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      ALPINE SKI MOUNTAINEERING

      VOLUME 1: WESTERN ALPS

      by

      Bill O’Connor

      JUNIPER HOUSE, MURLEY MOSS,

      OXENHOLME ROAD, KENDAL, CUMBRIA LA9 7RL

      www.cicerone.co.uk

      About the Author

      Bill O'Connor, author of this guidebook, is an internationally qualified (IFMGA) mountain and ski guide based in the Lake District. He spends up to eight months of the year abroad – at least three of which are spent off-piste skiing and touring in the Alps. A former Head of Outdoor Education at both Marlborough College and Loughborough University he has spent the last twenty-five years guiding in Britain, Europe and the Greater Ranges.

      Bill is a member of the Alpine Club, Alpine Climbing Group and Alpine Ski Club, and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. When not ‘out there doing it’ he lectures, contributes articles and photographs to most of the leading outdoor publications in the UK and abroad, and runs his photographic library. He has contributed to numerous publications on mountaineering and has written several acclaimed books including an alpine guidebook to Mont Blanc, a book of scrambles in the Lake District and two volumes on Nepal including The Trekking Peaks Of Nepal.

      He lives in Cumbria with Sallie, his wife, and two sons, William and Cameron, who are also passionate about ski mountaineering. For more information about his guiding, writing and photography check out his web site on: www.oconnoradventure.com

      © Bill O'Connor 2002

      First edition 2002

      ISBN: 978 1 85284 373 1

      Reprinted 2008, 2017

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      Photos by the author, unless otherwise credited.

      Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd

      Dedication

      To William Reed and Cameron Alexander

      Acknowledgements

      This guidebook is the product of more than three decades of enjoyment and good company in the mountains. To all those that have been my companions on these marvellous journeys I give a heartfelt thanks. Special mention has to be made of Sallie O'Connor, who has not only been my willing partner in the hills but has also had to put up with me pouring over maps, pictures and guidebooks at home during the writing of these volumes.

      Thanks to Cathy Duval for help with translations. To Jeremy Whitehead for his contribution of excellent pictures for the Haute Maurienne Traverse and the Vanoise High-Level Circuit. His experience of skiing in the Haute Maurienne and Vanoise is vast. Thanks to friends and fellow mountain guides: Hugh Clarke for contributing three pictures of the Mont Blanc Massif, and Rob Collister for his two pictures in the Introduction and Écrins Haute Route.

      Finally, I must thank the team at Cicerone for their hard work, and particularly Jonathan Williams for letting me realise my long-held ambition to produce guidebooks on Alpine ski mountaineering in English.

      Warning

      Mountaineering can be a dangerous activity carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. Mountaineers should be appropriately equipped for the routes undertaken. Whilst every care and effort has been taken in the preparation of this guide, the user should be aware that conditions, especially in winter, can be highly variable and can change quickly. Holds may become loose or fall off, rockfall can affect the character of a route, snow and avalanche conditions must be carefully considered. These can materially affect the seriousness of a climb, tour or expedition.

      Therefore, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accepts liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this guide.

      Updates to this guide

      While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/373/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, LA9 7RL.

      Front cover: On the Schwartz Glacier below the Breithorn, looking towards the east face of the Matterhorn

      CONTENTS

       Overview Map

       Map Key

       Foreword

       Introduction

       Using this Guidebook

       On Tour

       The Hut System

       Avalanche Awareness

       Avalanche Accidents

       Helicopter Rescue

       A Safety Strategy for Ski Mountaineering

       Grading and Difficulty

       Equipment List

       Tours

       Écrins Haute Route

       Haute Maurienne Traverse

       La Poulé – Vanoise High-Level Circuit

       Grand Paradiso Haute Route

       Mont Blanc Haute Route

       High-Level Day-Tours in the Mont Blanc Massif

       The Classic Haute Route

       The Verbier High-Level Route

       Arolla High-Level Circuit

       Zermatt and Saas Fee 4000ers