Frequently Asked Questions
Snowshoeing & Winter Hiking
Choosing the right winter experience
1. What winter hiking and snowshoeing trips can I book with Famke van der Elst?
We offer guided winter experiences ranging from private day hikes around Verbier to multi-day snowshoeing adventures in the Swiss and Italian Alps.
Destinations include Verbier and Valais, the Jura Vaudois, the Bernese Oberland and the Italian Alps. Trips can be booked as scheduled small-group departures or, depending on the itinerary, as private or tailor-made adventures.
The best trip for you depends on your fitness, experience, available time and the kind of winter experience you are looking for.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/winter-program-swiss-alps/
2. Is snowshoeing suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. You do not need previous snowshoeing experience for most of our trips.
Snowshoeing is technically quite easy to learn. At the beginning of the hike, your International Mountain Leader will explain how to walk efficiently, use your poles and move comfortably over different types of snow and terrain.
General fitness is usually more important than previous snowshoeing experience.
3. How fit do I need to be for a snowshoeing trip in the Swiss Alps?
That depends on the trip. A relaxed day hike around Verbier requires a different level of fitness from several consecutive days in the mountains carrying your own backpack.
You do not need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours. Snow makes walking more demanding than a normal summer trail, particularly when it is deep or soft.
Each trip description gives an indication of the expected difficulty. If you are unsure whether a particular trip suits you, please contact us before booking.
4. Is snowshoeing harder than normal hiking?
Usually, yes. Walking through snow requires more energy than walking on a dry trail, particularly in fresh or deep snow. Uphill sections can therefore feel considerably harder than the same climb in summer.
The pace is adapted to the group and we take regular breaks. Snowshoes also allow us to explore beautiful winter terrain that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
5. Should I choose a day trip or a multi-day snowshoeing adventure?
If you have never tried snowshoeing before, a day trip is a great introduction, but it is certainly not essential to start with one.
Complete beginners can join several of our multi-day trips. The Jura Vaudois trip is very suitable for first-time snowshoers, and the Italian Alps trip can also be enjoyed without previous snowshoeing experience if you have a reasonable level of fitness.
The Bernese Oberland trip is more physically demanding. Previous snowshoeing experience is not necessarily required, but if it is your first time, you should have a very good level of fitness and be comfortable with several consecutive days in the mountains.
If you are unsure which trip suits you best, we will be happy to advise you before booking.
6. Can I book a private snowshoeing or winter hiking trip?
Yes. Private day hikes and tailor-made winter trips can be arranged for individuals, couples, families and groups.
A private trip gives us more flexibility to adapt the route, duration and difficulty to your experience, fitness and interests.
7. Can solo travellers join your scheduled group trips?
Yes. Solo travellers are very welcome on all scheduled group departures. You do not need to bring a partner or friend in order to join.
8. Where can I go snowshoeing with you in Switzerland and the Italian Alps?
We guide winter trips in several regions, including Verbier and Valais, the Jura Vaudois, the Bernese Oberland and the Italian Alps.
Each area offers a different winter experience, from the rolling forests and gentler terrain of the Jura to the higher alpine landscapes of the Bernese Oberland and Italy.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/winter-program-swiss-alps
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Day trips & multi-day adventures
9. What can I expect from a snowshoeing day around Verbier?
A typical day takes us away from the ski slopes and into quieter winter landscapes around Verbier and the surrounding Val de Bagnes.
Depending on conditions and your level, we might walk through forests, across snow-covered alpine meadows or towards panoramic viewpoints. The route is chosen according to the weather, snow and avalanche conditions, as well as the fitness and wishes of the group.
Previous snowshoeing experience is not necessary.
10. What is a multi-day snowshoeing trip like?
A multi-day trip allows you to really immerse yourself in the winter mountains. We snowshoe for several hours each day and stay overnight in mountain accommodation.
Depending on the trip, that can range from simple mountain accommodation to comfortable alpine hotels. The experience is about much more than covering distance: there is time to enjoy the landscape, share meals and experience winter in the mountains away from everyday life.
