US Pararescue Haute Route, April 2008 (12 photos)

Haute Route Ski Tours 2006 (24 photos)

Haute Route Ski Tour, April 2006 (21 photos)

Many interesting and varied options exist including the Classic, Verbier and Grand Lui variations. The chosen route will depend on the weather and snow conditions, the recommendations of the guides and the preferences of the group.

The itinerary below is based on the ‘Classic' itinerary as first opened up in 1911 and recognised as something special. The weather and snow conditions may alter our programme but the route is as follows:

Day 1: Arrive in Chamonix and meet the guide to discuss the week's plan, check and sort food and equipment. Stay overnight in the valley.

Day 2: Warm-up morning off-piste on the Grands Montets ski field before heading up to the Argentiere hut in the afternoon. 3 hours. 200m ascent; 600m descent.

Day 3: Early start for the skin up to the Col du Chardonnet and across the Trient plateau into Switzerland and a night in the charming Trient hut.

Day 4: Leisurely start to enjoy the descent of the wild Val d'Arpette to Champex. A brief relaxing road transfer by taxi to Bourg St Pierre before the big climb to the Valsorrey hut. 6 hours. 1400m ascent; 1700m descent.

Day 5: The key section: the delicate climb and traverse to the Plateau du Couloir, the committing crossing of the Col du Sonadon and the complex route down the Mt. Durand Glacier to the Chanrion hut. 6 hours. 900m ascent; 1800m descent.

Day 6: The traditional route goes up the Otemma Glacier. However, it can be rather tedious and if conditions allow, the traverse of the Pigne d'Arolla via the Portons to the Vignettes hut is much more interesting. 6 hours. 1300m ascent; 700m descent.

Day 7: There are few days in alpine ski mountaineering to match this one. You have to cover 30km, cross three cols and seven glaciers and climb 1100 metres: a fitting finale to the Classic Haute Route. You stay overnight in Zermatt. 8 hours. 900m ascent; 2400m descent.

Day 8: From Zermatt we transfer back to Chamonix by train or taxi.

Private group tours are available from mid-March to mid-May on request.

2-day ski touring skills course immediately preceding the Haute Route trips costs £150 for course fees only.

Price
The Haute Route price includes: all guiding fees and expenses, one night HB in Chamonix, one night B&B in Zermatt, all hut fees on HB basis
The price does not include: evening meal in Zermatt, lunches, beverages, personal insurance, hire of ski equipment, travel to and from Chamonix, transfers, uplift costs

We exclude the cost for any transfers because our use of these is dependent on weather and snow conditions. There is usually a taxi transfer on day 4 and we transfer by road back to Chamonix at the end of the week. Based on previous trips the cost of transfers and uplift for this week will be approximately €160 per person.

We recommend that you book your return journey home for Sunday in case of bad weather delays on the ski tour. Please note that the cost of accommodation for the extra (Saturday) night is not included in the price.

Group Sizes
Minimum group size is 4. Maximum group size is 10 with 2 guides.

Accommodation and meals
In the Chamonix valley and Zermatt you will stay in basic but comfortable mountain hotels or hostels. In between you stay in alpine huts run by the French and Swiss Alpine Clubs. These are operated as basic hotels and are comfortable and warm. Facilities are limited. All have running water, most do not have hot water or showers. Food is plentiful. Limited menu options for vegetarians. They are perfect settings to relax in after each days activities.

More Skill & Stamina Information
The Haute Route is a challenging ski tour and only suitable for those who have previously completed at least 1 previous multi-day ski tour.
Advanced off-piste skiing ability in all conditions is essential.
For advanced off-piste skiers with no/limited ski touring experience we offer a 2-day ski touring skills course immediately preceding the scheduled Haute Route trips. This course will provide you with the essential technical ski touring & ski mountaineering skills which we consider a pre-requisite for undertaking the Haute Route.

2-day Ski Touring Skills Refresher
Although the Haute Route is really only suitable for experienced ski tourers, we recognise that it is also feasible for strong off-piste skiers with excellent fitness to undertake the tour even if they have not previously completed a multi-day tour. For this group we offer a 2-day ski touring skills course immediately preceding the Haute Route itself. This course will cover the technical skills needed during the tour including skinning, use of axe and crampons, recognising avalanche terrain, route planning and navigation, crevasse rescue and emergency procedures.

Chamonix and Zermatt
The traverse starts in Chamonix/Argentiere and finishes in Zermatt. These famous towns are lively, bustling places, full of excellent restaurants, outdoor shops and attractions. Chamonix is the centre for alpinism in France, and Zermatt the centre of all the early mountain exploration in Switzerland. Both attract many mountaineers, skiers and walkers throughout the year and are fitting start and finish points for the tour.

Equipment
A copy of our  recommended kit list will be sent to you at the time of booking.
Ski touring skis, boots and bindings are essential for this tour.
All skiers will need to carry a pack (max 45 litres) with safety gear, a minimal change of clothes and personal items.
Everyone is expected to ski at all times with the three essential items of avalanche safety equipment: transceiver, shovel and probe. If you ski off-piste regularly we recommend you purchase your own set and we have a special offer on BCA’s excellent DTS Tracker.

Equipment Hire
If you need to hire touring equipment, we recommend Namaste Sports in Argentiere. They are centrally located at 140 Route du Village. Tel: + 33 (0)4 50 54 03 96. Email: rob@namastesport.com. You should contact them in advance to reserve gear.

What our clients say about the Haute Route Ski Tour
“Back from the Alps after a fantastic week on the Haute Route…Our very competent guides made sure that we arrived safely in Zermatt for a fantastic ski down and a very welcome beer! Thanks for all of your help in arranging the trip. We'll keep an eye on the website for future holidays.” March 2004

"Just wanting to say thanks for organising an awesome trip. We had a ball!
The scale of that place is phenomenal and it was truly an amazing journey.
The guides we had were excellent, thanks to Matt, Paul and Lisa for an outstanding job. Their hard work, knowledge and assistance through the arduous terrain was invaluable." April 2006

Recommended Maps
French IGN 1:25,000 Chamonix.
Swiss 1:50,000 Martigny 282 (S), Arolla 283 (S) and Mischabel 284 (S).
Note: ‘S’ indicates that ski routes are shown.

Recommended Reading
The Haute Route, Chamonix-Zermatt by Peter Cliff ISBN 1871890217