Snowshoeing - Mt Blanc - Western Alps - France Switzerland Italy

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Updates
• Reviews
• Further Reading

How to Use this Guide

The walks in this guide are designed to be undertaken on snowshoes by those who are properly prepared, given suitable conditions. Compared to summer walking, the additional factors to consider when showshoeing are the cold, the short days and the fact that snow is an extremely variable medium which can change dramatically in a relatively short period of time. For this reason snowshoeing requires a certain knowledge of snow and the associated dangers, as well as the normal requirements for any walk – familiarity with navigation, a working knowledge of first aid and an idea of what constitutes a reasonable day’s walk for you.

Whilst you may be keen to skip this introductory information and get straight to the walks, it is essential that you read the sections concerned with safety in winter. Snowshoeing is potentially a very dangerous activity and not one the summer walker should undertake without sufficient knowledge and experience.

Because snowshoeing is a relatively new recreational activity for people who don’t live in the Alps, this guide contains detailed information on equipment, technique and safety. The develop­ment of equipment reflects the recent interest in snowshoeing challenging terrain, and the last few years have seen a constant and impressive evolution in the design of snowshoes.

The walks themselves (70 in total) are all in sight of (or at least near) Mont Blanc. They are divided into three chapters covering France, Switzerland and Italy. There are walks in the French regions of Savoie and Haute Savoie, the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Valais, and the Italian Valdotain region (i.e. the Val d’Aosta). In each chapter the walks are grouped by region, with each region offering possible bases for snowshoe excursions. There are at least two walks in each area, and many more within driving or bus/train distance. A mountain region offering plenty of walks could therefore provide the base for a one- or two-week holiday.

Near the start of each walk information is presented for start altitude, summit altitude, altitude gain, maps, approximate timing, grade of difficulty and aspect (see relevant sections in ‘Practical Information’ below). Details are also included of public transport options and any accommodation that may be necessary or optional during the walk itself.

Within each walk section there is information about the walk, type of terrain, views and interesting facts, followed by a description of the route. Any overnights are described, and the telephone numbers for the huts are included, although these can change.

The route of each walk is shown on an accompanying sketch map, some of which cover several walks. It is intended that the route description and sketch map are used in conjunction with the appropriate detailed map(s) of the area.

Other walks will probably occur to you if you look at local maps, and in some instances variations or further options are mentioned (though not described in detail) at the end of the walk description. More ideas can be found by asking at local guides’ bureaux and tourist offices. However, do not be tempted to merely follow a snowshoe track when you don’t have a map or a guide.

The walks in the guide cover a vast range of terrain from easy, flat valley walks to high mountain expeditions, so there is something of interest for walkers of all abilities in each area of the guide. Whilst each walk is graded, this can only be a loose indication of the level of difficulty. It is crucial to carefully study the map before embarking on any of these walks, taking into account the altitude gain, the length of the walk, the aspect and the surrounding slopes.

Many of these walks can take you into potentially very serious terrain. What may be an easy-to-find trail in summer will probably be invisible in winter. It is imperative that you have the necessary navigational skills to operate on snow without signposts, waymarks or other indicators of direction. It is essential to be equipped with map and compass and to know how to use them. The maps in this guide are for guidance only not to be used as a navigational tool.

Walkers should be aware that winter conditions are very variable, and snow-cover can change from one year to the next. You need to able to judge for yourself whether it’s wise to go up, across or down a certain slope. To do this you must have been trained in avalanche awareness (see p.49), and be prepared to turn back if in doubt.

For the walks on glaciated terrain, you must be experienced in glacier travel (see p.58) or go with a professional. It is vital that you rope up whenever you are on glaciers, even if you can’t see any crevasses. You will note that most skiers are not roped up on glaciated ground, but skis provide a considerably larger surface area than snowshoes and in descent move faster, and so the likelihood of skiers falling into crevasses is lower than for someone on foot.

Finally, although all the walks have been checked, things do change, especially in winter conditions. If a slope is not as expected, a track not where it should be, or there is a ski lift not noted in the description, take note of what is found in reality and react accordingly. This guidebook assumes that the walker is intelligent, can read a map and use a compass, and will turn back or adjust the walk if necessary.

Mont Blanc

The massif of Mont Blanc is certainly not the most extensive in the Alps – the Monte Rosa massif wins on this score by far – but there is something special about Mont Blanc and its surrounding summits. The highest summit in western Europe, Mont Blanc has recently (October 2001) had its height officially elevated by three metres, and now measures 4810m (15,777ft). Its glaciers are steep and impressive, with the Glacier des Bossons, which descends to Chamonix, claiming the biggest vertical drop of any glacier in the world (about 3500m). Seen from Chamonix, Mont Blanc is a rounded snowy dome, nothing like as impressive as its neighbours, such as the Aiguille Verte. However, seen from just 30km down the valley from the Aravis range Mont Blanc presents a more pointed summit, clearly towering above all the other peaks. From Italy, it’s even more spectacular with its steep rock and ice faces.

Many stories can be told about this mountain, the first ascent being one of them. In 1760 a young botanist, Horace Bénédict de Saussure, travelled from Geneva to Chamonix, no mean feat in those days, to collect samples of alpine plants. Whilst walking in the vicinity of the Brévent, he was transfixed by the view across the valley to Mont Blanc. At this time no one entertained the idea of climbing the alpine summits – only very recently had tourists begun to make the journey to the Alps to see the glaciers, and it was firmly believed that the lofty summits were home to dragons and that anyone who ventured too high faced certain death. The only people with any knowledge of the higher ground were the crystal searchers and chamois hunters, and they stayed well below the tops, always returning to safe terrain before nightfall.

