Ski touring in the Swiss Valais
~ Wednesday, 5th May 2010
The Swiss Valais is a superb area for ski touring. I have just finished a second tour in the area for the Eagles ski club, again, one which provided us with some fantastic scenery and even better skiing. Our journey began in Siviez, with a relatively short day heading south to the un-guarded Refuge Saint Laurent. This delightful little hut provides good food and a welcome coffee break for walkers in the summer, but for us it was home for the night. Once we 
sussed out how the wood burner worked we were away!! Warm, cosy and well fed, we enjoyed a comfortable sleep. The following morning dawned clear and cool. Our objective was the Rosablanche and the Prafleuri hut. Last nights 
sleep at a sensible altitude had started the acclimatisation process, so the steady climb to Rosablanche was pretty simple and headache free. Last nights snowfall also gave us some beautifully light snow to ski down to the hut. Rostis alround!! Our journey continued along the normal 
afternoon. The Patrouille des Glaciers event was close to starting and the military personnel involved kicked off a right good sing song after dinner. Brilliant! Our fourth morning was another beauty and the winter summit of Mont Blanc de Cheilon was the 
plan, followed by a descent to the Chanrion hut. A cold wind met us at the Col de Cheilon, but the great views and steady ascent kept us warm enough to enjoy the climb. This mountain is such a good ski peak. Some lovely pockets of 
powder had us whooping on the descent, then a short skin to the Col de Mont Rouge, followed by a long descent to the Chanrion hut. Some steep sections, some traverses, some delightful spring snow, some soft, some flat and even some walking across patches of 
grass gave us a truly delightful journey this afternoon, but I think everyone was pleased to see the hut and put their feet up. A great day. Thursday, was equally as great. The Pigne d’Arolla via the Brenay glacier was the plan. Cool morning shade saw us climb easily to the Brenay icefall, where this impressive glacier steepens for 250 vertical metres. A safe route exists up the true right bank. Wearing crampons we steadily climbed the 
side of the glacier to a point where it is safest to put skis back on and re-joint the upper glacier. A long and warm ascent then followed to a fairly quiet summit of the Pigne. Great views again and our third peak of the week. The descent to the Vignettes hut was well 
travelled and provided some great skiing. The good weather decided to break on the last day, which meant we decided to change plans slightly. The Pointes d’Oren, near to the Col de L’Eveque became our objective. What a great ski peak. Pleasantly away from the
