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Climbing in the Sciora and Piz Badile Group

Nov 25th, 2011
by dolomitesport.
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The Sciora Hut sits directly beneath much of the climbing

When Americans think of climbing in Europe, one thing typically comes to mind; limestone. But for climbers visiting Europe who want a little something closer to what they know, and an experience of a lifetime, the Alps also have a massive amount of granite. Chamonix tends to steal the show for showcasing granite, but this summer we went snooping around to some other areas known for long, easy to moderate, granite climbs. Our favorites; Switzerland’s Göschenental and its Bergseeschijen and Salbit groups, which will come in a later DolomiteSport post. First up, the Graubunden Region, specifically the Sciora Group and Piz Badile area above the Val Bregaglia, Switzerland.

The North Ridge of the Piz Badile

This was the second time we had climbed in this region as in 2005 we climbed the famous Piz Badile. Since that visit, we had long wanted to return to see what else lay nearby, but also to return to the magic feeling that this historically rich region offers. Here, only 35km from glitzy St. Moritz is another world; one of silence, traditional ways, a unique dialect of Italian and architecture much the same as centuries past. Driving through Switzerland’s Val Bregaglia, far below the north facing walls of the Sciora group which serves as the Swiss Italian Border, one must decide which to marvel at more, the ancient, intact villages and lifestyle, or the towering granite spires.

The Sasc Fura Hut

Luckily, both get to be experienced. For to visit the Sciora Group means to start from the village of Bondo. Here, one enters the stone walls feeling very much an outsider. Once inside, a walking tour is recommended as a kind of time travel to another era. When you are ready to start the approach to the huts, drive through the village to a payment machine, here you pay to pass on dirt roads to the trailheads far above town.

From the parking area, there is one trail along the river, after a few minutes walking the trail splits, left to the Sciora Hut, right to the Sasc Fura. The Sasc Fura is the standard hut for the Piz Badile’s North Ridge, arguably the finest easy ridge route in all the Alps. For North Face routes, both the Sasc Fura and Sciora Hut are used, although huge amounts of rockfall traversing to the North Face from the Sciora has closed this approach.

Thomy Engl cragging beneath the Sciora Group

Piz Badile North Ridge

If you are doing the Piz Badile North Ridge, 5.6 , be sure to walk the approach from the hut to the route the day before to familiarize yourself with the path as it will be done in the pre-dawn darkness and is a bit of a footrace between climbing parties. You do not want to be stuck behind slow parties on this route. Here, Euro climbing etiquette must be understood. If you are not used to climbing in the Alps on busy routes, get ready for some interesting times. It can either be very aggravating or very entertaining, just don’t let it be too time consuming, you need to be safe and you need to get down. But this is a whole different topic…

The Piz Badile North Ridge, 5.6

The route lives up to its reputation, it is absolutely superb climbing on perfect stone in a stunning setting. We were first to the route the day we did it so had no delays. Our climbing time with some photostops was 4.5 hours. The rack included, draws, cams .5, #1 and #2, a few stoppers, several long slings and double 50M ropes. The route is bolted and if you are comfortable running it out at these grades, draws are enough. The anchors are all BIG rings. Most parties opt to descend south into Italy and figure out how to get back around to the Swiss side using buses or taxis. We chose to rappel the route, which turned out to be slightly slower than the climb, but thanks to great anchors was epic free. We were back at the hut in time for pre-dinner beers.

The Sciora Group

Bouldering out the door of the Sciora Hut

If you are in the area for an extended stay and more moderate routes, you may opt to head over to the Sciora Hut next. The day after climbing the Piz Badile, get up early and walk the two hours to the Sciora Hut. Once at the Sciora mid-morning, you can choose to either go cragging or do a shorter route on the Torre Innominata east of the hut. We walked the hour up to the Innominata, an imposing wall that becomes much friendlier at the base. Here are several classic lines from which to choose; both the Hofmeister Jubilaum (6b/5.10c) and Via di Mezzo (6a+/5.10a/b) are superb routes. The Hofmeister being steeper and more like a Yosemite line and the Via di Mezzo reminiscent of Tuolumne Meadows climbing. 10 quickdraws and a small rack is sufficient. The Hofmeister requires a bit more gear.

