Bedrettotal

A trip report from 1904 marks the start of a new series on PowderGuide: this season, the Austrian Alpine Club and the "Alpenwort" project at the University of Innsbruck are making some selected historical texts available to PowderGuide readers. The "Skifahrt auf das Blindenhorn" by Henry Hoek comes from the Alpine Club Yearbook of 1904. Henry Hoek is considered a ski pioneer and is one of the most influential alpine writers of his time. He also published the world's first ski guide in 1908: Skifahrten im Südlichen Schwarzwald (Skiing in the Southern Black Forest).

The Bedretto Valley just behind Airolo needs no introduction to the touring community. With excellent transport links, it offers a huge reservoir of touring opportunities on both sides of the valley. And since south-facing snowstorms have been a reliable part of the winter weather repertoire, this valley is blessed with impressive amounts of snow every year. Of course, these two facts ensure that the Bedretto is very busy, but fortunately the crowds here also move along the red lines on the ski touring map. Once you leave them, it quickly becomes quiet and usually rather steep...

After having to turn back two weeks earlier on the Helgenhorn due to the high avalanche risk, we decided to go on another tour in the Bedretto Valley. This time, however, with ideal avalanche conditions and perfect mountain weather.