Highlights of the trip
- High mountain scenery.
- Comfortable, age-old accommodation in the heart of the mountains.
- A timeless place to recharge your batteries.
Day 1: La combe des morts
D+ 550m Dist 6km 2h30 walk
Meet at 12 noon at the Bourg-Saint-Bernard car park. After a picnic and distribution of safety equipment (avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe), we'll put on our snowshoes and head for the hospice. The programme includes a steady climb up the famous Combe des Morts, where many people lost their lives in the past, as it can be prone to avalanches depending on the snow conditions. On arrival at the hospice, we'll drop off our gear and take a break before setting off again for a light avalanche victim search workshop.
Accommodation: Hospice. Meals: Lunch & dinner.
Day 2: The window lakes
D+ 670m D- 670m Dist 8.4km 5h walk
Today we cross the frozen Great St. Bernard lake into Italy. We leave the hospice behind us, with Mont-Vélan towering above it. Our route runs alongside the road (closed in winter) and then takes the direction of the fenêtre de ferret. We then switch to the fenêtre lakes before returning below the tête de Fonteine to the fenêtre d'en haut. Return to the hospice in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Hospice. Meals: Morning, noon & evening.
Day 3: La combe de drône
D+ 630m D- 1170m Dist 12.7km 5h30 walk
We leave the hospice via the combe des morts. We then turn left into the Combe de Drône, which we walk up to the Lac de Grand Lé. The descent follows the same route.
Meals: Morning & Noon.
Level required for this outing: Confirmed (See the article on snowshoe levels for self-assessment)