Thomy Engl on the Via di Mezzo (6a+), Innominata

Punta Pioda

Next up are some much bigger undertakings. At this point, we lost two days to heavy rain and snow and so did just one more big route, the Punta Pioda’s NW Ridge. This is a very long and uncomplicated 5.6 slab route up a seemingly endless rounded ridge. The climbing was good, the rock solid and the day worthy. We had intended to do the descent off the summit via the Pioda-Dafora Traverse back north to get in some more climbing, but with all the fresh snowfall the north facing gulleys were completely buried and iced up. Once again, we found ourselves with a lot of rappeling, 22 to be exact, the same as the number of pitches, a long day!

Thomy Engl on the Punta Pioda

For the Punta Pioda we took 10 draws, a few slings, a few nuts and double 50M ropes. The route is bolted although with some sizeable gaps. The climbing is mostly much easier than 5.6 with a few standout sections of harder climbing.

The other classic objectives from the Sciora Hut are, to name just a few:

Scioretta : Fuori Ridge (VII+/6c/5.11a) and Direct Variation (VI-/5c/5.8). Quite possibly the line you will look at and want to climb in the group. These are also long and involved routes, not to be taken lightly for length and time.

Ago di Sciora : The West Ridge (V+/5.7). Just a lower section of the main rib before the rock quality drops.

Pizzi Gemelli : Bügeleisen (V/5.7). A super popular classic slab climb up a flawless ridge.

The Punta Pioda (l) and Ago di Sciora (r)

These are but a few popular routes, there are may, many more from which to choose, including the Piz Badile North Face routes, some of the most classic in the Alps.

Val Bregaglia Graubunden Climbing Guidebooks

The Alpine Club Guidebook Series: Bernina and Bregaglia by Lindsey Griffin (English). The definitive guide to the entire region for English speakers and very helpful for deciding which routes to do.

Bergell by Jiri Novak (Czech and German). Helpful as well for deciding where and what to do.

We found the guidebooks in conjunction with online info were great for deciding where to go and getting a rough idea of what we wanted to do. The huts themselves have very detailed and current topos and route info for the entire area. This was the best source for actual detailed info. Show up to the huts ready for anything, decide what to do, then simply draw up your own topo based on what the hut provides for beta – it works perfect.

Hut Phone Numbers

Sasc Fura +41 (0)81 822 1252

Sciora Hut +41 (0)81 822 11 38

Hut reservations are mandatory for overnights, but call in advance, this is a popular area and the huts are small. Like most wardened European mountain huts, the price of entry provides a bed, dinner and breakfast. Snacks, day food, and drinks can also be purchased. Overnight with the two meals is about CHF60.

Summary

Our plan was to climb easy to moderate routes here and we did just that. The climbing itself is straightforward, and thanks to being well bolted, relatively easy route finding is possible. But, this is an alpine arena and the walls are big, therefore so is the potential for problems. While the hut sits below the alpine walls, there is a very real sense of being “out there”, yet once down from climbing, an hour walk returns you to friendly hut keepers, beer, great food, a fun social scene and comfortable beds.

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The European Alps Grand Ski Tours Compared

May 18th, 2011
by dolomitesport.
2 comments

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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San Vito lo Capo Sicily Climbing

Apr 26th, 2011
by dolomitesport.
1 comment

Sicily it seems, is not just for the Mafia anymore. Who would have thought that this island would be home to a utopia like world class sport climbing destination perched above the azzure Mediterranean waters? Compared to other European mainland sport climbing venues, San Vito lo Capo stands out for many reasons. It is dirt cheap. The food is some of the tastiest in all of Europe, the weather is ideal and the stone some of the best imaginable. No matter if you climb 5c/10a or 8a/13b, you’ll have plenty of five star routes to play on – all stacked on top of one another at various cliffbands. There are even multi-pitch routes on the walls of  Monte Monaco directly behind town.

Getting there is easily done by flying into Palermo via RyanAir, renting a car and driving 90, surprisingly relaxing, minutes to the village of San Vito lo Capo on the northwest tip of the island. In my mind, Sicily was going to be chaos and a terrifying automobile experience. In fact, it was the opposite. Chaos came later at the produce stand. In the village proper of San Vito, we rented a nice apartment in late March for four people/one week, €250. Hard to beat. Much of the climbing is done within a 10 minute drive from the seaside resort village, a car is convenient although it is possible to walk to some of the more popular crags.

