternative is to spend a second night in Chamonix, missing out
the Argentiere hut, with an early start off the first lift on
Sunday. This gives more time for training and a better chance to
correct faults with equipment etc. |
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Day 2
Monday
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A
2 to 3 hour
ascent leads to the Col du Chardonnet where a steep descent
leads to the glacier de Saleina. After doing some turns on
moderately steep slopes we traverse, then put on skins to climb
up to the fenêtre de Saleina and access the Trient glacier.
Another hour and we make a short climb up to the Trient hut. |
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Day 3
Tuesday |
Starting
too early from the hut is not a good idea as the snow in the Val
d’Arpette needs time to soften to provide the best skiing. After
breakfast we ski down to Champex. From here, a taxi ride takes
us to the ski resort of Verbier where we make use of the lifts
to access the Mont Fort hut. Here we can drop off our rucksacks
and have an afternoon of off-piste skiing or a long lunch, a
quick shower (towels provided) and a good feed with a great
selection of wines to choose from. |
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Day 4
Wednesday |
Three cols
and an ascent of the Rosablanche lead to a great ski down to the
newly built Prafleuri hut. A great day and a superb hut. |
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Day 5
Thursday |
This is a
long day and requires an early start to make the Dix hut before
snow conditions deteriorate in the sun. A short climb on skis
leads to a col. This is traversed, then followed by a long flat
ski . Some side stepping up and a bit of poling takes us to the
Pas du Chat at the head of the massive Lac de Dixence. Skins go
on here and a couple of hours later we arrive at the Cabane de
Dix where Pierre, the guardian, provides a service which is the
envy of every hut in the Alps. |
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Day 6
Friday |
The
traverse of the Pigne D’Arolla is the high point of the trip at
nearly 3800m. We then a ski down to the famous Vignettes hut
with the Matterhorn tantalizingly close by.
The Vignettes hut has been
renovated for this year so the most infamous toilet in the Alps
is no more!
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Day 7
Saturday |
Three cols and
a 2000m descent to Zermatt under the Zmutt face of the
Matterhorn makes this one of the most memorable ski days of your
life.
The fatigue
you feel as Zermatt arrives is soon forgotten as you sit in a
café, beer in hand and think back over the trip.
A taxi
ride then takes us back to Chamonix. |
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Spring 2009
Dates
(ski days only)
HR1 15th to 21st March 2009 Book now
(ski days only) HR2 12th to
18th April 2009 Book now
Private trips
can also be arranged.
7 days guided
trip
Ratio 1:6
maximum
Price £825 pp
Contact Us
Price
includes:
Guides fee /expenses.
All group safety equipment.
Harness
Half board accommodation in mountain huts (6 nights).
Taxi transfers and return from Zermatt to Chamonix.
Does not
include:
Accommodation in Chamonix before or after the course. (see
links)
Lunches or drinks
Travel to and from the course.
Ski lift passes. (Approx £40)
Ski equipment.
Insurance. (see list)
S hovel,
probe, avalanche transceiver, ice axe,
crampons (Available for hire individually or as a
package).
"A more
remote alternative to the Cham-Zermatt Traverse." This
tour is less well known than the classic Cham-Zermatt high level
route but it has superb scenery and quality ski descents which
compares favourably
with it's more famous neighbour. The huts
are less crowded and a few peaks are bagged on the way. The
week begins in Chamonix, which is a short distance from the start.
This tour should appeal to those who have done the Cham-Zermatt trip
already or to people who prefer their huts a bit less hectic.
The West Oberland
high level route traverses the mountains on the north side of the
Rhone valley in Switzerland,
traveling
past the famous ski resorts
of Crans Montana and Gstaad.
Who is it
for: Reasonably fit
intermediate skiers with at least some touring experience.
Mountaineering skills are less important than an ability to cope
with a wide variety of off-piste snow conditions.
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Day
1
Sunday |
A shake down day to
get the ski legs back and check equipment. We will do some
avalanche and glacier travel training while completing a day tour
from the valley. We
stay in Chamonix for the night. |
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Day
2
Monday |
An early start sees
use travel by car to the Diablerets ski area and take the 1st lift
to 3000m. After skiing down to the Col du Sanetsch,
which is the dividing line between
French
and German speaking
Switzerland, we climb up the dramatic Arête d'Arpille. to the summit
of the Arpelistock (3035m). A great descent
down a north facing comb brings us to the Gelten hut.
(Showers available) |
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Day
3
Tuesday |
This
day involves an ascent of the Wildhorn (3247m), the highest
peak in the range. A fine long descent brings us to the
Wildhorn hut in a secluded comb. (a long day).
