Sump To Summit

Waking up in Chur, ready to start our ski tour! We packed our bags and stashed our spare possessions in a locker at the station—hoping they’d still be there when we got back. A quick stop at the bakery for supplies, then we hopped on a bus to Julierpass. The scenery on the way was stunning, whetting our appetite for a week of ski touring.

At the pass, we did the usual faffing—sun cream, kit adjustments, repacking—before finally setting off up the Val d’Agnel valley towards the Jenatsch Hut. About halfway, Chris started itching for some downhill skiing, so Barney and I agreed to skin up to Piz Campagnung (2825m). We ditched our bags at the bottom while El and Hannah continued on towards the hut.

The skin up was stunning, giving us a real sense of the incredible mountains we’d be exploring all week. The descent was even better—Barney’s first proper taste of powder skiing. Back with our bags, the three of us skinned up to the Fuorcla d’Agnel Col, then made our way down to the Jenatsch Hut, where El and Hannah were already settled in. The hut felt welcoming straight away. We shared a table with a guide and his family, with Barney quickly making friends with Marco, the guide.