Chamonix ski

One, two or 10 days skiing in Chamonix? The terrain is big and the options are multiple. Well known for the steep and alpine skiing, yes but that's just a part of it. There's a lot of options for beginners and intermediates as well. Resort skiing, freeride, skitouring, ski mountaineering..

Period - Itinerary

DECEMBER to MAI

A customized plan adapted to your wishes and abilities. From discovering the local resorts to skitouring up the high mountains on the glaciers. We offer, skitouring, ski mountaineering, freeride, over night tours, steep skiing, etc.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

All levels!

Price - included/not included

160.- EUR per person for a group of 4

200.- EUR per person for a group of 3

300.- EUR per person for a group of 2

550.- EUR for one person 

Bigger groups are also possible adapting the itinerary.

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear when necessary 

Not included 

  • Your personal gear 
  • Lift ticket 
  • Everything else not written on 'included' 

Vallée Blanche

The most famous ski run in the Alps is a must-do. It's a long run on glaciated terrain, navigating through crevasses in a  spectacular alpine setting. 

Period - Itinerary

JANUARY to end of APRIL

From the top of the Aiguille du Midi cablecar, we first rope up and attach our skis to our backpacks to walk down a snowy path aided with a fixed rope for about 15 minutes to reach a flat place where we start skiing.

From there we ski on the glacier close to big crevasses and stunning landscape for about 12 km and 2000m vertical to the Montenvers station.

If there's enough snow to ski all the way to Chamonix we keep going on the glacier and then we hike up the moraine for about 25 min to reach the last slope to town. If not we stop at Montenvers and we take a lift + the train back to town.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 3/5

You have to be able to ski any slope in the resort in a safe way and you need experience skiing off-piste. It's not steep but you need to control every turn as there are crevasses on the sides in some parts. You also need to be able to ski any kind of snow as the ground isn't groomed or prepared.

Endurance 3/5

It's a long run starting in high altitude and there's no way back. Once you start you have to go all the way.

Price - included/not included

160.- EUR per person for a group of 4

200.- EUR per person for a group of 3

300.- EUR per person for a group of 2

550.- EUR for one person 

Included

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • Harness for everyone 
  • All team gear

Not included 

  • Personal gear
  • DVA (obligatory)
  • Crampons (depends on conditions)
  • Lift ticket 
  • Everything else not written on 'included'

Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt

Every spring many skiers set their goal to join the two main alpine villages by skitouring from one valley to the other over the mountains. This popular traverse takes you over passes, glaciers, gulleys and valleys with a renovated view every day in week long journey.

Period - Itinerary

Mid MARCH to end of APRIL 

Day 1 - We take the Grands Montets lift and climb over the col de Rachasses into the Argentière glacier and to the Argentière hut.

Day 2 - We climb the Col de Passon and then the Col du Tour into Switzerland and to the Trient hut.

Day 3 - After a short climb we ski all the way to Champex and take a transfer to Verbier. We use the lifts and then pass over a few saddles and ski to the Plafleuri hut.

Day 4 - We traverse the slopes above the Dix lake and then make our way to the Dix hut.

Day 5 - We climb the Pigne d'Arolla (highest summit of the trip) and descend to the Vignettes hut.

Day 6 - We climb over 3 mountain passes and then a long traverse below the Matterhorn North Face to make our way to Zermatt. From here we take the transfer back to Chamonix.

This haute route can be adapted to make it shorter or longer. Also has a few options to change the itinerary skiing through other valleys and overnighting in different huts. It's also possible to skip some or all the huts and sleep in hotels in the towns.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 4/5

We need to be efficient on skitouring, changing from skiing into skinning, making kick turns, using ski crampons and boot crampons, skiing all kind of snow and conditions. Being familiar with using ice axe, rope and rappel would be great.

Endurance 4/5

We have to do a fair amount of uphill and downhill day after day, including many changeovers which makes for 5 to 8 hour days.

This is for you if you are comfortable on skitouring and you're looking for the most famous week long ski trip in the Alps. In a tour like this you can't expect good snow or weather every day, you have to be also looking for enjoying the landscape, the exercise and the chill moments in the huts.

Price - included/not included

Ideally for a group up to 4 people + guide. But it can be possible up to 6 people + guide in certain conditions.

1500.- EUR per person for a group of 4 + guide

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear 

Not included 

  • Personal gear 
  • Lift tickets
  • Half board on huts or hotels
  • Transfers (Champex - Verbier and Zermatt - Chamonix)
  • Everything else not written on 'included' 

Ski touring introduction course

Have you been skiing for some time on the slopes and you're wondering how is it to go up the hills with your own power and ski wherever you want? Well, you should start skitouring. 

Period - Itinerary

DECEMBER to APRIL 

2 days or 4 days where we learn the fundamentals of skitouring and we get to ski the beautiful Chamonix playground.

On the first day we learn the technique of skinning and how to use the avalanche transceiver. On the second day we choose a skitour which is adapted to the abilities of the group. Day 3 and 4 we will make a longer skitour with an overnight in a mountain hut.

The itinerary will be adapted to the weather, conditions and group abilities but could be something like this:

  1. Introduction day at Brevent/Flegere
  2. Col de rachasses, top of Grands Montets
  3. Hike to Refuge Loriaz and ski around there
  4. Col de la Terrace and back

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 1/5

This course is for someone who doesn't have any (or little) skitouring experience but can ski correctly on the slopes. 

Endurance 2/5

You don't need to be well trained but it's always better if you are, as you can get more of it.

