 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
Anyone here have much experience touring in Aosta, specifically Courmayeur, La Thuile & Pila?
Have a few questions
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Haven't done anything myself, but if you're after a guide, I'd recommend Pete Mason. He works for Chamonix Experience but is based in Courmayeur.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Gran Paradiso is the classic, and a good easy 4000er
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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hi @clarky999, have you experience touring in the Aosta Valley resorts? I have a few specific questions
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ask the questions I may be able to help
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks @Dunk, I'll be in those three resorts - Courmayeur, La Thuile & Pila - working mornings but likely to have some afternoons off. Wondering if there is any overnight tours in the area that I could do in the afternoon (so need to be reached in about two to four hours) and can descend quickly enough in the morning
I'll have a car
Looked at a few places like these, if you have any information on the below or any other suggestions?
Bonatti Rifugio, Refuge Elena, Rifugio Frasseti and Gianni Comino Bivouac in Val Ferret
Elisabetta Rifugio and Gervasutti Bivouac in Courmayeur
Federigo Bivouac in Pila
Rifugio degli Angeli in La Thuile
Thanks a lot
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No info on overnights. I’ve only day tripped. Probably best planned when you get out, ask in resort etc. Compagnie des Guides in CMY is a good place for info.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@moseyp, well I am a Chamonix bloke and strangely enough seem to be in a position actually help! A bit.
Rifugio Bonatti; stayed in the winter room there Thursday night (25th January). Comfortable winter room. 8 beds with duvets and blankets. Lights and a big table. No heating, cooking facilities or crockery/cutlery. Or khazi. Stayed in much worse places. No way to book so go midweek. We went to try the Aiguille de Malatra. Snow above the hut was predominantly breakable crust and not pleasant skiing at all. So we packed in about 700m above the hut. Challenging ski down.
The skiing below the hut back to Val Ferret was actually much much worse. Bottomless rotten slop. I wouldn’t go back without fresh snow if you paid me.
Elizabetta hut. Like the Bonatti hut, winter room only. All winter and spring (unlike the Bonatti). Also unlike the Bonatti hut winter room, I have not stayed in much worse places than the Elizabetta. It is a grim, uncomfortable slightly damp winter lodging. With no electric lights. Or a table. We went up to the Col de Lex Blanche from there a few years back. Not for me.
Not been to the Gervasutti bivouac yet. Could see it from the Bonatti. It is a serious undertaking up exposed ground but would be a worthwhile tick.
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@HammondR, thanks for all that, v helpful
How long did it take you to get up from Val Ferret ~ Bonatti? And down?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@moseyp, Our route up to the hut was unnecessarily miserable. The descriptions I had read suggested leaving the valley trail crossing by the bridge at Praz Sec and going up the hillside there, then traversing over to the hut. Don’t do that. It is a slippery kick turn fest from hell and caused us to take almost 3 hours to reach the hut.
Much better to carry on the Nordic ski track past Lavachey then follow the better track from there up to the hut. Time up between 2 and 2.5 hours depending on whether you are young whippet or an old trudger.
It is a long flat walk there and back along the bottom of Val Ferret. As part of getting to an objective (like the aiguille de Malatra) I could just about put up with it. To just go up to the hut and down is very little actual skiing and a ton of flat skinning and skating. Don’t know the other huts you asked about, but they have to be more fun?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@HammondR, that’s great info thanks a lot
Haven’t had any luck getting info about other huts
What do you think about snow-shoeing up? I’m not interesting in the downhill, it’s more to get back into skinning after a few years, and mostly just for experience of staying in overnight hut as never done it before.
Checked prices online and says €70 for bed there - is that right?!
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The Bonatti hut winter room is free. The €€€€ costs are when the main hut is open and includes bed, breakfast and evening meal. No idea when the main hut opens (look at the website). When it starts to open for weekends there will be a quickly established well trodden track.
You never know, get a hundred human snow ploughs up there and the ski down might improve….
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You know it makes sense.
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@HammondR, gotcha, thanks
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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There’s loads of brilliant touring in the Aosta Valley. Get the guide book (only in French but maps, ratings, diagrams are v clear) called Ski de Randonnée Vallée D’Aoste by Philippe Ertlen. The Benevolo hut in the Val di Rhêmes is particularly nice, though it’s a manned hut rather than a winter room. 100% agree with everything @HammondR has said about the Bonatti, where we stayed en route to Col Malatra. But note the lack of heating. I’ve never been colder despite the duvets.
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Poster: A snowHead
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thanks @BlueSky
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes they’re typically done as nice day tours and actually there’s a tiny refuge at the top of Pila - a 5 min boot pack from the top of the Couis 2 lift - called Bivacco Arno. That might be fun.
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