If
you want to spend a full week snowshoeing in the
Chamonix region, then this is the course for you.
During the week you will explore many different
regions, often visiting Switzerland and Italy for
a day, as well as France.
Snowshoeing
is now officially the fastest growing winter sport,
and our team of guides cannot wait to show you why.
Many clients get the bug and come back year after
year on this holiday, but we ensure they don't repeat
any routes they have done before.
The
aim is to show you some of the hidden secrets of
the Mont Blanc massif, and there is the option of
staying in a mountain hut for a night if you wish.
On this week there is the opportunity to take in
quite a few summits on snowshoes.
As
well as enjoying a great week of snowshoeing, we
aim to teach you the key safety skills for route
planning and winter Alpine journeys, with a lot
of weight put on avalanche prediction and reaction,
as well as the selection of appropriate Alpine equipment.
A
brilliant week exploring hidden the gems
of the region. I will definately be back
next year for more of the same. A huge thanks
to you all so much. Jill
Wheldon , Snowshoeing 2010
Meticulously
planned, and extraordinarily knowledgable.
A brilliant holiday led by a guide who so
obviously loved every minute of his job,
and looked after us very well. Brian
Atkinson , Snowshoeing 2009
So
so so much more than a walking holiday.
Small groups, a really professional leader,
and perfect weather to boot. Suzanne
Whear , Snowshoeing 2008
Don't
worry if you have never snowshoed before, as you will
pick up the skills quickly. All you need is to be fit
for hill walking, to have a sense of humour if you fall
into a soft snowdrift, and to love the outdoors. We can
teach you the rest, and you are guaranteed a great holiday
that you won't forget for a very long time.
During
this course you should gain your National Navigation Award
Scheme (NNAS, www.nnas.org.uk) Silver level award through
learning advanced use of the map and compass, as well
as the use of altimeters and GPS for winter
navigation.
Dates: 16
- 22 January 2011,
6
- 12 February 2011, 13 - 19 February 2011, 6 - 12 March
2011, 27 Mar - 2 April 2011.
For current availability on this course click
here. Extra dates are
run on demand for four or more people for the same prices.
The
course at a glance...
•
7
days, running from Sunday to Saturday.
Price £499pp, includes accommodation
•
No previous experience is required, and you will explore
remote regions of the region
•
Top tip... you only need to bring clothing for winter
hillwalking in the UK
Location
data for this activity
The
majority of our snowshoe treks are based in the Chamonix
valley in the French Alps. It is also easy to access the
Valais region of Switzerland or the Aosta Valley region
of Italy, as these involve less than an hours drive. There
is a great choice of snowshoe treks in all these regions.
Time
Difference
GMT + 1 hour
Local
Currency
€ Euros
Travel
from UK
1 hour flight
Sponsored
by GV Snowshoes
We
are very kindly sponsored by GV of Canada, and our guides
are using Polar Trail snowshoes this season. Click on
the images on the left to visit GV Snowshoes website.
They are the leading manufacturer of snowshoes in Canada
& now export snowshoes, poles and rucksacks to Europe.
Technical
content of the course and safety training
Snowshoeing is a very easy sport to pick up, and even if you
have never used snowshoes before, after a few minutes training
and practice you will keep up with experts. That aspect is easy,
but what many clients keep thanking us for is our sharing of
local information, and the highly complex science of avalanche
awareness and route planning. For sure this snowshoeing week
is a holiday, but many people find the insights into the technical
aspects fascinating, and your highly experienced UIMLA qualified
snowshoeing guide will increase your knowledge in all of the
aspects outlined below. These gems of local knowledge really
add to the experience you have in the Alps.
•
Use of snowshoes and skills for
moving over different types of terrain
•
Use of avalanche transceivers, search
methods and management
•
Choice of route and the planning
and selection of appropriate terrain
•
Appreciation of the snowpack, crystal
metamorphasis and risk
•
Geomorphology / geography / ecology
(flora, fauna and tracks)
•
Slab formation and layering, and
isolation block stability tests
•
Winter cold injuries / first aid,
and avalanche victim recovery methods
•
Selection of appropriate equipment
and emergency snowshoe repairs
•
Decision making processes and travel
techniques on snowpacks
•
Avalanche form / release patterns,
and islands of safety & route plans
•
Winter navigation skills, and the
use of different Alpine map types
Whilst
snowshoeing is a fun and exciting sport, we never neglect
your safety for a second, and so you are led by highly
qualified mountain professionals. All our snowshoeing
holidays are guided by UIMLA International Mountain Leaders,
and you can read more about them by clicking on the logo
to the left. We never cut any corners with your safety,
and include the loan of safety equipment such as avalanche
transceivers in the course price. You are taught good
practice for travelling in the Alpine winter environment,
and are briefed on the avalanche and weather forecasts
each day. We want you to rest assured you are in the best
hands.
So
why choose Icicle?
We
are true specialists in Chamonix snowshoeing. See
our blog, by clicking on the RSS logo (right).
Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather and snow conditions each day, so
that you snowshoe in the best areas each day of
the holiday.
Our
prices are fixed in £ pounds sterling, to
protect you from euro currency fluctuations, so
that you can budget accurately.
We
have a team of over 30 guides, and a resort support
team, who all want you to enjoy the best days out
on snowshoes! For more details on the guiding team
and qualifications, please click
here.
