Let the furry flakes fly!

Well once again we’ve let a year go by without news, but it’s been a good one!

We’ve been out rock climbing for the past couple of weeks, having a “stay-cation” near home since the warm summer weather lingered longer than usual this year. We’ve discovered some nice new places tucked around here and there, and enjoyed taking it a bit easy. The vast high pressure that brought us this nice extension of summer has however finally and abruptly departed, and this morning we see through low fog banks that the snow has once again dusted the upper woods of the Chamonix valley. Maybe we’ll get our fair share of the snow this year!

2011 wrap-up

Last winter North America took most of our snow, but we did get enough to have some really good ski trips over on this side of the pond. Our Queyras trip was particularly “powderous”, and we even got a good snowfall on our first day to set us up for the week! This corner of the Alps has a unique feeling, with tree skiing, open glades, steep sided V-shaped valleys, nice cold snow at lower elevations than we normally ski, and even the occasional wildlife sighting! We saw a very big herd of Chamois for example. A bit harder to get to and with less infrastructure than elsewhere in the French Alps, it presents quite the contrast with the vast ski industrial complex of the Trois Vallees not far away. The few other skiers we met here definitely seemed to be “in the know” devotees of this neighborhood. We will offer this trip again in February 2012.

The Matterhorn (far left) and Dent d'Hérens. Skiing on the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route.

We ran three Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Routes in 2011; two Verbier versions and one Plateau du Couloir. We were active around Chamonix as well, with lots of off-piste skiing and touring (see side-bar for links to trip reports). Conditions were decent in the high country all winter despite the long intervals between snowfalls; cold temperatures preserved the wintry nature of the snow for long weeks at a time. The lower levels of the Vallée Blanche definitely turned into an “obstacle course” by the time April rolled around, but there were lots of places to go to find good turns; willingness to drive a bit and attention to aspect and elevation paid off, and we were able to keep on skiing and touring well into the spring.

Mark went back to Peru in May, before returning for another season of climbing in the Alps. The summer presented a helpful line-up of weather, with a cold, wet July setting up beautiful high mountain snow conditions for August. Although not always able to achieve our “plan A’s”, we got lots of good climbing in.

High Camp, Tocllaraju, Peru

Kathy repeated her Chamonix to Zermatt glacier trek, and also did a beautiful itinerary in the Bernese Oberland. She will repeat both of these trips in 2012.

See sidebar for trip reports of this last summer's climbs and treks!

Ski touring the the Queyras, France

Aconcagua, Argentina

Back to South America! Our first project of the year will be an expedition to Aconcagua. At 6962 meters (22,800+ feet), it is, of course one of the Seven Summits, being the highest point of the South American continent. It has been quite a few years since we last guided this peak, during our years working for the American Alpine Institute. Responding to a client’s request, we have put together a trip for January 2012, to climb via the traverse from the eastern, Polish Glacier side of the mountain, to the western Horcones Valley side. As of this writing, there is one space still available on this trip. More info here.

Summer Alps climbs and treks 2012

We will as always be back in our home area, the Alps, for the rest of the summer and available for private guiding of all kinds. Please be in touch if you have some ideas or want to join us for some climbing or trekking.

Summer Treks in the Alps

Kathy will repeat her Chamonix to Zermatt Glacier trek in July, and also offer the Walker’s Version in September.

In late July to early August Kathy will also repeat a variation on the Grindelwald to Leukerbad and Beyond Trek she ran privately for a group of friends last summer (see photos from that trip here). This trip consists of quite strenuous and rough trail hiking, starting in the shadow of the Eiger and ending at a modern spa above the Rhone valley. There will be the option of a three day extension to climb an easy glaciated peak, the Wildstrubel, and cross back into the Bernese Oberland to end at the resort town of Adelboden.

Kathy also has plans for a major branching out with a cultural tour in the Hautes Alpes region near Briançon. As some of you may know, she has an (inexplicable to many) interest in pastoralism and folksy things like sheep and wool. This tour, projected for late June, will combine light hiking in the Queyras mountains with workshops in such fiber arts and crafts as felting, plant-based dyeing, and hand spinning, led by some new friends she has made near Serre Chevalier. Tell the crafty women in your life to check out her itinerary, she’s looking for 5 adventurous and creative-minded women to help her launch this new project!

Day 6 of the Summer Glacier Haute Route

Don’t forget to write!

As always we love to hear from you. Let us know if you have any plans, hopes or ideas for a future climb, trek or ski tour, or if you would like to book some quality mountain time in 2012. Thank you as always for your interest and your participation in these far-flung endeavors, and we hope to see you in the hills.

Best Wishes for 2012

Kathy and Mark