Club Tours 2021
The situation regarding COVID-19 remains very unclear, particularly in relation to international travel and local restrictions. Tours and meets may have to be cancelled or substantially rearranged at short notice. Before deciding on whether to apply for a particular tour or meet, please assess your own tolerance to the COVID-19 risks involved and be aware of what your insurance does and doesn’t cover. When on a tour or meet, please follow local guidance.
| No | Dates | Title | Organiser | Grading | Status | Tour Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 - 8 Jan | Chamonix Season Starter | E2 S2-3 M1-2 | Available | 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. | |
| 2 | 9 - 16 Jan | Grimentz, Off-piste skiing | 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). 6 full days tuition. | |
| 3 | 16 - 23 Jan | Les Contamines Off-Piste Skills | E1 S3-4 M1 | Available | Skills training in the mornings. Afternoons for consolidation and confidence-building; maximising skiing with long, off-piste run plus coaching, as and when needed / requested. Open to both Alpine & Telemark skiers. | |
| 4 | 18- 21 Jan (with option of 22 Jan) | Chamonix Off-piste training |
Alison Thacker BASI Co-ordinator Julie Jones |
E1 S1-2 (6 places) and S3 (6 places) M1 | Available | Alison's group is now full for this week, but we have any additional group running with Derek Tate. Accessibly priced course based on the well-established "Ski Performance for Mountaineers". |
| 5 | 18 - 22 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. | |
| 6 | 26 - 28 Jan | Gressoney - Orestes hut |
Co-ordinator Chris Miles |
E1 S3-5 M1-3 | Available | This Club Meet is based at the Orestes Hutte in Italy’s Gressoney Valley close to the Monte Rosa ski area. It provides an opportunity for members to ski together with no fixed programme from a very comfortable hut. |
| 7 | 23 - 30 Jan | Val Mustair, Switzerland | E2-3 S2-3 M2 | Cancelled | Tour cancelled due to high Covid risk in the proposed accommodation. | |
| 8 | 23 - 31 Jan | Winter room traverse, Vanoise | E3 S4 M3 | Available | A winter traverse of the Vanoise National Park from Modane to Bourg St Maurice. For those who share a passion for quiet mountains, winter rooms, and nice lines. Commensurate with the climate crisis, participants must not fly to/from this tour. | |
| 9 | 23 - 30 Jan | La Rosiere |
Co-ordinator Nick Edwards |
E1-2 S3 M1 | Available | Off-piste training and skiing with an ESF guide in the La Rosiere - La Thuile area (Espace San Bernardo), possibly further afield if appropriate. Accommodation in apartments but with dinner provided in a local restaurant. |
| 10 | 23 - 29 Jan | Leaders' Training Week |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Co-ordinator Brian Horn |
E3 S3 M3 | Only available to those on the Potential Tour Leaders Programme | |
| 11 | 24 - 30 Jan | Off-piste and Touring Skills Week | E2 S2 M1 | Cancelled | 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 using ski lifts or taxis from Bivio. | |
| 12 | 28 - 29 Jan | Skiing and Snow Safety course | E1 S2-3 M1 | Available | Skiing and Snow Safety, looking for the best snow and gaining confidence with technique. | |
| 13 | 29 - 31 Jan | Argentiere Club Meet (Hotel Couronne) |
Co-ordinators Graham Dudley and 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 de La Couronne in Argentiere. This is a great opportunity for members to get together and agree their own objectives in comfortable surroundings. There is no formal plan for this weekend. |
| 14 | 30 - 31 Jan | Skiing and Navigation course | E1 S2 M1 | Available | Skiing and Navigation; how to get to the right place on snow and on ski. | |
| 15 | 30 Jan - 6 Feb | Beaufortain - in the tracks of the Pierre Menta |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Co-ordinator John Ring |
E2 S3 M1-2 | Available | We will ski from the small village of Areches, aiming to reach some of the summits that form part of the legendary ski alpinism race, but at a more leisurely pace! |
| 16 | 31 Jan - 6 Feb | Aosta valley day tours |
Paul O'Brien |
E1-2 S3 M1-2 | Cancelled | Tour reluctantly cancelled due to developing COVID-19 risks and travel restrictions. |
| 17 | 1 - 2 Feb | Skiing and Glacier Travel course | E1 S2 M1-2 | Available | Skiing and Glacier Travel; crevasse avoidance and what to do if someone falls in. | |