Brief
Course Itinerary One
of the delights of snowshoeing is that, unlike skiing or climbing,
you can go out in all levels of visibility and snowfall, and
have a great day. Chamonix is blessed with hundreds of snowshoeing
areas within a short drive, and so the itinerary can be flexed
on any day to take account of better weather or snow conditions,
to ensure that you sample the best on offer. The itinerary below
is to provide you with a taster of what you could achieve, and
isn't fixed in stone. We get many clients who come back year
after year to repeat this course, but they need never repeat
a route they have done before. Your guide will have a massive
local knowledge and experience.
Sunday
Travel to Chamonix to arrive for the 17:00 check-in followed
by and course safety and itinerary briefings. There is
time for kit checks or rental of equipment. Briefings
are over by 20:00 and the Chamonix hosts accompany the
group to pre-dinner drinks. Some clients opt to travel
out a day or two early to get their hill legs back and
to explore the town. Extra nights accommodation are often
possible from £30pp. Night in Chamonix.
Monday
After meeting your guide in the morning, you are driven
to one of the snowshoe regions, such as Vallorcine. The
private transfers to and from the mountains each day are
a key feature of the course. The
snowshoeing is usually above Les Houches on fairly easy
gradient terrain. A popular route is to reach the summit
of Le Prarion at 1969m, overlooking the valley.Evening
theory session on the key safety knots and Alpine ropework
for snowshoers. Night in Chamonix.
Tuesday
Now
that you are happy on snowshoes, you undertake a spectacular
trek such as the Col du Berard or Refuges de Loriaz, above
the village of Vallorcine. This follows the torrent gorge
up through the woods, before emerging above the treeline,
before heading up past the hut to the col or a peak, which
is a great place for a lunch stop.
Evening session on Alpine weather prediction
and the effects of mountains on the weather. Night in
Chamonix.
Wednesday
A
popular trek for the middle of the week is in the Contamines
valley to the West of Mont Blanc. Here the goal of the
day would be to ascend to the summit of Mont Truc 1811m,
and the spectacularly situated Chalets du Truc.
If you still have energy, it is great to continue to the
Tête d'Armancette and to descend steeply through
the forests. Evening session on crevasse rescue and emergency
hoist systems. Night in Chamonix.
Thursday
If
the group would like to spend a night in a remote mountain
hut, then the next two days are usually the best for this
two day mini-expedition. The alternative is another day
trek, with the night in Chamonix. Guiding ratio 1:6 (max).
The group can decide at the start of the week which itinerary
it would like to follow. Note the price of the hut is
not included in the course price.
Evening
session on avalanche prediction and avalanche tranceiver
search patterns.
Friday
Either
a trek and descent from a mountain hut (such as the Victor
Emmanuel refuge), or a day trek from Chamonix. An ideal
final trek from Chamonix would be the Mont de l'Arpille
2085m above Martigny and the Rhone valley.
It is not unusual for a snowshoe course to summit peaks
in France, Italy and Switzerland during the week! Evening
instruction session, then a celebratory meal, with the
final night spent in Chamonix.
Saturday
Breakfast, then course debrief, with feedback and questions
and answers session. Depart for home. If you have an early
Saturday flight, you can have the debrief on Friday after
guiding.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries.
Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant,
so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans. If this
is the case, suitable alternatives are offered. Please
use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of
route / activity that you will attempt.
Snowshoeing
equipment advice
Because
we know it is so important to you to have the most suitable
equipment and clothing for snowshoeing, we have devoted
a page especially to it, which you can access by clicking
on the image to the right, or by clicking
here. This page outlines the key equipment
you should bring, and gives examples of snowshoes that
are suitable for the course. If after reading this page
you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in
touch with our Chamonix team, who will be able to advise,
and to help you avoid any costly mistakes. The key point
to highlight is that snowshoes are loaned FREE of charge
anyway, as are avalanche safety beacons, so all you need
to arrive with are walking clothes, waterproofs, a small
rucksack and well worn in walking boots (not trekking
shoes).
Course
Prices
Standard
course
5
days guiding, 7 days total in total
£499
Premium
course
7
days guiding, 8 days total in total
(Standard course plus Acclimatisation
weekend)
LINK
Inclusions:
1) UIMLA guide for five days, 2) Chamonix course hosts
for logistics & briefings, 3) Pre course information
booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 5)
Six nights B&B accommodation in Chamonix (inc. bedding
& towels), 6) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction
Booklet, 7) Cable cars and mountain uplift, 8) Road transport
in Chamonix valley, 9) Chamonix office support and evening
instruction sessions, 10) Equipment hire of snowshoes,
avalanche transceiver, probe & shovel, 11) Certificate
for NNAS navigation award.
Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Personal laundry, telephone
calls, lunches, evening meals, & any purchases in
mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 3) Any optional
stays in a mountain hut on a half board basis for you
and the guide, 4) Activities insurance, & excess baggage
charges.
Notes:
The loan of all technical equipment for each client
is included* in the course price as required: snowshoes,
avalanche tranceiver, avalanche probe and shovel.
Money
saving pricing
This
course includes all the key costs, so you can budget
accurately. Hire kit is included as detailed above,
which if not included would cost over £100
extra for the week! We offer full board upgrade,
as many people opt to cook in their self-catering
flats in the evenings to keep costs down. Cable
cars are included where required, and we provide
the road transport in the Chamonix valley. What
you see is what you get. There are NO extra hidden
costs.
Upgrade
options
Avalanche
Skills Day £49
To
learn avalanche prediction, reutschblocks and use of avalanche
tranceivers. Course is available on any day during the
week (includes ARVA).
Full
Board upgrade £99
This
is to upgrade so that all your meals (breakfast, packed
lunch, and evening meal) are included from Sunday evening
through to Saturday morning.
