Haute Route Chamonix - Zermatt
- 6 guided ski touring days by an IFMGA/UIAGM qualified guide/aspirant
- 6 nights in a local hotel/hut with half pension included
- Small groups with maximum 4 people per guide
- Schooling day (crampons and ice axe usage) included
- Taxi transports are included
About the activity
The Haute Route is probably the most famous ski tour in the world and connects the two major mounaineering hotspots Chamonix and Zermatt . We will enjoy stunning scenery, traverse huge glaciers and ski perfect terrain. The overnights are spent in traditional huts along the way. Everything we need during the six days travers we willl carry on our backs -packing light is essential! .
Timetable
Day 1: Meeting point at 17:00 (5 pm) in the Hotel, briefing, gear check and distribution of safety equipment.
Day 2: With one of the early cable cars we will ascend to the via the Bochard lift (2766m) and ski until we arrive to the Lognan glacier, where we put our skins on. Through the Rachasses pass, we skin up to Rognons glacier and later on to the Argentière glacier- this is a major change adjusted after the fire in the Grans Montets in 2018.
After the skiing, we will put our skins on and tie in in order to reach the well camouflaged hut Refuge d'Argentière (2769 m). Since right at the beginning, the next day will require an instance crampons usage, we will ether use one of the steep slopes on the way or a sunny slope at the juts proximity, to practice walking on snow and ice (the correct usage of crampons), and self- arresting a fall.
Day 3: Today we have 2 options- ether through the exciting Col du Chardonnet (3323m) using an abseil descent, we descend to the village of Champex, or, to the same destination but via 3 cols: Col du Passon (3028m), Col Supérieur du Tour (3289m)- and after an optional brake at the Treint hut (3170 m) and a long descent of the Trient glacier- Col des Ecandies (2793 m). After the ski descent through the Val d'Arpette a taxi will take us to the village of Verbier.
Day 4: Through the Verbier lifts we will arrive to Col de la Chaux- and from there to Col de Momin and the Rosablanche- if the weather is kind, we will be able to have a magnificent view on the Mont Blanc. Later we will descend to the hut Cabane de Prafleuri (2935 m), in which we will spend the night.
Day 5: We will start the day going up from the hut to the Col des Roux, and on the bank of the Dix lake on the way to the hut Cabane de Dix (2928 m).
Day 6: Traversing the summit of Pigne de Arolla (3798 m) we reach the highest point of our journey. The night will be spent at the famous hut Cabane des Vignettes (3157 m), perched on a rock face above the Glacier de Piece.
Day 7: The last ski touring day: We ascend on this day about 1100 meters through three cols- Col de L’Eveque (3392 m), Col de Mont Brule (3210 m) and Col de Valpelline (3568 m). From here we ski down 1800 meters to the town of Zermatt. Our ride back to Chamonix will be waiting for us at the exit from Zermatt, and after 2.5 hour’s we will be back at the starting point of our journey.
We end the activity this evening exactly where we started.
* The mentioned timetable is exemplary and may vary due to conditions, ability of the participants, safety & weather limitations
Fitness Levels & Technical Ability
- “Expert” level of off-piste skiing is required (skiing level 5+).
- Good fitness level is required (fitness level C)
- previous mountaineering experience is not a requirement but a definite advantage
Price and Services
Price:
2.100,00 € per person*
Services:
- 6 days planning and guiding by an IFMGA/UIAGM qualified guide/aspirant
- 6 nights in a local hotel/hut including half pension (breakfast & dinner)
- Guides expenses
- Avalanche safety gear
- Half day schooling (crampons and ice axe usage)
- Guiding in a *min/ maximum 4 participants per guide
- 2 taxi transfers within the activity, incl. a transport back to Chamonix
Additional Costs:
- flights
- shuttles to/from the airport
- personal insurances
- skiing equipment rental
- lunches
- other food and beverages outside of the half-board
Total price estimation (excluding int. flights) 2.200,00 € per person
Please note:
- this trip is a excellent preparation for a winter Mt. Blanc/ Gran Paradisso ascent
- in case of 3 participants, the activity can still take place with an additional payment
- in the hotel, the overnights are based on tween/double bedrooms
- in an alpine hut, the overnights are usually in bunkbeds with 4-6 people in one room
- a skier/boarder who decided not to take-part at any time of the activity will not receive any refund