Hut Trips: Building Community in the Mountains
Community and Women in the Mountains.. What happens when you miss out on a trip?
Major FOMO.
For the past few weeks the Women’s Mountain Club (WMC) lead by Fay Mackman, Rachel Kerr, and Naoimh O’Hagan, and Ali Gibb have been posting on social media about all the fabulously wintery things they are doing with ladies in the Chamonix and Morzine region.
An Intro to Ski Touring Course here. A Red and Blacks Technique Course over there. Morning Tune Up sessions this way. An experience and taste for every type of skier looking to brave the mountain. At the same time they were recruiting a group of intermediate to advanced ladies to go on a two day ski touring hut trip. Their mission: to provide every woman with the opportunity to thrive on the mountain and to leave a training or ski tour saying, “I LOVED IT!”
[*Little disclaimer: I had been preparing for this trip for the past month but have underestimated the amount of fatigue I had accumulated over the winter, so while I was not there physically I most certainly was with them in spirit. It’s a bit bizarre to write about a trip that you didn’t go on, but I love what WMC is doing —> getting more women feeling confident in outdoor adventure sports, and they are passionate about female leadership in a heavily masculinised community (because let us not kid ourselves even though things are changing, men are still at the forefront of mountain sports). So I thought I’d write about it anyway. ]
Photo credit: Olivia @snowbunny.007
So about this trip.
12 women, 12 pairs of skis, 12 pairs of skins, 12 heavy backpacks and 12 beaming faces with excitement bubbling just below the surface. The dream right?
The days before the trip were filled with messages and questions:
“What do we bring?”
“Does the hut take euros instead of Swiss francs?”
“Who’s driving? And can I hitch a ride?”
“How many of us per guide?”
The logistics that come into a hut trip are already quite demanding, add on glacier conditions and things get intense quick. Not only as weight in your pack but also a mental weight when it comes to safety and group mechanics. [Side note: If you’ve never gone a multi-day ski touring trip and can’t imagine what that entails here’s a packing list that we got from the guides and the SheEO’s of WMC. A good resource for you to keep in mind if you ever decide to go on your first one ;).]
What became apparent from the beginning was the sense of community. Carpooling was organised, snacks were divided and when it came to the inevitable, “I can’t find my sleeping bag liner” one was found. In a frequently competitive outdoor environment it’s refreshing to go on a trip where. Gummy bears or chocolate are passed around for an energy boost, reminders to put on sunscreen are suggested, tips on how to perfect the the kick turn are shared, and paces are adjusted to make sure no one is staying too long in the red zone. It highlights the beauty of being in nature and out of our element. Especially when you are in high altitude environments. It makes you more aware of you surroundings and the people you are with. Think: If everyone is safe, that means I am safe, and that can only happen when everyone is feeling good and strong.
Thanks to Amy’s Strava (you can follow her here), we can see that the ladies did a big push from Arolla of 905m positive elevation on the first day to finish at the Cabane des Vignettes. Finishing their day off with a delicious beverage (read beer) and a filling meal at the hut, to share stories and feelings from the first day and to plan the next.
Mountains have finicky spirits. Weather is mercurial and they remind us that we have to be adaptable to mother natures moods… On a good weather day, a peak to skin up from the Cabane des Vignette is the Pigne d’Arolla (3,787m). A mythical mountain that many budding adventurers look to check off their list due to its limited technical difficulties and stunning paysages from the summit.
On a sunny day you would see not one but two or more parties skinning up to the Pigne d’Arolla which was the original plan of the WMC hut trip. Alas, this time the mountain said no. Mist and brouillard on the plateau can test the senses and abilities which isn’t something any mountain enthusiast should take lightly. The ladies with the guides opted for plan B: from the Col des Vignettes (3,176m) to the Col de Chamotane (3,048m) to the Col de l’Eveque (3,382m) all the way down to Arolla. Conditions were enviable, powder and fresh snow that the team got to enjoy!
Photo credit: Eleanor McKay
The ladies returned and my phone started binging with all the photos and videos being shared from the trip. I could see smiles, and whoops and heaps of encouragement. Community isn’t always easy to find, but if you’re looking for one in the region you should sign up to a class or a trip with the Women’s Mountain Club, you won’t be disappointed.
Credit: Nicola @njoy_photography_fr
A BIG thank you to:
Guides: Karen Bockel and Ulrika Asp
Women’s Mountain Club, https://www.womensmountainclub.com/
SheEO’s: Fay Mackman, Rachel Kerr, and Naoimh O’Hagan, and Ali Gibb
Photographers: Olivia @snowbunny.007, Nicola @njoy_photography_fr and www.njoyphotography.net ; Eleanor McKay