Welcome to the fastest growing winter sport in the world! Snowshoeing gives non-skiers access to the 'off-piste' world. Trek through snowy Alpine forests or in the rolling nordic terrain of the mid-mountains. The winter months are the busiest time of year in the Alps, and I start the snowshoeing programme at the start of December, and it runs until late April each year. This page gives an outline of the range of snowshoe treks that are on offer, as private bookings.
A typical day of snowshoeing would be to meet at 08:30 for a briefing, equipment checks, snowshoe fitting, and a weather and safety briefing. You would be equipped with safety kit such as avalanche tranceivers, shovel and probe, and I would carry a full first aid kit, emergency radio / phone, and a group shelter. You quickly master the use of snowshoes and then off you go! During the day you will be taught avalanche awareness, winter navigation, and you will learn about the local mountains of the Mont Blanc massif and the Chamonix valley. Trek through the afternoon until around 16:00, just as it starts to get dark.
As well as snowshoeing just for the enjoyment of it, there are many themed days and objectives that I propose, that can make your day snowshoeing that extra bit more special.
These days are an especially popular choice for those doing a day of snowshoeing as part of a winter holiday in the area. During the snowshoe walk a picnic including a selection of local mountain wines, meats and cheeses is provided for you. This really adds to the experience, and you will learn about the provenance of the food and drink, that makes the area so special.
"snowshoeing with a mountain dog"
Maximus is a young Bernese Mountain dog, and his breed comes originally from the Oberland (Eiger) region of Switzerland. He can accompany groups who would like a four legged companion, and fear not - even without snowshoes he can outwalk everyone! He accompanies all the snowshoeing groups unless you'd prefer not, and as you'll discover he absolutely adores the snow.
"moonlight snowshoe trek"
This is a magical experience as you snowshoe through the forests in the evening, with the way lit by your head torch and hopefully the light of the moon. These treks are a feast for your senses; the crisp crunching of the snow, the smell of pine, the scurrying of hares, and the moonlight making the snow glow. Typically you meet at 17:00 and return to Chamonix in the late evening.
"alpine snowshoe summits"
A Ronseal advert, this one - does what it says on the tin - a snowshoe trek where the objective is a summit or high mountain pass. Examples are Mont d'Arpille, Mont Lachat or Posettes. All of these snowshoe summits provide amazing panoramas of the Alps and are unforgettable days out. You don't need to be super fit, but a good basic level of fitness will really help.
"moonlight snowshoe and meal"If you fancy a really different evening in Chamonix, this couldn't get much better! An evening snowshoe trek as the sun sets over the peaks, to reach a remote mountain gite, where you eat a traditional savoyarde meal before snowshoeing in the dark to reach a 4x4 in which you are driven back to Chamonix. The meal includes a salad, cold meats, cheese fondue, wine, dessert, and coffee. Numbers are limited to 4 people, and the prices include the evening meal, guiding, snowshoes, head torches and transport.
4 people = £50 per person
3 people = £65 per person
2 people = £80 per person
1 person = £140 in total
4 people = £50 per person
3 people = £65 per person
2 people = £80 per person
1 person = £140 in total
