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Ski Mountaineering - Ski Touring

The Pyrenees are an ideal place to get off the beaten tracks and into the real mountains. For Winter 2012 we are offering three different levels of ski touring holiday using qualified local guides with a lifetime of experience skiing and exploring the area. The wild interior of the mountains can be opened up to skiers who are comfortable on red-runs, have some experience off-piste, and are confident at controlling their speed with a turn. For our introduction weeks the guide will meet you on-piste for tuition and practice, before moving off-piste.

Dates for Winter 2012: We are now taking bookings, PLEASE ENQUIRE

During a week’s guided ski touring you will discover the breathtaking scenery of the Pyrenees National Park and the wild glacial lakes of the Neouvielle Nature Reserve, ski to the summit of a 3000m peak, and watch the sun setting from a remote, high mountain refuge. Photo Gallery

Ski touring Pyrenees - ascent of the Bolou valley, near Bareges	Ski touring Pyrenees - lunch looking onto the Pic de Leviste	Ski touring Pyrenees - Telemark turns in powder

What is ski touring?

Ski touring is a technique, which allows experienced skiers to travel across all different types of terrain in the open mountains. It uses a special type of binding, leaving your heel free for uphill skiing. Skins are attached to the bottom of the ski, which grip the snow for easy climbing. During descents, the heel is clipped down and you ski in a normal, Alpine fashion. Our ski touring holidays are also open to "free heel" Telemark skiers.

Ski touring trips are led by experienced, qualified local guides. For avalanche safety, you will carry a transceiver, probe and snow shovel whenever you are skiing off piste. The use of avalanche security equipment is covered in our "introduction to ski touring" course and also reviewed and practiced on any touring trips.

Introduction to ski touring week; suggested itinerary (routes may change due to weather conditions)

The first four nights, and last night of accommodation are based in the village of Bareges. Our chalet is situated just off the main street, close to all the local shops, bakery, bars and restaurants and the thermal baths. We have five en-suite bedrooms, a heated equipment room, sauna, dining room and spacious lounge with a wood-burning stove, bar, library, reading/games corner, music centre and big-screen home cinema.

We use fully qualified local ski instructors and mountain guides for our ski touring, who will tailor their instruction and routes to the particular skills and requirements of your group.

Week 2 - Confirmed ski tourers "Iconic tours of the central Pyrenees".

This week is aimed at people with previous ski touring and/or off-piste experience and a reasonable level of fitness. The week will be a mixture of day tours and a mountain refuge expedition deep into the Pyrenees National Park, with the chance to try some longer and more challenging routes and peaks such as the Vignemale, Breche de Roland, the Grande Fache, Punta Alta...

The exact itinerary will depend on the weather and snow conditions during the week. The refuge expedition will either be exploring the Pyrenees National Park locally to us, which is one of the most spectacular regions of the Pyrenees and could include an ascent of the Vignemale – the highest peak in the French Pyrenees, or we could head over to the Encantats in the Spanish Pyrenees. This is a rolling, high granitic massif with an excellent network of comfortable refuges, so with many options for hut-to-hut touring and typically very reliable snow conditions throughout April. We are keeping our itinerary flexible at the moment, so there is the option to put the emphasis on two-day tours (with two trips out to spend one night at a refuge, returning to our home base in between) staying on the French side, ordepending on conditions a multi-day hut-to-hut tour, spending the beginning and end of the week with us here in Bareges and three or four consecutive nights out at refuges as part of a longer expedition here in France or over on the Spanish side.

The holiday price includes seven nights accommodation (including the cost of any mountain refuges), continental breakfasts, picnic lunches on skiing days, afternoon tea on home days, three course evening meals on six nights, six days guiding with a UIAGM mountain guide, local transport and avalanche security equipment. The only extra costs would be your ski hire (around 25€ a day which includes skis, boots, poles, skins and crampons) and one meal out in the week, alcoholic drinks, plus your travel costs to get to the Pyrenees

Special 2012: The classic Alpine Haute Route and Mont Blanc

Chamonix to Zermatt

We are proposing to do the classic traverse (closely following the original line taken by Marcel Kurz and Professor Roget in 1911,) passing by the Southern Grande Combin and the Cabin de Val Soray route. This is the most spectacular route passing the Grande Combin and is hence quite weather dependant and demanding. In the event of poor conditions we will take the more “commercial” route via Verbier.

Day 1: Argentiere village, France, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du Saleina to spend the night in the Trients refuge.
Day2: Descend the Val d’Arpette in the direction of Champex, then a short taxi ride to Bourg St Pierre (it is at this point that we could choose to go the Verbier way if conditions are not hot).
Day 3: Climb to the Val Sorey refuge on the shoulder of the Grande Combin (4,314 m or 14,154 ft).
Day 4: Passing by the Peak then the Mont Durand glacier and the Col de Sorradon followed by the Grande Plateaux glacier to arrive at the Chanrion refuge.
Day 5: A long non-technical climb passing by the Pigne d’Arolla to the Vignettes Hut.
Day 6: A long day via the three Cols to Zermatt (Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline), then a long descent under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.

