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For centuries people have used snowshoes as a means of travelling
in deep snow, but only relatively recently has snowshoeing become an activity that people do for pleasure. Nowadays, visit any winter ski resort and you'll not only find crowds of people heading for the ski runs but also a considerable number setting out on snowshoes. This book aims to show the keen hill-walker what snowshoeing can offer - if you can walk you can snowshoe! Equipped correctly, with reasonable knowledge of winter conditions and dangers, you can enjoy hiking in the winter in terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible on foot. The Mont Blanc region of the European Alps is the perfect destination for a snowshoeing holiday, be it at a beginner level or for those with more experience who seek the heady joys of summits and treks in winter.
This guide not only selects some of the best walks, hikes and treks in the region, all more or less within sight of Mont Blanc (given a clear day, good eyesight and some imagination), but it will also prepare you for the experience. There are sections on equipment, technique, hazards, preparation and nature, as well as 70 outings, ranging from the very gentle to the particularly strenuous. Each walk description is accompanied by practical information, timings and grade, and the routes are illustrated on clear overview maps.
Preface General Information How to use this Guide Mont Blanc History of Snowshoeing Snowshoe Running Prepared Snowshoe Trails Alpages Snowshoeing and Skiing Ski Piste Etiquette Snowshoeing and Children Signs of Wildlife in the Mountains Practical Information Getting to the Alps When to go Where to go Bases for a Snowshoe Walking Holiday Alpine Accommodation Mountain Rescue in the Alps The Weather Weather and Avalanche Information Grades of Walks Timings Directions Route Descriptions and Sketch Maps Aspect Maps Guided Snowshoeing Languages Safety and Technical Information Hazards of the Equipment Hazards on the Trail Weather Hazards Medical Hazards Hazards of the Snow Snowshoe Clothing Snowshoe Equipment Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Techniques Snowshoe Design Snowshoe Technique Winter Code of Good Conduct France Cluses Sallanches Region 1#Combe de la Neuva and Col du Grand Fond, 2671m 2#Grand Berge du Lac de Roseland, 2089m 3#Lac de la Girotte and Col du Sallestet, 2111m 4#Mont de Vores, 2067m 5#Mont Truc, 1811m 6#Lacs Jovet, 2174m, and Monts Jovet, 2362m 7#Petit Croisse Baulet, 2009m 8#Mayeres, 1563m 9#Tete de la Sallaz, 2026m 10#Petit Bargy, 2098m#1 11#Mole, 1863m 12#Col de Coux, 1920m, and La Berte, 1992m 13#Tete de Bostan, 2406m 14#Pointe de la Golese, 1835m 15#Fer a Cheval, 1012m 16#Cirque des Fonds, 1368m 17#Tete de Moede, 2459m 18#Ayeres, 1641m 19 Chamonix Region 19#Le Prarion, 1969m 20#Mont Lachat, 2115m 21#Pointe Helbronner, 3462m, to Aiguille du Midi, 3842m 22#Aiguillette des Houches, 2285m 23#Col de Berard, 2460m 24#Mont Buet, 3096m 25#Berard Valley and Sur le Rocher, 1530m 26#Refuge de Loriaz, 2020m, and Charmoz, 2366m 27#Aiguillette des Posettes, 2201m 28#Tete de Balme, 2321m Switzerland Martigny Region 29#Emosson Lake, 1931m, Six Jeur, 2062m, and Col de la Terrasse, 2648m 30#Mont de l'Arpille, 2085m 31#Arpette Valley, 2000m, and Col des Ecandies, 2796m 32#Tour de Bavon, 2476m, and Bec Rond, 2563m 33#Mont Rogneux, 3084m 34#Col du Bastillon, 2757m, and Monts Telliers, 2851m 35#Mont Fourchon, 2902m 36#Col Ouest de Barasson, 2635m Aigle Region 37#Dent de Valerette, 2059m 38#Pointe de Bellevue, 2042m 39#Lac de Tanay, 1408m, and Col d'Ugeon, 2019m 40#Croix de Javerne, 2097m 41#Solacyre, 1845m, and Riondaz, 1981m 42#Tour de Famelon, 2138m 43#Monts Chevreuils, 1749m 44#Pic Chaussy, 2351m 45#Pointe d'Arpille, 1982m 46#Diablerets Summit, 3210m 47#Col des Chamois, 2660m Sion/Visp Region 48#Dent de Morcles, 2969m 49#Wildhorn, 3248m 50#Wildstrubel, 3243m 51#Multi-Day Tour: Gemmi Pass, 2346m, to Wildhorn, 3248m 52#Daubenhorn, 2941m 53#Pigne d'Arolla, 3796m 54#Col de Torrent, 2919m 55#Hotel Weisshorn, 2337m, and Bella Vouarda, 2748m 56#Bishorn, 4153m 57#Breithorn, 4164m Italy Aosta Region 58#Col Serena, 2547m 59#Monte Morion, 2709m 60#Monte Zerbion, 2719m 61#Pointe de la Pierre, 2653m, and Pointe del Drinc, 2663m 62#Rifugio Vittorio Sella, 2584m 63#Colle del Tuf, 3255m, and Punta 3322 64#Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele, 2732m, and Gran Paradiso, 4061m 65#Colle del Nivole, 2612m 66#Rifugio Benevolo, 2285m, and Punta Calabre, 3445m 67#Punta Galisia, 3346m 68#Punta della Croce, 2478m 69#Monte della Saxe, 2524m 70#Rifugio Walter Bonatti, 2025m, and Tete Entre Deux Sauts, 2729m Appendix 1: Useful Terms and Glossary Appendix 2: Bibliography
Hilary Sharp is British, a qualified Accompagnateur en Montagne (Trekking Guide), and is based permanently in the village of Vallorcine near Chamonix Mont Blanc in the French Alps. She runs her own trekking business, Trekking in the Alps, guiding walks in winter, spring and summer (info@trekkinginthealps.com; www.trekkinginthealps.com). Her love of walking and climbing has taken her to many parts of Europe and further afield. Hilary contributes to several British walking magazines and is author of Trekking and Climbing in the Western Alps (New Holland, 2002).
