Club Tours 2020
| No | Dates | Title | Organiser | Grading | Status | Tour Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7-21 Sep | Chile |
Dave Smith / Zoe Fleming |
E3-4 S3 M2-3 | An adventurous trip to the Chilean Andes. Initially day tours in the Cajon del Maipo from a comfortable base in Santiago, then exploring the Yeso Glacier. | |
| 2 | 13-22 Dec 2019 | Tree skiing in Siberia: December 2019 | E2 S2-3 M1 | Available | Open your ski season in pristine taiga forests of Siberia. Cabin-based guided day tours. Warm and cosy cabins with traditional steam bath. | |
| 3 | 6-10 Jan | Chamonix day tours | E2 S2-3 M1-2 | Full | 5 days of tours based in Chamonix. You are free to arrange your own accommodation. There will be a morning pick-up and we will use a minibus to access the best snow in the area. | |
| 4 | 11-18 Jan | Grimentz off-piste | E2 S2-4 M1 | Available | 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). 6 full days tuition. | |
| 5 | 13-17 Jan | Chamonix off-piste training |
Alison Thacker Co-ordinator Louise Webb louiseolby@gmail.com |
E1 S1-3 M1 | Full | Accessibly priced course based on the well-established "Ski Performance for Mountaineers". Two groups: one S1-S2 and one S3. Contact Co-ordinator for more details. |
| 6 | 13-17 Jan | Vallorcine day tours | E2 S3 M2 | Available | 5 days of adventurous ski-tours and off-piste skiing based around the mountains above Vallorcine, Argentière and the Swiss village of Finhaut. | |
| 7 | 19-25 Jan | Off-piste and touring skills week | E2 S2 M1 | Available | An easy, hotel based, day ski touring/off-piste skiing week out of a lovely high (1769m) alpine village. Ascents of 500m to 800m max. Descents over easy to intermediate terrain. Off-piste skiing with touring skills training from using ski lifts or taxis from Bivio. | |
| 8 | 25 Jan - 1 Feb | Day tours from Scuol | E2-3 S2-3 M2 | Available | A week of day tours with the odd lift served day as weather and conditions dictate. The trip will be based out of the Scuol Youth Hostel and use trains and buses to get about in the valley. Potential for a night in a hut winter room if there is interest and conditions allow. | |
| 9 | 18 - 25 Jan | Les Contamines Off-piste Skills & Skiing | E1 S3-4 M1 | Available | Skills training in the mornings with long, off-piste runs in the afternoon. Open to both Alpine & Telemark skiers. | |
| 10 | 26 Jan - 2 Feb | Ski Coaching with Simon Christy |
Co-ordinator - Ali Bramall |
E3 S4 M3 | Full | Ski coaching with Simon Christy. 5 days of adventurous off piste training - couloirs, ridges and trees. Skiing in La Plagne, Valmorel or the 3 Valleys, using lifts and skinning to access good descents. |
| 11 | 27-30 Jan | Gressoney - Orestes hut |
Torquil Bennett Co-ordinator |
E1 S3-5 M1-3 | Available | Club Meet based at the Orestes hut in the Monte Rosa ski area. This is an opportunity for members to ski together with no fixed programme from a comfortable hut. |
| 12 | 30-31 Jan | Training Course - Snow Safety | E1 S2-3 M1 | Available | Skiing and Snow Safety: looking for the best snow and gaining confidence with technique. | |
| 13 | 1-2 Feb | Training Course - Navigation | E1 S2 M1 | Available | Skiing and Navigation: how to get to the right place on snow and on ski. | |
| 14 | 3-4 Feb | Training Course - Glacier Travel | E1 S2 M1-2 | Available | Skiing and Glacier Travel: crevasse avoidance and what to do if someone falls in. | |
| 15 | 31 Jan - 2 Feb | Argentière Club Meet (Hotel La Couronne) |
Bill Stephens with Jack Scriven |
E1-3 S2-5 M1-3 | Available | The sixth year of this popular weekend club meet for independent tourers based at the Hotel La Couronne in Argentière giving an opportunity for an early season get together with a Club dinner on the Saturday. Member to member or guided day tours with skills courses also available. |
| 16 | 1-8 Feb | Haute Maurienne - steep off-piste coaching & adventures | E2-3 S4-5 M1 | Available | A week of steep off piste coaching and adventures, based in Termignon, in the Maurienne valley. Bonneval, Val Cenis, Aussois, La Norma, Valfréjus and more are within easy reach, with great terrain to test out and work on steep skiing skills. | |
