The Powder Trip - Elite Freeride Skiing Tour
Overview
If you have a week off, want to chase powder in the Alps, but are not sure where to go, look no further. The Powder Trip travels to where the snow is the freshest & best, leaving its destination(s) to the last minute to ensure optimal conditions. The best freeride off-piste powder in the western Alps will be the focus of this fast paced & flexible ski tour. Destinations will be to the best snow 'of the moment', anywhere from Zermatt & Verbier in Switzerland all the way south to Sestriere in Italy or La Grave France; and everything in between! The 'everything in between' could include Chamonix, 3 Vallees, Monterosa or a host of smaller 'unknown' resorts where powder lays unsullied for days ........
The tour is led by an experienced local guide that knows the western Alps like their own backyard. Following a pick-up from the meeting point in Oulx (Italy) or Briancon (France), the group will head to where the snow is deepest, freshest & safest for the funnest (sic) six days of your powder-drenched life. The group will travel by private minibus, then using the local ski lifts & some skinning, seek out the best freeride powder in whichever region the snow draws you too. Every night, once comfortable in a local hotel, the guide will discuss with the group the options for the next day’s adventure over a few après ski drinks.
Ski Resorts Visited
Starting from the southern Alps near the meeting point, legendary La Grave will definitely be on the agenda if fresh snow has fallen, but within easy driving distance, the region holds a list of true freeride powder gems that will also be looked at. In Italy, the Via Lattea’s Sestriere is consistently awesome. Between Sestriere & La Grave, Montgenèvre, the Queyras, & Serre Chevalier has some of Europe’s best tree skiing, never mind the impressive alpine zones & backcountry descents! Nearby are the huge Les 2 Alpes & Alpe d'Huez. Other ski locations can be as far afield as La Clusaz, any of the 3 Vallees resorts or the Chamonix ski areas. In Switzerland, the options include Verbier & Zermatt, or the Aosta valleys freeride capital of Monterosa & perhaps Courmayeur. The options are endless, but fun & awesome lines are the order of the day. See the Itinerary Tab for more.
Meeting Point & Transport
The meeting point for the tour is either of two train stations - Briançon (France) or Oulx (in Italy), early on a Sunday morning. Oulx is on the Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan fast train line so is a handy way to get to the area. Once picked up, your tour will have its own minibus to transport you to up to wherever the snow is best in France, Italy, south-west Switzerland or a combination of all of them! See the Itinerary Tab for more.
Accommodation & Meals
Enjoy the hospitality, food & drink of a classic Alps village hotel for 5 nights. The choice of hotel will be left to the last minute to ensure the group is well positioned to get the best of the current snow conditions. See the Accommodation Tab for more.
Guides & Group Size
All guides are fully certified mountain guides with extensive local ski & mountaineering experience, plus their understanding of clients’ needs/wishes, and their teaching/organisational skills. The maximum number of guests per guide/group will be 8, but may be as low as 5, depending on conditions.
Technical & Personal Requirements*
Ski Ability
Participants must be experienced skiers (split-boarders will only be accepted on a splitboard only tour - so please do inquire if you have a group of snowboarders looking for an awazing week). You should be at ease with skiing on all types of snow at a sustained pace all day long. Slopes may include short steep & exposed sections (40o to 45o) plus couloirs. Skinning uphill will be involved but will be no more than 45 min to 1 hour per day. No previous skinning/ski touring experience is required. All ski gear can be rented & avalanche safety gear is included in the tour price.
Fitness
Good physical condition is required, skinning or short ascents on foot will not exceed 45 min - 1hr/day. You should be prepared to ski all day long at a good pace, approx. 4 - 6 hrs skiing.
*Good to know: if you don't have the level required, the guide may ask you to leave if necessary, for the well-being of the rest of the group. If in doubt, please do not hesitate to ask!
A Note About Covid
The tour operator undertakes to follow all the recommendations issued by the relevant government. The tour vans are disinfected after each use and wearing a mask is strictly compulsory for all trips. This for the clients and for the guides. Participants will be informed of the health protocols relating to the accommodation where they stay - it is mandatory to respect them. For the latest on travelling to Europe see the website Reopen Europe.