Guided Snowshoeing Weekend in Val d’Anniviers (Valais)

Surrounded by 4000m peaks, Val d’Anniviers is a gorgeous and culturally rich alpine valley, one of the seven large transverse valleys in Valais, skirted by the “Great Crown” which includes Weisshorn, Bishorn, Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn, Matterhorn and Dent Blanche.

This trip is led by Celine Kahn, mountain leader.

What’s the plan?

Friday

Arrival in Zinal in the evening. Night at Auberge Alpina.

Saturday – Glacial cave

Lying a few kilometres away from the village, the Zinal glacier originates from the meeting-point of 3 glaciers: Grand Cornier, Durand and Mountet glaciers.

Snowshoeing while being surrounded by the famous and stunning “Great Crown”, all the way to the Zinal glacier and its glacial cave. Picnic at the cave and return to Zinal. Dinner and night at Auberge Alpina.

Technical info: 11km – 5h walking – 450m ascent – 450m descent (return trip)

Sunday – Bella Vouarda

Breakfast at Auberge Alpina and bus to St-Luc. Snowshoeing above St-Luc, all the way to the charming Weisshorn Hotel (2337m), with its breathtaking views of the Great Crown. Return to St-Luc in the afternoon where you can catch a bus to go home. Depending on the size and motivation of the group, we might be able to take the funicular from St-Luc in order so save some uphill walking and therefore be able to walk all the way to Lake Touno at 2660m.

Technical info: 6h walking – 750m ascent – 750m descent (loop)

Requirements

To join this event, you need to be a fit hiker. No previous snowshoeing experience is needed.

Insurance

It is the participant’s responsibility to get health and accident insurances that cover mountain rescue, including extreme sports. Becoming a Rega patron is highly recommended (CHF 40 per year only for emergency medical assistance from the air).

How to get there

If you are traveling from Zurich by public transport, we recommend you take the following:

• Friday: Zurich HB 17:02 – 20:15 Zinal, village de vacances (via Bern, Visp, Sierre & Vissoie)
• Sunday: St-Luc, poste 15:54 – 19:28 Zurich HB (via Vissoie, Sierre, Visp & Bern) – depending on the time the event finishes

If you are traveling by car, you can park at Auberge Alpina in Zinal and drive to St-Luc on Sunday morning.

Kit list

Day clothing essentials

• Winter hiking boots
• Base layers
• Hiking or skiing trousers
• Fleece
• Down jacket
• Waterproof jacket
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Warm hat
• Buff
• Thin gloves
• Thick gloves

Night essentials

• Lightweight towel
• Sleeping bag liner
• Headlamp with spare batteries
• Ear plugs

Technical gear

• Hiking backpack (30-40L)
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Waterproof inner bags or bin bags
• Snowshoes and poles: can be rented out – see “Equipment rental”
• Avalanche set: transceiver, probe and shovel: can be rented out – see “Equipment rental”

F&B

• Water
• Thermal bottle for tea
• Snacks
• Packed lunches for 2 days

Pharmacy

• Sunscreen and lip protector
• Plasters and basic medicine

Equipment rental

You have the possibility to rent the following equipment, directly from the guide:

• Snowshoes and poles: CHF 30
• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe: CHF 50

You will receive an email with a form to fill in a few days before the event, where you can inform us about which items you’d like to rent. These can be paid by cash or Twint on the event day.

Pricing

The price for this event is CHF 360 in a shared room (dorm) or CHF 400 in a twin room.

Included in price

• 2 days of guided snowshoeing with a mountain leader, in a small group
• Basic avalanche training to make sure everyone knows how to use the equipment
• 2 nights of accommodation at Auberge Alpina
• Dinner on Saturday
• Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday

Not included in price

• Transport to Zinal on Friday and from St-Luc on Sunday
• Bus ride from Zinal to St-Luc on Sunday morning
• Dinner on Friday (possibility to order something in advance if you would like to have dinner at your arrival)
• Packed lunches
• Drinks & snacks
• Equipment rental

Group size

Min. 4 / Max. 8 participants

By signing up for this event, you agree that you have read, understood and will adhere to our Terms and Conditions.