| 17 | 2-8 Feb | Aosta valley day tours |
Paul O'Brien |
E1-2 S3 M1-2 | Available | Based in a small hotel in St Pierre, and following the Argentière weekend meet, varied early season day tours in this valley rich with history and culture |
| 18 | 8-23 Feb | Gavarnie, French Pyrenees | E3 S3 M3 | Available | Day tours from a valley base mixed with short hut-to-hut tours into Spain and the Neouvielle region. | |
| 19 | 8-15 Feb | Off-piste training week, Klosters - Davos | E2 S3 M1 | Available | This week is for strong S3 skiers who wish to ski at a good pace in all kinds of snow! Good parallel technique and good fitness a must! Cozy Swiss wood chalet hotel with very good food. | |
| 20 | 10-15 Feb | Val Clarée | E1 S2 M1 | 2 Places Left | The Val Clarée is ideal for early season touring with comfortable huts and attainable summits. The valley lends itself to flexible days with ascents up to 900m, ideal for those looking for a low stress tour. | |
| 21 | 15-22 Feb | Romania |
Tomi Herceg |
E3 S3 M2 | Available | An adventurous tour in a little visited area (Rodnei Mountains). This tour will to a large extent be exploratory as most ski tourers head for the Fagaras and Bucegi massifs in Romania. The aim is find good snow and ski lines from the valley base. |
| 22 | 15-22 Feb | Tour Leaders' Course |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Co-ordinator: Phil Jardine |
E3 S3 M3 | 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 Phil Jardine. | |
| 23 | 23 Feb-01 March | Macedonia and Kosovo: Off-piste & Day Tours |
John Eames BASI |
E1-2 S3-4 M1 | 2 Places Left | Balkan powder skiing with lift or snowcat-assisted touring. Untracked snow, few other skiers and interesting culture. Open to Alpine and Telemark skiers. |
| 24 | 23-28 Feb | Winter Room Haute Route | 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. | |
| 25 | 24-29 Feb | Relaxed Silvretta | E1-2 S2 M1 | Available | 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! | |
| 26 | 29 Feb - 8 Mar | Val Formazza and Alpe Devero | E2 S3 M2 | Available | Day tours from huts in two valleys of the little-visited but beautiful Ossola region. | |
| 27 | 29 Feb - 7 Mar | Western Pyrenees | E2-3 S3 M2 | Available | Hut based circuit of the western end of the pyrenees from Lescun and into Spain through dramatic terrain. | |
| 28 | 29 Feb - 8 Mar | Val Stura | E3 S3 M2 | Available | Energetic day tours from two inexpensive hotel bases in the valley south of Valle Maira on the border with France. The area has all the qualities of Valle Maira, but, as yet, is less popular. | |
| 29 | 29 Feb - 7 Mar | Ratikon/Prattigau | E1-2 S2-3 M2 | Full | Day tours with ascents generally between 600-800m, but possibly one longer day, in a little visited area near the Swiss/Austria border. | |
| 30 | 29 Feb - 8 Mar | Exploring the Oztal, Austria | E3 S3 M3 | Available | This will be a mix of day tours and hut-to-hut with ascents between 800-1600m. | |
| 31 | 7-22 Mar | Benasque, Spanish Pyrenees | E3 S3 M3 | Available | Day tours and some overnight hut trips making the most of a flexible approach to weather and conditions. | |
| 32 | 8-15 Mar | Queyras/Monte Viso | E2.5 S3 M2 | Available | A mix of day tours with a few days hut to hut in Italy near Monte Viso. Start/Finish in St Veran. The St Veran area gives opportunities for non ski touring partners who enjoy snow shoeing/Cross Country to join us in the gite and refuges for some of the days - we can adjust the itinerary to suit. | |
| 33 | 6-14 Mar | Grand Traverse of the Vanoise | E3 S3 M3 | Available | This is a magnificent journey from Val d’Isère to Bessans via the Prariond, Carro, Evettes and Avérole winter rooms. The huts don’t normally open until mid March which adds to the adventure. | |
| 34 | 7-14 Mar | Juf and San Bernardino | E2 S3 M2/3 | Available | A day touring week exploring the Juf valley and the neighbouring San Bernardino area. Juf is a quiet and spectacular corner of Switzerland with the claim to be the highest inhabited valley in Europe. Self-catering accommodation using cars for flexibility. | |
