California Alpine Guides and the Haute Route

[TheOriginalGraniteChief]

Does anyone here know Dave Miller and his alpine Guided Tours?

Since I am apparently going through my midlife crisis, I figured instead of buying a red sports car, or getting a 20 something girlfriend. I thought I would start crossing things off my bucket list. One is to do the Great Haute Route of the Alps. Not that i'm not able to handle any 20 something girlfriends that are interested in going I can add that to my bucket list as well. Just looking for some feedback on Dave Millers company and guided tours at present.

[irul&ublo]

Mid life crisis.... Bang the nanny yet?

[slobmonster]

They do a great job. And he has one or more aspirant guides that can work the trip, too.

Check out my buddy Rich Meyer richmeyeralpineguide.com he's a solid fellow and exceptional guide. And tell him Seth gave him props.

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[TheOriginalGraniteChief]

Mid life crisis.... Bang the nanny yet?

Still waiting for the divorce to go through due to.......................

Nanny was a better skier, unfortunately wife didn't see the logic in that reason

[Arno]

Not sure how price sensitive you are but you could do it for a good bit less than $2475 with a European operator eg:

http://mountaintracks.co.uk/trip/haute-route-ski-tour

[baron]

is this route heavy on mountaineering? or more skiing?

[~mikey b]

no experience with CAG, but if I was going to do a guided Haute Route trip, I'd go with Pro Guiding and request Mike Hattrup as a guide.

[Johnny Casino]

Hire a local guide or company from Chamonix, Zermatt or any number of the other little towns in the area. At the very least you need to hire an IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide (richmeyeralpineguide.com and Hattrup are not). It's illegal for a non IFMGA/UIAGM guide to work in Europe. You might say whatever, no big deal but their insurance will be null and void in the event of an accident. There's also a huge cluster fuck going on right now with France and the SNGM regarding reciprocity and non-French IFMGA guides working in France. If your guide is not French, make sure they've jumped through the hoops and are permitted to work in France.

[Johnny Casino]

Not sure how price sensitive you are but you could do it for a good bit less than $2475 with a European operator eg:

http://mountaintracks.co.uk/trip/haute-route-ski-tour

AND for Christ's sake don't hire a mountain guide from the UK!

[Johnny Casino]

is this route heavy on mountaineering? or more skiing?

Depends on what route you take and conditions at the time. There are some good descents if you hit the timing right. Either way, there are some long days of walking and if conditions are typical (spring melt-freeze) then the skiing is shit. But hey, it's a classic and everyone should go do it.

If you want to go for some good skiing, park in Chamonix or La Grave for a week, privately hire a local guide, spend a few days proving to them that you're not going to loose your shit when things get real and then prepare to have your hair blown back.

[snapt]

Check out my buddy Rich Meyer richmeyeralpineguide.com he's a solid fellow and exceptional guide.

2nded Rich, only done nor cal stuff with him but he's a really good dude. Wouldn't hesitate to get in on one of his trips.

[Scottish_Skier]

AND for Christ's sake don't hire a mountain guide from the UK!

What a dumb statement to make....

Beleive it or not there are more fully qualified UIAGMs from the UK than USA / Canada. Anyone who has that badge has worked hard and earned the right to wear it - irespective of nationality.

Several UK guides are super strong / accomplished skiers, many who have been based in the alps for 20+ years full time. Of course not all UK guides are rocks stars on skis - but vast majority of them are solid (at the very least). You could just as easily get a frenchie guides who is more interested in fine wine and roll ups cigarettes than going skiing with clients too.

Would second the suggestions above of hiring a local guide from Chamonix for the Haute Route. Will be cheaper plus they will have local knowledge. There are a whole load of fantastic French, UK, USA guides working out of Chamonix...

If you want to pay for a euro 'steep ski' adventure then also consider skiers lodge down in La Grave...
http://www.skierslodge.com/

[Johnny Casino]

Anyone who has that badge has worked hard and earned the right to wear it - irespective of nationality.

Ben Nevis ice/mixed climbing = UK guide

Skiing in the Alps = French, Swiss, Austrian guide (depending on the region you're visiting).

[old goat]

We skied the GM with Alfonso Pascual (French born Spaniard) who I know does Haute Route trips every year (with the same clients). Super nice guy, interesting, will not be more interested in wine and cigarettes. (Actually all 3 guides we skied with were nice guys, patient--I needed patience--not like the stereotype.) You can contact him through the Compagnie de Guides web site or via google.