| 18 | 3 - 8 Feb | Val Clarée | E1 S2 M1 | Available | 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. Mid week start. | |
| 19 | 6 - 13 Feb | Day touring in Grimentz |
Stuart Johnston and Sonia Panchen (jointly led) |
E2 S3-4 M1-2 | Available | A return of the popular Grimentz day tours week, exploring the many options in the Val d’Anniviers. We will be based in a valley hotel, and touring with some lift assistance in the Grimentz, Zinal, San Luc and Chandolin areas. |
| 20 | 6 - 21 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. | |
| 21 | 7 - 14 Feb | Northern Macedonia Road Trip | E1-2 S3-4 M1-2 | Available | Balkan powder! Road trip format visiting 5 different mountain areas with lift- or snocat-accessed touring and full day tours. Untracked snow, few other skiers and a fascinating culture. Open to Alpine and Telemark skiers. | |
| 22 | 13 - 27 Feb | British Columbia, Kitmatt Range | E2-3 S2-3 M2 | Available | The plan is for a ski traverse between 4 pre-positioned camps travelling with lighter packs with two nights at some camps to take advantage of the good ski terrain. This will be a fully guided and catered trip with starting and ending point out of Terrace in Northern British Columbia . | |
| 23 | 19 Feb - 6 Mar | Club Exploratory Expedition, Georgia |
Susie Amann with technical input from Andy Perkins IFMGA |
E4 S3-4 M2-3 | Full | An expedition to explore little known mountains in Georgia with the aim of training potential leaders of club expeditions. |
| 24 | 20 - 27 Feb | Winter Room High Summits | E3 S2-3 M3 | Full | Starting from the Grand Hotel Kurhaus in Arolla and spending 2-3 nights in winter rooms. The mix of the week will include attempts on some 4000m peaks in the Valais and be quite an adventure! | |
| 25 | 20 - 27 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, with many lift systems within easy reach giving access to lots of good terrain for practising steep skiing techniques. | |
| 26 | 22 Feb - 2 Mar | Grand Traverse of the Vanoise | E3 S3 M3 | Full | 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. | |
| 27 | 27 Feb - 7 Mar | Exploring the Pitztal | E3 S3 M3 | Available | Day touring from Imst and the Taschachhaus. This is a tour for those looking for quieter routes in a high alpine landscape requiring a bit more independence. Lots of peaks and ridges to choose from including the Tirol’s highest, Wildspitze. | |
| 28 | 6 - 14 Mar | Albula Alps traverse | E2-3 S3 M2-3 | Cancelled | Reluctantly cancelled due to concerns around Covid security | |
| 29 | 6 - 21 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. | |
| 30 | 13 - 20 Mar | Dolomites - Lavarella Day Tours | E2 S3 M2 | Full | An unguided trip to the Dolomites, based on the Rifugio Lavarella. A wide range of day tours, with ascents of up to 1000m or so, are possible from the hut. The beer is very local as the Lavarella has the highest microbrewery in the Alps! | |
| 31 | 13 - 21 Mar | Beaufortain | E2 S3 M2 | Available | Day tours from a comfortable hotel or apartment in Beaufort or Arèches. Touring in non-glaciated terrain which has mostly escaped downhill skiing development. A liking for cheese based cuisine is essential! | |
| 32 | 13 - 20 Mar | Off-piste skiing, Grimentz | 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. | |
| 33 | 13 - 20 Mar | Queyras |
Rick Marchant IFMGA Co-ordinator Gordon Wooster |
E2 S2-3 M1 | Available | A second go at the Queyras, meeting and finishing in Guillestre. Day tours above St Veran with overnight stays at the Blanche and Col d'Agnel refuges. |
| 34 | 15 - 19 Mar | Young Members introduction to touring |
Hannah Burrows-Smith IFMGA Co-ordinator Emma Cairns |
E1 S2 M1 | Available | An introduction to touring for the younger members of the club. Two days are spent honing techniques from a valley base followed by a three day mini-tour to a mountain hut. Preference given to applications from those in the under-30 category! |
| 35 | 15 - 24 Mar | Gildeskal, Norway | E2 S3 M2 | Available | Based at a self-catering chalet south of Saltstraumen with about 30 tours within 45 minute drive. This is a much less frequented area than Lyngen for example. See Covid info on full description. | |
| 36 | 20 - 27 Mar | Western Oberland Haute Route | E2 S3 M2 | Available | 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. | |