There is a Climbing Guide especially for Sicily and the San Vito info seemed to be pretty much spot on. But, I don’t remember seeing it, or any climbing gear, available in San Vito. Come well stocked. More recently developed areas have topos hanging at the crag, and as is typical of climbers everywhere, word spread quickly about what was worthy of visiting. Seems much of the development has been done by visiting German & Austrian climbers, the same nations providing the vast majority of visitors.

The rock is limestone and comes in all varieties, from tufa stuffed caves, to pocketed walls, slabs, stalactites, and even cracks. Some of the limestone is of such high quality and so compact, it almost appears as granite. Bolts & anchors, thanks to the Germans, are big, bomber and well placed. Overall, it is a place to climb hard and push yourself. And did I mention cappuccinos are still €1?

San Vito lo Capo and Monte Monaco

In the evening, hang at a local restaurant for freshly caught seafood. We discovered Ristorante Agora in the main part of the village and felt there was little reason to go anywhere else. Don’t miss the Insalata di Polipo, Branzino, house made pasta and then for desert, the Ricotta Mandorle. And you thought Italian food was the best…? The Sicilians really do take food to an even higher level.

Of course visiting later than April adds swimming in the clear Mediterranean to the list of to do’s. From many of the crags, this is an option in less than 5 minutes walk.

San Vito lo Capo Climbing Information & Beta

70 meter rope – 18 quickdraws

We were warned about lots of car break ins, we saw no evidence of such, but be warned.

Bring warm clothes for climbing in the caves or shade – it’s surprisingly cool near the water.

Apartments, B&B’s and Hotels are all readily available. Apartments offer the option of cooking, but then really, why would you want to do this?

Season seems to be March – mid June, then again September & October. The locals swore it wasn’t too hot in the summer, but the locals don’t climb.

Evi Gritsch at the Castle of Aragon

Pleasant seaside approach to the Bunker

Christof Ursch on something hard at the Castle of Aragon

Christof giving it all two thumbs up

The end of everyday includes this just before coiling your rope and heading to dinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Climbing in Paklenica National Park Croatia

Jul 6th, 2010
by dolomitesport.
1 comment

Paklenica National Park's Anica Kuk, 350 meters of perfect rock

Visiting Croatia?

Stable weather, friendly locals, good food, inexpensive, easy access, Mediterranean swimming, flawless limestone – lots of bolts, abundant routes, huts… this is Croatia’s Paklenica National Park. A little piece of heaven. Yet while most European climbing destinations are somewhat packed, Paklenica is like a step into the past, mellow and relaxed. Imagine taking part in the Italian film Il Postino but with climbing as the subject matter.

Swimming in Paklenica's many pools

Accessed from the sleepy seaside town of Starigrad, Paklenica is an oasis in a somewhat dry and inhospitable landscape. Here temperatures soar into the 30′s (90′s) creating more desire to soak in the Adriatic than to go climbing. In fact climbing seems an almost unlikely activity upon arriving. But, enter the park, just a few kilometers from Starigrad, and the entire scene undergoes a rapid change thanks to a deep canyon, lush forest and flowing small river. Paradise found. On our first morning we weren’t so sure about Paklenica, by evening, we were in love.

Starigrad is not the postcard seaside village of Croatia, there is no colorful bay, no fishing boats in a small harbor and no cute, quant little village. It is touristy but in an old school, traditional, authentic village kind of way. It is not expensive, camping is about €6/person, hotels top out at about €45/person, restaurant prices are reminiscent of Europe 10 years back. But here too you can stroll town with a gelato, get seafood fresh from the fishing boats, sit in a bar with other climbers and, best of all, easily pedal your bike to the crag where a small store provides gelato and drinks just 3 minutes from the start of the climbing walls.

Topping out on Anica Kuk

Paklenica National Park itself is all about big, limestone walls, deep canyons, hikes to 1800 meter peaks from sea level, and a lush forest with a hut system. The star attraction being Anica Kuk, a 350 meter wall of impeccable limestone with over 100 multi pitch routes of all grades. As one enters the park, the canyon narrows and immediately both sides form perfect climbing walls with countless routes from 5a to 8a. For the beginner-intermediate climber, it is paradise as there is an abundance of routes from 5a-6b, all well bolted with bomber anchors. It is very user friendly.

Starigrad Lodging

As you enter town it will become immediately obvious that lodging will not be a problem. There are many campgrounds, hotels and private rooms in homes (look for the word Sobe in Croatian). The campgrounds are very user friendly with, quite possibly, the cleanest bathrooms I have seen. We stayed at the seaside campground on the south end of town, Paklenica Camping, our car was a 4 second walk from swimming in the Adriatic, there is a bar and Bancomat in camp and the staff is super friendly and informative.

