Alps

The European Alps Grand Ski Tours Compared

By the end of the 2011 ski season, we realized that over the last 10 years we have skied most all the European grand ski tours, not just once, but twice, if not three times each. Of course there are more, but the big ones, the famous tours, are all under our belt. As a resource for people researching which they would like to do, I thought to rate them and see how they compare. I know which is my favorite, would it really come out on top? The candidates are:

The Haute Route's final descent, below the north wall of the Matterhorn straight to Zermatt.

The Haute Route Ski Tour

Probably the most famous ski tour in the world and, for good reason, likely in number one position on most backcountry skiers must hit lists. We have done the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route twice and by both versions, the classic via Chanrion and the Verbier/Lac des Dix variation. Being the only true point to point tour on the list, the Haute Route demands that you stick to an agenda – a static tour. It is a complicated route requiring every skill in a skiers toolbox; steep skiing, fitness, navigation, glacier travel, and mountaineering.

Switzerland’s Berner Oberland Ski Tour

Like all the tours on the list with the exception of the Haute Route, the Berner can be done however a skier chooses. In where you please, out where you please – a dynamic tour. Typically, most parties go into the Bernese Alps from Grindelwald, at the Jungfraujoch so as to start high. Once within the massive region, there are numerous huts and countless ski lines, all of which are accessible from an initial descent to the Konkordiaplatz. There are also several 4000 meter peaks to climb, though not completely by ski. One disadvantage (some may see this as an advantage) of the region is the vast nature, as such there is potential for long slogs skinning up low angle glaciers. Also, in poor weather the options are more limited for travel. Exiting the area is typically done via the Lötschental or south towards Riederalp where buses and trains take you back around to the Grindelwald starting point.

The Ortler Ski Tour, Italy

The Ortler itself is a major Italian peak straddling the Swiss Italian border. But the ski tour is more in the mountain group east of the Ortler. Accessed via Solda (the Italian Solda!), Santa Caterina or the Val Martello, the Ortler is another dynamic tour without a strict agenda. Visitors can research what they want to ski, have a tick list, then as conditions permit start to move around and ski the favored lines and peaks. Classics include the Cevedale, the Punta San Matteo and the magnificent Gran Zebru, or Königspitze in German. One issue with the Ortler is the requirement to exit where you started, this or a very complicated process of getting back.

The Silvretta Group, Austria

Beginning in Ischgl, Austria, on the north end of the Silvretta Group, this ski tour sits on the Swiss Austrian border and can either be done as a point to point, or a dynamic tour with multiple nights in the same huts. Arguably the nicest hut on any ski tour in Europe is on this tour, the Jamtal Hut; complete with wi-fi, climbing gym and luxurious private rooms. The tour is typically started in Ischgl with a tram ascent before a short tour to the first hut, the Heidelberger. From here it is possible to move through the range east to west, essentially making a big circle connecting huts and ending just up valley from Ischgl at the village Galtur.

The Piz Bernina Group, Switzerland

As much a mountaineering experience as ski tour, the Bernina Tour is very much a dynamic agenda. This is big, alpine, glaciated terrain that requires absolute knowledge of much more than skiing. The starting point is almost certainly the Diavolezza Cable Car which takes you to one of Europe’s most impressive “Huts”. The Diavolezza Hut is really more of a hotel and fine restaurant complete with arguably the best view in all the Alps. The tour usually begins with an ascent of the Piz Palu before heading to any number of options which allow for a bouncing around the Bernina Group. Climb the Bernina itself, the easternmost 4000 meter peak in the Alps, or head south into Italy before crossing back to the Swiss side to Sils Maria or the Coaz Hut.

Choosing the European Alps Ski Tour : The Criteria

For ranking, I considered the following factors: the views, the huts, the skiing, can you escape, logistics and the overall experience. Details to rank are below. My choice for best of category sets the standard, then the others are compared to the best. A 5 is the highest, 1 the lowest.

The "yard" as seen from the Ortler's Rifugio Branca, 5 star terrain

The Views: This one is simple, how dramatic is the landscape you are in. Will you be blown away by the views and is it a completely unique experience because of this.

