Alps in September

[bushcraftbob]

Hello all.

Me and my brother are off the the Alps for a week, in the first week of September.

Although my bro has been a few times this will be my first time in the Alps, and am wondering what to expect a bit!

Has anyone trekked the Alps before around September and can offer any advice?

I am expecting quite warm days and chilly nights. With the emphasis on carrying a light(ish) rucksack I've hammered the credit card a bit to get some light gear... Here is my basic kit list so far:

Karrimor Bobcat 65 litre pack
Vaude Power Tokee tent
Thermarest Neoair kip mat
Alpkit Pipedream 400 down bag (when it arrives back in stock!)
Lightweight cookset (pocket rocket, lightweight billy that combines as a mug, cutlery, lighter)
Lightweight Hulfators knife with firesteel
Food (boil in bag type and porridge for breakfast + hill food for daytime)
Platypus 2 litre bladder + water purification tabs
Lightweight waterproofs
Thick fleece and micro fleece
Base layers + thermal baselayers
Warm hat, gloves, neck gaiter
T-shirts
Shorts
Trousers
Spare socks
Wash kit
FAK
Sun lotion / insect repellent
Walking pole x 1
Headtorch + spare batteries
Map case / compass

Can anyone think of any essentials that i've missed?? I am really looking forward to going, some of the scenery I have seen pictures of is immense! The reason we are going in september rather than the main summer months is that neither me or my brother are big fans of trekking in the scorching heat.

Thanks all in advance.

 

[hammy]

Sounds good to me, I would add sun glasses (if your going to be walking over any glasiers) and another walking pole (2 is the way to go makes walking with a pack on so much easier)
Dave.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Wait til December and take skis.

PM Salad, he lives there.

 

[salad]

Hello Matey

The weather will be warm and it is quite likely that you may get a few thunder storms at night with a quick down pour . Over all I would expect the weather to be very good then but things can change fast here so it would be best to come prepared with waterproof jacket and a good midlayer just in case . It is highly likely that you may not need the mid layer at all if your jacket is a bit insulated but I always carry one with me . Over all your kit list seems pretty comprehensive with plenty of clothes, I would probably not bring the baselayers at that time of year(as its normally only the nights that are chilly and you will be in your sleeping bag then) but maybe have a light breathable hiking shirt instead for the days (thats what I do) .
That said you should bring what makes you feel comfortable , even if you don't need the base-layers it can help to put your mind at rest in un-familer surrounds to know you are well covered

A meths cooker instead of the pocket rocket may be an idea as you wont be able to bring fuel onto the plane and its much easier to get a bottle of meth here than gas cartridges. ( meths is known as spiritus in the german speaking parts of the alps).
The only thing thats not on your list that I would consider a must in september is a set of tick leavers as you will get ticks here and a Dailey tick check all over is essential as they are a problem .

I am coming over to the UK this week to visit the bushcraft show , if you are there we could meet up for a chat and i would be happy to run through what I bring with me

ps; which part are you going to ?

There are some photos on this thread of a short 3 day trek I did september last year the same time you are planning your trip http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79827

 

[blacktimberwolf]

If it's the French Alps you're heading for you should be OK with what you have....but although it's usually mild, a little snow is always possible at that time of the year.above 1500 meters.
One word of warning though...If you're up high & exposed & see a thunderstorm coming ,best try to descend as far as you can 'cause storms can be extremely dangerous in the mountains & the lightening doesn't have far to travel..it will even pass through rubber walking boot soles should it strike nearby but everything is more extreme at altitude.
Stick to paths which are usually easy to follow as much as possible because although it's tempting to wander off into the wilds, it's no fun if you come to a dead end & have to walk back for hours with a heavy pack.
You'd better take more food than you think you'll need in case you're held up somewhere due to bad weather or are unable to re-supply.
Better start training now too because one step up the slopes is worth 20+ on flat ground. Distances are tricky too, it take an hour to climb 100 meters because the paths can zig zag for kilometers.
If you are going to the French Alps then water shouldn't be a problem, plenty of streams, waterfalls, lakes or EDF resevoirs.

One last note if you do get into trouble & need rescuing, the Gendarmerie will present you with the bill.

 

[bushcraftbob]

Some great tips chaps thanks for taking the time to reply.

Thanks for the heads up re the meths cooker and tick lever, will try and get them this weekend.

Its the french alps we are going to, getting a bus from geneva to chamonix. I think the plan is to do a bit of the tour of mont blanc and perhaps venture a bit on to the italian side.

One think my mate suggested is travel insurance, something i completely forgot about. He has given me the number of a company that specialises in travel insurance for hikers so will give them a bell.

No not at the Bushcraft show Salad, but expect a couple of PM's over the coming weeks with questions if thats ok!!!


cgeers

cheers

 

[Shewie]

Just to echo what Salad and BTW said about the storms, I've done plenty of hiking around Chamonix in late August and witnessed some pretty spectacular storms come through.

Will you be heading for the huts or planning to camp?


Just be mindful that September is closing time for a lot of the huts ...

http://www.ohm-chamonix.com/info-montagne-refuges-310000.html

 

[bushcraftbob]

Planning on camping. May try and break the week up with a night in a hut somewhere. Nice link!

 

[blacktimberwolf]

They're not really huts but large mountain chalets run by guardians who offer a bed and a meal ( or meals if you stay several days) & it's not free. In the high season they can be a little crowded & it's best not to mind sleeping in a room full of smelly strangers.
They're usually boarded up at the end of the season.