Price - included/not included

For the 2 day version:

600.- EUR per person for a group of 2

400.- EUR per person for a group of 3

330.- EUR per person for a group of 4 

For the 4 day version:

1200.- EUR per person for a group of 2

  900.- EUR per person for a group of 3

  700.- EUR per person for a group of 4

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear 

Not included 

  • Personal gear (skitouring gear + avalanche gear)
  • Lift tickets
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'included' 

 

Ski mountaineering/ steep skiing

Many skitours combine skinning up the hill and then attaching your skis to your backpack to use your crampons and ice axe and climb a gulley or to a summit. Alpine skills are required for ski mountaineering.

Period - Itinerary

From DECEMBER to MAI 

Depends on the chosen route. As an exemple skiing the ENSA couloir or the Cosmiques couloir takes around half a day and involves rappel technique and steep skiing (~45°-50°) but they are both lift access and no need of hiking.

On other hand there's the Aiguille d'Argentière summit which involves a night on a hut and over 1500 meter uphill. As well as the use of crampons, ice axe and rope.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

This is for you if you want to combine skiing with alpine techniques. For some itineraries you don't need to have any previous experience and for others you'll need to be a very solid skier.

Price - included/not included

Steep skiing is mostly done in a 1:1 ratio, for the classic tours 600.- EUR for 1 or 2 people

The price can vary depending on the lenght and difficulty of the tour.

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear 

Not included 

  • Personal gear 
  • Lift tickets 
  • Everything else not written on 'included' 

Spring skiing 4000 m Peaks

When the spring arrives and the days are longer and warmer, and avalanche risk tends to be lower we start climbing up the high mountains and ski. Mont Blanc is the highest summit in the Alps and therefore very demanded but there are many more.

Period - Itinerary

APRIL and MAY

As an exemple the Grand Paradiso is a classic spring skitour. As there are no lifts you have to hike from the valley. It's a two-day tour starting with a 2-hour skin the first day to the Vittorio Emanuele or to the Chabot hut. Next day about 3½ hours to the pass before the summit. There we leave the skis and put on the crampons to reach the summit by a short but airy ridge. Then more than 2000 meters of skiing to the parking.

Difficulty - Is this for you?

Technical level 3/5

Endurance 3/5

Price - included/not included

Depends on which summit. For the Gran Paradiso

450.- EUR per person for a group of 4

550.- EUR per person for a group of 3

650.- EUR per person for a group of 2

1200.- EUR for 1 person

Included

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear

Not included

  • Personal gear
  • Lift ticket
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'included'

Saas Fee Spring Skitour

A 4 day tour where we have the possibility of skiing some 4000m peaks. Big glaciers, high summits and two different mountain huts to chill after long days.

Period - Itinerary

APRIL and MAY

Day 1 - We take the lifts in Saas Fee to climb the Allalinhorn 4027m and then head to the Britannia hut where we will spend two nights.

Day 2 - We drop into the Allalinglacier and make our way to the Strahlhorn 4190m and back to the hut.

Day 3 - We pass over the Allalinpass and head to the Rimpfishhorn shoulder at 3999m, then we ski to the Täsch hut.

Day 4 - We climb the Alphubel 4206m and back to Saas Fee.

Difficulty - Is this for you?
  • Technical level 4/5

You have to be very used to skitouring. Quick and efficient on changeovers. At ease on kick turns and wearing crampons on your ski boots.

  • Endurance 4/5

Over 1000 meters uphill everyday and on high altitude demands to be very fit.

*The program describes a challenging skitour with many 4000m peaks but it can be adapted to more 'classic' skitour options which makes it more suitable to larger groups or less experienced skiers.

Price - included/not included

From 250 CHF per day per person 

Price on demand depending the number of people, days, program, etc.

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide 
  • All team gear 

Not included 

  • Personal gear 
  • Lift tickets 
  • Hut expenses 
  • Everything else not written on 'included' 

Berner Oberland Haute Route

This circuit has the particularity of spending the hole time in high altitude, we're almost always above 3000m and that makes a great option for late spring skiing. A 5-day trip where we spend 4 nights in beautiful suisse mountain huts.

Period - Itinerary

APRIL and MAY

Day 1 - We meet in Grindelwald to take the train to Jungfraujoch and we ski to Konkordiaplazt and then we pass the Grünhornlücke to the Finsteraarhorn hut. ↗️650m ↘️1300m

Day 2 - This day we ski around the hut, for exemple the Grosses Wannenhorn 3906m, and get back to the hut for the night. ↗️1200m ↘️1200m

Day 3 - We ski the Wyssnollen 3586m and then over the pass to go to the Konkordia hut for the night. ↗️1300m ↘️1500m

Day 4 - Today we follow the long Grosser Aletschfirn glacier and head towards the Äbni Flue 3961m to ski towards the Hollandia hut. ↗️1300m ↘️900m

Day 5 - Last day of the trip we hike to the Anujoch 3630m and ski the long valley of the Langgletscher to Blatten where with bus and train we can get back to the starting point. ↗️400m ↘️1650m

Difficulty - Is this for you?
  • Technical level 3/5

Very comfortable skiing any type of snow in a safe way. Good experience on the changeovers, kick turns and using ski crampons. We could need to use boot crampons and ice axe.

  • Endurance 3/5

The program can be adapted to the level and wishes of the group. Anyway it's 5 days of skitouring over 1000m a day in a row.

Price - included/not included

1500.- CHF per person on a base of 4 skiers + the guide

Included 

  • IFMGA Mountain Guide
  • All team gear 

Not included 

  • Personal gear and equipment 
  • Lift ticket to Jungfraujoch 
  • Hut expenses/half board 
  • Transfer to the staring point
  • Anything else not written on 'included' 

Ski Trips: Norway /Iceland /Antarctica

Over the years I've been guiding skitouring trips in remote places. The combination of skiing and traveling makes a memorable experience.