Here we are, day four at a fairly leisurely 0500 start and hitting the hill at 0615. The night was spent in the Tracuit Hut which at 3270m is fairly high, the hut was pretty busy probably due to such superb conditions.

So far the tour has just been extraordinary, the best trip I’ve made this year really and that’s due in large part to the guide Fredy Tscherrig who set the trip up, his knowledge of the area is just stunning and his passion for it is obvious.

For me today is the point of the trip, in some ways the point of the season and probably of life itself! I’ve spent the season skiing in the Val d’Anniviers and one of the reasons I actually ski tour is to explore more of the valley. Now we are at 3270m high up in the Anniviers, three days into the trip and ready to make an ascent of he Bishorn at 4153m. The Bishorn is a “ski 4000″ so we’re going to be able to make all but the last few metres on skis.

I used Adobe LightRoom to make a web slideshow of the whole trip, view slideshow here.


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This was going to be a long day, the aim was to travel to the Cabane de Tracuit which looks a pretty long way on the map. Another early start at 0400hr and we’re away from the the cabane du Mountet a little after 0430hrs lighting the way by head torches until fixing skins and starting the first ascent.

photo : some of the group climbing the Blanc de Moming with the Dent Blanche in the centre background.
 

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Next morning saw us leaving the hut a little after 0500 hrs in the dark skiing down lighting the way with our head torches with the occasional sparks from the skier in front if they caught a rock with their edges. We skied back along a little way where we’d skinned up the previous afternoon before arriving under the Äbihorn and fixing skins along with ski crampons and starting to climb. It’s early in the day of course and the sun’s barely risen to the snow is solid and the crampons are essential to make any progress, even so, some of the kick turns are hard work at times.


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Actually it is over, at least sort of. Today was the last day the lifts are running in the Val d’Anniviers, it’s tied to Easter and this year Easter is earliest it’s been since 1913 and it’s not going to be this early until 2228 again. We already know closing in the Val d’Anniviers is going to be April 19th next year and we can only hope the snow will be as good as it is right now.

Of course it’s not over at all, there’s still snow on the ground, and falling from the sky for that matter, so there’s still going to be some skiing. I’m not sure right now if I’ll be doing anymore lift served skiing though, the only firm plans I have are for some ski touring right now.


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