For
those looking for a great weekend adventure, you
can't get much more visual overload than two days
snow-shoeing in north Italy, overlooking the amazing
south face of Mont Blanc.
This
is a two day course that can either be done in its
own right as a weekend, or before a course to enhance
acclimatisation. It is perfect for those booked
on the one week winter climbing or skiing courses.
The
course meeting is at midday on the Saturday morning,
so there is time for getting an early morning flight
on the Saturday, and for those just doing the weekend,
you leave on Sunday evening, you can be back at
work for Monday morning. On Saturday and Sunday
you have two exciting days of action packed snowshoeing.
A
key feature of this course, is spending a night
in a luxury mountain hut for the night. For those
who haven't stayed in a hut before, banish all thoughts
of cold sheds, and get thinking of gourmet mountain
hotels with duvets on beds and four course evening
meals and a fully stocked bar with beer on tap.
Not so bad eh?
Read
all about this trip in an article of ours that appeared
in the Snowshoe Magazine, and get a flavour of what
it is like. Click on the logo to the right, to read
the article, and others that have been written by
our team.
You
are led by a very experienced and qualified International
Mountain Leader, who will instruct you in the use
of snowshoes, and is there to guide you and look
after your safety in terms of the weather and avalanche
awareness.
Dates:
these
are listed in the column on the right, and they
show the live availability from our secure online
booking system. When you book online, you receive
immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information
Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice.
Course Dates Italian Weekend
[ 0 ] 18 - 19 Feb 2012
[ 2 ] 25 - 26 Feb 2012
[ 4 ] 3 - 4 Mar 2012
[ 4 ] 9 - 10 Mar 2012
[ 4 ] 17 - 18 Mar 2012
This
trip is requires minimum numbers of
2 to operate, but it can be run on for
private groups of up to 6 people.
Brilliant,
exciting, fun, perfect! Not bad platitudes
for a weekend. The hut was amazing, and
I think you undersold it - no mention of
the four course meal and the duvets! Anita
T , Italian Snowshoe Weekend
Course
Photo Gallery
Brief
Course Itinerary
Sat
Arrive
for the midday check-in and course / itinerary briefings.
There is time for kit checks or fitting. Then
you set off from Chamonix for the half hour transfer to
Courmayeur and Planpinceux, where the snowshoe trek starts.
For those who have never used snowshoes, don't worry as
after only about 10 minutes instruction you will be confident.
You set off towards La Vachey and then up through the
trees towards the mountain hut. On the way up you will
stop for lunch, before you leave the treeline behind and
make your way up to the hut. The guide will check you
in, show you where the boot room, shower room, drying
room, dining room, bar, and most importantly your bed
is. Before the evening meal some groups head outside to
take some more photos, and perhaps to learn how to use
the avalanche safety transceivers. Then it's time for
dinner, which is usually four courses of superb food.
Afterwards over a drink from the bar, there is usually
a film shown about the local area, then it is time for
bed in those comfy duvets!
Sun
In
the early morning you emerge for breakfast, and Italian
coffee, cake and cereals are enough to coax you out of
bed. Then in the first light of the crisp Alpine morning,
you put on your snowshoes, and crunch you way over the
well frozen snow. The normal route is to ascend behind
the hut, through the ruined villages of Malatra, and up
the stunning remote valley. At its head is a mountain
barrier, but to the right is a well hidden pass, and as
you ascend to it you are rewarded with the most amazing
views of the sunrise on the south face of Mont Blanc.
After savouring the views from the high pass, you loop
down and around back to the hut, and after a quick rest
you descend back to the valley. Most groups stop for a
celebratory beer and a bite to eat when they reach La
Vachey. Then it's the final section of the trek and the
return drive to Chamonix. You reach here by late afternoon
you are free to depart for home. For those using this
snowshoe weekend as acclimatisation for a week long course,
you will be back in Chamonix in time for your check-in
and course briefings for the main course which are scheduled
for 18:00.
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.
Course
Photo Gallery
Course
Prices
Standard
course
2
full days UIMLA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
2 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday
£199
Live
availability
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Standard
Course Inclusions: 1) International Mountain Leader
for two days, 2) Chamonix course hosts for logistics & briefings,
3) Pre course information booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher
for UK shops, 5) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet,
6) Chamonix office support and full time in-resort hosts, 7)
Transport from Chamonix to Italy and back, 8) One night half
board stay in a mountain hut for you and your guide.
Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Equipment hire, 3) 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.
Upgrade
options
Avalanche
Skills Day £49
(throughout the season)
To
learn avalanche prediction, reutschblocks and use of avalanche
tranceivers. Course is available on any day during the
week (includes ARVA),
details.
