Club Tours 2019
| No | Dates | Title | Organiser | Grading | Status | Tour Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8-17 Dec 2018 | Tree skiing in Siberia December 2018 |
Anna Drozhzhina |
E2 S2-3 M1 | Completed | Open your ski season in pristine taiga forests of Siberia. Hut-based guided day tours. Warm and cosy huts with traditional steam bath. |
| 2 | 7-11 Jan | Chamonix day tours | E2 S3 M1-2 | Full | 5 days of day tours based out of Chamonix. You are free to organise your own accommodation. There will be a morning pick up and we will use a minibus to access the best snow in the Chamonix valley and surrounding regions. | |
| 3 | 14-17 Jan (with the option of 18th) | Chamonix off-piste training |
Alison Thacker (née Culshaw) BASI Coordinator - Tamsin Gray |
E1 S1-3 M1 | Full | Accessibly priced course based on the well-established "Ski Performance for Mountaineers". Develop off-piste performance and skiing with less effort in all conditions. Self catering. 12 people split into morning and afternoon groups |
| 4 | 14-18 Jan | Vallorcine day tours | E2 S3 M2 | Full | This week is now full but if there is interest for a second wee of this programme 21-25 January then contact me. 5 days of adventurous ski-tours and off-piste skiing based around the mountains above Vallorcine, Argentière and the Swiss village of Finhaut. | |
| 5 | 19-26 Jan | Pontresina day tours |
Paul Cook |
E2-3 S2-3 M2 | Full | A week of day tours with the odd lift served day when the weather dictates. Using the train to get about between St Moritz and the Bernina Pass. |
| 6 | 19-26 Jan | Gargellen off-piste skills | E1 S3-4 M1 | 2 Places Left | MORNINGS: skills input “If it is white, we will learn how to ski it!” AFTERNOONS: putting it in practice on long, lift-served off-piste runs. Benefit from a BASI instructor with 30 years of off-piste coaching & skiing experience; open to both Alpine & Telemark skiers. | |
| 7 | 19-26 Jan | Grimentz off-piste training | E2 S2-4 M1 | 1 Place Left | This course runs again 9th March, please see Tour 29. Still spaces on that week :-) Develop your off-piste skills and mountain awareness. A combination of ski coaching and guided day tours with Tom Saxlund (BASI 4) and Graham Frost (IFMGA guide). | |
| 8 | 20-26 Jan | Tour Leaders Course |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Coordinator - Brian Horn |
E3 S3 M3 | Full | This is a course reserved for members who have joined the Leaders Development Programme. Any spare places will be offered to existing Leaders. Led by Rick Marchant IFMGA and supported by ESC Leader Andrew Duncan. |
| 9 | 25-28 Jan | Monterosa / Gressoney club meet. |
Torquil Bennett |
E1 S3-5 M1-4 | 2 Places Left | DUE TO A CANCELLATION, ONE PRIVATE ROOM IS NOW AVAILABLE. Club meet based at the Orestes Hutte in the Gressoney/Monterosa ski area. |
| 10 | 31 Jan - 1 Feb | Skiing and snow safety | E1 S2-3 M1 | Full | First of three 2-day skills courses spanning the Argentière meet week end (below). The aims of this course are to ski the best snow without getting ourselves avalanched and have more fun by feeling more comfortable and confident with our ski technique. | |
| 11 | 1-3 Feb | Argentière (Hotel de la Couronne) |
John Hayward |
E1-3 S2-5 M1-3 | Full | Fifth year of this popular week end club meet for independent tourers based at the Hotel de La Couronne in Argentiere. The focus is on member to member day tours (and a good dinner), but with the opportunity to join guided days on Saturday 2nd February and Sunday 3rd February as conditions permit. |
| 12 | 2-3 Feb | Skiing and navigation | E1 S2 M1 | Full | The aims of this course are to navigate to the right place with an emphasis on the techniques required on snow and on skis, and to ski there more easily - looking and feeling better about it. | |
| 13 | 4-5 Feb | Skiing and glacier travel | E1 S2 M1-2 | Full | This course will cover the skills needed to ski glacial snow, and how to avoid slots and learn what to do if someone goes in. | |
| 14 | 4-9 Feb | Aosta valley day tours |
Paul O'Brien |
E1-2 S3 M1-2 | Cancelled | Based in St Pierre in a small hotel and following the Argentière weekend meet. We will gather on Sunday evening and have five days ski touring i.e. Monday to Friday. Some lift assisted off-piste if the weather is poor. |
