Italian
Snowshoe Weekend 2024
Based in the luxurious
Walter Bonatti mountain hut 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Course
overview |
 |
|
 |
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. |
|
Meet
at 9am on Saturday morning, for your guide
to check your equipment. We typically allow
up to an hour for this, before setting off.
This allows time for any last minute purchases
or hiring any kit as required. |
|
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. |
|
You
are led by an IFMGA International Mountain
Guide, 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. |
|
A
key feature of this trip, is spending a night
in a luxury mountain hut for the night. For
those who haven't stayed in a hut before,
this is more a gourmet mountain hotel with
duvets on beds, four course evening meals,
and a fully stocked bar! |
|
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. |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
| The
photos above give you an impression of what the 'hut'
is really like. It's more of a hotel on the mountainside
rather than a hut. It's warm, there are hot showers, a
boot drying room, and the views are amazing. There's plenty
of room, so you are comfortable, and the food is legendary.
The hut guardian Mara and her daughter Sara, run the hut
with military efficiency, but always with a warm welcome
and endless smiles. |
|
|
|
Brief
Course Itinerary |
| Sat |
Arrive
for a 9am 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. In the afternoon, before the evening meal, most
groups elect to head outside to either head higher
into the Malatra valley for acclimatisation, or
to take some more photos, and perhaps to learn how
to use the avalanche safety transceivers. Then you
return to the hut when 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 there
are two options to take here;
1) Pas Entre Deux Sauts - 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.
If you are still feeling strong, you can even ascend
to the summit of Tete Entre Deux Sauts, which takes
a further 30 minutes from the pass. After savouring
the views from the high pass, you loop down into
the upper Malatra valley again.
2) Col Malatra - you ascend on
a long traverse up to the left, following part of
the famous Tor des Geants trail, to the notch of
the Col Malatra. This is a truely wild place, and
is real backcountry snowshoeing. The descent is
to retrace your steps back to the upper Malatra
valley once more.
From the upper Malatra valley, you
descend 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. We always aim to be back by 16:00, so for
those flying out in the evening, airport transfers
can be booked for any time after 16:00. 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 17:00. |
|
|
| 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
Prices |
|
|
Standard
course
|
2
full days UIMLA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
2 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday |
£499 |
|
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 International Mountain
Guide 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) Logistics 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) Extra equipment hire
other than that which is included* in the course price
as
required, 3) Activities insurance, & excess baggage
charges. |
|
| Group
sizes: 2 - 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. |
|
|
Notes:
The loan of all technical equipment for each client
is included in the course price as required: snowshoes,
avalanche transceiver, avalanche probe and shovel.
|
|
| Upgrade
options |
|
Avalanche
Skills Day
£75
(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. |
|
|
|
Current
course availability
|
|
| Testimonials |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Press
& media |
|
|
|
|
| Films
& videos |
|
|
|
|
| Photo
gallery |
|
|
|
|
|
| Location
data for this trip |
|
|
 |
|
| The
trips all start in Chamonix valley in the French Alps,
at the foot of Mont Blanc. It is easily accessed via a
90 minute transfer from Geneva airport. |
|
Time
Difference
GMT +1hr |
Local
Currency
€ Euros |
Travel
from UK
1hr flight |
|
|
| Free
resources |
|
|
 |
FREE
Podcast
Starting
snowshoeing
This podcast lifts the lid on the fastest
growing winter sport of snowshoeing,
what equipment is required, what to
wear, and what avalanche safety kit
to use... |
|
|
|
|
|
| Equipment
advice |
|
|
  |
|
| Our
snowshoeing advice page (click
here) outlines the key equipment you should
bring. 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). |
|
| Photography
upgrade |
|
|
 |
|
| Some
clients choose to book on this trip and upgrade for a
professional outdoor photographer to accompany them, in
addition to the UIMLA guide leading the group. The photographer
costs £200 per day, including their stay in the
mountain hut, so is £400 extra for these two days.
This upgrade is split by those booking the photgraphy
upgrade. Key topics that are covered include; |
|
|
Packing
camera kit for use in the mountains, and winterising
it. |
|
Planning
for mountain weather, and the photographic opportunities. |
|
Evening
presentation in mountain hut about mountain photography. |
|
Lighting
issues for mountain and outdoor photography. |
|
Night
photography techniques in the dark outside the mountain
hut. |
|
Daybreak
shoot to catch the first rays of sunlight in the
mountains. |
|
Nature
/ humans photography in the mountains, and techniques. |
|
Photo
editing, digital photo storage, and your shot analysis. |
|
Selecting
equipment, and how to travel light in the mountains. |
|
|
| Suggested
reading and kit |
|
|
|
|
 |
View
full course equipment list,
with examples of kit, click
here |
|
|
| So
why choose us? |
|
|
|
We
are true specialists in snowshoeing. See our blog,
by clicking on the logo (on the right). |
|
|
Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather and conditions each day, so that
you maximise the amount of time spent skiiing each
day. |
|
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 IFMGA guides, and a resort
support team, who all want you to have the best
snowshoeing possible! For more details on the guiding
team and qualifications, please click
here. |
|
|
| Any further questions? |
|
|
A key part
of choosing a company is being able to come and talk about
your plans with an experienced course advisor face to
face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know our clients
value speaking to real people, getting open and honest
advice. The vast majority of our clients are British,
and our office and outdoor store is based in Windermere
in the English Lake District.
 
Get in
contact to arrange a meeting, and come in for a coffee
to discuss your course in person with a trip advisor.
Many people opt for this service, and it is an integral
part of what we offer, as we are keen to ensure that you
are prepared as possible, and that you select a course
that is suitable for you. It makes it easier and more
enjoyable for you and us, if you are on the right trip. |
|
