Hi there,
While everyone is planning their winter excursions into the mountains, I have another proposal to add to the mix. I’ve booked a 3-bedroom flat in Cogne, which I’ll use as a base to work remotely and ski tour in Gran Paradiso National Park (as well as the rest of Valle d’Aosta), rock climb, trail run, do photography, etc. I spent the 2021-22 winter season in Aosta becoming a ski instructor, and ever since have been desperate to go back to the area!
I purposefully took a punt on a bigger place assuming people from the club, friends, etc will want to pass through to either join me, take on their own adventures (granted it’s a bit late in the season for ice climbing, and there’s already a trip in January), or simply hang out in the mountains at a cheaper cost than normal (families welcome obviously).
If you’re interested, send me a message on WhatsApp (+41796402776) and we can speak further. Also if you have an idea on dates you’re interested in, please add them here! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16qWNlp57j84LX5qGgcZAOolNLIQpbYFeb6Icb97Fams/edit#gid=0
House Details
Large 3bedroom / 2 bathroom apartment in downtown Cogne
2 parking spaces onsite (I’ll be using one though) and there’s good public parking in town
Accommodation cost: £300 per room / week (can work out costs separately if you want to come for shorter or longer)
Mountain Sports in Cogne
I chose Cogne as base because of its proximity to Gran Paradiso for pre-work tours, as well as relative proximity to what the whole region has to offer.
Ski Touring – Cogne is the gateway to Gran Paradiso National Park, one of the best places in the Alps for ski touring, regardless of level. My plan is to get in shape to do the classic 5-day tour that summits Gran Paradiso the April 17-20, so if that piques your interest let me know. Most days though I’ll do a little tour in the morning before work, with slightly bigger days on the weekend.
Resort Skiing / Snowboarding
There is good skiing accessible in and around Cogne.
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In town – The house is a short walk from Cogne’s small but spicy resort. It’s mostly red and black runs that ski well late into the season, and has decent off-piste lines after bigger snows. There’s also a nice cross country ski track.
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Out of Town – Pila is 30 minutes’ drive, and the more classic spots of La Thuile, Cervinia, Courmayeur, etc are all an hour’s drive.
Rock Climbing
There are lots of great crags around the valley, but my two favourites for bolted single and multi-pitch climbing accessible during early spring (thanks to S exposure) are Arnaud and Albard, each 1hr’s drive.
Other Activities
Given the time of year, there will be an abundance of walking, cycling, and trail running options available.