We also checked into the Hotel Vicko Villa for a few nights; 4 star, free Wi-Fi, great breakfast, super friendly, fantastic seaside position. €45/person.

Getting Around Starigrad and Paklenica

A bike is the absolute ideal form of transportation. We parked our car and never touched it for a week. From the center of Starigrad to the climbing is only 15 minutes on the bike, slightly uphill, but not steep. In the evening, it is a refreshing, fantastic end to the day as you coast into town and the gelato stand. At the road’s end in the Park there is a bike storage area.

Paklenica National Park Logistics & Climbing Info

> There is one primary entrance to the Park on the south end of Starigrad. Each day you must pay to enter, it is 40 Kuna per person (€5.50). Be sure to ask about multiple day passes.

> There is a small store within the park, 5 minutes from the parking and right at the beginning of the climbing area. A well with drinking water is found on the trailside about 10 minutes uphill from the main climbing area.

Big gear, or little person?

> Near the Park entrance from the main road is a climbing shop with all the necessities.

> Key Climbing Website for organizing a trip, visiting and climbing in Paklenica is Climb Croatia. There is a good Climbing Guidebook readily available throughout Starigrad, recommended.

> Climbing: The climbing is sport, with big, new bolts. Anchors are single massive rings or chains. For the easiest classic route on Anica Kuk, the 5c Mosoraski,some crack gear may be appreciated depending on your level and comfort running it out. A 60 meter rope is pretty much mandatory. Climbing style is classic limestone; pockets, tufa, greasy if a popular route, but always well equipped and on perfect rock. Some routes have small tags with name & grade at the bottom, but most do not. A guidebook is helpful.

> Language: Many locals speak English, but perfect German and Italian are also spoken.

What else to do in Starigrad?

Exploring Starigrad's coastline

> Cycling: Cruise the coastline north and check out some of the the sleepy little villages. Croatian coastal roads are an ideal combination of perfect asphalt, stunning scenery and no cars. A trail system is being developed that parallels the coastline on the edge of the park, we didn’t do it, but info is available at the tourist office.

> Hiking: Get an early start and hike up to the highest peaks. Sea level to 1760 meters, you’ll cross numerous zones en route to some great views. The Paklenica Hut, about 2 hours from the parking lot, offers lodging. 20 minutes below is also a small hut providing food and drink during the day. And 10 minutes further above is the small, incredibly friendly Ivancev Dom, also offering lodging.

> Take an evening trip to Zadar (45 minutes in car) and stroll the ancient town. Do not miss the seaside walk along the city walls where you will find a series of man made blow holes in the stone that create music based on the waves frequency as they hit the wall.

> Stop at a roadside fruit & veggie stand and stock up on tomatoes (consistently the best) and especially the figs – the sweetest, most flavorful we have ever had.

The Paklenica Hut

Ivancev Dom, Paklenica National Park

When to visit Paklenica?

I had mixed reports on this one (some said all year, others the spring and fall) but basically decided: April – early July then again September & October. We went in mid June and the temps were certainly high in town, but okay for climbing in the shade. The mid-day descent off Anica Kuk was something I wouldn’t be in a hurry to repeat. Thankfully, the many pools in the canyon’s river provide perfect swimming. And of course having a bath-like Mediterranean is quite wonderful.

Summary

Croatia is a special place, while very European, it is a bit of a step into something more gentle, less hectic. Everything is there as in Europe, but so too something from the past that gives it a unique feeling. It is a place one can spend a great deal of time and not feel like life is rushing by.

And the climbing… it is not so common that I have said, “That was one of the best routes I have ever done.” but in Paklenica… over and over again throughout the day.

As we only scratched the surface of things to do, in addition to the well written Lonely Planet Croatia guidebook, these websites are helpful:

Paklenica National Park |  Croatia Travel |  Find Croatia

Finally, Dubrovnik is a few hours south and undoubtedly one of Europe’s greatest destinations, it is well worth 2-3 days all on it’s own. Do not miss it.

Paklenica local

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Nina Silitch US Ski Mountaineering Team Member

Feb 12th, 2010
by dolomitesport.
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I just wanted to say thanks to Dan Patitucci who invited me to write this post for Dolomite Sport. Like Dan & Janine, we too are expat mountain enthusiasts. My husband led me to the Alps 10 years ago and we are still here with a family of two young boys who also share the same passion for living and adventuring in the Alps.