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Day
4
Wednesday |
To the Wildstrubel hut via Schnidejoch or a technical summit (the
Schnidehorn). In normal conditions this gives an easy but airy
traverse along a narrow arête carrying ski then a superb
ski descent to the big snow plateau of the Alpage du Rawil.
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Day
5
Thursday
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If the weather is fine
another fine peak, the Wildstrubel is climbed. A
fraction smaller than the Wildhorn, this glaciated peak rises out
of a massive glacial basin, the Glacier de la Pleine Morte. The
descent leads to the Lammeren hut.
Touring
across the massive glaciers and snow fields of the Wildstrubel, with
its ten summits over 3000m, is a fantastic viewpoint for the
great Oberland peaks.
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Day
6
Friday
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From
the Lammerenhutte we traverse the domed summit of the Roter
Tot then a huge 1600m descent brings us to
Kandersteg. The Swiss have tunneled for miles under the
mountains to allow a train to pass through to the Rhone Valley
so we can be back in Chamonix in a few hours. |
Spring 2009
Dates:
(ski days only)
22nd to 27th March 2009 Book now.
Private trips
can also be arranged.
6 days guided
trip
Ratio 1:6
maximum
Price £825 pp Contact
Us
Price
includes:
Guides fee
/expenses.
All group safety equipment.
Harness.
Half board
accommodation in Chamonix (3 nights) in a 2 star hotel.
Half board accommodation in
mountain huts (4 nights).
Taxi transfers and return from
Kandersteg to Chamonix.
Does not
include:
Lunches or drinks
Travel to and from the
course.
Ski lift passes. (Approx £40)
Ski equipment, (These
can be hired in Chamonix).
Insurance. (see
list)
Shovel, probe, avalanche
transceiver, ice axe, crampons. (Available
for hire individually or as a package).
"Ski
touring based around the longest glacier in Europe"
Six days
travelling amongst the great Oberland peaks using the huge glacier
systems for which the area is famous. The tour begins in the
picturesque, Swiss town of Grindelwald that is dominated by the
imposing bulk of the North face of the Eiger. An amazing feat of
engineering has allowed a train to access the Jungfraujoch, our
starting point for the trip. The route crisscrosses the glacial
junction at the Koncordiaplatz allowing flexibility in choosing cols
or summits, big days or short ones.
Who is it
for: Reasonably fit
intermediate skiers with at least some touring (backcountry) experience.
Mountaineering skills are less important than an ability to cope with
a wide variety of off-piste snow conditions.
| Day 1 Saturday
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Meet in Grindelwald.
We stay the night here to give us an early start the next day.
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| Day 2 Sunday
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The Jungfraujoch
railway travels through a tunnel carved out of the Eiger's north
face and deposits use at 3450m. From here we ski down hill Then
put on skins to climb up the Louroihorn 3773m. After descending,
there is a short ski over to the Kondordia hut 2850m. This will
give us a better nights sleep than staying at the Monch hut,
which at 3627m, almost guarantees a headache and nausea.
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| Day 3 Monday
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The day starts with a descent of the 100m of
steps put in to access the glacier, which is rapidly shrinking.
A couple of hours of uphill gains the Grunhornlucke 3280m and
then a short descent allows the us to climb the Weissnollen
3590m. A great ski down on to the Fiescher glacier leaves a short skin
over to one of the best huts in the Alps, the Finsteraarrohorn
hut 3048m.
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| Day 4 Tuesday
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If we want a big
day we can ski up to the Huggisattel
(4000m) on the Finsteraarrohorn returning to the Finsteraarrohorn
hut for a second night. While the summit of this massive
peak is not reached it is steep and gives an exciting ski down.
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| Day 5 Wednesday
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Climb the 4000m peak the
Fiesherhorn at the head of this massive valley. After a
brief stop at the hut we head over the Grunhornlucke and ski
down to the Kondordia hut once again.
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| Day 6 Thursday
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After descending the steps we travel across the
vast Koncordiaplatz and then climb the snow of the Kranzbergfirn to reach the
Kranzberg 3632m. A long descent then more climbing up the
gentle Aletsch glacier brings us to the spectacular Hollandia
hut 3240m.
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| Day 7 Friday
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Behind the hut is the Abeniflue 3962m which is our
goal for the day. After descending back to the hut we head off
down the Lang gletscher and, depending on snowcover, ski to
Falferalp
and then a short bus trip gets to the village of Blatten. From
there we easily reach the train at Goppenstein, for the return
to Grindelwald.
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Dates mid March
to early May 2008
Ratio 1:6
maximum
Price £825
pp Contact Us
Price
includes:
Guides fee
/expenses.
All group safety equipment and harness.
Half board
accommodation (on a two sharing basis) in Grindelwald (2 nights) in a 2 star hotel.
