Marta's Monterosa Blog

I am passionate about the Alps. They are my heart's home and the place where I would like to spend the last day of my life. I have been a tourist in the village of Champoluc in the Italian Monterosa for all my life and worked as a tourist operator in this area since more than 15 years.

I believe in respect for the special environment of this place that you can find only here. We all gain by enjoying its beauty, while trying to make a minimum impact at the same time. Leave it for our children in the future!

I believe in respect for people who live here with their traditions and culture, language, and work, their genuine products and delicious wines. They open their homes for us, tourists and meet us as their guests, if we are able to open our hearts for them. I have a friend who is a hotel owner and he says that when stressed people from the city come to his place, he tells them to sit down and take a drink before they even begin to worry if they have a room. Perhaps, we can bring a little of their kindness and calmness with us on our way back to the city.

My philosophy is to give back a little of what the mountains and the people from this place have given to me and to my family through my work, to communicate my philosophy and my passion to those who follow me on the blog, and in my trips as a tour operator.

If you would like to visit Champoluc, Gressoney, Alagna or other villages in the Aosta Valley, trek or ski in the Monterosa, discover Sardinia or other places we offer, contact us.

My first ski tour – a whole new world

Posted: Mar 14, 2011
Categories: Blog
Comments: 0
Author: TheAlps

“After an espresso at Atelier Gourmand, the classic Italian bar right under the first ski lift in Champoluc (1568m), we took three lifts to Colle Sarezza (2700). Then we skied for five minutes, put on our skins and started the ascent towards the lakes of Pinter and Perrin – where I have been many times in the summer…

Ski mountaineering excitment

But this time it was ALL different. First; I have never walked up-hill with skins. Second; the ground was covered with white glitter. Third; there is no avalanche-risk in the summer. So; yes, I was excited! It was easy for me to put on the skins and understand how to use the bindings’ different settings. The problem was my speed. When I run, I usually run faster when I come to a steep part of the trail. Walking uphill with skis should be steep! So my technique to hurry up when it got a bit harder was not optimal. When we got up to the top, I was told how important it is to get a nice pace going. One step at a time, in a comfortable speed, and NO stopping!

Ski mountaineering pause

We climbed for almost two hours, marking the steep hill with large Zs’. The view was indescribably beautiful. Being on top of a mountain like that, close to 3000 meters, is an incredibly awesome feeling.

Ski mountaineering in the sun

Finally on the top, looking down on the ice and snow-covered Lake of Perrin, we sat down for a moment. With some sweet Swedish blueberry soup and well-deserved chocolate we got new energy. I was already very satisfied when it was time to descend. There were enough untouched parts of powdery snow for all of us. We slid by soft pillows, that shimmered in blue and white

Powder

Then we reached the woods and continued through the trees toward a small river, where I usually stop to rest a bit when I do the same tour in the summer. It was a lovely feeling to sit down and relax at the little restaurant (Frantze) in the old part of Crest. Happiness and a sense of accomplishment.

Ski in the woods

As the snowboarder I am, I never cared so much for ski mountaineering. I sometimes walked a bit, just to get a little higher than the other tours I could reach easily with my board. But, now I know what I’ve missed! And I’m definitely going to continue practicing my touring skills to get the most out of the mountain, even during the winter season. And I’ll do it either with my board on my shoulders or with the light touring skis I tried on this fantastic adventure.”

Guest blog by Nastassja Capetillo

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