Haute Route Preparation Course: 24th March, 2012

Improve your off-piste skiing, learn how to use skins, avalanche transceivers and be safe on glaciers

Acclimatise to the high altitude before heading off on the six day trip to Zermatt

A great week of skiing in the Chamonix valley among stunning scenery

The Haute Route is the most famous ski tour in the world, and justifiably so with its daunting glaciers and towering peaks. But it is a tough ski tour and not really suitable for people with no previous ski touring experience.

This new course is designed to get you ready for the trip and give you the experience you need. It allows skiers and climbers time to acclimatise and practise the skills needed before joining our Haute Route group the following week. During your preparation we work on your off piste skiing technique and we teach you all the basic ski touring and mountaineering skills you may need to enjoy the Haute Route. But before you come you need to work on your fitness and make sure that you are in good physical condition.

This week also provides an ideal introduction to ski touring in the stunning setting of the Chamonix Valley, regardless of whether you choose to do the Haute Route the following week or not.

“.... this course was well thought through and really worked” - Mike and Chris

OUTLINE ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Fly to Geneva
Arrival in Geneva and minibus transfer to Hotel Couronne in Argentiere. We meet up in the evening to collect hire gear, chat with our guides and instructors and prepare for the week ahead.

DAY 2 - Ski Technique Brush-Up Workshop
We head off to the Flegere mountain where there is a good choice of easy pistes and gentle off piste itineraries. During the day we work through your ability to ski safely and in control and check over the basic ski movements of the stem turn, the snow plough, the kick turn, emergency stops and of course the more advanced turns you'll need in a variety of off-piste snow conditions.

DAY 3 - Off-Piste Ski Techniques and Safety
Your instructor takes you up to the head of the valley to the Le Tour ski area where there are wide open slopes and great snow. The morning is spent revising ski techniques before heading over in to Switzerland on the Les Jurs itinerary. This lovely off-piste route ends in a little Swiss village from where we get the train back to Argentiere. During the day you are instructed in the use of avalanche transceivers and avalanche rescue techniques.

DAY 4 - A Day Tour in the Chamonix Valley
You spend your first day on the Valley Blanche glacier accessed from the Aiguille de Midi cable car. You explore the glacier region and head off on your ski touring gear for the first time. We teach you how to use skins and ski touring bindings on a three hour diversion away from the main route.

DAY 5,6,7 - A Three Day Ski Tour
We head off on a three day ski tour today. We have not decided where this will be as it depends very much on the group's abilities and the weather and snow conditions. But during the following two days you learn:

• what you do and don't need to carry in your rucksac
• what to do in a mountain refuge
• how to stay safe in the mountains
• what to do in a crevasse emergency
• how to rope up and travel along glaciers safely
• how to ski downhill roped up (not easy, but worth a go just to see how hard it is !)
• how to use ices axes and crampons
• how to assess avalanche risk
• the basics of navigation and route planning

DAY 8 - Back to Geneva or a Rest Day !
Transfer to Geneva Airport or rest day before starting Haute Route.

If you are staying to complete the Haute Route click here to read the detailed dossier.

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 if 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
Ski Strap (for tying top of the skis together when carrying on rucksack)
Avalanche Transceiver
Ice Axe,
Crampons
Climbing Harness
Figure of 8
1 metre sling
Two screw gate karibiners

Clothing suggestions
Thermal underwear- 1 set as a base layer
Fleece
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof overtrousers
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. We are unable to provide equipment "last minute" so you need to book what you need well in advance.

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