The Huts: Undoubtedly all the huts are going to impress an American visitor and be a big part of the overall feel – but truly, some are a lot better than others. Food is a big factor, remote alpine huts get their food flown in and as such it is not so fresh. Others, closer to villages get fresh food daily and the quality can be much higher. Some huts even offer private rooms and showers, others only dorm style rooms and no showers.

The skiing in the Alps can be big and intimidating. Berner Oberland.

The Skiing: This one was tricky as all have great ski terrain. But, the nature of the tours can affect how you get to ski, or how easily accessible it is based on the tour itself. For instance, the Haute Route requires you get from point A to point B. You don’t always have the time to get to ski what you want vs. what you have to ski to get to where you need to be. This compared to tours like the Ortler where you wake up and base your objective on the conditions, the crowds and your energy.

The Escape: Can you get away? Can you get some terrain to yourself? Or, are you going to be in a procession in a skin track trench followed by a carved up descent. There is always the possibility of escape, but how friendly is the terrain to allow this and how much time will you have to do so.

The Logistics: This is one of the big ones for a visiting American skier. Having to rely on huts, knowing how to get in and out of areas, glaciers, weather, and knowing how and where to find the escapes – make for logistical issues, some more than others. Researching information about these ski tours is overwhelming if you are a first time visitor. Meanwhile, the huts are a blessing and a curse in that they complicate matters by having to decide when you’ll arrive, booking, and making them all work out with conditions. You must reserve space at huts. The weather can change your plans and then affect your entire agenda, this is what is looked at for the rating. How easy is it to “deal” with the tour’s logistics.

The Haute Route

The Overall Experience: Every one of these tours is going to be a great experience, but again, the standard I have set is according to which is potentially most rewarding. Countless factors weigh in to influence the overall; the weather, the snow, the group, the season, etc… and of course all the subjective factors as well.

Using a Mountain Guide

The decision to use a mountain guide to do these tours is highly recommended. Immediately the logistics issue is solved, the ability to escape a possibility, and the overall experience will probably be much better. Also, if the weather is bad, instead of sitting it out inside, a guide will likely have an entertaining backup plan. With regards to a guide, I have heard people say, “How hard can it be, get in the trench and go”. This might be true if the weather is splitter and you are there high season (April), but the second the sky closes, it whites out and you are on a glacier, the trip goes to hell quite quickly. The Alps are not to be taken lightly, they may be crowded, but they are not tame – it is serious terrain. See guides list, bottom.

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The Alps Ski Tours Compared

Conclusion

So what does this mean? The Haute Route sucks? Not at all, it means the Haute Route has the potential for the biggest experience and best views, it is just difficult to pull off without some logistical help. And the Berner Oberland is the best? Maybe, for me… I had great conditions each time I was there and it is consistent across the board. If I had to choose, the best ski tour is undoubtedly the Ortler. The Haute Route is something every skier must do, the Berner is simply an amazing place with great skiing, the Silvretta a close second to the Ortler in every way, and the Bernina a place for ski mountaineering.

Point being…. they are all great. But if you are going to choose just one, then I hope this method helps you determine which tour is best for what you are after.

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American UIAGM Guides Specializing in European Ski Touring

These are all friends and guides we know to be fully knowledgeable about Alp ski tours. I asked them about the list to see which tour they would comment on.

Cosley Houston Mountain Guides : Our favorite? You’re asking us to walk into a French chocolatière and pick out the single best morsel. Well, we have to give very high marks to the Ortler. Perhaps it the showers, or the full bar, or the great food, the cappuccinos, the hut keepers, or the great terrain where most every day takes in a high summit.

The Queyras, southeast of Grenoble, also deserves honorable mention. This is the “Wild West” (well, East, actually) of France. Great snow, fine huts with showers! and very few other skiers. There’s a good chance you’ll do some trail breaking here.

But, really, all the tours are great. Each has its own unique flavor, and rewards. And they all require skiing, lots of skiing. So how bad can that be?