De Saussure decided that he absolutely wanted to stand on the summit of Mont Blanc, and to this end he offered a reward to the first person who could the find a way up for him. The locals of Chamonix initially showed some interest in this potentially lucrative venture, but several futile efforts rather dampened their enthusiasm. Twenty-six years later the reward was still awaiting collection, and Horace the fulfilment of his dream.

One major obstacle was the widely held belief that it would be fatal to spend a night out on a glacier. This meant that all attempts had to return to non-glaciated ground before nightfall, and there was not enough time to reconnoitre a route in the space of one day. Still, sporadic forays continued, and in 1786 one of these featured Jacques Balmat, a young crystal searcher from Chamonix.

A loner with few friends, Balmat had tagged along with a group who were investigating the possibility of reaching the summit via the Dôme de Gouter. As dusk drew in they hurried back down past the Grands Mulets towards the safety of the Montagne de la Côte. However, Balmat had lingered high up near the Grand Plateau – possibly looking for crystals or the route to the top – and when he came to descend he found that fresh snow covered the tracks of the party and that it was fast becoming dark. Realising that it was safer to stay put than risk falling in a crevasse in the dark he settled down for a cold bivouac.

Quite what happened next has remained uncertain. On his return to Chamonix Balmat claimed that he had spied a route to the summit. Later he maintained that he had actually ascended to within metres of the top, but didn’t continue to the summit as there were no witnesses to his feat. However, since he was home in time for breakfast this does seem unlikely. Yet he was sure he could climb the mountain, and soon talked another aspirant first ascentionist, Doctor Gabriel Paccard, into sharing the venture with him. Paccard’s interest was mainly scientific, which suited Balmat very well, as they wouldn’t have to share the reward.

The doctor was treating Judith Balmat, Jacques’ sick young daughter, which gave the pair ample opportunity to make plans, and as soon as the weather seemed set fair they started out up the Montagne de la Côte, bivvying at the top under a huge boulder, now known as the Gîte à Balmat.

Next day they made their way over the treacherously crevassed Jonction and continued up the Glacier Des Bossons past the Grands Mulets up to the Grand Plateau, where Paccard’s hat was blown off and up over the Col de la Brenva into Italy. The Rochers Rouges provided the crux of the route, giving access to the final summit slopes. They reached the top on August 8th at 6.23pm. In Chamonix they were clearly seen through the telescopes trained in anticipation on the summit. Paccard spent about 45 minutes doing several experiments before Balmat insisted they set off down before it got too dark .

On the descent Paccard became snow-blind, due to having climbed for some hours without the protection of his hat, and had to be guided by Balmat, who was later to claim that the doctor was totally out of his depth on the mountain and that all credit for the ascent should go to Balmat himself.

On their return to Chamonix they had the heroes’ welcome they deserved, although poor Judith was never to know the fame her father had earned, having died in the absence of the doctor. Balmat collected his reward (only to lose it on his return in a mugging incident) and in time managed to portray Paccard as purely a passenger on this ascent. For many years this was believed, and the record was only set straight some time after Paccard’s death when the people of Chamonix recognised Balmat as having taken too much of the glory. Now the main street in town bears Paccard’s name.

As for de Saussure he finally got his long-awaited wish and stood on the summit of Mont Blanc on August 3rd 1787, after a four-day siege, accompanied by 18 guides, among them Jacques Balmat.

Now a sunny summer’s day will often see in excess of 200 people following in those summit footsteps, albeit reaching the summit by different routes. Mont Blanc is a popular ski tour during April and May. It can be ascended on snowshoes too but, given its length as a walk and the short, cold winter days, this is a very long outing reserved only for those who walk very fast and are able to cope with the technicalities and the challenge of the route in winter. For that reason it is not described in this guide.

History of Snowshoeing

It is impossible to put an exact date on the birth of snowshoeing. Certainly the first people in northern Europe to use some sort of large shoe to enable them to get from place to place in the snow were the inhabitants of the Arctic, such as Siberians, Lapps and Finns. Proof exists from as far back as 2500 BC, but probably bark and planks were used to the same end well before this.

In other areas it is thought that snowshoes were used as a means of transportation in very early times, possibly to travel from Central Asia, Mongolia and the Siberian steppes towards the American continent at the time when the Bering straits were still a land crossing. This migration took place over many centuries, and some people migrated right down to South America, whilst others, such as the Inuit, stayed in the north. They adapted to the environments in which they had to survive, using materials available to them. Those living in the vast plains are known to have sometimes hunted bison on snowshoes. However, up in the north the Inuit rarely used snowshoes as the snow was often icy or hardened by the wind.

When foreign explorers arrived in America during the 15th and 16th centuries they copied the habits of the native American people that they met. The French particularly embraced the idea of raquettes, which they thought resembled the rackets they used to play jeu de paume, the old form of tennis. When fighting the British on American soil during the 17th and 18th century, the French army was equipped with snowshoes.

Unlike many of the native Americans, European alpine people lived mainly from agriculture and cattle. They did not need to get around in winter because they limited their travel during the snowy months. Surprisingly we have no accounts of snowshoes being used by Napoleon I’s troops during his battles of the early 18th century, or by smugglers or traders at this time, even though the high passes were fairly frequently crossed during the winter.

It is most likely that the idea for snowshoes in the Alps came from travellers to America, the early colonials, who on their return adapted the large American Indian snowshoes to a smaller version, useful in the Alps for hunting, for example. The alpine armies were equipped with snowshoes at the start of the 20th century

In France snowshoes for recreation appeared at the end of the 19th century, introduced by a Monsieur Henri Duhamel, who is also credited with the introduction in the French Alps of skiing as a leisure activity.

The development of modern snowshoes took place in France and America. In France the first modern snowshoes date from 1975, made by Baldas in aluminium. In the USA Tubbs were pioneering in the development of modern shoes.