Chamonix Ski Touring Weekend – March 2022

In March the spring touring season is underway and snow volume is often good, yet there is also often plenty of winter left and powder in the forests and middle mountains.   Thus, here we aim to make the most of both of these types of conditions with this intermediate ski touring weekend, often combining a low – middle mountain touring day, with some refresher training whilst completing a good touring journey and hopefully enjoying some fresh tracks and nice turns…

Once warmed up with other tours earlier in the season or one of our Chamonix intro ski touring weekends, we aim to progress with either slightly longer day tours in the middle mountains or a higher altitude glacier tour.  Here are just a few of some of the many superb venues we have visited on these touring days:

• Chamonix Valley – Aiguilles Rouges
• Les Contamines
• Les Aravis
• Glacier skiing above the Grands Montets or in the Vallée Blanche
• Touring day in Val d’Aosta eg Val Feret

Our March weekend increases the physical factor in touring on the Jan and Feb weekends with the aim to complete 2 good days touring, often with at least one 1000m+ day of ascent.

March Alpine Ski Touring Weekend – Course Aims

• Enjoy 2 days ski touring from a base in Chamonix – exploring around the Mont Blanc Massif
• Find the best snow possible and do some memorable turns and fresh tracks
• Complete ‘on the go’ refresher training in route planning, avalanche awareness and glacier skiing (if conditions dictate) and consolidate and refine these skills over 2 fun touring days
• Spend a sociable weekend in the mountains and meet other like minded ski tourers

Each of our touring weekends blend a great mix of satisfying ascents on skins, fun & remote off piste skiing and completing some fine journeys whilst taking in some more training along the way.

Fitness, Off Piste Skiing & Touring Experience Required – Intermediate Weekends

This long spring weekend provides both a physical and technical progression from the earlier courses. Both longer days with more ascent and steeper terrain will be encountered.  So skiers need to be physically fit in order to cope with 1000m+ days of skinning at a pace of at least 300m/hr for up to 4-5 hours.  Previous touring experience is also required for this weekend with the ability to manage your own ski touring equipment during transitions and reliably do effective kick turns whilst skinning efficiently.

Steeper terrain is also encountered on the ski descents so guests need to be competent & confident skiing steep slopes of around 35-40 degrees with controlled short radius turns in varied snow conditions.  Previous use of crampons and axe is useful but not essential if you have all the other skills as we don’t always use these and training can be provided at the time if required.