Francis Kelsey : The Haute Route. It’s the oldest and most well known tour. Even though the shortest way between two points is a straight line, I prefer a few detours along the way and like to mix things up a bit. Some of the best skiing I have done has been on this tour. With any tour or trip into the mountains, timing and knowledge play crucial roles on how the trip unfolds and also on how interesting (ie fun) it turns out. There are very few tours that will bring such incredible diversity and feeling of accomplishment as the Haute Route. This route brings every mountain skill set into play, nearly every time.

And finally, how appropriate is it to rally two of the world’s alpine meccas via skis. That’s just plain uber cool.

Howie Schwartz : Sierra Mountain Guides : Our favorite is the Ortler, even though it is so trendy now, but we like to start in Solda with an amazing off-piste day at the resort. Then the intensity ramps up to classic ski mountaineering and steep descents. We are skiers and this is truly a skiers circuit that maximizes the quantity and quality of skiing. Certainly less high and wild than some of the other more classic tours but, as you know, the food and espresso are in another league in Italia. I think for Americans that already get their wilderness experiences closer to home, the Ortler is a very unique and special ski destination.

Tim Connelly : The Ortler Tour: Some of my favorite skiing days have been had in that great playground standing opposite the Rifugio Branca. The ins and outs of Cima Giacomo and P.Matteo and the longer journeys through Palon de la Mare on to P. Taviela, just such good times. Of course skiing from the summit of Il Gran Zebru will have a special place in my heart; grinning still at the memory

The Haute route (via Verbier): While touted as the over used/ busy trade route of the alps I have had some spectacular days on this route that will keep me raving about it. Isolated, steep lines from Rosablanche and around Arolla remind me of my La Grave haunts and full on high mountain adventures around the Pigne de Arolla have tried to kick my butt — love it! I’ll be back.

Margaret Wheeler : ProGuiding

Mike Bromberg : Mountain Pro : It’s hard to pick a favorite when each tour has it’s own unique character, but the one thing I can be definitive about, is that the Ortler crushes the competition when it comes to Coffee quality. I generally prefer a circuit with layover days planned at several huts as opposed to point to point traverses in order to really maximize the ski potential and achieve a greater sense of place in a specific area. Keep your style in mind (fast & light or freerider?) and remember that shared expectations will end up being crucial to the success of any mountain experience.

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Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Tour du Mont Blanc | Running Trip

Dec 23rd, 2009

by dolomitesport.

3 comments

Unlike our other favorite trips, reflecting on this little outing is primarily a blur. The experience as a whole is there, but the individual components are not so sharp. Thanks to some IT Band issues, it hurt. But still, it makes the list of 5 Favorite Trips. This is why.

The south end of Mont Blanc

I knew who Topher Gaylord was but we had never met. So when he rang us in Switzerland, completely out of the blue, and asked if we would like to run the Tour du Mont Blanc with he and his wife Kim, I was surprised. Let’s see… he was risking running 150km in 3 days, with strangers. Well so were we, but I knew he and Kim often did this sort of trips while Janine and I had never done anything so long. We were the wildcards. Regardless, the answer was, “Yes”.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is just that, a trail around the highest peak in Europe, the 4808 meter Mont Blanc.

Aid Station Euro style

But the Mont Blanc massif is something even more, it is so large it sits amongst three countries, France, Italy and Switzerland. To do the trip means crossing the borders and experiencing what each culture offers, and all three are quite different. This is mountainous terrain, huge in fact with deep valley’s and high passes. The total elevation gain for the trail is roughly 8500 meters. Ouch.

The beauty of the tour, especially for running, is the hut system. Conveniently spaced, the huts offer both food and beds. It is possible to run the entire tour with little more than two water bottles, some day food and an extra layer of clothes – in other words, about 4kg max. Better yet, the three larger villages that the trail passes through come at about the thirds of the total, thus the three day push. And remarkably, each village is in a different country with its own character. Split the run into thirds or stay more nights using the huts – your call.

Ibex

Topher Gaylord is an intimidating running partner. In the 2003 inaugural Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc Race, in horrific weather, he tied for second place. For training he and Kim, who also competes, run the tour each year prior to the event to see how their fitness is. For them it was preparation for something larger, for us it was a test to see if we could do it.

