Skiing the Haute Route, Gran Paradiso

Go on this unique skiing traverse through the Alps with Edy, IFMGA certified mountain guide. Ski your way to the impressive Gran Paradiso peak.

7 Days

Jan, Mar, Apr

Intermediate

Description

Let me take you across this spectacular section of the Alps, across the Haute Route. During 5 days immersed in the mountain, we will work our way towards the impressive Gran Paradiso mountain (4,061 m).

First, we will meet at Courmayeur. Later, I will provide an Evening Briefing. I will cover safety routines, check kits and hand out the rental equipment. This will also be a great time for any questions and ambitions the group would like to discuss.

Next day, I will start by helping in the organization of the equipment. Then, I will go over a safety session on avalanche procedure and the use of transceivers. Next, the adventure begins. We will transfer to Val di Rhemes, and ski in to the Refuge Benevolo for the night.

On Day 2 we will climb to Pta Bassi, and experience the amazing ski down to Chivasso Hut. Next day, I will take you on a high level circuit which will get us close to the Piedmont border, and through 3 spectacular glaciers. We will then spend the night at the Vittorio Emanuele Hut.

Day 4 will be summit day! I will lead the ascent to Gran Paradiso summit (4,061 m), the highest mountain located entirely in Italy. Later, we will descend back to the Hut.

On our last Day of program, I will lead the way on a big skin up to Cima di Entrelor (3,340 m), located in Val d'Aosta. The descent from that point will make for a great, long descent to beautiful Rhemes Notre Dame, from which we will transfer back to Courmayeur for the night. This will be the end of this program.

Interested in Skiing the Haute route, Gran Paradiso? Contact me with questions. Also, check out other activities around the same area like: Introduction to ski mountaineering in Courmayeur, and Mont Blanc off-piste skiing course.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Lifts tickets

Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday: Arrival

Meeting at Courmayeur
Evening briefing
Overnight at the valley

Day 2: Monday: Val di Rhemes

Equipment organization
Safety session of avalanche procedure and the use of transceivers
Transfer to Val di Rhemes
Skiing in to Refuge Benevolo
Ascent to hut (600 m ascent – 3 hours)
Overnight at the hut

Day 3: Tuesday: Pta Basei

Climb to Pta Basei
Ski descent to Chivasso Hut
1,200 m ascent / 900 m descent – 5 to 6 hours
Overnight at the hut

Day 4: Wednesday: Traverse near to Piedmont border

Hig level traverse close to the Piedmont border, through 3 glaciers
Arrival at the Vittorio Emanuele Hut
800 m ascent / 700 m descent – 6 hours
Overnight at the hut

Day 5: Thursday: Gran Paradiso

Ascent to Gran Paradiso (4,061 m)
Return to the Vittorio Emanuele Hut
1,350 m ascent + descent / 6 hours
Descent to Pont – Overnight at a local hotel

Day 6: Friday: Cima di Entrelor

Skin up to the Cime di Entrelor
Long descent to Rhemes Notre Dame
Transfer to Courmayeur
1,400 m ascent / 1,700 m descent / 7-8 hours

Day 7: Saturday: Departure

End of program
Departure from Courmayeur

About the guide

Edy

Mountain Leader

I was born in 1966. I was an aspirant Mountain Guide from 1986 and a Mountain Guide (IFMGA) as from 1989. In 1988, I joined the Mountain Guides company of Courmayeur, which was the 1st Italian guiding company and the 2nd in the world in 1850. From 1995 to 2001, I had the role of leading guide with as main function the coordination of the work and the promotion of the guiding programs we were organising.
From 1986, I worked in the Mountain Rescue Team of the Aosta Valley. I became a Mountain Rescue Instructor in 2000. As a mountain guide, I practice a lot mountaineering, rock climbing, off-piste skiing, ski touring, snowshoeing, etc.
The past 22 years, I have climbed with my clients many classic routes in the Alps, of mixed, ice and rock; I have climbed the mountains of South America (Aconcagua in Argentina, Cordillera Blanca in Peru, trekking in Torres del Paine in Chile and Fitz Roy in Argentina, the slopes of Alpamayo Pequeno, Sajama, Huayna Potosi, in Illimani Bolivia, Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo in Ecuador). Each year, I keep on travelling the Andes with clients and friends to discover new mountains to satisfy the desire of mountaineering.

Languages

Italian | French | English

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