Alpine Ski Mountaineering Vol 1 Western Alps

Ski mountaineering guidebook to the Western Alps including the classic Haute Route, Chamonix to Zermatt, tours in the Ecrins, Vanoise, Haute Maurienne, Gran Paradiso, Mont Blanc, Valais and Urner Alps. The European Alps offer some of the finest and most accessible ski mountaineering in the world. A combination of magnificent and varied terrain, an enviable snow record, excellent public transport, unrivalled hut system and long ski season make them a focus for mountaineers and skiers throughout the world. Volume 2 of this Alpine Ski Mountaineering series covers the Central and Eastern Alps. The routes described will provide a lifetime's ski mountaineering for the average skier, with rewards and challenges for all levels of ability.

The classic Haute Route, the ski mountaineering traverse through the Alps between Chamonix and Zermatt, is described in this guidebook, which also brings together a selection of the finest high-level ski tours in the Western Alps in areas as diverse as the Ecrins, Vanoise, Haute Maurienne, Gran Paradiso, Mont Blanc, Valais and Urner Alps.

There is something extraordinarily special about sliding on snow that has excited generations of snow sports enthusiasts. Add to this the dimension of travelling through the mountains and the result is a recipe for some of the best outdoor activity days you could ever imagine. I have been fortunate to share some of these adventures with Henry Branigan: Skiing off the summit of Mount Blanc at dawn or, equally enjoyable, skiing under the northern lights from hut to hut in Norway, still my all-time favourite way of travelling through the mountains. A complete guide to alpine ski touring, ski mountaineering and nordic ski touring sets out to provide the fundamentals about going off piste and then journeying through mountain terrain, in a logical, easy to read format. Adapting ski technique for various off piste conditions is an essential skill that makes all the difference between surviving and savouring adventures off piste. The book also covers the fundamental mountaineering knowledge including navigation, weather and avalanches that are essential before venturing beyond the confines of a ski area. Equipment and planning a tour are covered, whether it is in an Alpine or Nordic environment. All in all this is a very comprehensive and valuable resource for anyone aspiring to venture into the mountains on skis. Bob Kinnaird Principal Glenmore Lodge National Outdoor Training Centre

Guidebook to 50 ski touring and snowshoeing routes in the Dolomites. The routes, which carry an Alpine (and when appropriate, a Volo/Toponeige) grading, range from 5km to 18km, taking between 2 and 7 hours to complete. The routes are based in and around areas such as Canazei, Arabba, Corvara and San Martino, taking in stunning scenery, quaint villages and enchanting mountain vistas. Clear route descriptions are accompanied by 1:50K mapping and photo topos, together with information such as total ascent and descent (as well as aspect), expected duration of route and equipment required. Also provided is invaluable practical advice on things such as mountain safety and navigation, equipment, transport options to, from and around the Dolomites, ski passes, accommodation and more. Regarded as one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world, the Dolomites offer endless winter escapades. Those who venture off the beaten track and into the backcountry (whether by ski or by shoe) will discover a veritable winter wonderland.

This is a selected guidebook of ski tours in the European Alps. We have chosen classic ski tours at a variety of grades spread through the Alps, with some well-known venues and others not on the radar of British ski tourers. The 22 places selected have enough routes to keep you busy for a week or more's ski touring and will allow you to get to know the area well enough to inspire you to make up your own tours. Stunning photos, useful planning maps, and accurate descriptions make this the most up to date, english language guidebook to ski touring in the Alps available. In order to be as up to date as possible, the routes have been contributed by UIAGM/IFMGA guides who know the area well and have toured there recently. Contributors: Mike Austin, Martin Chester, Al Powell, Mark Charlton, Andy Teasdale, Tim Blakemore, Jonny Baird, Graham Frost, Bruce Goodlad, Terry Ralphs, Rob Collister, Olly Allen, Cain Olsen and Andy Perkins.

Italy's Alta Via 1, a 180km trail through the Italian Alps following the northern flank of the Aosta Valley, boasts magnificent views of the Alpine giants: Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Grand Combin and Monte Rosa. Indeed, it is sometimes known as the Giants' Trail and can be combined with a sister-route, the Alta Via 2 (covered in a separate Cicerone guide), which runs along the southern flank of the valley, to form the Tor des Géants. Stretching from Donnas to Courmayeur, the Alta Via 1 offers fantastic alpine walking, with welcoming refuges and small hotels providing overnight accommodation (and great food) along the way. The guide presents the route in two sections, for the advantage of those who can't spare the full fortnight-plus needed to walk the entire AV1. The trail is described in 16 stages, with alternative stages covering some popular variants, including an optional detour to visit the famed monastery at the Great St Bernard Pass. Each stage includes clear route description and mapping, plus notes on local points of interest and accommodation options. An alternative itinerary, list of useful contacts, kitlist and glossary can be found in the appendices. The AV1 crosses cols of nearly 3000m as it traverses the side-valleys of the main Aosta Valley. Suited to those with some of experience of alpine trekking, the walking is demanding but without technical difficulty. And the rewards are many: quieter huts, breathtaking vistas and a chance to immerse yourself in fabulous mountain landscapes overlooked by soaring, snow-clad giants.

This guidebook presents the stunning Alpine Pass Route, now fully waymarked as Via Alpina 1. The 360km trail traverses Switzerland from east to west, from Sargans near the Liechtenstein border to Montreux on Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). Crossing sixteen Alpine passes, it showcases some of the country's most breathtaking mountain landscapes, boasting views of iconic peaks such as the Wetterhorn, Eiger, Jungfrau and Les Diablerets. The route is suitable for those with some experience of Alpine trekking: it amasses over 20,000m of ascent and involves some steep sections. It can be completed in 2-3 weeks, although it is also possible to walk shorter sections; alternatively postbus, cable-car and rail connections could be used to allow for a tighter schedule. The route is presented in 18 stages, each featuring step-by-step route description accompanied by 1:100,000 mapping, route profiles and notes on transport, accommodation and facilities. In addition, a 26km prologue in Liechtenstein and an alternative finish following the old course of the Alpine Pass Route via Gsteig are also described. Accommodation options range from mountain huts to hotels and inns, with camping available at a number of licensed sites along the route.

A guidebook to 40 circular walks in in two of Lancashire's largest Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the Forest of Bowland, an area of 310 square miles, and the 'bewitching' countryside of Pendle to the south. The walks range between 3 and 12.5 miles in length and are all illustrated with extracts of OS mapping. The diverse range of routes include four Marilyns - Ward's Stone, Pendle Hill, Longridge Fell and Fair Snape Fell. The walks are spread across the region, with bases including Caton, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Clitheroe and Pendle. All the walks are punctuated with snippets of information on the natural and cultural history of the region, from witches to wildlflowers. The Forest of Bowland and Pendle provide vastly differing terrain - from the lush farmlands of the Ribble valley to the more rugged rough pastures of the Forest of Bowland uplands and the huge boggy uplifts of the main Bowland massif itself.