A week of two halves!
Last week we headed across to Switzerland for a ski tour based around the Arolla region and the mountains bordering the Rhone valley. Our friends David, Martin and Nick joined us, as did Dave (pictured) our guide – a safe pair of hands who has been guiding us expertly on assorted trips for close to 20 years!
Conditions were challenging. We arrived in Arolla – staying in an ancient Hotel packed with faded grandeur – to warm weather, sunshine, and no fresh snow for close to four weeks. After a day warming up on the off-piste slopes close to Arolla’s resort, we headed for a peak just a few hours skinning away. Sunshine abounded and the views were magnificent, although conditions demanded a change to crampons and ice axes as we approached the top.
A second night in Arolla, then all changed as we descended to the valley, and on up the other side to the tiny Swiss resort of Ovronnaz, and to the unmanned Cabane du Fenestral
Conditions as we approached the Cabane du Fenestral were very different: the sun and warmth left us, and we skinned and skied in some pretty horrible conditions in the mountains above Ovronnaz.
Fortunately, the refuge saved the trip – it is truly magnificent! Perched on a col and commanding fantastic views of the valley below, it was remarkably comfortable, warm (a wood-burning stove helped), and felt like a home from home. Even the outside toilet gave us an experience – trekking through thigh deep snow to a rickety long-drop toilet was memorable, if nothing else!
Being unmanned, we had to bring all our food and drink with us – we reckoned on 5 litres of wine, though were delighted to find that there was an honesty bar in the hut, so were able to supplement the wine rations with pre-dinner drinks of beer.
Water – for cooking, drinking and washing – all came from melted snow, with all of us taking turns to venture outside to collect the freshly falling snow around the hut. Evening meals were a spaghetti carbonara and a goat’s cheese, thyme and prosciutto risotto: not bad for food carried by us from the valley!
Navigating from the hut for a day tour took all the concentration and skill of our guide. It is fair to say that the weather was pretty grim! Four of us headed off with the intention of reaching a peak that would normally be just a couple of hours skinning away. As we traversed across and upwards, the wind picked up, the snow fell, the cold worsened, and visibility fell, until we eventually abandoned the ascent just 150m below the summit. Somehow Dave got us back to the hut, and back to warmth and comfort. We were secretly a little pleased to discover that a second group (of much younger and fitter skiers) had abandoned their summit attempt well below us, although that probably reflects more common sense in their group!
On the final day we opted for a gentle ski and traverse back down the valley to rejoin the resort pistes of Ovronnaz, then on by car to the valley village of Saillon, a lovely couple of meals in a local restaurant, then a relaxing night in a hotel, before the drive home the next morning.
We have put together a short slideshow of the trip (just click on any picture to bring them to full-size); hope you enjoy it!
Looked like a fantastic week and certainly worth lugging 5 litres of wine for it. Amazing scenery and vistas and great pictures. X
Blimey! That was a quick reply, I only posted the blog half an hour ago! Thanks for your comments, hope you can join us next year.