| 15 | 9-23 Feb | Spanish Pyrenees Benasque and Val de Boí | E3 S3 M3 | Full | Day tours from roadheads, staffed and unstaffed huts in the Benasque and Val de Boi areas searching out the best snow and peaks. | |
| 16 | 16-23 Feb | Klosters - Davos | E2 S3 M1 | Full | This week is for strong S3 skiers who wish to ski at a good pace in all kinds of snow! Good parallel skiing technique and good fitness a must! Cozy Swiss wood chalet hotel with very good food. | |
| 17 | 16-23 Feb | Simplon pass | E2-3 S3 M2-3 | Completed | Day tours from the Simplon pass (Monte Leone etc) ideally prioritizing some sections of the Tour Soleil and Ossola Haute Route towards Realp. | |
| 18 | 16-23 Feb | Macedonia & Kosovo: off-piste and day tours | E1-2 S3-4 M1 | Full | Powder in the Balkans! Lift or snowcat-served off-piste and touring. Expect untracked snow, few other skiers, stunning terrain, fascinating culture and a wonderful welcome! Open to Alpine & Telemark skiers. | |
| 19 | 21-28 Feb | Val Stura |
Michael Aldridge |
E3 S3 M2 | Full | Exploratory and hopefully energetic day tours from an inexpensive hotel base in the valley south of Valle Maira. The area is reputed to have all the qualities of Valle Maira, but, as yet, is less popular. Note this tour starts mid-week. |
| 20 | 23 Feb - 1 Mar | Chamonix to Zermatt Winter Room | E3 S2-3 M2 | Full | The more adventurous way to tackle the classic Chamonix - Zermatt Haute Route! Before the main season most of the huts are still closed and the mountains deserted. | |
| 21 | 2 Mar - 9 Mar | Exploring the Stubaier Alpen | E3 S3 M2 | Completed | We will use huts during the week when they are quiet and keep to B&B in the valley for the weekends. We will retain flexibility during the week to maximise the skiing and find the best snow available. 800m to 1500m ascent per day. | |
| 22 | 3 - 10 March 2019 | Maurienne valley - steep off piste | E2-3 S4-5 M1 | Full | A week of steep off-piste coaching and adventures. The lift systems of Bonneval, Val Cenis, Aussois, La Norma and Val Frejus are all within easy reach, with great terrain to test out and work on steep skiing skills, and endless touring possibilities too. | |
| 23 | 7-15 Mar | Vanoise High Level Traverse | E2 S3/4 M3 | Completed | A high level hut to hut tour of the Vanoise. As this is quite early in the season some huts may not be guarded. Glaciated travel and some good peaks are possibilities including La Grande Casse (S4). | |
| 24 | 9-16 Mar | Western Oberland |
Terry Ralphs IFMGA |
E2 S3 M2 | Full | Traversing the alpine range between the villages of Les Diablerets and Kandersteg. This is a delightfully scenic hut to hut tour offering fantastic ski descents in a quiet corner of Switzerland. |
| 25 | 9-16 Mar | Val Formazza | E2 S2-3 M1 | Full | The Northern most point of the Italian Piemont, easily accessible by car from Malpensa. A quiet valley with a reputation for good huts and plentiful snow. Day tours up to 1200m from the Maria Luisa and the Margaroli refuges. | |
| 26 | 10-17 Mar | Val Maira |
Paul Karas |
E3 S3 M2 | Completed | Ski touring in the Val Maira based in hotels and guarded refuges (e.g. Refugio Viviere, Campo Baso). Hopefully, if the weather and snow are good, we can explore some of the higher peaks on the French border as well as the excellent lower peaks. |
| 27 | 9-16 Mar | Engadine |
Rob Collister |
E2 S2 M2 | Full | Member-led tour in a relatively quiet corner of eastern Switzerland. Starting in Bivio, crossing the watershed to Maloja (birthplace of the Eagle Ski Club) and spending three nights in the Forno hut near the border with Italy. |
| 28 | 10-17 Mar | Tour of Mont Thabor, Maurienne | E3 S3 M2 | Completed | Hut to hut tour circumnavigating Mont Thabor including the ascent of Mont Thabor and other peaks as conditions permit. The tour will run directly after tour 22, Sunday-Sunday (note the change from the original Saturday start). | |
| 29 | 9-16 Mar | Grimentz off-piste training | E2 S2-4 M1 | Full | Develop your off piste skills and mountain awareness. A combination of ski coaching and guided day tours with Tom Saxlund (BASI 4) and Graham Frost (IFMGA guide). | |
