...a late season ski tour around the Monta Rosa to Saas Fee

 

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Zermatt and Saas Fee 4000 metre peaks: 24th April 2010
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Spectacular high level traverse from Zermatt to Saas fee with great late season snow
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Climb a classic 4000 metre peak each day
- A tough tour moving at a fast pace across complicated terrain
 

Photo: Tom Hutton

This route criss crosses the frontier between Italy and Switzerland as we explore the highest peaks around the Monta Rosa area. The tour will provide a real challenge to fit and experienced ski tourers as it is at high altitude (as high as 4633m) and covers some steep and technical ground. During the week we will ski the Breithorn, Castor and the Zumsteinspitze on the Monta Rosa.

OUTLINE ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Fly to Zurich
This tour starts from Zermatt and the group will meet there at the Hotel Banhof (just opposite the train station). You could choose to fly to Zurich from where you can easily catch a train to Zermatt.

DAY 2 - Kliene Matterhorn - Breithorn - Champoluc hut
The first day of the tour starts with a cable car ride up to Kilene Matterhorn. From the top of the lift system the Breithorn (4164m) is an easy 4000 metre peak to get to - an ideal warm up day. The views are no less stunning though and the peak is really worthwhile. Best of all though is that we have a long ski down to the Champoluc hut from the top.

DAY 3 - Champoluc - Castor - Sella hut
We head to the Castor today (4221m) by the Piccolo glacier via the Messalama hut and the Felikhorn (4174m). We leave the skis before climbing a steep col on foot and then on to the Castor itself. We re-trace our steps and collect the skis before heading on to the Sella hut.

DAY 4 - Sella hut - Il Naso - Gnifetti hut
We cross the Felik glacier and the Lis glacier past Liskamms South face and carry on to the base of the Il Naso - a snowy dome at 4150 metres. We climb up the steep west flank of the mountain to a col and then on to the summit itself. We traverse the top of the peak to a South east ridge before climbing down on to the Lis glacier again and skiing on to the Gnifetti hut.

DAY 5 - Gnifetti - Signalkuppe - Zumsteinspitze - Monta Rosa hut
This is a big day - we head from the Gnifetti to one of the three peaks of the Monta Rosa - the Zumsteinsptze (4563m) - so we leave very early. First we head across the Garstelet galcier. Then we climb a small col near the Ludwigshohe - a fantastic spot among many 4000 metre peaks. After a short descent we climb to the Gnifetti col and on to the Zumsteinspitze at 4563m. If that was not enough we then have a long ski through complicated terrain across the Grenz glacier to the Monta Rosa hut.

DAY 6 - Monta Rosa hut - Adler Pass - Strahlhorn - Britannia hut
Another long day through stunning glaciers over to the Britannia hut above Saas Fee. We leave the Monta Rosa early and cross the Monta Rosa glacier to the Gorner glacier. From the entrance to the Gorner glacier we skin Northwesterly towards the Stockhorn pass and onto the Adler Pass. We have the option to climb to the summit of the Strahlhorn (4190m) before skiing down the Allalin glacier and across to the Britannia hut - reached after another short sharp climb.

DAY 7 - Britannia hut - Allalinhorn - Saas Fee
Our tour culminates with and asscents of a Saas Fee classic - the Allalinhorn - 4027m. The day starts with a simple skin along a flatish track to the top of the Felskinn ski lift (arrives from Saas Fee). We carry on up to the top of Mittelallalin and skin towards the Feejoch. We criss cross the steeper slopes before leaving the skis and climbing to the top of the Allalinhorn on foot. We re-trace our steps to the feejoch before skiing into Saas Fee, comfortable beds and a few beers.

DAY 8 - Fly back to UK
From Saas Fee we meet rail connections back to Geneva or Zurich to liaise with your flights home.

Please Note: This itinerary may be altered if conditions, weather forecasts or the overall fitness of the group are judged to put the safety of the group at risk. Pyrenean Mountain Tour Guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary without notice. These changes will be explained to the group as and when they occur.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING NEEDED FOR THIS TREK
We recommend that people joining this trek are equipped with the following:

Technical equipment
Ski Touring Skis with Touring Bindings
Ski Poles
Skins (with good glue!)
Ski Crampons
Crampons
Ice Axe
Ski Strap (for tying top of the skis together when carrying on rucksack)
Avalanche Transceiver
Snow Shovel

Clothing suggestions
Thermal underwear- 1 set as a base layer
Fleece
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof over trousers
Warm hat
Warm gloves
Warm walking socks
Sun hat or peaked cap
Sunglasses/Goggles

Other useful items
40-60 litre rucksack (needs side straps so that you can carry skis)
Head torch and batteries
Sun block for face and lips
Personal First Aid kit (plasters,compede, paracetamol)
Water bottle or Platypus
Penknife

Optional items
Change of clothing to include: underwear,tracksuit bottoms/ long-johns,dry shirt, spare socks.
Camera and film
Paperback novel
Maps
Ear plugs(there is always one snorer)
Snack bars/dried fruit/chocolate
Sheet sleeping bag (if you like them...)