We then plan to stay in the area (after spending 2 nights in Chamonix), to climb Mont Blanc, but this will an “extra” paid for separately weather permitting. In the even of poor conditions we may attempt another Pic such as the Mont Rosa or some off-piste skiing in the Chamonix valley.

Price: 1455€ All accommodation and food (All huts and 2 nights in Chamonix), guiding, safety equipment.
Not included: Gear, lift, taxi and last night meal. Transfers/lifts may add up to 130€ depending on mode of transport (taxi/train).

Dates: Starting 14th April.

Optional Mont Blanc ascent (payable whilst on the trip if it goes ahead): 2 day trip starting from Chamonix, Aiguilles du Midi after 2 nights rest in Chamonix.

Day 1: 2 options: By Grandes Mullets and Plan de Aiguille(starting at the intermediate cable car station); climb to Aguille du Gouter then col du Gouter, Refuge Vallot and Arret des bosses to MontBlanc. OR (less technical) Aguille du Midi and Cosmiques; climb the shoulder of Tacul then shoulder of Mont Maudit to the Col de la Brenva to Mont Blanc.

Day 2: Descend by the North face, or Arret de Bosses and Petit Plateaux, Grande Plateaux, Refuge Grande Mullet and Plan de Aiguille (the intermediate station on the Midi cable car).

Prices

975 € per person (except the "special"), based on a minimum group size of four people (max 8). This includes all accommodation, breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meals, minibus transport and the use of our qualified instructors. Equipment hire is priced at around 25 € a day for touring skis, skins, crampons and boots. An avalanche transceiver, probe and snow shovel are provided by our guide. You are welcome to bring your own equipment. Lift passes for days in the ski resort are about 30 €. You will also need some cash for drinks, lunches and snacks in the ski resort and refuges.

Please contact us to check prices, itinerary and availability.

The best snow conditions for ski touring are in the Spring (March or early April), although our guide is also happy to run trips in February. For independent tourers, we can arrange a mountain guide on an daily basis. Prices are around 270-300 euros per day, for groups of up to eight. We provide accommodation and advice for skiers of every ability. If you have your own guided itinerary to propose (groups of four or more), please feel free to discuss your ideas with us.

Mountain refuges

Each year the Pyrenees are opening up more and more to ski tourers. Many of the major refuges on the Pyrenean Haute route are now open and manned for ski tourers. We are pleased to announce the complete refurbishment of our nearest retreat, the Refuge de la Glere, which re-opened this Summer. The Glere is a wonderful base for exploring the Neouvielle Nature reserve - one of the wildest and most unspoilt parts of the Pyrenees. For the more adventurous tourer, all of the unmanned refuges are open and accessible during the Winter. You will need to carry your own provisions, but these refuges provide a special seclusion which you will find nowhere else. Our two favourites are the Refuge Packe and the Turquerouye - traditional Pyrenean refuges perched in the most unlikely of places and with stunning views.

Ski touring Pyrenees - Refuge Baysellance, below the Vignemale	Ski touring Pyrenees - Refuge Packe		Ski touring Pyrenees - the Breche de Roland

Ski touring Pyrenees - Refuge de la Glere, above Bareges	Ski touring Pyrenees - Refuge Sarradets, below the Breche de Roland	Ski touring Pyrenees - Refuge Turquerouye

Independent Touring (accommodation only)

We offer accommodation for independent ski tourers at our lovely village house in the centre of Bareges village. The house has a 3-star rating, with five well-appointed en-suite bedrooms, sleeping up to 14 people. We are ideally located for the Bareges-La Mongie ski resort (only five minutes ride on the free ski bus) and for the Neouvielle Nature reserve and the Pyrenees National Park.

For independent ski touring, there are excellent day-itineraries, including trekking up to the Refuge de la Glere, and on into the Neouvielle National Park via several beautiful unspoilt routes. You can even connect to the neighbouring ski resort at St Lary Soulan. For a longer itinerary we suggest starting in our sister valley at Cauterets. From here, trek into the lovely Marcadau valley and overnight at the Refuge Wallon, then ski further towards the Spanish frontier, spending another night at the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube. On your third day, traverse below the glacier of the towering Vignemale, and drop into the breathtaking Cirque de Gavarnie, travelling on the spectacular Pyrenean Haute Route.

	Option	Price	Price (School holidays)
	Half board accommodation	490 € per person (2 sharing)	595 € per person (2 sharing)
	Lourdes airport transfers	25 € per person	25 € per person
Ski touring Pyrenees - Hautacam	UIAGM mountain guide daily rate	300 € per group	300 € per group	Ski touring Pyrenees - Pic de Montaigu

Half-board prices include your accommodation in an en-suite bedroom, generous continental breakfasts, afternoon tea & cakes and delicious three course evening meals with after-dinner coffee.

Fitness and training

To get the most out of your holiday you should be a confident skier, able to make parallel turns on red runs. You will also need to be fit and healthy - able to walk uphill for two and a half to three hours a day (with an average height gain of 800m). Most of our clients like to undertake some form of fitness training prior to their holiday.

RECOMMENDED SKI TOURING KIT LIST

Booking and availability: Please contact us for more details