Ski Traverse
VALAIS
Tour du Ciel
Südtirolalpin
State-certified mountain and ski guides IFMGA
South Tyrolean Mountain and Ski Guides Association
Email suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Tour duration:
5 days
Tour du Ciel – Skidurchquerung Wallis
Five days on skis through the Valais Alps.
5 days · Difficulty ZS (ski tour) · Valais Alps
Tour du Ciel – ski traverse of the Valais Alps: 5 first-class days of ski mountaineering and the big names of the Valais mountains – close enough to touch. That is how you might describe this fantastic ski traverse as briefly as possible. But this one sentence certainly does not do justice to the variety and diversity we will experience over these days.
New and unusual perspectives of the wintry four-thousanders every day make the climbs fly by. In good snow conditions, vast glaciers offer plenty of room to float down to the valley in deep powder. A "heavenly tour" – just as the fitting name of this ski traverse suggests.
Often called the Haute Route of the Valais Alps, the Tour du Ciel is, however, far more than that and can easily hold its own against – if not surpass – the classic ski traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt in terms of experience, scenery and challenge. A tour that fans of ski traverses should not miss under any circumstances.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
'- Complete organisation and guiding by a state-certified mountain guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs for participants:
'- 4 nights in huts with half board
- 2 cable car tickets (Klein Matterhorn + St. Nikolaus)
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- Expenses (overnight stays, cable car) for the mountain guide
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per item)
Facts
Location:
Valais Alps
Zermatt - St. Nikolaus
Best time of year:
April
Duration:
5 days
Meeting point:
Zermatt - railway station
Requirements
Requirements:
'- Very good fitness for daily stages with 1,000 - 1,700 metres of ascent at high altitude, several days in a row
- Long touring days on which we are regularly on the move for 6 to 8 hours
- Solid kick turn and downhill technique for slopes of around 35°
- Confident walking in crampons
- Sure-footedness
- This ski traverse is not an entry-level tour!
PRICE
Participants:
max. 4 people
Price:
Tailor-made on request
Each tour is priced individually.
Among other things, the price depends on the duration and difficulty of the tour, group size, date, travel effort and scope of services.
You can find more information about our rates in our terms and conditions.
If you have any questions or need further information, just add them in the comment field of the enquiry form.
Before you send your request: please read the "important information" on the risks of mountaineering carefully.
Dates:
on request
PROGRAMME
Day 1: Breithorn and Schönbielhütte
We meet in the morning at around 8 a.m. (the exact meeting point will be announced at short notice) at the railway station in Zermatt. Together we take the cable car up to the Klein Matterhorn, climb the technically easy summit of the Breithorn to acclimatise and then enjoy our first long descent. To reach the day's destination, however, we still have to tackle a further climb in a mighty setting directly below the Matterhorn up to the Schönbielhütte.
Total: ↑ 700 m | ↓ 1,800 m | Difficulty: WS (ski tour)
⌂ Schönbielhütte
Day 2: Col Durand and Mountet
Day 2 takes us over the Col Durand, with the first technically more demanding sections, ever deeper into the magnificent mountain world of the Valais. We reach our destination for the day, the Cabane du Mountet, after a descent across the glaciers. A short climb finally brings us to the hut.
Total time: 5.5 h | ↑ 1,200 m | ↓ 1,000 m | Difficulty: ZS- (ski tour)
⌂ Cabane du Mountet
Day 3: Blanc du Moming
On the third day, the Tour du Ciel takes us up the Blanc du Moming. An impressive snow ridge, the "Arête du Blanc", awaits us on the way to the summit. On the following descent across the glaciers we carve our turns into the snow and once again enjoy first-class scenery before things get serious again – with the climb up to the Col de Milon, a short descent and skinning up once more to reach the day's destination, the Cabane Tracuit.
Total time: 7.5 h | ↑ 1,700 m | ↓ 1,100 m | Difficulty: ZS (ski tour) / AD (alpine tour)
⌂ Cabane Tracuit
Day 4: Bishorn and Turtmannhütte
Today our next four-thousander on skis is on the programme: the Bishorn. We reach the summit via the Turtmann Glacier, with views of practically every four-thousander in the Valais and of the north ridge, which leads straight on to the Weisshorn. A long descent then takes us to the Turtmannhütte.
Total time: 7.5 h | ↑ 1,100 m | ↓ 1,700 m | Difficulty: WS (ski tour) / PD+ (alpine tour)
⌂ Turtmannhütte
Day 5: Wasuhorn and Jungen
The last day of this magnificent Tour du Ciel has arrived. First we need to reach the Jungtaljoch before, after a short descent and a short climb, we reach our final summit: the Wasuhorn. One last fantastic north-facing descent of almost 1,400 vertical metres is the perfect finale to a fantastic ski traverse which, thanks to the unique impressions of this mountain world and the sweat of many vertical metres, will hopefully stay in fond memory for a long time. Via the hamlet of Jungen we take the cable car down to St. Niklaus.
Total: ↑ 1,000 m | ↓ 1,500 m | Difficulty: ZS (ski tour)
Any changes to the programme that may become necessary for various reasons (weather, conditions, availability of accommodation, etc.) are always made in consultation with the participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Who is the Tour du Ciel suitable for?
The Tour du Ciel is intended for experienced ski tourers who are looking forward to multi-day ski traverses in high-alpine terrain. You should have the fitness for several long days and be confident moving on skis in varied terrain.
What equipment do I need for the tour?
You will receive the exact packing list with your confirmation email. The essentials, of course, are your ski touring equipment and suitable ski crampons. Any missing equipment can be rented from Südtirolalpin for a small wear-and-tear fee.
How do arrival and departure work?
The meeting point is the railway station in Zermatt. The tour ends after the descent via Jungen and the cable car ride down to St. Niklaus. You will receive the exact organisational details in good time before the tour.
MOUNTAIN GUIDES FROM SOUTH TYROL
# TOUR DU CIEL # SKI TRAVERSE # VALAIS # MOUNTAIN GUIDE