So we set off the first day from Chamonix, France, arguably the world’s most spectacular town, for Courmayeur, Italy, exactly opposite Mont Blanc from Chamonix on a map. Through the morning we moved up into the alpine world which in the Alps means wide open green hillsides loaded with wildflowers. With the glaciers of Mont Blanc’s south side still high above, we were in Sound of Music terrain, perfect for running. The first huts came and went and with them coffees and torts.

Topher Gaylord running above Lac Combal. Tour of Mont Blanc

Janine descending

In the afternoon we dropped into Italy and ran alongside flowing glaciers as we steadily lost elevation on our way to Courmayeur. Toph, in training mode, blasted off and charged solo. For Kim, Janine and I, once we were above Courmayeur and the final steep descent we gave into temptation and dropped not on foot but via tram, right into Courmayeur and a Pizza al Taglio.

Once showered, we got to put our running clothes back on and go to dinner. Nothing like making a spectacle of yourself through consumption in a good Italian Restaurant while wrapped in lycra.

Toph straddling borders

The next day we had a plan. Toph wanted to check out the actual race course which differed from the true Tour. Kim and Janine wisely opted to stay on the real trail while I chose to follow Toph up a big climb before traversing into the Val Ferret and the Swiss border. My decision would be a blessing and a curse. Up we went in the early morning hours until we reached a high plateau directly above Courmayeur. There, a small hut sat alone and quiet with a thin stream of smoke rising from its chimney. We entered a dark room and were taken back in time thanks to the original nature of the hut and the people inside. An old woman approached, eyeing us and our attire. In thick dialect she informed us we were too skinny and needed to eat. Out came the tort, the butter, the yogurt and the coffee. We followed orders and ate.

Kim and Janine at a hut

Stuffed, we departed. Thick clouds were developing and our views were disappearing. But in front of us a trail unfolded that was so perfect in its singletrack “ness” that it had us hooting and hollering as if were skiing. This would later be my downfall when my enthusiasm got a reality check.

Meeting back up with Janine and Kim on the pass into Switzerland, we ran as a group until the descent to La Fouly. At this point I watched as first Toph disappeared, then Kim, and finally Janine, leaving me to hobble all the way to the Swiss holiday village of Champex. There I crawled into town and spotted the team enjoying drinks and snacks at a nice lakeside restaurant. Never have I been so glad to finish anything.

Toph opening it up on perfect singletrack, leaving Courmayeur

Toph arguing with locals about trail ethics

The final day was the opposite. We were horses and we smelled the barn. As a group we all charged full steam around the north end of Mont Blanc before dropping steeply into Chamonix Valley. A jaunt down the valley could end the trip, but instead the trail traverses back up on the western Aiguille Rouge side. There, high above town, we ran into two fully equipped backpackers, slumped over their trekking poles and still huffing and puffing from their upward progress.

“Hey guys, how’s it going?”, we queried.

Chamonix & Mont Blanc

“12 days out, and this is the last of the Tour du Mont Blanc. What are you guys doing?”

We didn’t have the heart to tell them, so instead, “Oh, just out for a run”. Obviously the trail is an entirely different experience for runners and for us, it was confirmed, we had made the right choice; super light/super fast on a trail perfect for running.

The final descent to Chamonix was one I will never forget. Once again I was off the back but at least able to run. As I neared town the sounds of nature turned to the sounds of a European tourist area, the descending trail turned into a dirt road before flattening and finally with a sharp left turn, joining one of the walking streets of Chamonix. I was thrilled to have been able to finish it up and overcome some physical problems. Toph, Kim and Janine were waiting and together the four of us strolled through town, still wearing our same clothes and tiny packs. I don’t remember what we ate that night, but I sure remember smelling the fondue as we walked through town.

Kim & Topher Gaylord with Janine Patitucci

Rating: 4.5/5 (4 votes cast)

Ortler Ski Tour | Italy

Dec 18th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

2 comments

The Ortler Ski Tour is all about decadence

What makes a trip stand out above others? Why do a few experiences immediately come to mind when looking back on our greatest memories? For me, when I asked this question of myself getting ready for this 5 part series on our favorite trips, the Ortler Tour in Italy was right there.

