astonished to learn that long before it was skied in 1911, it was a recognised high-level hike established by members of the Alpine Club as a relatively quick, high-level crossing between the bourgeoning villages of Zermatt and Chamonix. They called it the High Level Road. Today, this route between Chamonix and Zermatt is arguably the most famous and sought-after ski tour in the world. It may therefore come as a surprise to many that regard it as the one and only Haute Route that there are in fact a whole host of outstanding high-level routes throughout the Alps.
Traversing the summit ridge of the Mittaghorn – the Aletschhorn is the peak beyond, with the Hasler Rib well defined on the left
In reality, the Alps are criss-crossed with stunning ski tours, many of which have gained a classic status. It is difficult to define what ‘classic’ means. It is certainly more than a matter of being popular. The skiing on a classic tour should, in my opinion, demand a range of skiing and mountaineering skills, call for good navigation, and be challenging but nevertheless remain logical as a ski tour. The need to carry skis should be an occasional and logical necessity, whilst the prospect of some outstanding downhill must be high. Once completed, a classic tour should leave you with a better understanding of an area's physical geography, and above all it should be an enjoyable journey. Each tour in this book is arguably the best of its kind and standard in a particular mountain area and epitomises what is best about ski mountaineering in that region.
The tours in this guide cover significant part of the Northern as well as the Central and Eastern Alps. They range across Alpine Switzerland from its north-west corner to its south-east tip, from Vaud to Graübunden, before sliding east, following the vast arc of the Alps into the Austrian Tyrol and South Tyrol of north Italy.
The mountains beyond Mont Blanc and the Pennine Alps trending eastwards tend, with the exception of Bernina, to be regarded by many climbers as less serious and more benign, with lesser climbs and smaller glaciers. It is true that to the east of the Urner Alps and the Rhöne/Rhine watershed there is only a single outlying 4000m peak, Piz Bernina. It is true that there are no glaciers that compare in length with the Grosser Aletsch or Mont Blanc's ice streams, but it would be wrong to underestimate these areas when it comes to skiing. In many respects, what they lack in size and fame (compared to, say, Mont Blanc and other regions of the Western Alps), they make up for in terms of their suitability for ski mountaineering. In this matter, they are equal in every respect to the Western Alps.
All the tours described in this guide are in areas that bristle with 3000m peaks, glaciers and extensive permanent snowfields. In fact, these are the very things they all have in common. The Central and Eastern Alps also have an enviable snow record, and in many instances can offer ski touring when other areas are waiting for better snow cover to fill crevasses and make travel on dangerous glaciers possible. This is especially true of the Western Bernese region along with the Urner and Albula Alps.
Within the two volumes of this guide are included some of the finest, most accessible Alpine ski tours in the world – only available, of course, to the complete mountaineer. None of the routes is extreme, although the conditions can be, and it's then that mountaineering judgement and sound decisions are all important. You do need to plan and prepare properly for these tours if you are to succeed.
The selection covers tours in the most important Alpine regions. They are also varied in length and difficulty, although most fit within a full week's touring. Of course, if poor weather or conditions prevail they can take a lot longer! The routes also include a mix of ‘circular’ tours, which are convenient for those wishing to leave car or equipment in one place, and ‘linear’ routes that journey hut to hut, even from country to country. These usually require a little more organisation with regard to logistics, travel and packing.
Crossing Konkordiaplatz at dawn with the sun appearing over the Grünhornlücke
The routes described are all Alpine – in other words, they require both skiing and mountaineering skills. While technical climbing ability of a high standard is not essential, the skills required to operate on steep slopes and glacier terrain, where cramponing, ropework and crevasse rescue may be necessary, are essential for safety, as are navigational skills. It goes without saying that avalanche awareness skills and knowledge are vitally important for everyone who intends to ski mountaineer.
Using this Guidebook
Each tour section in this book follows the same pattern.
An introduction provides a little about the mountaineering history of the area and gives some background on both the Alpine area and the tour itself.
To help simplify planning the following information is given at the start of each tour:
start
finish
duration
location
difficulty
best time for the tour
facilities (accommodation and supplies)
access
maps.
This is followed by route summary, detailing the key place names found on the map for each stage of the route. This is useful for plotting the route when used in conjunction with the recommended 1:25,000 maps.
The itinerary for each tour is broken down into recommended day stages. Each stage begins by giving details of:
ascent
descent
principal aspect
difficulty
time.
This is followed by a description of the day's stage. Describing a ski route is very different from describing summer climbs or walking routes. In summer, paths and features are clear and often waymarked. During the ski season many features including way-markings, outcrops, streams and paths will be buried under snow. Therefore ski-route descriptions are less prescriptive – snow conditions and ability will often decide the precise line of ascent or descent. Some routes are obviously determined by the terrain – say when it follows a valley, ridge or couloir – but the precise line will always be a matter of judgement or of following old tracks! When crossing untracked snow, the skier will have to call on skill and judgement to find the best line through crevasses or to make the most efficient and safest track on a snow-laden slope. Even if you know an area in summer, don't assume the ski track will follow the same route. Although maps and route descriptions can indicate crevasses, their precise position changes with the movement of the ice. At all times the ski mountaineer must be willing to make a judgement about route choice and snow stability – no guidebook can do that. One of the great things about ski touring is, no matter how popular the tour, after new snow you will always have a clean sheet to work with. At all times the ski mountaineer must be observant, paying particular attention to the critical factors of weather, terrain and snow conditions before committing to a specific route.
Details of the routes are summarised in a table at the end of the book.
Route-finding
The length and difficulty of a day stage as given in the guide can be changed. You may think
