I bloody love hiking. Since 2017, I’ve spent my summers in the Alps. Exploring the endless trails, building The Hiking Club business, and supporting Modern Adventurers complete their Walker’s Haute Route, Tour du Mont Blanc or Tour of Monte Rosa journeys. It’s been the best!
In 2021, I’ve spent the last 3.5 months within 5kms of my apartment and have not set foot on a trail. My skin is pale, my belt has come out a couple of notches and my heart aches for adventure. I’ve not spent summer 2021 in the Alps, I’ve spent it locked down in Sydney, Australia. It was a COVID-based decision to return to fortress Australia in December last year after nearly 10 years living overseas. One which I did not expect would have me overlooking a dog park rather than the Mont Blanc massif during the last few months. I tried to make the most of the circumstances and have put my energy that might have otherwise been spent on the trail into growing The Hiking Club.
Providing support to customers from Australia meant some late nights and asking the hiking community and local partners for help. I have much gratitude for those that did.
For those who could reach the Alps, COVID-19 restrictions impacted the hiking season for a second year running. At the start of the season, there was much excitement and anticipation about a COVID-19 EU Travel Certificate finally allowing tourism to resume in Europe. There was a lot of political rhetoric but little clarity on dates and how non-residents would actually access the system. Finally, at the beginning of July, Europe reopened for business!
The silver lining of a delayed reopening for international hikers was that the conditions were not favorable for early season hiking. There were new accumulations of snow on the high mountain trails until about the 20th of May. The snow depth was averaging 3.5m / 11.5ft on the north-facing slopes at 2,500m / 8,200ft. It wouldn’t be until early July when all the Tour du Mont Blanc sections were easily passable and mid-July until hikers could complete the entire Walker’s Haute Route. Since 2017, when I completed a relatively snow-free Walker’s Haute Route in mid-June, the snow has taken longer and longer to clear. We’re due for a year with favorable early season hiking conditions - maybe 2022 will be that year!
The season in numbers
Here are some key insights from our customers this year:
Average number of days on the trail:
Tour du Mont Blanc - 10 days
Walker’s Haute Route - 11 days
Tour of Monte Rosa - 9 days
Busiest week on the trail:
Last week in August
Closely followed by the 3rd week in July
Most popular direction to hike:
Tour du Mont Blanc - just over 80% walked counter clockwise
Tour of Monte Rosa - just over 50% walked clockwise
I love seeing the variety of hiking plans that people submit via our personalised itinerary builder. Helping people to walk the way they want in the wild is the very reason why The Hiking Club exists 😊
No matter what your itinerary is, a hiking journey through the Alps is testing, transformative, and truly special. Congratulations to everyone that completed the Walker’s Haute Route, Tour du Mont Blanc, Tour of Monte Rosa, or any other legendary trails in the Alps this summer!
If you want to prepare for the Alps or find your next epic hiking adventure, join The Hiking Club community to discover trails, be inspired, and connect with others who share the same enthusiasm for experiencing the outdoors on foot.
See you in the Alps next summer (flights are booked!)
Brendan
Author: Brendan Jones, The Hiking Club
A pizza-making, craft beer-loving, peanut butter connoisseur that has been exploring the great outdoors since completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award in high school. He started The Hiking Club to democratise hiking and the benefits that come from spending time in nature. You can read more about Brendan and the team here.
Who are we?
The Hiking Club empowers anyone to walk the way they want in the wild with personalised self-guided hiking experiences that are easy to find, quick to plan and simple to navigate.
We believe hiking experiences have the power to transform lives. With a growing range of personalised hikes that take into account your preferences, fitness and interests, we give you everything you need to explore the legendary trails of the world!