6 – 13 March, 6 places

£1690 (£1640 MatesRates)

If you are new to the ‘art’ of skinning or are just getting into this brilliant way of getting about the mountains – this is the week for you. We’ll do a few nights in a hotel in Morzine, we’ll do a few nights up in refuges in the mountains. It’s going to be the perfect trip… and no lift pass required! (Well we might use one or two lifts here and there…)

We will be led, instructed and entertained by the original mountain goat – Guillaume Omont [(BE) Alpinisme – Guide de Haute Montagne] and the plan is mostly determined by him and the conditions we face at the time…. but roughly;

The Plan.

Day 1. Arrive in Morzine on Saturday afternoon, pick up rental gear if need be and settle into our hotel. We’ll all go out for dinner on the first night to discuss the plan for the week and get to know each other.

Day 2. The first morning is a free (kind of regular) ski snowboard session. To get our legs in and a chance for those who have rented to get used to their kit. At lunchtime we’ll meet Guillaume and he’ll take us out in the afternoon so he can get to know us, see our abilities and go through basic avalanche safety info, as well as going through the ‘transition’ (putting your skins on and off!)

Day 3. Nice steady skin up to the Swiss border via the Col de Cou (smugglers path) and then drop into Les Crosets before returning via the Mossettes lift to Ardent and then home. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 4. Leave big bags with HOFNAR and head out with kit for a night out. Returning to the Vallée de la Manche we’ll skin up the other side and head up the Col de Bostan, we’ll spend the night in either the Golese or Bostan refuge up there, Truly magical.

Day 5. We’ll ride down towards Samoens and transport will take us over to the cute village of Sixt. There used to be quite a few ski runs here, but much was closed back in the 80s…. but we don’t need chairlifts, and what were the pistes are still completely usable… for those who put the effort in! We’ll stay in the cute village of Samoens that evening.

Day 6. Free day in the Grands Massif ski area. Or just rest the legs hanging out in Samoens.

Day 7. Transport will take us to take us to Bonnavaz. From there we’ll skin to the summit of the Chalune and then make our way towards St Jean d’Aulpes. Transport will be provided to get us back to our accommodation in Morzine. Farewell dinner in the hotel.

Day 8. Return to Geneva airport. Exhausted.