Italian
gourmet ski tour 2024 
Ski tour for the cognoscenti, for remote
areas, great snow, & good food |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
| Course
overview |
 |
|
 |
A
ski tour for the cognoscenti, staying in some
of the best mountain huts for great Italian
cooking, wine lists and hospitality. Enjoy
great ski tours during the days, with comfort
and good food and drink in the evenings. The
huts have all been specially selected for
their level of comfort and / or hospitality. |
|
This
is still ski touring, but it's for those who
enjoy the social aspect of tours, and to chat
about the days adventures over a good meal
and drinks. You
are led by some of our popular local Italian
guide team, who help select the best huts
and itineraries each week. |
|
This
course is also ideal as an alternative to
famous ski tours such as the Haute Route (Chamonix
to Zermatt) or Silvretta, and it allows you
to escape the crowds that bit more. The
itinerary is very flexible to take account
of the weather and conditions, so you ski
in the areas with the best snow too. |
|
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
notes |
|
|
|
This
tour is ideal for those wanting a intermediate level
ski tour. As the course is based in mountain huts
throughout, this course will also appeal to those
wishing to escape the hustle of the valleys. |
|
You
can contemplate this tour after only a few days
touring experience. Skiing ability should be fairly
good as there is some steep skiing, and the powder
on this area is legendary. |
|
The
Guide will also try to develop your technical abilities,
allowing you to probe for crevasses, attempt route
finding, practice crevasse rescue and the use of
GPS equipment, & become efficient at avalanche
prediction. |
|
|
 |
Brief
Course Itinerary
The itineraries are for guidance, but should give an idea
of what you can achieve during the week. Each week this
course runs slightly differently to cater for your preferences,
the conditions, and where the best weather and snow is
to be found. The skiing is always based in the mountains
above the Italian Aosta valley, so previous weeks have
been based in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Monte Rosa
and Val Ferret areas. The focus is less on the high peaks,
and more about good skiing and amazing scenery.
|
 |
|
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 19:00 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
ski legs back and to test out their skis, whilst
many others opt to do a one day avalanche awareness
safety course. Night in Chamonix. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Monday
After meeting your guide in the morning, you are
driven through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy,
and to Planpincieux. Here you ski up the Val Ferret,
and then ascend right up the Armina valley. At its
head you skin up over the Pas Entre Deux Sauts and
down to the Malatra valley. Above the treeline is
the stunningly located Rifugio Bonatti, where you
stay for the night. Mara and her team are famed
for providing great food and the hut even has duvets
on the beds. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Tuesday
A fairly early start, and after a good breakfast,
you head up towards the Malatra pass, which is the
high col leaving the valley. This is the route leading
towards the Grand Saint Bernard monastery, and the
skiing is through amazing scenery. The ski tour
can be extended to loop around to near the Grand
Col Ferret, and you return to the Rifugio Bonatti
for the night. You can get a good warm shower in
the hut, and there are drying rooms for your clothes
too. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Wednesday
Ski back down to the valley, and drive a short distance
down the Aosta valley, to access one of the side
valleys such as the Val de Rhemes / Grisanches /
Savaranches. These run in parallel, and all offer
great ski touring options at their heads. Some of
the best huts to skin up to are the Bezzi or Benevelo
Rifugios, both of which are traditional and welcoming.
You settle in for the evening and enjoy a good meal,
before heading for bed in the mountain hut. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Thursday
An early start to take in a summit at the head of
the valley, with the best snow conditions. Many
of the peaks are around 3500m high, so you can ascend
a high Alpine peak, to get the best vertical drop
for the descent. You often descend to a different
mountain hut, to see another region, and obviously
to sample more food and wine! The huts in this region
are famed for having wine cellars and stores that
rival restaurants in the valley floor. Night in
hut. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Friday
Most groups go for a big day of touring, generally
closing the loop to cross the mountains back to
reach the minibus. This always involves a final
high pass to cross, and then skiing a different
route to the valley. For those with a ski mountaineering
focus, there is always the possibility of another
summit, if you feel the need to burn some of the
Italian food off! Drive back to Chamonix. Evening
social drinks then a celebratory meal, with the
final night in Chamonix. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Saturday
Breakfast
then the accommodation check out is by 10:00. Most
arrange their airport transfers to leave around
this time, to catch a flight from Geneva about midday. Depart for home.
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
Prices |
|
Standard
course |
5
full days IFMGA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
7 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday |
£1399 |
Live
availability |
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
|
 |
|
Secure
online booking system |
|
|
| Standard
Course Inclusions: 1)
IFMGA Mountain Guides for five days, 2) Chamonix course
hosts for logistics & briefings, 3) Pre course information
booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 5)
Two nights self-catered accommodation in Chamonix (inc. bedding
& towels), 6) Up to four nights half board accommodation
in mountain huts including three course cooked evening
meals. 8)
Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet, 9)
Road transport in Chamonix valley and to and from Italy. |
|
| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Cable Cars (not usually
required), 3) Ski hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone
calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts /
hotels / restaurants, 5) Activities insurance, & excess
baggage charges, 6) Sunday pre-dinner drinks & Friday
celebratory meal & drinks. |
|
| Group
sizes: 3 - 6 people per IFMGA
mountain guide. For group sizes of over 6 people, there
are multiple guides, and the teams travel independently
of each other. |
|
 |
|
| Upgrade
options |
|
Avalanche
Skills Day
£75 (throughout the season) |
To
learn avalanche prediction, reutschblocks and use
of avalanche tranceivers. Course is available on
any dates, either scheduled or private, details. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
