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Bernina Ski Tour

"The Bernina Massif is the most extensive high altitude glacier touring region in Eastern Switzerland. Big days and complicated terrain make this a challenging and rewarding venue for experienced ski mountaineers wishing to enjoy a week of great summits and superb glacier skiing."
  
6 days
Advanced
4:1
Dates: By Arrangement
Price: Private Guiding Rates
Ski Ability: 3+
Fitness: 3+
Experience: Previous multiday ski touring experience essential. Roped climbing or cramponing experience required.
Included: Guiding Fees.
Other Costs: Hut nights, food, travel and uplift during the tour ~ £450
 
Summary
This is a technical ski mountaineering week aimed at experienced ski tourers looking for big glacial scenery, climbing summits and plenty of technical descents. Stable conditions are required to complete the route.
We offer this itinerary as a private guiding special - with dates by arrangement from April to May. Prices are as per our private guiding rates, up to a maximum of 4 skiers per guide.
Recent Trip Reports - April 2009
 
Starting Point
We start and finish the week in St Moritz, which is easily reached by train from Zurich or Basel airports.
 
Sample Itinerary
Subject to weather and snow conditions, the plan for the week is as follows:-
bernina ski tour itinerary
Day 0 - Sat PM, meet in St Moritz - discuss plans, sort food and kit, overnight in valley.
Day 1 - Sun
Early train to Diavolezza - from where we make an acclimatisation tour up to the shoulder of Piz Palu in order to get a great N facing run back down again. Overnight at Berghaus Diavolezza at the top of the lift system.
Day 2 - Mon
Ascent of Bellavista (3888m) and/or Piz Argient (3945m) and then on to the Marco E Rosa hut.
Day 3 - Tue
If conditions are good, the plan is to climb Piz Palu (3901m) and ski on down into Italy to the Marinelli hut.
Day 4 - Wed
A long climb back into Switzerland via the Fuorcla de la Sella, before climbing La Sella (3564m) to ski a great run down to the Coax hut.
Day 5 - Thur
Ascent of Piz Gluschaint (3594m) before enjoying the long run down in to Val Roseg, then an afternoon skin up to the Tschierva hut.
Day 6 - Fri
Ascent of Piz Tschierva (3546m) before traversing around Piz Misaun and making the ultra classic descent down to Morterasch.
bernina ski tour
 
Food and Accommodation
We run all of our tours on a guiding and instruction only basis. Details of our recommended (ie sensibly priced!) hotel in St Moritz are provided with your joining instructions. The guide will book all hut accommodation for the tour, which you pay for direct as we go along.
 
Travel
We start and finish in St Moritz, which is easily reached by train from Zurich or other airports in Switzerland - check out the Swiss Federal Railways website for timetables and information. If you are arriving by train, then you may be able to save some money by purchasing a swiss travel pass (various options are available - click on the English version of the website).
 
Ability and Experience
You need to be an experienced ski mountaineer (see ski ability level 3-5), with previous multiday touring weeks, including some roped climbing or cramponing experience in order to join this tour. This is a long tour with 6-8 hour days, some big (1000m+) climbs and possible roped climbing, so you can expect to be skinning for 3-5 hours a day (see fitness level 3-5).
 
Acclimatisation
Due to the altitude of much of the route, arriving a couple of days in advance to acclimatise is useful (there is extensive skiing around St Moritz at this time of year). We advise you to prepare well in advance with regular training and ideally some skiing.
 
Equipment
We will supply you with a full kit list. You are responsible for bringing personal clothing, a rucsac and ski mountaineering skis, boots and kit (local hire is available). We are delighted to be working on this tour with Backcountry UK, who provide excellent service and advice as a leading retailer of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK.
 
     
 
 
 
         
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