[Scottish_Skier]

Ben Nevis ice/mixed climbing = UK guide
Skiing in the Alps = French, Swiss, Austrian guide (depending on the region you're visiting).

Hiring a local guide is always a good plan

Around Chamonix valley there are at least 20-30 guides who are originally from UK. Some of them been based in Chamonix full time 20+ years... Others operate during certain seasons. For sure - Brit punters as a nation generally suck at skiing... But dont be an idiot and assume this means all UK mountain guides can't ski. Unsurprisingly the ones based in Chamonix are very solid and accomplished skiers.

http://www.bmg.org.uk/index.php/eng/Members

[PNWbrit]

More important than which highly qualified guide you choose... is who else is in your group.

[hutash]

If you want an American UIAGM, on of the few, contact Francis at www.nosiesta.com. Cham based for years, but now back and forth between US and Yurp.

Huate Route is more about point to point then it is about skiing, but still a classic. If you want to ski, hire a local guide and let him set up hut to hut skiing. He will pick and choose routes based on conditions and abilities. It won't have the name recognition of the Huate route, but you will get some incredible skiing in.

Best way to get great off piste skiing at a reasonable price is to pick a small group of friends with similar abilities, choose a region, and get a guide for that region and leave the day to day planning up to the guide.

[slobmonster]

For other options, you might consider (and I can vouch for) the following American UIAGM certified guides living in Europe:

Adam George
Jeff Banks

There are certainly many (MANY) other great guides.

[Arno]

Ben Nevis ice/mixed climbing = UK guide

Skiing in the Alps = French, Swiss, Austrian guide (depending on the region you're visiting).

this is kind of a dumb statement. if you are doing the HR, you don't need the rippingest skier in the world, although there are plenty of UK guides who are good skiers. you want a guide who will lead you competently (most will, although there will be bad apples from every country) and someone you can get along with

and what Brit said about the rest of the group

[TheOriginalGraniteChief]

is this route heavy on mountaineering? or more skiing?

No its more skin and ski, from what i read and its got a little better accommodations from what I have gathered from the description.

[Johnny Casino]

this is kind of a dumb statement. if you are doing the HR, you don't need the rippingest skier in the world, although there are plenty of UK guides who are good skiers. you want a guide who will lead you competently (most will, although there will be bad apples from every country) and someone you can get along with

and what Brit said about the rest of the group

There's more to it than just being led competently through the mountains. There's a huge legacy and heritage of European mountain guiding (much more so than with recent IFMGA members like the AMGA, ACMG and BMG). Part of the experience is that history and culture of hiring a guide who's father was a guide and the flow of knowledge from growing up in that particular valley.

I'm not saying UK guides are incompetent and sure you can end up with a local guide that's a dud. I am saying there's potential to get more bang for your buck by hiring a local guide.

[Scotsman50]

is this route heavy on mountaineering? or more skiing?

Depends on what variation of the Haute Route you decide upon. The are numerous variations. The "classic" HR has a bit more mountaineering feel than some of the other variations.
I did it with Cosley and Houston.
http://www.cosleyhouston.com/
They are american guides out of Bishop but also live on Les Houches( sP?) near Cham and "speaky the lingo " like locals but obviously relate to 'Merikan culture as well.
Kathy Cosley is your earth mother type( and a seriously accomplished alpinist), Mark is your strong silent type. Both very good.
I'm taking my son on the HR when he graduates from college next year hopefully......with PNWBrit as our tea boy.
I'd probably go with Volken out of North Bend on that trip.

[Scottish_Skier]

Ben Nevis ice/mixed climbing = UK guide
Skiing in the Alps = French, Swiss, Austrian guide (depending on the region you're visiting).

The real irony is that

1. A Frenchie from Chamonix wrote one of the best ice guides for Ben Nevis (Goodfrey Peroux RIP)
http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogu...7#.UIb_3GcpCB0

2. A Brit, Peter Cliff, wrote the classic Haute Route ski touring guide book
http://www.amazon.com/Haute-Route-Ch.../dp/1871890217

Seriously!

[Dhelihiker]

Guides take the adventure out of it. Giver

[TheOriginalGraniteChief]

Guides take the adventure out of it. Giver

Guides take the certainty of death out of it. The last time I was in Cham the day before I did the Mir de glasse to the James bond tail decent three Americans and a Brit decided to go without there guide who had to cancel at last minute and were Killed by a falling serac because they decided to have lunch in a place they would have never been allowed to stop had they been with a guide, regardless of his nationality or duddness. And there is always tomorrow ( well except for them) and the ability to find a guide last minute, hell they grow on the side of the mountain there.