The Gran Zebru / König Spitze

We had done the Haute Route twice, the Berner Oberland twice and countless other Euro grand and mini tours. Setting out on the Ortler was just another week in the big mountains, afterall, it didn’t have the famous name recognition of some of the other big tours.

It became quickly apparent that we were entering a special place when I first laid eyes on the Gran Zebru, or Königspitze in German. It did help that it had just dumped a hefty quantity of winter powder in early April, but still, the terrain was noticeably big, dramatic and unlike other big mountains, loaded with couloirs and natural ski lines.

And we hadn’t even discovered the huts at this point, we were still in the tram getting to the start.

Skiing the Cevedale

From Sölden we rode lifts to the end of the line before hopping over a small ridge line and a drop to the Martello Valley. From the bottom of the descent we climbed a long and gradual valley to the Rifugio Martello. Here we had it confirmed, we love Italy and the Huts are the best.

Private rooms, bath, a menu for dinner, coffee machine, and full bar were the norm. Decadence we weren’t used to. Things were looking up and it was only day 1.

The next day we climbed the Cevedale, arguably the most classic peak to do while on the tour. The Cevedale proved good, but a thick fog prevented full appreciation. However, the seemingly hour long descent did catch our attention and was made even better when we arrived at our home hut for the next few days, the Rifugio Branca.

View from the Branca Hut

Once again we greeted and shown to our private rooms by kind Italian hut keepers, not grumpy, bitter versions found elsewhere. The Branca Hut is centrally located in the Ortler Group and for many parties serves as a kind of basecamp. We opted for a three night stay before moving on. It seemed a wise choice as right outside the windows was enough terrain for a lifetime. We were home.

At this point the Ortler was beginning to prove itself as our favorite tour. The Haute Route is an amazing journey through some of the most dramatic mountain terrain in the world. The skiing can be great, but really the Haute Route is all about getting from point A (Chamonix) to point B (Zermatt). In that window of time there are countless little unpleasant items that may shut you, and your Haute Route, down. As a result, the Haute Route has its own energy. Go go go. Skiers are most concerned with succeeding each day. The Ortler, being a loop, or in and out, or really whatever you so desire, is all about fun – or, all about skiing.

Headed to Punta San Matteo

Being at the same hut, especially one so cush as the Branca, for three days, and skiing as you please – this was like being on holiday. Stress free, lighter yet packs, joining in with new friends met at the hut and of course the Italian food and drink. Paradise. One even stops caring about getting weather days and can enjoy a day spent socializing over a bottle of wine and a pasta.

Two women ski touring in the Ortler Range

Right out the door of the Rifugio Pizzini

After four days of this life, it was time to move on to the next hut, the Rifugio Pizzini. From the Branca it is a quick ski down and then skin up alongside a small creek to the Pizzini. Here we were met by a large Bernese, the smell of coffee and a large open face behind the hut who’s corn crop was in dire need of harvest. We petted the dog, threw back several coffees and went farming until dinner.

Here, I discovered Claudio Compagnoni, the owner and undoubtedly kindest, most fun hut keeper in Europe. At most huts you are a client, some you are a guest, but at the Pizzini you are home. The hut was renovated in 2002 and the result is a modern, comfortable building made for big, partying groups of fun seeking mountain athletes.

Our original plan was to stay one night before moving on yet again, but the hut proved impossible to leave. From the Pizzini we spent three days exploring the terrain around the hut including the mighty Gran Zebru.

One issue with beginning your tour on the Sölden side and ending it with a visit to the Pizzini, is that you must get back to Sölden. The out requires an extremely steep climb to the Rifugio Casati before a complicated glacier descent back to Sölden. There is a lot of room for error on the climb, and on the descent. Here, local knowledge is key. Should you get stuck at the Pizzini (really not such a bad prospect, I could spend a winter there) and really need to get out, you will need to head west to Santa Caterina, then Livigno, and figure out an extremely complicated transit system back around to the other side, which could literally take two days. The rule, don’t get stuck at the Pizzini if you have a flight to catch.