| 30 | 16-31 Mar | French and Spanish Pyrenees: Aure valley and Bielsa | E3 S3 M3 | Full | Day tours and a 3 hut tour in the St Lary Soulan area before heading over the border to Bielsa to tackle some of the 3000m peaks of Spain. | |
| 31 | 16-23 Mar | Ortler | E2 S2-3 M2-3 | Full | A twin hut trip with day trips from each hut, using 2-3 nights in each of the Branca and Pizzini huts. One place was recently available, but has now bee taken. | |
| 32 | 16-23 Mar | Stuben am Arlberg: day tours and off-piste skiing | E1 S3-4 M2 | Full | Day tours and off-piste discovering the delights of this quiet and under-used yet superlative area, using uplift and local trains for access from an excellent valley base. Open to Alpine and Telemark skiers. | |
| 33 | 16-23 Mar | Ötztal | E3 S2-3 M2 | Full | One of the classic hut to hut circuits in the Alps, with flexible objectives depending on weather and conditions, hopefully including the Wildspitze, the highest peak in the Tyrol. | |
| 34 | 16-22 Mar | Arolla - Slightly Steeper Day Tours | E3 S4 M2 | 2 Places Left | The Val d'Hérens has lots of challenging skiing accessed by touring from the 3 lift areas. This week explores the more exciting day tours in Arolla and surrounding areas. For skiers who can ascend 1000+m and ski 40 degrees. | |
| 35 | 24-30 Mar | Pontresina - St Moritz | E2 S3 M1 | 1 Place Left | A combination of a hotel based, easy ski touring week with some off-piste skiing again in Pontresina. With good hotel accommodation and low priced ski area passes. | |
| 36 | Wednesday 20th -27th March | Stubai | E2 S3 M2 | Full | Stubai Alps: A hut to hut tour with day tours from some huts. The aim will be to take in some summits with up to 1200m ascents. | |
| 37 | 23-30 Mar | La Grave couloirs |
Joe Vallone IFMGA Coordinator Jack Fraser |
E2 S4-5 M2-3 | Full | Young persons steep skiing week. Developing skills of ski technique, rope work and avalanche safety. |
| 38 | 23 -30 Mar | Gargellen (Austria) club meet |
Simon Duvivier |
E1 S2-3 M1 | Completed | A repeat of the successful 2018 visit to Gargellen but at a later date in the season. Some easy lift assisted day tours are planned suitable for seniors with up to 600 m skinning but with 1000m or more of descent. |
| 39 | 23-30 Mar | Norway: Narvik and Lofoten | E3 S3-4 M2 | Completed | Day tours from a comfortable base by the sea in one of the finest ski touring destinations in Norway. Daily ascents up to 1500m for strong skiers. Can be combined with the Lyngen tour the following week. | |
| 40 | 24-30 Mar | Bivio - Julierpass | E2 S2 M1 | Cancelled | An easy, hotel based, day ski touring week out of a lovely high (1769m) alpine village. Ascents of 500m to 800m max. Descents over easy to intermediate terrain. Good hotel and ideal for older Eagles still wishing to ski tour but at a very relaxed pace. | |
| 41 | 26 Mar-5 Apr | Silvretta | E2-3 S3 M2 | Full | A classic hut-to-hut traverse of the Silvretta, taking in a number of summits along the way. Several extra nights are planned so that we can do additional day-tours from a couple of the huts during the traverse. | |
| 42 | 30 Mar - 6 Apr | Grand St Bernard and Mont Velan | E2 S3 M3 | Full | A hut to hut tour, starting and finishing in Bourg St Pierre. We’ll stay at the spectacular Grand Saint Bernard Hospice and the Cab du Velan and hope to climb Mont Velan. | |
| 43 | 30 Mar - 6 Apr | Haute Maurienne: glaciers and steeps | E3 S3 M2 | Full | Slightly later in the season with the hope of finding more stable weather and snow conditions than recent years. Ascents of some of the finest peaks and some of the steeper descents in this stunning area between the Vanoise and Gran Paradiso National Parks. | |
| 44 | 29 Mar -7 Apr | Norway: Lyngen Alps |
Ali Bramall |
E2-3 S3-4 M2 | Full | Day tours from a lovely house, located between Lyngsiedt and Koppangen on the east side of the peninsula. Eight days of skiing, which can be combined with the Narvik tour the previous week. |
| 45 | 31 Mar - 5 Apr | Saas 4000m |
Terry Ralphs IFMGA Coordinator Brian Mead |