11. What is the difference between a hut-to-hut and a hotel-to-hotel winter trip?
The main difference is comfort.
Mountain huts and refuges offer a simpler, more traditional mountain experience. Facilities can be basic and rooms or dormitories may be shared.
Hotel-to-hotel trips offer more comfort, generally with private rooms and showers, and sometimes additional facilities such as a sauna or spa.
Both allow you to travel through the winter landscape over several days rather than returning to the same base every evening.
12. What are the main differences between snowshoeing in the Jura, the Bernese Oberland and the Italian Alps?
The Jura Vaudois is lower, gentler and wonderfully peaceful, with rolling terrain, forests and a more rustic atmosphere. It is a particularly good choice for first-time snowshoers and for those who enjoy simplicity and do not mind shared accommodation.
The Bernese Oberland offers a more dramatic alpine setting, with higher mountains, spectacular winter scenery and comfortable mountain hotels. It is also the most physically demanding of these multi-day trips.
The Italian Alps combine beautiful alpine terrain with Italian mountain culture and hospitality and can be a good choice for beginners with a reasonable level of fitness.
The best choice depends on your fitness, experience and the kind of winter adventure and accommodation you prefer.
13. Do I have to carry my own luggage on a multi-day winter trip?
Yes. On all our multi-day winter trips, everyone carries their own personal belongings.
Packing light therefore matters. You do not need a huge amount of clothing for a few days in the mountains, and you will receive a packing list before departure.
There are no luggage transfers on our winter trips.
14. How many hours do we usually snowshoe each day?
It varies by trip, route and conditions, but you should generally expect several hours of walking each day.
Snow conditions have a big influence: five hours on firm snow can feel very different from five hours breaking trail through fresh powder.
The individual trip page gives a better indication of the expected daily walking time and difficulty.
15. Can the itinerary be adapted to the fitness and experience of the group?
Yes. Routes are always selected with the group and current mountain conditions in mind.
On private trips there is considerable flexibility. On scheduled group trips, your Mountain Leader will choose routes that suit the overall level of the group while still delivering the experience described.
Weather, snow and avalanche conditions can also require changes. Safety always comes before following a predetermined itinerary exactly.
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Equipment & preparation
16. What clothing and footwear do I need for snowshoeing?
Good winter clothing is all about layers.
You will need warm, breathable clothing that allows you to remove a layer when climbing and put it back on when you stop. A waterproof and windproof outer layer is important, as are a hat, gloves, sunglasses or goggles and sun protection.
For your feet, we recommend sturdy, waterproof, high hiking boots suitable for winter conditions. You will receive a detailed packing list before your trip.
17. Do I need to buy my own snowshoes and poles?
No. Snowshoes and poles can be rented through us, so there is no need to buy specialist equipment for your trip.
If you already own suitable equipment, you are of course welcome to bring it.
18. When do I need avalanche safety equipment?
Avalanche safety equipment is required on the multi-day trips in the Bernese Oberland and Italian Alps, and on some day trips around Verbier, depending on the terrain and conditions.
It is not normally required for the Jura trip.
When avalanche safety equipment is required, everyone carries a transceiver, shovel and probe.
19. Can I rent avalanche safety equipment from you?
Yes. Avalanche safety equipment can be rented through us when it is required for your trip. This includes a transceiver, probe and shovel.
20. Will you teach me how to use avalanche safety equipment?
Yes. On trips where avalanche safety equipment is required, your International Mountain Leader will explain how to use the transceiver, probe and shovel and make sure everyone is comfortable with the equipment before heading into the mountains.
You do not need previous experience with avalanche equipment.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/understanding-avalanche-risk-in-winter/
21. What should I carry in my backpack during a winter hike?
For a day trip, you will normally carry extra clothing, food and water, sun protection and personal items. Depending on the route, you may also carry avalanche safety equipment.
On multi-day trips you will additionally carry the personal belongings you need overnight.
You will receive a detailed packing list before your trip so you know exactly what to bring.