| 37 | 20 - 27 Mar | Jotunheimen Haute Route | E3 S3 M2 | Full | A traverse of the Jotunheimen region in Norway, making use of the hut network with both wardened and self-service huts with some spare days for bad weather and/or ascent of summits. | |
| 38 | 20 - 25 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. | |
| 39 | 20 - 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 small lift areas. This week offers exciting day tours in the Arolla and surrounding area, with ascents of at least 1000m and descents of around 40 degrees or more. | |
| 40 | 20 - 27 Mar | Stuben am Arlberg: day tours and off-piste skiing | E1 S2-3 M2 | Cancelled | Day tours and off-piste skiing around this little-known but delightful area, using local trains and uplift for access from a valley base. Open to Alpine and Telemark skiers. With John Eames, BASI. | |
| 41 | 21 - 27 Mar | Val Ferret to Val d'Entremont | E2/3 S2/3 M2 | 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 who are not too driven by ambition! | ||
| 42 | 21 - 28 Mar | Vanoise Hut to Hut and Day Tours | E2-3 S3 M3 | A mix of hut-to-hut and day tours in this spectacular area. Starting in the Pralognan area, the tour will make use of whichever huts are available to give the best tour given the COVID restrictions. | ||
| 43 | 21 - 27 Mar | Reschenpass Day Tours, Hotel-based. | 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. | |
| 44 | 26 Mar - 3 Apr | Northern Norway Island Explorer | E3 S3-4 M2 | Full | This tour was cancelled in the 2020 season due to Covid. I'm sorry that all the places are taken by the participants from last year. Day tours off the beaten track in Arctic Norway. Daily ascents in the range of 900-1400m, self-catering or fully catered, with some motorboat transport for access. | |
| 45 | 27 Mar - 3 Apr | Introduction to Alpine Skiing, Arolla | E2-3 S2-3 M1 | Available | A week for people who would like to ski off the beaten track and venture deeper into Alpine country, or those with some touring experience who would like to refresh their skills. All necessary skills for safe alpine and glacier ski touring are covered. | |
| 46 | 28 Mar - 3 Apr | Saas 4000er's | E3 S3 M2 | 1 Place Left | 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. | |
| 47 | 10-17 Apr | Ortler | E2-3 S3 M2 | Full | Day tours from the Branca and Pizzini huts in this dramatic area. (Please note date change to avoid the Easter weekend) | |
| 48 | 3 - 10 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. | |
| 49 | 4 - 10 Apr | Eastern Oberland Haute Route | E3 S4 M4 | Available | A high-level traverse, in a very 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 an abseil. The ski to Rosenlaui is one of the finest in the Alps. | |
| 50 | 4 - 9 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. | |
| 51 | 6 - 10 Apr | Valpelline Day Tours |
Philip Jardine |
E3 S3 M3 | Available | The Rifugio Prarayer (2005m) at the head of the Valpelline is a refuge / hotel which gives access to long (1500m plus) ascent days. |
| 52 | 10 - 17 Apr | Northern Norway (Tromso to Alta) | E2 S3 M2 | Day tours in the remote northwestern fjords of Norway. Based on the classic and comfortable 168 foot sailing ship Rembrandt van Rijn starting in Tromsø and finishing in Alta. | ||
| 53 | 10 - 17 Apr | Iceland - Hut to Hut | E2-3 S2-3 M2 | Available | This will be a fun filled 7 day trip in the Troll Peninsula exploring some great ski terrain using huts. A mix of travel followed by a day skiing is planned to make the most of the terrain. There are many options for great lines on stunning mountains. | |
| 54 | 12 - 17 Apr | Relaxed Silvretta |
Andy Perkins IFMGA and Kathy Murphy IFMGA |
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! |
| 55 | 17 - 24 Apr | Valais 4000er's | E3 S3 M3 | Cancelled | Tour cancelled due to Covid, as the organiser cannot commit to it. | |
| 56 | 17 - 23 Apr | Bernese Oberland, hut-to-hut | E3-4 S3 M2 | Available | 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. | |
| 57 | 21 - 26 Apr | Vanoise hut-to-hut | E2 S3 M1 | Available | 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. | |
| 58 | 24 Apr - 1 May | Haute Maurienne, Glaciers and Steeps | E3/4 S/43 M2 | Available | Ascents of some of the finest peaks and descents of some of the steeper slopes in this stunning area between the Vanoise and Gran Paradiso. |