Ski Touring Equipment Hire
Pyrenean Mountain Tours offer a full equipment hire pack. You can hire everything you need for this tour or individual items at the costs shown in the table below. Costs shgown are per week. We are unable to provide equipment "last minute" so you need to book what you need well in advance.

Items Description Costs
Ski Touring Pack includes: skis, skins, ski crampons, poles, ski touring boots £150
With Own Boots includes: all of the above but no boots £110
Avalanche Transceiver  

£40
Snow Shovel  

free
Climbing Harness with sling and karibiner

£30
Boot Crampons to fit ski touring boots £40
Ice Axe   £35

Please remember to carry as little gear as possible. A heavy rucksack will make the trip hard work and less fun.

 


Ski trips and more throughout Europe and beyond
Don’t let our name fool you: as well as Pyrenees trips, we can take you to the Alps, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Tatra Mountains and even further. In France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Poland, Slovenia…even Mongolia.

Downhill skiing, alpine skiing, off piste, telemark skiing, ski tours, ski touring snowshoeing, trekking, mountaineering, expedition training, motorcycle tours, expedition training, walking, activity holidays, canyoning, mountain biking, white water rafting, road touring, cultural tours and study – chances are we have just what you’re looking for. We can also arrange all accommodation, from a hotel or B&B to a self-catering apartment or gite.

Can’t see what you’re after? We’d be happy to arrange a bespoke trip for you.

 

Pyrenean Mountain Tours
2 Rectory Cottages, Rectory Lane, Wolverton,Hants, RG26 5RS, UK
tel and fax: (0044)(0)1635 297209, web: www.pyrenees.co.uk
(Pyrenean Mountain Tours is a trading name of European Mountain Holidays Ltd.)

 
.....background preparation

Maps and Guidebooks
 Your guide will carry all the maps that the group needs.

For a general ski touring book read Bill O' Connor's Alpine Ski Mountaineering, Volume 1, Western Alps. Or if you can find a copy his original ski touring textbook read Ski Mountaineering. Both are excellent.

You can order maps and books online at: www.mapsworldwide.co.uk, www.amazon.com, or buy them at Stanford books in London.

Fitness and Skiing Standard
 This tour requires that you should be able to walk uphill for up to 3 hours gaining an average of 800 metres. This tour is demanding because it is at high altitude and it is action packed... but it is not especially technically difficult.

General Notes: This tour is at high altitude and this will affect your performance if you are not fit.

Group Size: 1 group of 7 people

 DAF Scale:D2:A2:F3

Questions about this tour ? Email Simon for help.

 Mountain Guides and Leaders
Your tour will be led by one of our most experienced and qualified French UIAGM guides.

 
.....travel details & costs

Departure Dates & Flight Details
Depart 24th April
This tour starts and ends in Zermatt. We recommen that people joing this trip organise their own flight to Geneva or Zurich and travel directly to Zermatt by train. Please contact us for avdice.

Go to www.easyjet.com to book your flights.

What your Holiday Will Cost
£990 per person
£85 single supplement (payable if you want a single room for the hotel nights on this tour)

Toured with us Before ?
If you have been ski touring with us twice or more before you are entitled to a £30 discount. Please remind us when you book!

The Diary Discount
We know that lots of you keep diaries of your ski tours and we want to publish some of them ! Our aim is to have a link on each of our ski touring itinerary pages to a previous years diary of the trip. If we publish yours we'll pay you £15 (in the form of a discount on a PMT trip of course) for your trouble.

Transfer Arrangements
Transfers are by train from Geneva to Zermatt. This is a simple journey and the group will travel together. Transfer costs are not included in the tour price.
Contact our office for train schedules and recommended flights.


.....more details

Accommodation Quick List
 TBC

Please note: accommodation changes may have to be made if weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances make it necessary. We try to ensure that hotel rooms are twin bedded with en suite facilities but this is not always possible. If you pay a single supplement but do not receive a single room , then your money will be refunded on your return to the UK.

Included in the Price
-4 nights half board at hotel
-mountain guiding fees and expenses
- Helicopter drop on day three

Not Included in the Price
-International air travel to Switzerland
-Hiring of equipment from the equipment list specified for this trip
- Drinks and snacks at huts and hotels
- packed lunches
 - ski lifts, buses or taxis needed

Spending Money
Please bring all money in local currency (Swiss Francs), as there will be no opportunity to go to a bank en route. There is little opportunity to spend much on this trip other than on a few beers at the huts.