E3 S3 M2 | Full | A circular high level ski tour, from Saas Fee, climbing the 4000m peaks of the Allalinhorn, Strahlhorn and Alphubel. This is a demanding high altitude ski tour and will give a big glacier experience. |
| 46 | 1-6 Apr | Northern Stubai | E2 S3 M1-2 | 1 Place Left | A traverse of the Stubai from south to north. We start in the Stubaigletscher ski area and take in cols and peaks as appropriate, finishing in Kuhtai. | |
| 47 | 20-27 April | Alpine Ski Touring Training - Arolla ***UNFORTUNATELY THIS TOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF UPTAKE. | E2-3 S2-3 M1 | Available | For people who would like to ski off the beaten track and venture deeper into alpine country or to improve or refresh your skills if you have some touring experience. All necessary skills and techniques for safe glacier travel are covered. | |
| 48 | 6-13 Apr | Stubai | E3 S3 M2 | Full | Hut to hut tour in the Northern Stubai, starting in Gries im Sulztal and ending up in Horlachtal via the Winnebachsee, Westfalenhaus and Neue Pforzheimer huts, with a day tour from each the first two huts. | |
| 49 | 6-13 Apr | Val d'Anniviers | E2 S3 M2 | Full | A high-level hut-to-hut tour amongst the spectacular rocky peaks and glaciers that surround the Val d'Anniviers, with the main objective being the ski-peak of the Bishorn, with the Brunegghorn, Barrhorn and the Blanc de Moming as additional ski peak options. | |
| 50 | 7-12 Apr | Relaxed Silvretta | E1-2 S2 M1 | Full | This tour is for Eagles looking for a relaxed approach. For those needing a rest or a shorter day, we have consecutive nights in some of the most comfortable huts in the Alps! | |
| 51 | 6-14 Apr | Norway (Tamok Dalen) |
Andrew Duncan |
E2-3 S3 M2 | Full | Day trips from a self-catered cabin in Tamok Dalen, a 30km valley surrounded by mountains of up to almost 1600m, using a car to find the best conditions; with an emphasis on interesting descents. |
| 52 | 13-20 Apr | Introductory Hut to Hut tour: Gran paradiso | E2-3 S3 M2 | Full | Starting and finishing in the Aosta valley, heading into the Val di Rhemes for two nights. Then we head eastwards to Pont via the Chivasso hut and the main Gran Paradiso massif. Some days will be hut to hut, others will be day tours returning to the same hut. | |
| 53 | 14-19 Apr | Miage | E2 S3 M1 | 1 Place Left | A star tour from the Conscrits hut with classic glacial objectives such as Mont Tondu, the Col des Glaciers and the Domes de Miage | |
| 54 | 20-27 Apr | Piz Bernina | E3 S3 M4 | Full | Anticlockwise route via Coaz hut (2 nights) and Marco e Rosa and/or Marinelli Bombardieri hut (3 nights in total). Great skiing, glaciated terrain and, hopefully, a Piz Bernina (4049m) ascent. | |
| 55 | 27 Apr - 4 May | Bernese Oberland | E3/4 S3 M2 | Full | Starting in Fiesch. Nights will be spent in the Konkordia, Finsteraarhorn, Monchjoch and Hollandia huts. Objectives will include Wyssnollen, Grosses Wannenhorn, Trugberg, Louwihorn and Abeni Flue. Finishing with a ski down the Lötschental. | |
| 56 | 27 Apr - 10 May | Swiss 4000s | E3 S3 M3 | Full | Two weeks of 4000m peak bagging around the Valais / Oberland. | |
| 57 | Late April TBC | Iceland | E3 S3 M3 | Cancelled | Sail and ski trip in Iceland's NW fjords. A repeat of the popular trip to Isafjordur of Easter 2013. 6 days of skiing from the Aurora sailboat off the Hornstrandir peninsula for around £1700 or less if we fill the boat (as last time). | |
| 58 | 23-30 April and 30 April – 7 May | Greenland Wild West | E2 S3 M1 | Full | This newly discovered area on the west coast of Greenland is perfect for ski touring. We are based in a catered hut for the week, surrounded by 1000m mountains with descents at all levels. | |
| 59 | Apr 29 - May 5 TBC | Iceland (Troll peninsula) | E2-3 S3 M2 | Cancelled | Unfortunately I’ve had to cancel the Iceland trip in the spring due to work and family commitments. It’s become unrealistic to put together a trip and a later date when I'm available wouldn't be in the interest of the membership. | |
| 60 | 11 May - 2 Jun | Yukon Steele - Lucania group | E4 S3 M4 | Full | A 3-week ski mountaineering expedition to peaks at the head of the Steele and Spring Glaciers in the Canadian Yukon. Possible summits include Mt Steele (5100 m) and Mt Lucania (5240 m). |