Ski Rando Racing in Europe | by Nina Silitch

Nina at the Pierra Menta World Cup

I grew up alpine ski racing on the hard packed slopes of Sugarloaf/USA in Maine and then quickly switched to Nordic skiing while at Dartmouth College, more because I think I was tired of freezing my tail off at the top of the start box in sub zero temps in my GS suit. Always a sucker for a new challenge, I took up telemark skiing in 1992. This free heel fix stuck with me for 12 years, really until I moved to the Alps. Then my husband said to me, “you really should try randonee skiing, it is what they do here in the Alps. I have seen more Americans come over to do the Haute Route (Chamonix-Zermatt ski tour) on their tele skis and be miserable. Not because they are not good skiers, but because the snow can be very tricky on descents and days are long and the legs just get spent.” So I took his words of wisdom, got myself a mid fat rando set up with Fritschi freeride bindings and women’s Scarpa magic boots. I was good to go for my first Haute Route in 2003.
So you are probably wondering…did you like it? Did you miss telemarking? For me, I thought… I could never make the switch. Well, I did love it. It took a little while to get used to the feeling of not being locked down, but soon I got used to it and loved the feeling of carving on groomed trails and floating through fresh powder. I was hooked and ready for the new challenge of randonnee skiing.

Ski Mountaineering? Ski Running?

What do you call it? Here in the Alps we call it randonee skiing. Also known as ski touring, or ski mountaineering or ski alpinisme or rando racing. I must say I have never heard it called “ski running” but hey, maybe that is a new word that is taking off somewhere in the world. The cool thing is that the sport is taking off worldwide. Sure, the sport has its roots in the Alps with the Swiss, Italians and French, but also with the smaller Alpine countries as well. In the US, it is still a very young sport. One could compare it to mountain biking when it first started in the US and look at it now. It is going gangbusters!
This is a sport that appeals to all levels of skiers. Racers or non racers. The Swiss do a great job of encouraging everyone when they host races and this same movement is taking off in the US. There are often A courses and B courses. The B, also known as the “fun pop” category is typically done on heavier gear. The A course is the lighter weight race division also with more distance and elevation gain. In the US, Pete Swenson, director of the United States Ski Mountaineering Association and also director of the COSMIC rando race series is very aware of the need to draw in more people into the race rando scene and working hard to grow the sport.

Nina on a boot pack section

The sport is not yet an Olympic Sport but is on the docket to be in the Olympics in 2018 if all goes well. The bottom line, it needs to grow exponentially worldwide. The sport will not become an Olympic sport if there are only the alpine countries competing. We need to grow the sport in the US and other smaller nations to show that more countries are present. This year the World Championships will take place in Andorra. Already there are many new countries that will be present, including the US and Canada but also Korea, China, Japan, Portugal, Greece, and Russia, just to name a few. We are calling all youth!!! Parents we need your help! Give it a try. Start a local club. Youth 14 and up can race, but the younger ones can certainly ski tour. I was just at a World Cup in the Dolomites and there were children from the local ski club, around the age of 10, cruising around in the their ski touring set ups cheering people along! What a great opportunity to give to your kids! Kids who have alpine raced or are strong skiers as well as kids with a Nordic background are perfect candidates for the sport.

Nina kickin' it to a Podium finish at Mt Saxonnex

In fact, that is how I fell in love with the sport: it combines, endurance of cross country skiing/ running/ hiking, the thrill of technical mountaineering, and the speed of alpine skiing. The transitions that take place throughout a course make it an exciting way to travel through our alpine mountain playground. What a stellar combination!

The national teams for the majority of the countries such as Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, and Austria are all nationally subsidized. This covers the cost of travel, race entry, equipment and national team gear. Some of these athletes are members of the army and are actually paid to train. Not a bad deal, eh? The United States Ski Mountaineering Association is desperately seeking a big sponsor to help the athletes reach their goals and cover their costs. At the moment all athletes are responsible for everything out of pocket. Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.

