Basic course alpine snowshoe tours - Furkapass

Alpine snowshoe technique with avalanche training (CH) | 3 days

Did a beginner's tour inspire you and would you like to gain more experience, tackle alpine snowshoe tours and be able to better judge the avalanche issue? This course offers you a well-founded introduction to the high alpine mountain world, summit successes included!

Contents

Introduction to route planning
Choice of track/cautious behaviour when ascending or descending
Hazard interpretation of the avalanche bulletin and application of the information on planned tours
Handling the emergency equipment (avalanche transceiver, avalanche shovel, avalanche probe and avalanche airbag backpack)
Basic knot and walking roped up
Handling of ice axes and safety equipment

Aim

You are able to plan easy snowshoe tours independently and to carry them out when conditions are favourable. Depending on your personal condition you can participate in medium-difficulty guided alpine snowshoe tours, e.g. Wildhorn, Allalinhorn and Alphubel

Technique

beginner–intermediate

Alpine technique: no prior knowledge needed; Terrain: mostly moderately steep, short steeper sections and traverses

Condition

beginner–intermediate

Duration from 4 to 6 hours, up to approx.1,000 vertical meters, approx. 250 vertical meters per hour

Group

3-8 participants per mountain guide

Meeting place

9.45 a.m. Mammut Store Andermatt / Imholz Sport, Furkastrasse 2, 6490 Andermatt (train arrival 9.22 a.m. Andermatt).

Accommodation

Hotel Tiefenbach, Furkapass

Note

The offer is held in German. Therefore, a basic understanding of German is important. Our mountain guides have a basic knowledge of English and can provide the necessary information in English. Often there are other guests on the tours and courses who are happy to help with the translation.

The Hotel Tiefenbach can only be reached on snowshoes, there is no luggage transport available. You need to fit all belongings into your backpack for the 3 days.

We recommend that you take out cancellation and repatriation insurance, e.g. with ERV.

Services

Included

Guidance and supervision provided by a mountain guide
Accommodation with half board: 1 x hut (base camp)
Glacier equipment (climbing harness, ice axe)
Mammut Safety Equipement (Avalanche Safety Equipment and Avalanche Airbag worth CHF 89.-)
"Caution Avalanches" course materials
Eiger Extreme Hardshell Jacket
Swisstopo Map Urseren 1231 (worth CHF 14.-)
15% discount on mammut.com

Not included

Travel to the course
Snacks and drinks
Hut tax CHF 12 per night if not a SAC/Alpine Club member
Snowshoes CHF 55 (incl. poles)
Optional: Avalanche Certificate Swiss Mountain Training CHF 30 (level 1)
Contribution to the Travel Guarantee Fund (0.25% on total amount)

Program

Day 1After the welcome at the meeting point you will receive the ordered rental material. Of course, the mountain guide is also available with tips and tricks regarding backpack packing. Once everything is packed, after a short introduction to the specific tour material, you will start your tour. You climb up to the Hotel Tiefenbach and learn about the first course contents. (distance: 4.5 km, walking time: 2 h, ascent: 600 vertical meters).Day 2-3You take training tours in the area, which you plan together with the group the evening before and discuss continuously in the field. The tour destinations are chosen according to weather and conditions. Possible summits are: Schafberg 2591 m, Chli Bielenhorn 2904 m, Klein Furkahorn 3026 m and others. (Distance: 5-7 km, walking time: 5-7 h, ascent: 1200 vertical meters).

equipment

Rental equipment

Our mountain guide will bring the ordered rental equipment to the meeting place. The following equipment can be rented:

Barryvox (Avalanche Transceiver)
Avalanche Probe
Avalanche Shovel
Avalanche-Airbag-Backpack
MSR Snowshoes
(telescopinc) Ski poles
Climbing harness with 2 screwgate carabiners and 1 prusik
Ice axe

Technical equipment

Barryvox (Avalanche Transceiver)
Avalanche Probe
Avalanche Shovel
Touring backpack (approx. 30l)
Snowshoes
(telescopic) Ski poles
Climbing harness with 2 screwgate carabiners and 1 prusik
Ice axe

Clothing

1x ski jacket and 1x ski pants (Gore-Tex or similar material)
1x Soft shell and/or fleece jacket
1x Short/long functional underwear
1x Beanie and 1x headband
2 pairs of gloves (1 thin pair, 1 warm, windproof and waterproof pair)
1x Functional socks and 1x spare socks
Warm, robust winter shoes, must be laceable and have solid soles or mountain boots

Overnight cottage