2012 program
The Roof of the Alps
Ski the Mont Blanc and the Monte Rosa
The Mont Blanc does not need an introduction. With its elevation of 4010 meters it is the highest peak of the Alps, a proud monarch reaching 2970 vertical meters above the deep valley of the Arve river and the famous town of Chamonix. I don't think we can ever say that a certain peak is the best mountain... however, if one peak is leading the prestigious list of grand mountains then it is the Mont Blanc.
The Monte Rosa is in Zermatt, Switzerland and forms the opposite end of the most amazing West Alps. With elevations of up to 4632 meters it includes the highest peaks of the Swiss Alps. Though the Mont Blanc is higher in elevation, the overall Monte Rosa Massif has more peaks over 4000 meters than any other area in the entire Alps. The highest peak of this alpine paradise is the Dufour Spitze with 4632 meters. There are many other incredible ski-peaks in this area, Zumsteinspitze, Castor, Polux, Breithorn, Ludwigshoehe, Signalkupe.... The list of high mountains keeps going on. But it is not just the high peaks and endless vertical of each ski-run which makes this area popular, it is the overall landscape, formed by the wildest glaciers of the Alps. It is no surprise why the Monte Rosa area is the favourite ski-mountaineering area in the Alps.
It is the ultimate goal of all accomplished ski-mountaineers to ski the Monte Rosa Massif and the grand Mont Blanc.
We start our program in Zermatt. From there we ski to the luxurious and new Monte Rosa Hut, built in 2009. For the next several days we will climb and ski the highest peaks in the Monte Rosa area, including the highest point of the Swiss Alps, the Dufour Spitze 4632 meters in elevation. Then we ski back to Zermatt, and take a taxi to Chamonix. From there we take the world's most dramatic aerial tram to the 3795 meter high Aiguille du Midi and have a short ski to the Refuge de Cosmiques 3613 meter elev. From the Cosmique we first ski the 4248 meter high Mont Blanc du Tacul and the following day make the grand traverse of the Mont Blanc Range to the summit of the Mont Blanc. Our final ski run is leading us down the impressive Grands Mulets to Chamonix.
I am looking forward to guiding you in the heart of the Alps and share with you the adventure of fantastic skiing and terrain along with the pure air of high mountains and also the deep tradition of these mountain villages and where I started my guiding career.
Ruedi Beglinger
I.F.M.G.A certified Guide
Detailed Program
Please call or e-mail our office to receive a hard-copy of the detailed program which includes all needed information for your ski-trip with us. For this we do need your mailing address. Unfortunately we are not able to e-mail the exact detailed program.
Dates and Prices
Date: Friday, May 11th to Friday May 18th, 2012, 7 days
Meeting place: Hotel Helvetia in Zermatt, Switzerland, May 11th 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
Number of Guests: Maximum 4
Cost: Cdn $2990.00 (no tax charges)
Included in the price:
- 1 nights in Hotel Helvetia, Zermatt
- 2 night in Hotel de l'Arve, Chamonix
- 4 times high alpine huts, Switzerland and France
- All breakfasts and dinners
- Taxi from Zermatt to Chamonix
- Aerial tram ways in Zermatt and Chamonix
- Fully certified I.F.M.G.A. guide service with extensive experience and local knowledge in guiding and logistics in the European Alps.
- Possible needed bad-weather detours
- Photos from the tour (bring an USB Memory Stick appr. 5 GB)
View the Mont Blanc and the Monte Rosa photo gallery >>
How to get to Zermatt
From North America fly to International Airport Geneva, Switzerland. In the airport go down-stairs and board the Inter Regional Train (IR) to Lausanne – Martini – Sion – Visp. In Visp you have to change trains. Change onto the scenic train departing Visp for Zermatt.
Guide
Ruedi Beglinger will be your guide on this ski-trip. He has extensive experience in guiding mountaineering and skiing expeditions in Alaska, the Alps and other parts of the world. Further he has been guiding the Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc since 1975. Ruedi is certified by the Swiss (SBV) and International Guide Association (IFMGA) since 1977. He is an active and professional member of the Canadian Mountain Guide Association (ACMG) and the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA).
