Basic Ski Mountaineering Course
Mont Blanc is a world mecca as a base for ski mountaineering and this 5 day course gives you the opportunity to sample a superb variety of challenging mountain ski journeys.
We aim to visit some quieter, less well known parts of the Valle d’Aosta and Swiss Rhone Valley, both easily accessible from Courmayeur.
This course includes an overnight stay in a historic Monastery with monks in order to access a higher summit or col. It is designed for folk with some existing ski touring experience and a good level of fitness, wanting to do some more challenging tours.
COURSE AIM.
✓ Complete some classic medium to long length ski mountain journeys in the Courmayeur Valley and surrounding area.
✓ Spend a night in a mountain hut allowing a good journey to be made and early start to complete a long tour.
✓ This course has less structured training than the Intro Ski Touring Course and is aimed at folk already competent in the basic ski mountaineering skills. Whilst these skills will be revised during ongoing training throughout the course, the emphasis will be on getting some big journeys and great skiing done.
✓ Provide an excellent spring board, at the start of the classic hut to hut touring season, for other challenging ski mountaineering trips in the spring.
✓ Have an enjoyable and sociable week meeting up with other like minded ski mountaineers who you may end up skiing with again in the future.
DURATION
Four days in the mountain
Fitness level required
GROUPS
4 peoples.
COST
€ 850 per person.
$USD 906 per person
£ 727 per person
INCLUDE
✓ Services of an Mountain Guide
✓ All transfers as shown in the program
✓ half board in the Monastery, including the half board of the Mountain Guide
NOT INCLUDE
✗ Accomodation
✗ Lunch in the mountain
✗ Mountaineering – Off Piste/Ski Mountaineering Insurance IMPORTANT: Please read this section.
✗ The cablecars tickets,
✗ Transfer from/to airport,
✗ Airfare
✗ Anything not specified
NB Trip is confirmed from 3 peoples.
Day 0 - Sun
Arrival
Travel to Courmayeur, to arrive in time for the Evening Briefing.
Your guide will run through safety routines and kit checks, as well as hand out rental equipment for the week, before we go on to a detailed discussion of everyones ambitions for the week, together with the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our planning. We’ll also have maps and guidebooks to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up before we head on to dinner.
Day 1 - Mon
9.00am – 4.00pm: Col Serena 2545m - Gran San Bernardo Valley
Transfer from Courmayeur to Grand San Bernardo Valley - Mottes. Introduction to the week ahead and kit check. Revision of ski mountaineering skills. Opportunities to refresh skinning technique, avalanche emergency procedures and some basic skimountaineering elements.
929m ascent and descent ~4-5hrs.
Day 2 - Tue
9.00am – 4.00pm: Grand Saint Bernard Monastery 2469m - Swiss.
From Saint Rhemy en Bosses (Gran San Bernardo ValleY) follow one the classics skitouring itinerary for a summit or pass of this high valley. Finish in the afternoon in Grand San Bernardo Monastery - Swiss. Rest, overnight and Half board in Monastery
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out in the backcountry all day.
~1100m ascent - 250m descent ~4-5hrs.
Day 3 - Wed
9.00am – 4.00pm: Pointe de Barasson Ski Summit 2963m.
From the Monastery descent along the Swiss road up to 2276m. Turn right and go up the immense, narrow Combe de Barasson until we reach the Col de Barasson est. From here, with crampons on, we proceed along the southwest ridge to the top of the Pointe de Barasson. Retourn to the monastery for the mid afternoon. Rest, overnight and Half board in Monastery.
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out in the backcountry all day.
900m ascent - 900m descent ~5-6hrs.
Day 4 - Thu
9.00am – 4.00pm: Mont Fourchon ski Summit 2901m.
From Swiss Monastery to Italian side and we ascent Mont Fourchon (2902m), the classic ski-touring peak of the area giving breath-taking views of Mont Blanc and the Grand Combin.
We follow the trak of the day 2 to Saint Rhemy en Bosses village
This day you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out in the backcountry all day.
600m ascent - 1200m descent ~4-5hrs.
End of Program
Day 5 - Sat
Return home.
After a night of well-deserved rest, departure from Courmayeur for your destination.