| OUTLINE
ITINERARY
DAY 1 -
Fly to Geneva
Arrival in Geneva and minibus transfer
to Val
Thorens in the Three Valleys.
Day
2 - Off-Piste in the 3 Valleys
Today
we use the lifts in the Three Valleys and ski a number of
off-piste itineraries. This gives us all a chance to warm
up. You will need to buy a day pass for the lift system. We
will have lunch at one of the many mountain cafes that the
area has to offer. During the day we practise with avalanche
transcievers to make sure that everybody in the group is familiar
with the ARVA that we will be using.
Day
3 - Val Thorens to Refuge de
Peclet Polset
Today we leave the ski resort behind and and head into the
backcountry. We use the lift system above Val Thorens for
easy access to the Glacier de Chaviere before climbing on
skins 300 meters to the Col de Gebroulaz below the Aiguille
de Peclet. From the col we make a long ski descent on the
secluded bowl before we climb up to the Col d'Aussios (2916m).
From the col we ski south east below the Cimes des Planettes
and on to the the old Chapel des Anges at 2308m. Then we climb
up to the refuge perched above the Plan d'Amont lake / reservoir.
Day 4 - Peclet
Polset to Refuge de la Dent Parrachee
We leave the refuge early in
the morning and head south east towards the second refuge
of the tour. The day starts with a short descent into a secluded
valley before we climb via the Pointe del Observations and
the Col d'Aussions at 2916 metres. Then we ski down through
the valley to the Dent Parrachee hut.
Day
5 - the Glacier la Mahure
We
head north today on a traverse across the southern end of
the Vanoise Glacier. We leave the hut and start a long climb
to the Col de Labby (3328m). From the col there are spectacular
views over the Vanoise massif and of our long ski route down
the Glacier la Mahure and the Glacier de l'Arpont to the refuge.
Day 6-
l'Arpont to Refuge Felix Faure
Today's route is the hardest of the tour and starts
with a long climb to the Dome des Nantes (3570m). Then we
traverse the Vanoise glacier via the Dome des Sonnailles,
Mont Pelve and the Col du Dard before skiing a long route
down to the Felix Faure refuge.
Day 7 - Felix Faure to Champagny
en Vanoise
Today we head back to civilisation and the town of Champagny
en Vanoise. First we climb northwards from the hut to the
Col de la Grande Casse (3096). If the group wishes we will
then attempt to ascend the Grande Casse (3855) before skiing
northwest down through the Paltieres valley to the Refuge
de la Gliere. After a quick drink we head on down the valley
to meet our transport and a lift to our hotel for the last
night on the tour.
Day 8 –
Travel home from France
We drive you back to Geneva by minibus to connect with flights
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
Ski Strap (for tying top of the skis together when carrying
on rucksack)
Avalanche Transceiver
Crampons
Ice Axe
Climbing Harness
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 (get a insulated pipe though)
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.
| Items |
Description |
Costs |
| Ski
Touring Pack |
includes:
skis, skins, ski crampons, poles, ski touring boots |
£110 |
| With
Own Boots |
includes:
all of the above but no boots |
£80 |
| Avalanche
Transceiver |
|
£30 |
| Snow
Shovel |
|
£15 |
| Climbing
Harness |
with
sling and karibiner |
£22 |
| Boot
Crampons |
to fit ski touring boots |
£22 |
| Ice
Axe |
|
£22 |
Please
remember to carry as little gear as possible. A heavy rucksack
will make the trip hard work and less fun.
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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.)
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| .....background
preparation |
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Maps
and Guidebooks
Your guide will carry all the maps
that the group needs but you may want to plan
or record your journey on your own copy. The most
practical maps for you to carry are:
The following sheets are recommended:
1). IGN sheet number 3534 Ouest
2). IGN sheet number 3634 Ouest
3). IGN sheet number 3533
All
produced by the Institute National Geographic
(IGN) at a scale of 1/ 25,000.
Alternatively
there is a 1/50,000 sheet called "Vanoise"
published by Didier Richard whhich coversd the
whole route.
You
can order maps and books online at: www.mapsworldwide.co.uk,
www.amazon.com,
or buythem at Stanford books in London.
Fitness and Skiing Standard
This tour requires that you should
be able to walk uphill for up to 4.5 hours a day
over moderate but varied terrain, gaining an average
of 1000 metres. Ski descents are on wide slopes
with plenty of space. This is an ideal tour with
those with little touring experience, but equally
good for experienced tourers wishing to visit
the area even though it is not technically demanding.
Group
Size: 1 group of 7 people.
Group
1: DAF Scale:D2:A1:F2
Questions
about this tour ? Email Simon
for help.
Mountain Guides and
Leaders
Your tour will be led by French UIAGM
mountain guide Remi Laborde.
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| .....travel
details & costs |
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Departure
Dates & Flight Details
We recommend
that you use the following Easyjet
flights:
Depart
12th April, 2008
Depart 12th April, flight 5023, 10.00 from London
Gatwick to Geneva; returning on 19th April, flight
5024,13.10 from Geneva to Gatwick.
Go
to www.easyjet.com to book your flights.
What
your Holiday Will Cost
£825
per person
£80 single supplement (payable
if you want a single room for the 3 hotel nights
on this tour)
Is
this your first ski tour ?
This year we are trialing
a new discount scheme for people trying ski touring
for the first time. If you book an Introduction
to Ski Touring course and a ski tour in the
same year we will reduce your overall bill by
£100.
Toured
with us Before ?
If
you have been ski touring with us twice or more
before you are entitled to a £40
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
We
collect you in our minibus free of charge if you
arrive on the flights we have recommended
above. If you choose a different flight you will
be responsible for your own transfer to the start
and from the end of the tour. Call for advice.
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| .....more
details |
| Accommodation
Quick List
Day
one: Hotel TBC
Day two: Hotel
TBC
Day three: Peclet
Polset hut
Day four: Parrache
hut
Day five: Arpont hut
Day six: Vanoise hut
Day seven: Hotel
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
-2 nights half board
at hotel
-5
nights full board accommodation in mountain huts
-mountain guiding fees and expenses
Not
Included in the Price
-International air
travel
-Hiring of equipment from the equipment list specified
for this trip
- Drinks and snacks at huts and hotels
- packed lunch for day 1 and 2
- ski lifts, buses or taxis needed
Spending
Money
Please
bring all money in local currency (Euros), 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. |
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