| 35 | 14-21 Mar | Day Tours from Arolla | E3 S2 M2 | Available | Day tours from a traditional location in the heart of the Pennine Alps, for fit tourers who enjoy the uphill as well as the down. Most days will involve ascents of 1200m or more. | |
| 36 | 14-21 Mar | Grimentz off-piste | E2 S2-4 M1 | Available | 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). 6 full days tuition. | |
| 37 | 14-21 Mar | Silvretta | E2-3 S3 M2-3 | 1 Place Left | Straddling the border of Switzerland and Austria, the Silvretta offers fine glaciated ski-touring and is justly popular for flexible touring options and good huts. This classic hut-to-hut traverse of the Silvretta hopes to take in a number of summits along the way. | |
| 38 | 14-21 Mar | Queyras |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Co-ordinator: Gordon Wooster |
E2 S2-3 M1 | Full | Touring in a fascinating area of the Alps with stunning peaks. Option to be either valley based or spending nights in huts. |
| 39 | 15-20 Mar | Western Oberland Haute Route | E2 S3 M2 | 1 Place Left | 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. | |
| 40 | 21-27 Mar | Arolla, Slightly Steeper Week | E3 S4 M2 | Available | 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. | |
| 41 | 21-28 Mar | Stuben am Arlberg: day tours and off-piste skiing |
John Eames BASI |
n/a | Cancelled | Tour 41 as listed here will not be happening. Please refer to Tour No. 42 |
| 42 | 21-28 Mar | Club meet to Stuben am Arlberg (aimed primarily for Seniors) |
Simon Duvivier |
E1 S2-4 M2 | Available | Guided and unguided Day tours using lifts in the vast Alberg region of Austria. Hotel based. |
| 43 | 21-28 Mar | Val Ferret to Val d'Entremont | E3 S3 M2-3 | Available | A progressive tour from Val Ferret to Val d’Entremont using two winter rooms and the wonderful Grand St Bernard Hospice. For those of an adventurous spirit but not trophy hunters, it's about the journey not the glory! | |
| 44 | 21-28 Mar | Ortler | E2-3 S3 M2 | Available | Day tours from the Branca and Pizzini huts in this dramatic area. | |
| 45 | 22-27 Mar | Senja, Norway | E2 S3 M1 | Available | This island is a few hours south of Tromso. It offers great options for coastal Arctic ski touring, wild scenery and northern lights if you’re lucky! Self catered accommodation to keep costs reasonable. | |
| 46 | 22-28 Mar | Reschenpass day tours | E2 S3 M1 | Available | Day tours involving ascents of 3 to 4 hours a day and based out of an excellent family run hotel in Reschen (South Tyrol). Taxis and ski buses will be used. | |
| 47 | 25 Mar - 1 Apr | Oztal | E3 S2-3 M2 | 2 Places Left | 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. | |
| 48 | 27 Mar - 4 Apr | Jotunheimen Haute Route | E3 S3 M2 | Available | A traverse of the Jotunheimen region in Norway, making use of the hut network with both wardened and self-service huts. | |
| 49 | 28 Mar - 4 Apr | Tamok Dalen, Norway | E2-3 S3-4 M2 | Available | Day trips from a self-catered cabin in Tamok Dalen, a 30km surrounded by mountains up to almost 1600m, using a car to find the best conditions and descents. | |
| 50 | 28 Mar - 4-5 Apr | Northern Norway Island Explorer | E3 S3-4 M2 | Available | Day tours off the beaten track in Arctic Norway at 70°N exploring the remote islands of Arnøya, Kågen and possibly mainland Reinfjord which are all north of the Lyngen Alps peninsular. Daily ascents in the 900-1400m range. Self-catering or fully catered. | |
| 51 | 29 Mar - 5 Apr | Haute Maurienne, Glaciers and Steeps | E3 S3 M2 | Available | This tour is aimed at those who fancy skiing some steeper peaks on day trips, whilst undertaking the classic glacial traverse of this region. This tour is running slightly later than normal with the hope of finding more stable weather and snow conditions than recent years. | |
| 52 | 30 Mar - 3 Apr | Saas 4000er's | E3 S3 M2 | Available | 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 with a big glacier experience. | |
| 53 | 4-12 Apr | British Columbia Base Camp |
Owen Day ACMG Ski Guide |