Surely, racing is not for everyone, and when I started I did not race at all, but enjoyed solely the pleasures of touring in the sunshine, a break at a pass with a thermos of hot tea, a good salami sandwich and some good ol’ Swiss chocolate. While living in Switzerland I did my first night event, an uphill race on heavy touring gear. These races were held at local ski areas, starting around 7pm after work and always followed by a traditional Swiss raclette or fondue. You were guaranteed great ambiance, people of all levels keen to get a good workout and a nice meal in good company. I forged along in my heavy gear (in the US, I would be in the heavy metal category) while snowshoers and elite light weight people whizzed passed me. Finally I fulfilled my husband’s quota of 6 races on heavy gear and I got to invest in some lighter skis and bindings. After that I felt like I was flying on my skis! Really it does make a world of difference.

The night uphills led to a little more each year for me. The winter after my 2nd son was born (2007) I was hooked and wanted to do more. There were team races in 2 or 3 person teams, individual races up and down in off piste and stage races over a period of 4 days. Now, 5 years later since my 1st uphill race, things are different. When I go out for my ski it is often not for a casual tour, but I have a goal for the workout – maybe an endurance session or intervals or recovery depending on the training for the day. This season my goals are: the World Cup circuit, with many races in the Italian Dolomites, as well as on the volcanic Mt Etna in Sicily, the World Championships in Andorra, the famous French Pierra Menta stage race and lastly the famous Swiss ski mountaineering race, the Patrouille des Glacier.

Nina, Lyndsay and Tara at the finish of the 2008 Patrouille des Glaciers- in our Crazy idea suits- very flashy -designed by Valerie Coltera who has a great eye for keeping the feminine style to a suit

Women and Ski Mountaineering

Nina making her way through a boot-pack section of a World Cup with the Mont Blanc range in the back ground. Here you can see her race set up: Ski Trab Duo Race Aero skis, Swix CTS2 carbon poles, Pierre Gignoux carbon boots, Petzl helmet, Dynafit pack and Women's Roxy goggles from Eyeshop

Like all mountain sports there are not many women in the sport of ski mountaineering but I hope I can help change that. I hope that through my example, I can help empower women to get out and enjoy the mountains by taking on a new challenge of their own, like ski mountaineering. This year I helped found the Chamonix Ski Alpinsme section, a new section of the Chamonix Club. Already we have 25 members, 8 of which are women. We have some beautiful race suits made by Texner- we will be in the hottest pink suits on course!
If you are going for a touring set up that is lightweight but also will carve some great turns down, consider: Ski Trab Freerando Light Skis, Dynafit speedlight bindings and Garmont women’s endorphin boot. My friend Meg is new to ski mountaineering and wanted a lighter set up, she loves the endurance of skinning, but still enjoys making the turns on the downhill. Her goals this season are doing some longer ski tours, but she may race the occasional uphill race.

My race set up:
Ski Trab World Cup Race Aero skis with Dynafit titanium race bindings, Pierre Gignoux carbon boots, Swix CTS2 carbon poles with a biathlon grip. I am now racing with a CAMP pack and have a Petzl helmet. I have one of the lightest set ups around, but I am racing 1-2 times a week.
There are some great suits out there for women. There are a few race suits made by Crazy Idea- very sexy and beautifully designed by a women. Another great women’s line is Wild Roses- For Women by Women- They know how to make technical, feminine and functional clothing for the mountains.

I love the sport of ski mountaineering and I hope to share my passion for it with others. Of course I would like to help the sport grow in the US and worldwide so it can reach the Olympics. Surely, it is not easy raising two young boys, running a household, training at an elite level and working on the side. In fact it is very challenging at times, but the rewards are huge and make it all worth the effort. For me, it is not so much about being a super mom, but to be a great role model for my children and to share with them what they can attain in their dreams if they work hard. I hope that our story can inspire some of you to follow your own dreams or at least get out and try ski mountaineering! Thanks for reading.

Nina training for the Engadine ski marthon in Switzerland. Really, there is a baby in that pulk, maybe even a future ski olympian

Nina Silitch Bio

Nina is a member of the US Ski Mountaineering Team. She helps raise awareness for good health through sport and gives back to the community through philanthropy. She is the Vice President of the Chamonix Ski Alpinisme Club. She lives in Chamonix, France with her husband and UIAGM mountain guide, Michael Silitch of High Alpine and their two sons.

To follow her news visit: FastSkier or Silitch Family or on Twitter .

