I recently returned from a seven day hut trip in Italy through the Ortler region with our friends from North Cascades Mountain Guides. Touring between huts in Europe is much different than any North American equivilant. The rich history of the mountains and the level of comfort offered in the Ortler region huts is unmatched - even in Europe. From esspresso to the genepe, the Ortler haute route offerings are unique. The mountains are rich in glacial terrain, rugged summits, and World War I history. The huts offer excellent meals, a long history of mountain shelter and are relatively easy to access.

I will save the full experience for an article in the mag next fall but I will share a few highlights of the trip here on the blog over the next week or two. Our trip was marked by, plenty of snow, low visibility, and high instability, but we managed to enjoy some fine skiing, a variety of huts, scale a peak or two, and we even managed a tour of the Ski Trab ski factory in Bormio, Italy!

More to come.