SPEND FOUR ADVENTUROUS DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS
Learn some real Winter Skills
- Information
- Itinerary
- Location
- Additional Info
- FAQ
- Gallery
- Reviews
What's included
- A rich and healthy lunch pack on each stage
- Accommodation (shared bedroom / dormitory)
- All planned transportation according to the itinerary
- Equipment rental
- Full qualified international mountain leader (IML)
- Half-Board (breakfast, 3 course dinner)
- Pre- / post-trek accommodation
- Private expenses (souvenirs, drinks, etc.)
Learn useful winter skills with amazing people
You’re an outdoor enthusiast and want to try something new? To explore the Alps in the winter is on your bucket list? You want to learn some interesting and fun winter skills? Then look no further we have the perfect long weekend escape in the Alps for you!
Join us on and a group of like-minded adventurers on a weekend in the French & Swiss Alps and enjoy a unique experience like never before. Make fresh tracks in the snow, learn some really interesting winter skills, stay overnight in a real mountain hut, enjoy a fantastic winter scenery, get thrilled on a speedy sledding descent and enjoy a typical Swiss cheese fondue and some mulled wine around an open fire in the middle of the forest.
The Tour
The mountain village of Trient is perhaps best known for its huge glacier, the unspoiled nature and the pink church in the middle of the village. Far away from the busy and crowded ski slopes from Chamonix, this hidden gem is the perfect location for a weekend in the snow with many magical moments.
On the first day you’ll enjoy an introduction into snowshoeing and explore the nice snowy mountains. You’ll hike up to a remote mountain hut where you’ll spend your first cozy night in the wilderness. The second day is dedicated to skills training. Learn how to use avalanche safety gear and study the snow. After a interesting day out you’ll have some time to warm up before you get ready for the second part of the day the sledding and the following outdoor dinner. The forest dinner is a romantic, cozy environment; hidden away in the forest beneath the beauty of one of the area’s glaciers.
On the next day you’ll pack your stuff and start off to another overnight adventure in the mountains. The winter mountain hut that provides your accommodation on your second night of trip is set in what feels like a winter-wonderland, beneath clear skies and the most amazing stars in the middle of nature. The hut is unattended so you and the team will have to make fire, melt snow and get everything ready for a cosy evening and a relaxing night.
What to expect
The Snowshoeing and Winter Skills tour is a short weekend escape packed with highlights:
- Four days of snowshoeing in the Swiss Alps
- Learn winter skills such as avalanche safety, winter survival and much more
- A thrilling descent on a 2km sledding track
- A winter forest dinner with mulled wine, a real Swiss cheese fondue and much more
- Stay in a remote self-sufficient winter hut
- Meet other interesting and like-minded people
- Challenge yourself and enjoy some good workout in the snow
- YOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1
A proper start in the snow
Meet & Greet Geneva Airport, Snowshoeing to the Loriaz hut
You will be picked up from Geneva International Airport (arrivals no later than 09:30h, departure from the airport at 11:00h) and driven to the Trient Valley near Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. In the small village of Vallorcine (just next to Chamonix) you’ll start your snowshoeing adventure. Before you start, you’ll have time to get prepared and your guide will introduce you to the equipment (snowshoes + poles).
The first tour brings you up to the Loriaz hut, a high alpine farm in the summer with a cozy and authentic mountain hut in the winter. The magnificent views over the entire Mont Blanc Chain won’t be missing. The ascent is steep and leads through a nice forest before you reach wide open and more mellow powder fields. The huts are well covered by the snow, so you’ll only see them a couple of meters before you arrive.
At the hut you’ll be welcomed by a friendly guardian and introduced to the hut life. Showers and electricity are not available, but a warm dormitory and a cozy dining room are there for a perfect first night in the wilderness. The hearty food and a well-deserved drink after the first day out wont’ be missing.
DAY 2
Learn some winter skills
Skills day, hike on the Loriaz hills and learn some winter skills
After the breakfast, you’ll get ready for another great day on snowshoes. You’ll leave the hut and tackle a nice loop over to the Tête de la Chevrette, a nice viewpoint with great views over the entire Mont Blanc chain and especially the mighty Aiguille Vert and the Dru.