Skiing the glacier descent of Punta San Matteo

Luckily, our week on the Ortler proved uneventful. So good was the trip that we went straight back the following year, however conditions were not so nice and we spent the bulk of our time inside. Yet still, the trip was a great one and kept the Ortler as “Best Of” in the ski tour category.

So, what does make a trip stand out above all the others like it? Good weather and snow certainly helps, but the combination of a great landscape and kind people close the deal. The Ortler delivers at every level, providing everything we want from a big European ski tour.

Endless ski terrain in the Ortler Group and Dolomites

Michael Silitch on the summit of Punta San Matteo

Amy Rasic in the Ortler Group

Michael Silitch skiing beneath the Gran Zebru

Ski touring beneath seracs

Michael Silitch beneath a serac

The Pizzini Hut at night

The author having had his fill

Interested in skiing the Ortler Tour? It is a serious undertaking given the nature of the terrain. Glacial hazards, navigation and the logistics make it a complicated tour. If you are not fully comfortable in this sort of terrain, or new to European ski touring logistics, a UIAGM Mountain Guide is highly recommended. A few of our good friends are:

Michael Silitch at High-Alpine Mountain Guides

Mark Houston & Kathy Cosley at Cosley Houston

Alberto de Giuli

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Our Favorite Mountain Sport Trips

Dec 15th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

No comments yet

Janine and I get asked a lot about our favorite trips for mountain sports. While I loathe the idea of “Top Whatever Lists”, I am going to report my favorites because it is a good reason to delve into my own memories and see what has been most rewarding.

As professional mountain sport photographers, we have this massive database of photos that I must work within each day. But for us it is far more than a collection of work images, it is a collection of memories. The nature of the way we work is to photograph our experiences, not just document others. As a result, we have a visual reminder of our lives and all the things we do.

In the last ten years we have been on countless trips; climbing, skiing, running and hiking. So, which experiences stand out amongst them all, and why? Finally, can our trips inspire others to go on their own?

What are the criteria for a favorite trip? Beauty, Emotion, Landscape, Travel, Difficulty, Effort and of course the friends we share it all with. The envelope please…

In no special order, according to Dan & Janine Patitucci, the Top 5 Mountain Sport Trips are :

1. The Ortler Ski Tour, Italy

2. Hiking & Running Iceland's Laugavegur Tour

3. Trail Running the Tour du Mont Blanc. France, Italy, Switzerland

4. Climbing the Evolution Traverse, Sierra Nevada, California

5. Alpine Climbing the Berner Oberland Region's three classics: Monch, Jungfrau, Eiger. Switzerland

Now for the fun part, or parts 1 – 5, telling each story of each experience, with photos. Stay tuned.

Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Mountain Hut Culture

Sep 24th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

14 comments

Switzerland's Konkordia Hut perched above Europe's largest glacier.

Mountain Huts and the European Mountain Culture

Undoubtedly, one of the greatest pleasures of living in the European mountains is the huts. Anyone that follows this site, or our Twitter feed, has seen a trend; the use of huts and all the amazing experiences that they allow.

I am still not so sure Americans understand the concept. From people seeking info on the Dolomites, I am continually asked via email, “Do we need to bring sleeping bags, tents, food?”

The answer is an emphatic, “NO!”

The Rothorn Hut, Zermatt, Switzerland

The European huts are basically hotels in the mountains. Depending on just where they are located, they only vary from comfortable to extremely comfortable. In the higher alpine zones of Switzerland and France they are more basic, and food and water a bit more pricey thanks to having to be delivered via helicopter. But still, they are staffed to provide a four course dinner, beer & wine, breakfast and a bed complete with blankets. You need not carry anything unless you prefer your own silk sleeping sack. In other words, your backpack will be tiny and very light. You can purchase day food at the huts as well, typically chocolates, cookies, and occasionally a sandwich. You are very much in the “backcountry” but you are staying in staffed huts.

In the lower elevation mountains, like the Dolomites, most huts are literally hotels complete with power, espresso machines, full bars, restaurants, private rooms with baths, and so on. You should do a little research to see what the huts offer on your itinerary as not all are so complete, but most are. The private rooms being the one missing element of some huts.