Half board accommodation in
mountain huts (5 nights).
Taxi and train transfers and return from
Riederalp to Grindelwald.
Does not
include:
Lunches or drinks
Travel to and from the start of the trip at
Grindelwald.
Jungfrau railway. (Approx £40)
Ski equipment, (This
can be hired in Grindelwald but check availability ).
Insurance. (see
list)
Shovel, probe, avalanche
transceiver, ice axe, crampons.
(Available for hire individually or as a package).
Austrian
Otzi Tour
Ski Tour
the
Ötztaler Alps, home of Otzi the ice man.
The trip starts
in the ski resort of Obergurgle and finishes in Mittelberg. Seven days
of great skiing, great huts and high summits to visit. The huts of
Austria are superb with some even boasting showers. The terrain allows
many variations and optional summits though a good level of fitness is
needed to make the most of this tour. Innesbruck is the nearest
airport with Munich the next nearest.
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Day 1
Saturday |
Arrive at the Hotel in
Obergurgl. |
| Day 2
Sunday
|
Sort out equipment, shop for
lunch snacks and then head off on the lift system before
skinning up to the
Langtalereck hut at 2430 metres. This is an easy day but if time and energy allow we can climb
the Eiskögele (3228 metres). |
| Day 3
Monday
|
Today we head
for the Martin Busch hut via
Schalfkogeljoch, a high pass
of 3375 metres.
This is gives long
day but a rewarding one.
The route follows a narrow
canyon which leads to the Gurgl Glacier. After climbing a short
way up the Gurgl Glacier we turn to the right
and climb up to the col. From here we can climb the
Schalfkogel. Returning to the the
Schaflkogeljoch we must negociate the steep
descent (usual roping down). A long ski then a final climb gains
the hut at 2501 metres. |
| Day 4
Tuesday
|
A big
valley and Glacier lead to the Similaun hut
at 3019 metres on the Austrian/
Italian border. We can have cappucinos and a second
breakfast before climbing the 3600 metre
Similaun peak. |
| Day 5
Wednesday
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We continue west
to the Schöne Aussicht hut, located on the Italian side of the
border at 2842 metres.
Not far
above the Similaun hut we pass very
close to the area where "Oetzi" the Ice Man was found. A monument has been erected close to the spot.
We then cross the Hauslabjoch
where we have a choice. If conditions are
good we can climb the Fineil Spitze
and make a steep descent to the hut but the other lower option
is still a good ski and is definitely preferable in less good
conditions. I had the best pasta I have ever tasted in this hut. |
| Day 6
Thursday
|
Today
we will ski to the Hochjoch Hospice at
2412 meters. It is possible to ski straight
down to the hut, cross a bridge over the river, then make a
short climb but it is better to climb of the Weiskugel,
3738 metres. The last part of the
ridge is exposed but only a scramble. You can sit it out or ask
for a rope if you are not 100% confident. We retrace our steps
back down then descend
the Hintereis Glacier to the Hospice. |
| Day 7
Friday
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To reach
the Vernagt hut we ascend the
Kesselwand glacier to the Fluchtkogel,
3497metres. Descending to the Obere
Guslarjoch we cross the col and ski down to where we acn put on
skins for the short climb to the hut. |
| Day 8 Saturday |
On our last day of the tour
we end up in Mittelberg. We
in an ascent of
the Wildspitze, at 3770 metres, the
highest peak in the Tyrol. From the Vernagt hut we traverse the
Grosser Vernagt Glacier and cross the high pass of the
Brochkogeljoch at 3423 meters. The
actually peak is climbed from a nearby col on foot. After
regaining the skis we ski down the "Austrian Vallee Blanche" the Taschachferner to Mittelberg and a taxi ride back to our hotel
in Obergurgl. |
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Day 9 Sunday
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Travel back home. |
Spring 2009
Dates: (ski days only) Otzal 1
29th March to 4th April 2009 Book now
Private trips
can also be arranged.
7 days guided
trip
Ratio 1:6
maximum
Cost £925 per person.
Price
includes:
Guides fee
/expenses.
All group safety equipment and harness.
Half board
accommodation (on a two sharing basis) Obergurgl (2 nights) in a 2 star hotel.
Half board accommodation in
mountain huts (6 nights).
Taxi return from
Mittelberg to Obergurgl.
Does not
include:
Lunches or drinks
Travel to and from the start of the trip at
Obergurgl.
Lift
ticket at Obergurgl.
Ski equipment, (This
can be hired in Obergurgl but check availability ).
Insurance. (see
list provided with booking form)
Shovel, probe, avalanche
transceiver, ice axe, crampons
(Available for hire individually or as a package).
Other
itineraries on request
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