22. How can I prepare at home for a multi-day snowshoeing trip?
Regular walking is one of the best forms of preparation. If possible, include hills and gradually increase the length of your walks.
Strength work for your legs and core is also useful, and walking occasionally with the backpack you intend to use will help your body get accustomed to carrying weight.
You do not need extreme training. Consistency matters much more.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/training-for-a-mountain-trek/
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Weather, snow & safety
23. What happens if there isn’t enough snow for snowshoeing?
Winter conditions are never completely predictable.
If there is not enough snow in the planned area, we will first see whether it is possible to move the trip to another suitable location.
If snowshoeing is not possible, we can switch to winter hiking instead. The activity is adapted to the conditions rather than forcing a plan that no longer makes sense.
24. What happens if the weather or avalanche conditions are unsafe?
The planned itinerary is never more important than safety.
Your International Mountain Leader will continually assess the weather, snow and avalanche conditions. If the original route is not appropriate, we may adapt the itinerary, choose safer terrain or, when possible, move to a different area.
Winter mountain plans need to remain flexible because conditions can change quickly.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/understanding-avalanche-risk-in-winter/
25. How do you decide whether a snowshoeing route is safe?
Every winter route is carefully assessed by the International Mountain Leader guiding your trip.
This includes the current avalanche bulletin, recent weather and snow conditions, terrain, slope angle and exposure, wind-transported snow and temperature changes. The experience and fitness of the group are also part of the decision-making process.
Whenever possible, we choose routes that avoid avalanche-prone terrain altogether and build alternatives and safety margins into our planning. Risk in the mountains can never be reduced to zero, but careful planning, conservative decisions and a willingness to change the itinerary can reduce it considerably.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/understanding-avalanche-risk-in-winter/
26. How cold does it get while snowshoeing, and how do I avoid getting too cold or too warm?
Temperatures vary enormously depending on altitude, wind, sunshine and weather.
The surprising thing for many beginners is how warm you become while climbing. That is why several thinner layers work much better than one extremely warm jacket.
We adjust clothing throughout the day: remove layers before you overheat and put them back on before you get cold. A warm insulating layer is particularly important during breaks.
27. What qualifications will my Mountain Leader have?
All our snowshoeing and winter hiking trips are led by qualified International Mountain Leaders.
Famke van der Elst, founder of Mountful Hikes, holds the Swiss Federal Diploma (Brevet fédéral) as an International Mountain Leader and is a member of UIMLA, SBV and ASGM. She has also completed additional T4 mountain-hiking training and examinations.
The other International Mountain Leaders in the team are also professionally qualified. Safety, ongoing training and professional development are an important part of how we work.
Depending on the terrain or nature of a trip, we may also work with qualified UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guides.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/mountain-guides-switzerland/
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Booking & practical information
28. What insurance do I need for a guided snowshoeing trip in Switzerland?
Appropriate travel insurance is required.
Please check carefully that your policy covers the activities you will be doing in the mountains, including mountain-sport accidents and, where relevant, rescue and evacuation costs.
Do not assume that every standard travel insurance policy automatically provides sufficient mountain cover.
29. Can dietary requirements and food allergies be accommodated on multi-day trips?
Often, but it depends on the accommodation.
Hotels can generally accommodate dietary requirements and food allergies when they know about them well in advance.
Mountain huts and remote refuges have much more limited kitchens, supplies and menu choices, so not every dietary requirement can always be accommodated.
Please tell us about allergies or dietary requirements well before the trip, so we can check what is possible with the accommodation.
30. Where can I find the booking, payment and cancellation conditions?
The current booking, payment and cancellation rules are set out in our Terms & Conditions.
Rather than duplicating those rules here, where they could eventually become outdated, please always consult the current Terms & Conditions when booking.
Link: https://famkevanderelst.com/general-conditions/
31. Can I book a single room on a multi-day snowshoeing trip?
On the Bernese Oberland and Italian Alps trips, a single room can usually be requested for an additional supplement, subject to availability.
On the Jura Vaudois trip, accommodation is normally shared. A room upgrade may be possible, subject to availability, but a private single room cannot be guaranteed.