Ski Touring Albula Alps

Plenty of snow for us..

Did make skiing difficult sometimes...

I have just returned from a great wee trip out in Switzerland with John Orr and Blair Fyffe (aka Dr Snow).  The aim of the trip was to do 5 days in the mountains going from mountain hut to mountain hut, staying high and enjoy some great summits and skiing.

Some skinning was easy...

Getting ready for some descents

Unfortunately it didn't quite go to plan.  Our arrival journey was diverted due to an avalanche that had buried the train track and this was from vest amounts of snow the fell the day we travelled out.  Lots of snow + skiing = perfect?!  Not exactly...the avalanche hazard was high on all aspects so our only options was to stick to slopes less then 30+ degrees.

Myself and John ascending Pic Kesch

John and I on the summit with cool hats on!

We did two day single day tours, one near St Moritz and one from the Julier Pass which involved some pretty nice skinning (mainly because there were tracks in) and some very difficult skiing.  And I don't mean steep gullies...I mean easy angled slopes with snow up to out waists...not easy to ski at all.  The skinning uphill was by far much easier.

Extream side slipping, felt gnarly!  John and Blair watching as I 'check it out'

So after day two the snow settled and were hit the mountains for 3.5 days staying in some really nice huts such as the Kesch Hut and the d'Es-cha Hut.  We did some fantastic summits with Pic Kesch (3147m PD) being the highlight.  The weather gods were on our side for our 3 day tour so currently dealing with a bit of sun burn.

Quiet time on top of the world!  (Well not exactly Everest but felt very tranquil)

The end brought some fantastic gress skiing!

Blair enjoying the powder

John and Blair both taking a rest ;)

Blair needing a rest after some down hill skinning! 

Hi ho hi ho its offf to the mountains we go!

Skinning through an amazing settlement which is abandoned through the winter

Extreme side slipping, John and Blair agree if I can do it then so can they!

John loving the turns!