#project360 I Patrouille des Glaciers
#project360 I Patrouille des Glaciers
#project360 is going horizontal. #project360 is no longer just about marveling at traditional alpine tours and classic climbing routes;it now includes perhaps the most famous ski-touring race in the world: the Patrouille des Glaciers – which takes place from tomorrow till Saturday.
Zermatt to Verbier is 53 kilometers as the crow flies. However, if you want to ski this route through the heart of the Alps rather than fly it, it is 110 km of challenging terrain. For many die-hard ski touring fans it is the season’s highlight as a multi-day tour. The valley town of the famous Matterhorn is the starting point for perhaps the most famous ski touring race in the world: the Patrouille des Glaciers. It was first introduced by the Mountain Brigade of the Swiss Armed Forces in 1943 as a way to test soldiers’ fitness. In the following years the competition was banned due to an accident, but started again in 1984. The PDG (as it is known in professional circles) is now open to both military and civilian participants. Thousands of athletes now start this race to complete the grueling distance as quickly as possible. Those who don’t regard ski-touring as a race, but who are still very ambitious skiers, are familiar with the section from Zermatt to Verbier as the first stages of the Haute Route, perhaps the most famous alpine crossing of them all.
Zermatt to Verbier is 53 kilometers as the crow flies. However, if you want to ski this route through the heart of the Alps rather than fly it, it is 110 km of challenging terrain. For many die-hard ski touring fans it is the season’s highlight as a multi-day tour. The valley town of the famous Matterhorn is the starting point for perhaps the most famous ski touring race in the world: the Patrouille des Glaciers. It was first introduced by the Mountain Brigade of the Swiss Armed Forces in 1943 as a way to test soldiers’ fitness. In the following years the competition was banned due to an accident, but started again in 1984. The PDG (as it is known in professional circles) is now open to both military and civilian participants. Thousands of athletes now start this race to complete the grueling distance as quickly as possible. Those who don’t regard ski-touring as a race, but who are still very ambitious skiers, are familiar with the section from Zermatt to Verbier as the first stages of the Haute Route, perhaps the most famous alpine crossing of them all.
