Get a taste of lofty peaks as you summit and ski the highest points of Italy and France! Gran Paradiso is the most accessible of the 4,000+ m (13,100 ft) Alpine peaks and presents a perfect preparation for conquering and skiing Mont Blanc—the highest mountain in Western Europe. Challenge yourself with demanding 1,000+ m (3,280 ft) vertical ascents, and electrifying 1,300+ m (4,265 ft) descents. Pay your respects to Madonna waiting for you on the top of Gran Paradiso, and get a hit of adrenaline as you weave down the steep slopes of the mythical Mont Blanc. Join one of the best IFMGA mountain guides in the area and cross these essential ski touring objectives off your bucket list!
Test your limits on a private guided backcountry ski tour taking you from Gran Paradiso to Mont Blanc! Starting in Chamonix, you will leave civilization for uncharted Alpine wilderness interspersed with cozy mountain huts and many opportunities for life-long memories. In the first part of the trip, your focus will be the ski areas around Chamonix and the Italian giant Gran Paradiso, while the last 3 days are reserved for a face-off with the highest peak in Western Europe. Ski in the day, enjoy apres-skis in the evening, and relish in every moment in between—the Alps await you open-armed.
Your adventure begins in Chamonix, where you will stay for the night. Meet your guide at 6 p.m. in town and discuss the itinerary and do the final gear check. Apart from being an Alpine adventure capital, Chamonix is also effortlessly charming and sophisticated. You can take the opportunity to explore its picturesque streets before getting some rest for the adventure ahead of you.
It is important for your guide to determine your skill level on Day 1, so the day is spent skiing in the areas around Chamonix—most often Vallee Blanche. After a thrilling ascent to La Vallee Blanche, you’ll have an epic 20km day ahead of you as you ski back down to the town. Treat yourself to the world’s best after-ski as you’ll stay in Chamonix for another overnight.
Leaving Chamonix, you will take a ride through the tunnel Mont Blanc and cross the border with Italy. Day 2 will culminate with reaching the highest mountain entirely in Italy—Gran Paradiso (4,060 m/13,325 ft). You will first skin to the rifugio Chabod (2,970 m/8,890 ft) and then all the way to the mighty peak. The last 50 m is climbed with the help of crampons and your ice axe. What follows is a descent to the Vittorio Emanuele II hut, where you will spend the night.
Spring is the perfect time to conquer Mont Blanc (4,807 m/15,770 ft), the most iconic Alpine peak. On Day 3, you will do a long traverse and ski in the expansive Vallon de Seyvaz to the village of Pont. After a coffee break, return back to Chamonix. The ascent to Mont Blanc starts on Day 4 and includes a cable car ride to Plan de l’Aiguille, followed by skinning your way to the Grands Mulets hut, where you will stay for the night. Day 5 starts with the final section of the ascent—skinning to the Grand Plateau and Vallot Bivouac followed by the final climb aided by crampons and your ice axe. From the summit, you will ski the north face of the mountain all the way back to Plan de l’Aiguille. Once you return to Chamonix, you can celebrate—you are now a Mont Blanc skier!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for 6 full days, covering miles of glaciated terrain every day. You will need to manage controlled ascents and descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs, and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain. You also need to be adept at using glacier gear, such as crampons and an ice axe.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.
To participate in this tour, you need to have ski touring experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on challenging terrain for 6 full days. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining a guide for a day of beginner-friendly ski touring or a 5-day avalanche education and ski touring course in Chamonix.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Gear rental locations are in Chamonix and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Group sizes and pricing:
Ski touring in Gran Paradiso and Mont Blanc can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
To get to Chamonix, most people fly into Geneva International Airport (GVA), one hour away. Once you arrive, there are several ways to reach your destination, including public transport. Looking to make the airport transfers hassle-free? Check out Mountain Drop Offs—they provide door-to-door service in their comfy and spacious shuttles. Use the code 57HCHX to get a 5% discount!
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, which will usually be at a hotel in Chamonix on Day 0 of the tour, so make sure to arrive before 6 pm. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
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