For your safety the guide carries the following items
- Cell phone for Switzerland and France
- Complete first-aid kit
- Repair kit
- Ski-mountaineering rope
- Complete crevasse rescue gear
- Evacuation gear for injured people
- Avalanche rescue gear
- All maps of the area, 1:25.000 scale
- GPS, compass and altimeter
Ability level:
This program takes place in steep and very rugged high-alpine terrain, which has many crevassed glaciers, glacial seracs and other natural skiing challenges. Some of the ski-ascents and ski-descents lead through exposed and technically difficult terrain, up to 45 degr. firm spring snow, where safe and efficient ski-techniques and ski-discipline are required.
For this program each guest has to be an accomplished alpine skier who can ski, efficiently and safely, steep mountain slopes (as found on double Black Diamond downhill ski runs in major ski-areas of North America) and in all kinds of snow conditions with a heavy pack of about 25 lbs. Snow conditions in the Alps can be at times much more challenging than what we usually ski in North America. Often the snow is hard frozen or very firm, can have dangerous boiler-plates (formed by high wind), further it is possible that you might encounter breakable crust. On the other hand it is also common, because of the frequent snow-storms and high elevation, in April and May to experience powder-snow. Whatever snow-conditions this tour has to offer, we ask that all guests can safely and efficiently ski a perfect fall-line under good control and link a minimum of 30 short-radius turns. Further it is important that every guest can safely control their skis in difficult terrain and can execute efficient and safe kick-turns in steeper terrain as found in "double black diamond runs", side-slip on skis in terrain of 40 degr. incline and execute efficient plow-turns.
It is important that everybody on the tour enjoys good health and has no difficulties to acclimatize to higher elevation.
Every guest has to be physically in good shape. We recommend that everybody is doing active out-door endurance sport (ski-touring, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, biking, long distance jogging etc.) on a regular basis and during the entire year. It is important that you can comfortably ski-climb with a pack of about 25 lbs. for an entire day of maximum 8 hours and that you can cover daily ski-climbs of up to 1400 vertical meters (4300 vertical feet).
It is important that you are able to follow instructions given by the guide.
Further we recommend that you have skied with Selkirk Mountain Experience in previous programs, either at Canada's Durrand Glacier or on any other program in Canada or the European Alps. This will give you the valuable opportunity to get to know your guide, how Selkirk Mountain Experience runs their programs in achieving the set goals and in reaching a high level of safety.
If you have any questions regarding "Ability Level", please do not hesitate to contact Selkirk Mountain Experience.
Acclimatizing and Jet-Lag
Over the many years of guiding guests from North America in the European Alps, we have learned that the long flight from North America to Europe develops serious Jet-Lag for most guests. However, the level of Jet-Lag does affect every person at a different level. One of the most known effects Jet-Lag has on people is the change of the internal clock but also sitting in an air-liner for such long time dehydrates travelers to a large degree.
It is difficult to acclimatize to higher elevations while suffering from Jet-Lag.
With respect towards the planned program and every guest's health and comfort on the tour, we ask all guests to arrive, at the town where we will meet, a few days earlier (three days recommended) than the actual starting date of the program. While skiing in one of the local ski-areas for two to three days, every guest should be able to overcome Jet-Lag and be able to acclimatize to the elevations of our program much easier and without risk of potential health problems.
Booking Conditions
- Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. requires a non-refundable 50% deposit of the total program cost in order to confirm your booking.
- After you receive our confirmation we ask that you send full payment no later than ten weeks prior to the program starting date.
- If full payment is not received ten weeks prior to the starting date of your program, Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. reserves the right to forfeit your full deposit and sell your spot to the next person on the waiting list.
- Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. strongly suggests that you buy travel cancellation insurance that will cover all your paid costs in the event that you have to cancel your program (personal illness, family emergency, work-related cancellation and any other possible reason).
- Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. reserves the right to cancel any program for whatever reason. In this situation Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. will refund all paid money. However, Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. is not responsible for any further expenses incurred in preparation for the program.
Waiver of liability
All guests who ski with Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. are asked to sign the form RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF CLAIMS, ASSUMPTION OF RISKS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT. We ask you to read and sign it and send it together with your registration back to our office. If you have any questions please feel free to phone our office at 250 837 2381 or email us.
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