The Patroiulle des Glaciers (PdG) is a biennial ski patrol organised by the Swiss Army in the Valais Alps of Switzerland and involves a continuous ski from Zermatt to Verbier (110km) with a shorter option from Arolla to Verbier (53km)in teams of three along a course set by the organisers and secured by Swiss Army and local mountain guides and taking in a number of glaciers, high passes and peaks including the Tete Blanche (3650m) and Rosa Blanche (3160m) and a total of 3994m of ascent.
Originally a military event started in 1943 and designed to test the capabilities of the Swiss Mountain Troops patrolling Switzerland’s border region with Italy and Austria, it was opened to civilian teams in 1984 and now attracts over 6000 entries with only 5000 securing places. Due to the large number of entries, teams are allocated a place in one of two separate events which take place three days apart. Nations are allocated places for three military teams and the 2016 event attracted entries from the UK, Austria, Germany, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Italy, France, Andorra, Belgium, Slovakia. International military teams only compete in the full length event from Zermatt to Verbier which was scheduled for 21-22 April.
After a rigorous selection/scrutiny process by Adventurous Training Group (Army), two teams based around 65 Works Group RE based in Chilwell, Notts and 26 Engr Regt based in Tidworth securing places for the 2016 event. Both teams were a mix of Regular and Reserve personnel with ranks from Cpl to Lt Col and ages from 27 to 53 and a wide range of experience in both ski mountaineering in general and event-specific experience from the 2014 event. This article focuses on the team from 65 Works Group RE which was led by Maj Nigel Mockridge RE (Reservist) and comprised Lt Col Pete Davis RAMC, Maj Andrew Crockett RAMC (Reservist) and Capt Mel Birtwistle (now Rigg) RE, who was put forward as our reserve but with the option to switch with another team member if required.
Organisation of the exped started early in 2015 with the administrative paperwork to secure the release of personnel and the funding, and the initial planning for the acclimatisation and technical training in the weeks leading up to the event. Jumping through the various hoops associated with a ‘high risk and remote’ exped proved to be quite a challenge with the exception of the medical plan (we had two Doctors in the team!) but by January 2016 everything was in place to allow planning of a detailed itinerary for the exped and the purchase of the specialised lightweight ski equipment and race attire.
Achieving our target finish time of 13 hours was going to require a significant amount of ascending during the training phase, ideally a minimum of 15,000m, and some ski mountaineering (skimo) race experience at local and regional races in order to practice transition drills between ascending and descending, which can save a lot of time if done efficiently. Clothing and equipment had to be ultra lightweight and high performance, with skis weighing about 1.5kg a pair and boots around 1.8kg, i.e. about half as light as the equipment provided through Loan Pool stores! One-piece skin suits and lightweight helmets and packs completed the set up.
Some team members bagged useful race experience at the Grand Beal skimo race which took part in the Queyras region of the French Alps on 3 April over a 20km course with 1360m of ascent. This was an early test of both technique and equipment but also the tempo of transition drills and nutrition.
After further technical training and accumulation of ascent, the team joined with 26 Engr Regt for the Ecrins two-day skimo race based in Puy St Vincent on the NE edge of the Ecrins National Park on 9 & 10 April. Presenting a more difficult challenge than the previous race in terms of length and ascent, the teams put in a solid performance within a very competitive field and attracted much interest from the organisers and their fellow competitors as there had been no British interest in previous years. Unfortunately we didn’t podium but five of the seven team members won something on the raffle!
After a rest day we spent a few days training in the stunning Beaufortain area east of Albertville, which despite recent warm conditions and the subsequent prevalence of wet snow avalanches held enough snow cover to allow us to tour to the Refuge de Presset (2514m) and past the impressive Pierra Menta (2714m), which gives its name to an annual four-day skimo race in early March.
The next phase of training involved familiarisation with the middle part of the PdG course based out of Arolla (the half way point) and further acclimatisation including a night at the Refuge de Bertol (3268m) which presents stunning views of the Mont Miné and Ferpècle glaciers once you ascent the three sections of steep ladders to reach the Refuge!
After a day touring out from the Simplon Hospice monastery in the Simplon Pass (the only passable route between Switzerland and Italy in winter) and with only five days to go before the event, it was time to move to our final training base location at Fiesch where all international military teams would be hosted by the Swiss Army until after the event.
We decided to complete the first half of the PdG route in slow time over the next two days so set off from Zermatt on 18 April and reached the Refuge de Bertol later that day. In the early hours we witnessed the steady stream of teams in the first outing of the full distance event as they ascended to the Col de Bertol and descended to Arolla.
With only 3 days to the event we completed our course familiarisation by returning from the Refuge de Bertol to Zermatt via the Tete Blanche (3650m) and headed to the Rifugio Guide del Cervino (3480m) above Zermatt for some final acclimatisation. We had the runs to ourselves the next morning as we descended into Zermatt and returned to our base at Fiesch for a rest day on 20 April.
Moving to Zermatt on 21 April for the final preparations before the event we were informed that the start would be pushed back by 24 hours due to poor weather and snow conditions along the course. Not only did this allow for more retail therapy (not that we needed more) but also additional rest and time to fine tune equipment. Overnight and in the morning we started to hear rumours of avalanche issues out on the course which would endanger competitors and the Swiss Army outposts and indeed these were confirmed when the organisers reluctantly decided to cancel both the short and long events. This was a bitter disappointment after the months of preparation and training, but the conditions on the course gave the organisers no other choice. So we packed up and made our way back to Fiesch.
But then we had an idea……
We had targeted the Trophee des Haut-Forts skimo race in Avoriaz on 24 April as a possible build-up race for the PdG but the dates clashed and we quickly discounted it. After some on the hoof planning (we had to enter via a website while returning to Fiesch!) we decided to drive to Morzine and stay overnight ready for the race the next morning. Unfortunately, Mel had to return to the UK so we talked Matt Hickey, a US Army Capt, into joining us. Rain turned to snow overnight which freshened up the course but also introduced some risk and so the course was shortened slightly. After a mass charge across a snowy field in race boots we were soon into our stride over what turned out to be a challenging but enjoyable course with many transitions and several boot-ups. Having prepared for a 13-hour slog on the PdG and been disappointed with its cancellation we released our pent-up energy and achieved a decent placing in the senior race. The finish was high above the start so after a semi-competitive descent it was time for the prize giving, meal and raffle, which the locals managed to string out over the rest of the day. Competitors were presented with a traditional French folding knife at the finish (even the children!) and herded reluctantly to the mountainous buffet lunch complete with free wine – or we assumed it was free! We didn’t have the same luck on the post-race raffle (not sure how we would get the TV or the legs of ham home on flights) but came away having experienced a great local race which partly made up for the cancellation of the PdG.
Looking back on the exped, the major challenges were the physical effort of the build-up races and the organisation of the training phase as a whole in terms of determining the best locations and routes for the preparation bearing in mind the predicted weather conditions and avalanche risk. The plan did not survive contact on quite a few occasions but the teams pulled together and ensured that we were trained for the event to the best of our ability.
A number of benefits resulted from the exped; excellent integration and collaboration between Reserve and Regular personnel; the Swiss organisers were impressed and appreciative of our involvement and we forged links with other nations; we established a clear vision for British Military participation in international skimo races and are well placed for competitions next season; specialist skimo race equipment has been acquired that can be used by whoever wants to compete; and we explored the organisational and funding arrangements for the next PdG in 2018 and future skimo races in terms of team selection and organisational responsibilities.
We are very grateful to the Ulysses Trust for the grant that we received for this expedition.
Here’s looking forward to more skimo racing and the next PdG in 2018!
