The group will meet at our office in Chamonix Sud the evening before the first day of the trip. You will have an informal chat with your guide about the week ahead, weather, conditions, itinerary, etc. The guide will also want to check all of your equipment and make sure everything is in order.

You start with some steep ski runs on Les Grands Montets. Your guide will want to check that you all have the right ski level before you set off and make sure that there are no issues with any of your equipment. After lunch you will ski down the Rognon glacier and across the Argentière Glacier to the Argentière Refuge (2771m). You will spend your first night there. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Argentière Basin!

Descent 800-900m • Ascent 200-300m • Time 4-5 h

The day will start with a short descent from the hut down to the glacier, where you will put on your skins and climb up to the Col du Passon (3028m). From the col it’s a short descent before putting the skins back on for a short climb to the Col du Tour (3282m). Then the route takes you across the magnificent Trient plateau and up to the Trient hut where you will spend the night.

Descent 300m • Ascent 1100m • Time 6-8 h

This is a long day, which is rewarded by long descents. It starts with descending the Col des Écandies (2796m) followed by a descent by the Val d’Arpette down to the village of Champex (1500m). Transfer by taxi will be arranged to take you to a cable-car station in Verbier. Climb up to the Col de la Chaux (2940m), followed by another descent. Then hike up to the Col de Momin (3015m) and to the highest summit of the trip, the Rosablanche (3336m). From the summit you have a great ski down the Glacier de Prafleuri to the Prafleuri hut (2624m) where you will spend the night.

Descent 2700m • Ascent 900m • Time 7-8 h

This day starts with a steep climb over the Col des Roux before starting the long traverse above the Lac Dix. At the head of the lake there is a steady climb to the Pas du Chat and then a little more traversing before a short climb to Refuge des Dix hut (2928m). Here you will leave some of your equipment before setting out for either the Col de Cheilon (3237m) or to the summit of La Luette (3548m) for some extra descent before you dinner. This add on is optional!

Descent 450m . Ascent 800m . Time 5h

From the hut you will cross the Glacier de Cheilon to climb the Glacier de Tsena Refien towards the Col de la Serpentine and on to the Col du Brenay. It is then an easy climb to the summit of the Pigne d’Arolla (3772m). Now you have a great descent to the Col des Vignettes and the spectacularly situated hut (3160m) of the same name.

Ascent 850m • Time 6 h

The day will start with a quick descent to the Col de Charmottane (3037m) followed by a hike up to the Col de l’Evêque (3382m). A beautiful, long descent of the Arolla Glacier to the Plans de Bertol is followed by a long, but absolutely spectacular, hike up to the Bertol hut (3311m), where you will spend the last night in the of this trip.

Descent 750m • Ascent 1100m • Time 7-8 h

Fun day! A hike up to the second highest point of the trip, the Tête Blanche (3707m) is followed by a brilliant, long and relatively complex descent of the Stöckji and Zmut glaciers. You will be making your way through crevasses and around rocks as you go. The views of the Matterhorn are always changing and always spectacular. Eventually you will reach the edge of Zermatt’s huge piste area and stop for a well-earned beer at a piste-side bar before continuing to Zermatt. From here you will catch the train to Tasch to meet the minibus waiting to take you back to Chamonix, a 2.5 hour drive. Once back in Chamonix you will have a short debrief over a coffee at our office, where you can also swap photos before heading home.

Descent 2100m • Ascent 500m • Time 6 h

We highly recommend that you bring or hire modern and light ski equipment for this trip. Skiing with a heavy backpack is very difficult and tiring. We recommend using modern touring skis ideally 85 – 95 mm under foot – using skis that are too skinny will be hard work in deep powder and skis that are too wide are not great for skinning on a hard-packed snow. Prior to the trip, make sure that your equipment is freshly serviced (waxed and sharpened edges) and in good working order.

If you need to hire your skis or other equipment, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance as the hire shops can have limited availability in the busy season.

You can collect your equipment the evening before the start of the course and return it in the evening at the end of your course. We work with the following Chamonix ski hire and mountain shop:

• Concept Pro Shop which is conveniently located directly next door from our office. Open 7/7 08:00-19:00

We can help you to organise your transport to/from Chamonix. We work with well established airport transfer companies which use new and comfortable vehicles and which have the capacity and know-how to handle everything from delayed and cancelled flights, to unexpected traffic jams with professionalism and efficiency.

To book your transfer, we will need the following:

• Your full name
• Mobile phone number
• Email address
• Your destination address
• Your flight details (date, time and flight number)

SHARED TRANSFERS:

This is the most economic and ecologically friendly way of travel. The driver will meet and greet you at the airport, gather you and the rest of the passenger group together and then head off to your chosen destination. The door-to-door service means that you will be dropped off and picked up right at your hotel /chalet / apartment. From 40€ per person for one way and 80€ per person for a return trip.

PRIVATE TRANSFERS:

Private Transfers are the quickest way to get to and from the airport. Your driver will meet and greet you at the airport and guide you to your vehicle. There is no waiting for other passengers. Private transfers are available for one to eight person bookings and travelling together and you are guaranteed sole occupancy of the vehicle for your transfer. And, of course, it’s a door to door service, so you won’t be lugging any bags very far. 250€ per car for one way and 500€ per car for a return trip.

If you need help to find a place to stay in Chamonix, don’t hesitate to let us know! We work with a network of excellent chalets, hotels, gites and B&Bs offering Chamonix accommodation to suit all tastes and all budgets.

We don’t include mountain rescue insurance in any of our courses but it is obligatory on these trips. Mountain rescue may be very expensive, particularly if helicopters are involved. Check with your travel insurance provider if you are covered for the specific activity you are going to do with us.

However, we can organise the mountain rescue insurance for you. The cost is 8€ per person per day for EU residents and 12€ per person per day for non-EU residents. Details of the insurance cover are different for EU and non-EU residents; please contact us for more information.