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Dolomite Skiing | Sella Group Couloirs

Jan 7th, 2010
by dolomitesport.
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Text and photos Francesco Tremolada | ProGuide.it

Skiing the Sella Group, the Kingdom of Couloirs

Sitting in the heart of the Italian Dolomites and rising above some of the region’s most famous villages is The Sella Group. Simply put, it takes your breath away. With its massive towers and labyrinth like corridors, it is a tremendous rock formation. Consisting of many different peaks it is a complex structure: all sides are rocky and vertical, and yet the top is flat. At its base there are four valleys linked together by the most efficient lift system in the world. This circuit, all on groomed pistes, is called the “Sellaronda” and runs around this mountain offering unforgettable views on each side. Skiers come from all over the world to spend a full day circumnavigating this island of stone on perfect alpine pistes.

At first glance, it seems to be a mountain impossible to ski, but a closer look reveals many different “white snakes” coming down from the top plateau through the coloured walls. These are the famous couloirs of the Dolomites. The Sella is the best place if you want to know them and understand the feeling of couloir skiing.

The Sass Pordoi cable car is the “door” of the kingdom and in only a few minutes we are on the top of the Altiplano, close to 3000 meters where the air is always cold and views to the Marmolada and beyond, stunning.
A tourist asks us where are we going with skis, because there are no pistes here and from the terrace you can only see huge cliffs… He doesn’t know that it is possible to move on the Altiplano and reach many hidden off-piste descents.
We start to ski on the flat summit of Sass Pordoi making the first track in 15 centimeters of fresh snow; the day is cold and sunny and I can feel the excitement of the guys who are skiing with me.
The first turns are a good warm up and in few minutes we reach the forcella Pordoi; the temptation to ski the south couloir or the north side (Lasties Valley) without tracks is very strong, but our goal is Piz Boè at 3152 meters, the highest peak of the group. For this, it is always better to go before it will becomes too warm.
We start to traverse toward the Mesdì valley, the most famous off-piste itinerary of the area, a kind of  “Vallèè Blanche” of the Dolomites.
But before its starting point we move right and start climbing with crampons on over the easy but rocky west ridge of Piz Boè. We’re headed for the little hut on the summit.
Now it’s time for a rest, close to the wood wall of the hut where we are protected by the wind and where the sun is stronger. From here the view is unbelievable and we can see in distance other skiers walking to Mesdì Valley and a group skinning up to north side of the Altiplano toward the Setus Valley, one of the best traverse of the Sella group.
In few minutes we start the ritual to get ready for the descent: crampons into the backpack, boots tightened, skis on, goggles, skipoles…rock and roll.
The northest face is wide and quite steep. Many people say that skiing a couloir is frightening, and here this is maybe a little true, because from where we start we can see the valley under your skis! It is time to find out.Thanks to the good snow, we all drop in and make perfect turns to reach the next starting point to the “Val delle Fontane”, an incredibly steep couloir which is hidden from the top. Here is the only possibility to ski down this side of Sella.
We are lucky, the sun has softened the snow in just the right amount. The couloir requires perfect snow for skiing.
Thankfully, the rope remains in the backpack and we start to ski the 40° corridor with jump turns between the gold and orange walls. With blue sky above our heads, we all descend, smiling, to the valley.
The ride is a pleasure and quickly the couloir is wide enough for longer turns. The skis move the surface of the snow drawing a perfect track behind. Stops are only for brief rests, to take pictures and to see the others in action (and to breathe!), but we prefer not to stop too much or it feels as if our “dream” is escaping.
At the end of the gully we have to traverse right to reach the open slopes; now it’s easier, there is no longer tension, but the snow is starting to be heavy …and our legs too.
Once we reach the lifts at the bottom we look back up to see our tracks in the couloir. They always seem to be much steeper from this perspective and I can see the satisfaction in the eyes of my client. This brings me great joy, to reveal the passages that are hidden in this great mountain.
But it’s only lunch time, if we keep moving the snow on the north side will still be good…

Francesco Tremolada is a UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain and Ski Guide based in the Italian Dolomites


Francesco works with Corvara’s Alta Badia Guides School and specializes in steep skiing. He has countless hard descents to his credit, many with clients in both the Dolomites and the Alps.

He is also the author of the new guidebook “Freeride in Dolomiti”, unarguably the finest guide for skiing in the Dolomites.

Contact : info@proguide.it

Phone  +39 339 105 5653

www.proguide.it

(DolomiteSport Sidenote – I would like to personally say thank you to Francesco for his contribution. Also, to add that for most any skier who dreams of dropping into these famous couloirs, they are not easy to find… using the services of a mountain guide will be appreciated)

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