The second half of the day is dedicated to skill training. Your guide will introduce you to the technical gear you need on a snowshoeing / winter adventure such as avalanche shovel, probe and of course the transceiver. After a short theoretical introduction about the snow and the avalanches you’ll learn in a practical way how to use the safety gear. Once you are confident with the usage of the new tools, you’ll end the session with a fun challenge where the best team can win a small treat. A second very important part of the safety on a winter adventure is the emergency management and first aid. Your guide will give you a brief summary about the most important first aid techniques and then show you some specific rescue methods in the snow such as an improvised rescue sledge, snow hole and much more. Once you get back to the car you take a short transfer to your accommodation for the night where you’ll have time to warm up and to take a shower.
In the evening the skills training continues with an outdoor dinner in the forest where you will chop wood and make a fire in wintry terrain. For the rest of the evening it is time to relax and you’ll enjoy another traditional swiss meal in a unique way. Depending on weather conditions you’ll enjoy a traditional swiss cheese fondue, mulled wine and sausages around an open fire and in an igloo dome. Dining under the stars in the middle of the forest, what a great end of an adventurous day.
DAY 3
Into the wild
Snowshoe hike, overnight stay in winter hut
In the morning you’ll get picked up and transferred to Gryon, the start point of the hut to hut hike. At the trail head the guide will split up the provisions amongst the group so that the load can be equally shared between the team members. The hike starts easy and is gradually ascending up to Solalex, a nice mountain hut where you can stop for a drink to warm up. After passing Solalex you’ll enter into the remote and lonely Anzeinde valley. At the same time, you’ll be walking through a nature reserve so the chances to spot Chamois and other wild animals are good! Your final location is the Cabane du Barraud, a remote non-guarded hut where you’ll spend the night.
After reaching the hut there are many tasks to do so that you can enjoy a nice and cosy evening. The guide will assign tasks such as chopping wood, making fire, melt snow, help to prepare dinner and much more. Of course, there will be enough time to chill out and to have a drink together and go through the day. If someone is not tired yet, a small extra loop behind the hut can always built in to get some nice pictures of the evening light.
DAY 4
Magic morning in the snow
Final descent through powder fields, transfer to Geneva
After a cozy night in the hut you’ll get ready for the last day of snowshoeing. A nice hike will bring you to the Pas de Cheville a nice mountain pass with magnificent views on the Les Diablerets range and if the weather conditions are good, you’ll even see the famous Matterhorn far in the distance. On a different path you’ll get back to Solalex and from there over the same path as before back to the car park, where your snowshoeing adventure takes an end.
After packing up you’ll get transferred to the airport by 15:00h so that you are ready in time for any flight departing after 16:30h or later for your journey back home.
More about Chamonix Valley
More about Vallée du Trient
Trient
Trient is located on the foot of an impressive glacier. In the 19th century huge ice blocks where transported by train and soled expensive in the big cities such as Paris. One of the steepest cog rail trains (87%) leads up to the Emosson dam. The water is used to produce electricity for the Swiss railway. Trient has a bright pink church and is also home for Raphael and Anja from Happy Tracks.
Vallée du Trient
The Trient Valley, a source of well-being in the heart of the Espace Mont-Blanc welcomes you for an authentic and unforgettable experience with family or friends. Unspoilt nature, unique attractions, exceptional panoramic views, villages steeped in history and a warm-hearted population are the major assets of a region ideally located close to Martigny (Switzerland), Chamonix (France) and Aosta (Italy). Composed of the villages of Vernayaz, Salvan-Les Marécottes, Finhaut-Emosson, Trient-Col de la Forclaz and Vallorcine, it is entirely connected by the spectacular Mont Blanc Express railway.
More about this tour
Luggage Transfer
On the Snowshoeing and Winter Skills tour in the French & Swiss Alps tour we do not offer luggage transportation, for the simple reason that you'll be staying remotely in places which cannot be reached by car. Of course we offer a free luggage storage for excess luggage which you don't need during the trek. You'll need to pack your excess luggage in a duffle bag, to prevent any damage or loss to your belongings. We do not have a size restriction of the bags but the weight is limited to 15kg per bag. Please note that loose single items or open bags (e.g. shopper bags) cannot be transported. Furthermore short-life food products (e.g. cheese, fresh meat etc.) are not allowed in your excess luggage. Please also keep in mind that no temperature sensitive items should be stored in the luggage.