Perhaps a bit too much grappa?

More than being refuges for mountain excursions (backcountry skiing, hiking, climbing, etc…), they are a social element of the European mountain culture. It is entirely normal to hear of a party at a hut, or friends simply planning an overnight so as to enjoy a massive meal, or a dance party, or a fullmoon outing, or just a dinner out that requires an approach.

In the Alta Badia there is a hut that has Wednesday night dance parties all winter. A one hour ski tour gets you there, then change the clothes, eat a pizza and get on the dance floor in your F1′s. Ski out at 3 a.m. Fun. Or, in the summer, mountain bike all day in the Dolomites, watch the sun set from a hut deck while drinking a wheat beer, enjoy five courses of Italian goodness, then descend on out under headlamps on trails. For the winter version, replace mountain bike with skis.

Huts may not be for everybody, and of course they can be avoided altogether. Occasionally I do miss sleeping beneath the stars, but that option is always available.

Being an American I am still in awe of this system, it simply works, it brings people together, and it bonds the mountain culture that runs deep in the society. Perhaps the huts are what allow for such a rich culture of mountain people in Europe, such a vast base of people who visit the mountains. The huts make it easy to go to the mountains, and they allow for an entirely unique experience of socializing.

Would the mountain huts work in the US?

Or first, we Americans must ask ourselves if the huts would ever be allowed to exist in the US? Do you want huts in the mountains of America? Sound off with our Comments. Thanks.

Most stunning upon arrival, the Vignette Hut on the Haute Route. Switzerland

Most impressive, Austria's Jamtal Hut in the Silvretta Group

Most precarious. The Mittelegi Hut high on the Eiger, the North Wall to the right

Pick a hut, any hut...

Best deck, the Fanes Hut, Dolomites

Switzerland's Hollandia Hut in the Berner Oberland

The Trient Hut, Switzerland. The Haute Route

The Locatelli Hut, Dolomites

The Courvecle Hut, Chamonix

Backcountry food

Hut dorm room

The Valsorey Hut, olfactory overload, Haute Route.

The Valsorey Hut, Haute Route

The Chanrion Hut, Haute Route, Switzerland

The gear room, Cosmique Hut, Chamonix

Party time after the Biancograt. Marco e Rosa Hut, Switzerland

The Konkordia Hut winter room

Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

Alpabzug

Sep 12th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

2 comments

Her Majesty, the cow

And now for something completely different.

Alpabzug

No sports, no gear reviews, nothing to do with making your heart beat quickly.

Just cows, the end of summer, beer and a lot of European tradition.

Alpabzug: The traditional celebration of the end of summer where the cows are brought down from the high Alps to the valley floors for the coming winter. Everyone turns out for this party in their best lederhosen. Even the cows get into the spirit and dress accordingly, wearing their finest bells and bouquets.

Each family has its turn through the villages, walking their cows through, letting them fertilize the landscaping, and generally entertaining everyone as only cows can do. That is pretty much it. Come evening, while the cows are chomping on pasture grass and the oddity of the day is long forgotten, the humans are chewing their bratwurst and chasing it all down with liters of beer.

P.S. Due to being hassled by native German speakers I must mention that Alpabzug is more of a Swiss German term, in high German, it is Almabzug. An Alp is the same as an Alm, it is a family farm for livestock; cows, goats, sheep, etc… in the higher mountains and only used in the summer months.

Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Alps

The European Alps Grand Ski Tours Compared

The Haute Route Ski Tour

Switzerland’s Berner Oberland Ski Tour

The Ortler Ski Tour, Italy

The Silvretta Group, Austria

The Piz Bernina Group, Switzerland

Choosing the European Alps Ski Tour : The Criteria

Using a Mountain Guide

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The Alps Ski Tours Compared

Conclusion

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American UIAGM Guides Specializing in European Ski Touring

Tour du Mont Blanc | Running Trip

Ortler Ski Tour | Italy

The Ortler Ski Tour is all about decadence

Our Favorite Mountain Sport Trips

Mountain Hut Culture

Mountain Huts and the European Mountain Culture

Would the mountain huts work in the US?

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