E3 S3 M2 | Available | This trip is for keen skiers looking to explore and enjoy untouched alpine and beautiful scenery in a secluded base camp setting. Set amongst rugged peaks we’ll be able to access a wide variety of runs and loops while enjoying the comforts of a base camp. |
| 54 | 4-11 Apr | Val d'Aosta High Level Route (1) | E3 S3 M2 | Available | An East to West traverse of the southern watershed of the Val d'Aosta, from Champorcher to Morgex, via the Gran Paradiso; could be linked with the next week (Tour 59) to give a continuous round. | |
| 55 | 4-11 Apr | Ecrins - Traverse de la Meije | E3-4 S3-4 M3 | Available | A flexible tour of the Ecrins with the principle aim being the classic Traverse de la Meije and aiming for 1 or 2 more summits depending upon conditions. | |
| 56 | 5-10 Apr | Val d'Anniviers Hut to Hut | E2 S3 M2 | Available | A high-level hut-to-hut tour that travels amongst the spectacular scenery of rocky peaks and glaciers that surround the Val d'Anniviers, with the main objective being the ski-peak of the Bishorn, with either the Brunegghorn or Barrhorn as an acclimatising peak. | |
| 57 | 5-12 Apr | Introduction to Alpine Skiing, Arolla | E2-3 S2-3 M1 | Available | This week is for people who would like to ski off the beaten track and venture deeper into Alpine country, or for those with some ski touring experience who would like to re-fresh their skills. All necessary skills and techniques for safe alpine and glacier ski touring are covered. | |
| 58 | 5-11 Apr | Eastern Oberland Haute Route | E3 S4 M4 | Available | A high-level traverse, in a remote part of the eastern Bernese Oberland. Starting at the Jungfraujoch and finishing at Rosenlaui with one unwardened hut. The traverse to the Gaulihutte is technical and requires a 40m abseil. The ski to Rosenlaui is one of the finest in the Alps. | |
| 59 | 11-18 Apr | Val d'Aosta High Level Route (2) | E3 S3 M2 | 2 Places Left | A West to East traverse of the northern watershed of the Val d'Aosta, from Morgex to Gressoney via St Bernard and Monte Rosa; this tour could be linked with the previous week (Tour 54) to give a continuous round. | |
| 60 | 12-19 Apr | Introduction to touring hut-to-hut, Gran Paradiso | E2-3 S3 M2 | Available | Starting and finishing in the Aosta valley, two nights are spent in the Val di Rhemes then on to the Chiavasso hut and finally an ascent of the Gran Paradiso. A mix of hut-to-hut touring and day tours along the way. | |
| 61 | 12-25 Apr | Bugaboos to Rogers Pass | E4 S3 M3 | A classic tour along the crest of the Rockies with some camping and some huts. PLEASE NOTE THAT MEMBERS ON THIS TOUR WILL NEED TO MAKE SUITABLE INSURANCE ARRANGEMENTS AS THE REGION IS OUTSIDE THE AREA COVERED BY THE INSURANCE COVER FOR THE CLUB'S THIRD PARTY LIABILITY. | ||
| 62 | 18-25 Apr | Valais 4000er's | E3 S3 M3 | This tour aims for good skiing while climbing peaks in the Valais region. Beginning with acclimatisation on some 3000ers, the aim will be to finish with a couple of 4000ers. The tour will use one or two huts that each provide several options, rather than moving from hut-to-hut. | ||
| 63 | 19-26 Apr | Bernese Oberland | E3-4 S3 M2 | 2 Places Left | Hut to hut tour, starting in Fiesch then visiting the Konkordia, Finsteraarhorn, Monchjoch and Hollandia huts. Objectives include the Wyssnollen, Grosses Wannenhorn, Trugberg, Louwihorn and Abeni Flue. A beautiful ski down the Lotschental rounds the tour off. | |
| 64 | 22-27 Apr | Vanoise traverse | E2 S3 M1 | A demanding hut to hut tour in this beautiful national park. We will need good visibility and stable snow to complete the itinerary in full. Come with a flexible attitude! Note - this is a midweek start. | ||
| 65 | 2-9 May | Fairy Meadows, Canada | E2 S3 M2-3 | Full | Day tours from the Bill Putnam Hut, possibly guided. Potential for steep skiing in a magnificent setting. This tour is now provisionally full. | |
| 66 | 3-11 May | Kamchatka Sail & Ski | E2 S2-3 | Available | Get to know the legendary land of fire and ice in the Russian Far East through ski touring in a pristine bay. We will be based on a comfy sailboat and use a zodiac to observe sea lions and other wildlife between tours. |