A general note about the accommodation
On a winter adventure, you will experience the mountain lifestyle and sleep in authentic places. You will be staying in one B&B / hikers accommodation (dormitory / shared bedroom) and one night in a winter mountain hut (dormitory / shared bedroom). The accommodation offers a charming and friendly atmosphere in a mountainous atmosphere. The B&B / hikers accommodation offers many services such as a hot shower and running water. You’ll stay in bunk beds or similar with a pillow and blankets (a thin and light sleeping bag liner is advisable for hygienic reasons). In the winter mountain hut there are no showers available but a sink with water to do a quick body wash.
Private Accommodation
Due to the nature of this trip, private accommodation is not available.
Food
During the trekking, you will have the chance to taste the great variety of local specialities. The accommodations offer always half-board with your stay which includes a breakfast and a three-course dinner. The breakfast contains always coffee / tea, bread, butter and jam. Depending on the location of the accommodation there is also orange-juice, cereals, yoghurt, fruits, cheese and meat available for breakfast. The three-course dinner in the evening is hearty and the plates are quite big. A typical menu could be a soup for the starter, a main course with meat, vegetables and a side dish (rice, polenta, pasta) and a dessert which can be for example vanilla pudding, crème brulée or fruit salad. For the dinner only tap water is included, soft drinks such as wine or beer are on your own charge.
During the day we provide a rich, healthy and daily fresh prepared lunch-pack for you. Our lunch packs consist usually one big unit such as a sandwich, a wrap, a salad and of course a selection of fresh fruits, muesli bars, chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, juice, crackers, cakes etc. If you have any food restriction (vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerance etc.) please let us know as soon as possible. It is no problem to arrange the meals and lunch packs according to your preference when we know this in advance.
Water
To do a snowshoeing tour is a great challenge and a good physical workout. During the winter it can be quite cold in the Alps, but you'll still need to drink a good amount of water, so it is important to carry enough water. We strongly recommend to take between two and three liters of water on such an adventure. We recommend taking at least two one-liter bottles (plastic or aluminium) or a thermos flask if you would like to bring some warm tea. The tap water is usually drinkable, but there are limited resources on the trails to fill up your bottle. Your guide will give you an advice for each day.
Weather
During the winter in the Alps (November – April) we experience usually fair but quite cold weather. It is often sunny and the temperatures can reach up to 5° Celsius during the day, although it is a dry cold. The weather in the mountains can be sometimes quite unpredictable and meteorological situations can change very quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to be always prepared for such a change. Another fact is that you will be hiking in different altitude levels, so there will be a significant change between the valley ground and the high mountain passes. On a snowy / windy day temperatures can drop quite low and it is necessary to have a good wind- and rainproof jacket and a beanie and a pair of gloves. If you stick to our equipment list, you will be ready for any weather situation. Please do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions about this topic.
Trail / Conditions
From the moment you start the trekking we highly recommend you to have a valid travel, medical & mountain evacuation insurance, which is a very important factor in case of an accident. You will need full travel & holiday insurance suitable for a trekking holiday. This will need to be organized by you before the trek starts. It is essential that you have the correct insurance in case of a medical emergency on the mountain, as rescue can be costly. In Switzerland you will always be asked to pay and this could be several thousand Swiss francs, especially if a helicopter rescue is necessary. The cost of hospitalization and subsequent care is normally the most expensive part of any accident if you do not have the correct cover and are hospitalized without insurance. The cost could easily reach an immense level. It is your responsibility to take out the correct level of insurance and we accept no responsibility for any costs that occur as a result of inadequate insurance. If you have any questions about this topic please do not hesitate to contact us.
Currency
Along the Snowshoeing & Winter Skills tour you will travel through France and Switzerland. It is always worth to have some Swiss Francs (CHF) and Euros (EUR) in cash with you, if you would like to buy some drinks and souvenirs along the way. At the airport in Geneva there are also ATM cash machines. None of the places accept credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, American Express).
Trip Data
| Day | Distance | Ascent | Descent |
| Day 1 | 3.96 km | 720 m | 47 m |
| Day 2 | 7.20 km | 120 m | 851 m |
| Day 3 | 9.75 km | 915 m | 250 m |
| Day 4 | 12.46 km | 255 m | 938 m |
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