Here are the steps in the Exploratory system. Let's dive in!
The Exploratory system
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Step 1
We explore
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Recces in the trekker's style
We walk the trails and take the trains just as our clients will.
Breaking down the trail
We plan suitable stage lengths vis a vis the accommodation.
The network
We look at a new route in the context of our Alpine coverage.
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Step 2
We write
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How do we describe the trail?
We choose our words to describe and compare the trail.
Routecards and notes
We write our materials in order to advise and recommend.
Schedules for team use
We refer to statistics of our schedules of various lengths.
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Step 3
We update
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Season Updates
We update our routecards before a season.
Trade knowledge
We swap knowledge with leaders and hotels.
Trekkers' notes
We incorporate clients' findings into our notes.
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Step 1. We explore

We try the various airlines and airports available.. here on Adria
Recces in the trekker's style
We explore a new trip in as close a style as possible to that likely to be used by clients. On occasion we hire cars to nip about, and this gives a certain perspective, but our preferred way is to take the trains and buses. Bus stops can be in surprising locations, local intricacies second-nature to regular riders but liable to confuse others!
On the trail we look at escape routes, usually as we go along each sector of the trail. What are the most appealing routes to the valley in case of terrible weather? Our eye is to how trekkers will find it.
Breaking down the trail
One of our chief thoughts as we go along is the pattern of stages. We hope a new trail breaks down into good stage lengths with accommodation in the right places. On some routes this happens naturally, such as the Pennine Way with its fairly reliable 25km days; other routes take lots of thought, and not just in the case of too few places to stay. The Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites allows several different schedules for most numbers of days - which are the best?
The network
We record how the trip fits into our network: the treks, the trains and the cities. Our mission is ongoing to map the Alpine approaches down to the less obvious ones. Our Zugspitze Tour fits into the Adlerweg network, making use of trains from Munich and the general lifestyle of the German and Austrian Alps.
Step 2. We write

Striding out ? We decide stage lengths, here on the Adlerweg.
How do we describe the trail?
The terms that we use to describe each section of trail are of course key to our whole service. Drops to the side? Scree slopes? Unusual steepness or looseness? If it isn't clear how a normal group will find it then we must err towards overstating difficulty. Crucially a section's description must be right relative to other sections and to other treks. We compare and we use superlatives if this is indeed accurate! An example is the Eppzirler scharte on the Adlerweg which we consider the trickiest section on our version of the trek.
Routecards and notes
Typically we write our routecards the evening of the first walk; we find this is a good mixture of closeness in time plus perspective on the whole day. Our routecards will be checked at the next Season Update (below) maing this the first of two steps.
Our notes on the wider trail, the local towns, the buses and more, are written with a focus on the trail walker, directing readers to our recommendations.
Schedules for team use
In the office we refer to our common schedules, for example on the Tour du Mont Blanc our normal 11 stages plus longer and shorter options. These give us the statistics with which to help enquirers decide on their approach.
Step 3. We update

We look for landslips.. here on the Alta Via 1
Season Updates
In the weeks before a season start, we update our routecards based on our recces. We are looking for changes to the trail such as landslips over Winter, changes in the routing of the path (newly-made stretches or adoption of different local paths), changes in local bus routes, and the incidence of snow. This last factor, snow, is crucial on our Alpine routes where late Spring snow falls can make cols risky to cross. An example is the Tour du Mont Blanc, where each year we make our explorations in mid-late June. Where changes are substantial, or the route has some considerations to impart, we post or email a Season Update sheet to clients before their trip.
We print as we go: instead of running a job lot, or buying guidebooks, we print our notes and routecards just before posting each info pack. This means that our ongoing updates make it into each pack as the season progresses. A lot of our time during Spring and Summer is spent making sure the important changes are communicated to the right groups at the right time. In a Summer such as 2016 with frequent path changes in the Alps, this is substantial work!
Trade knowledge
Our clients benefit from a network of intelligence in the trade. We are plugged into the talk of the British Association of International Mountain Leaders, leaders swapping notes to benefit colleagues and clients. Our hotels keep us in the loop locally.
Trekkers' notes
We see ourselves as at the meeting point of accommodation, leaders and clients. Our clients are frequently kind enough to give us detailed notes about their trips: trail updates and opinions. All of these sources feed into our info packs.