"Our aim is for you to complete the famous Haute Route ski tour connecting Chamonix and Zermatt. This is high mountain ski touring par excellence - with fantastic scenery, technical climbs and long descents all combined into one of the finest mountain journeys anywhere in the world."
6 days
Intermediate
6:1
Dates:
18 - 23 Mar '12
01 - 06 Apr '12
15 - 20 Apr '12
Price:
£625
Ski Ability:
2-4
Fitness:
3+
Experience: You need some previous ski touring experience to join this tour.
Included:Guiding Fees and Expenses.
Other Costs:Hut nights, food, travel and uplift during the tour ~ £450
Skiing the Haute Route is a popular classic involving lots of big glacial scenery, and an amazing journey between two famous mountain centres in the Alps - Chamonix & Zermatt.
Like most high altitude ski tours, reasonable weather conditions are required on critical sections of the route in order to complete the tour.
The famous ski capital of Chamonix. The resort can be reached easily via airport transfer from Geneva.
Sample Itinerary
Subject to weather and snow conditions, we aim to take the Skiers Verbier Route which gives the most reliable passage to Zermatt:
Day 0 - Sat
PM, meet in Chamonix - trip briefing, discuss plans, sort food and kit, overnight in valley.
Day 1 - Sun
Training Day - Ski touring in the Mont Blanc Massif. During the day we cover various touring skills including skinning, ropework and avalanche training. Typically ~400m ascent, 2000m descent ~5-6hrs.
Day 2 - Mon
Grand Montets to Trient Hut - Early start from the Grand Montets lift system, skin up to the Col de Chardonnet or Col du Passon, then traverse into Switzerland and stop at the newly upgraded Trient hut. 1050m ascent, 1200m descent ~7-8hrs.
Day 3 - Tue
Ski down the Val d'Arpette to Champex. Short road transfer, before lunch in Verbier and on to the Prafleuri Hut. 700m ascent, 2400m descent ~8-9hrs.
Day 4 - Wed
Prafleuri to Dix Hut- after a short climb at the start, we make a long descending traverse above the Lac des Dix, before climbing up to the Dix Hut itself. 900m ascent, 600m descent ~5-7hrs.
Day 5 - Thur
Pigne D'Arolla - The highest point reached on the trip. Traverse of the Pigne d'Arolla (3790m) and on to either the Vignettes (950m ascent, 700m descent ~4hrs)or Nacamuli Hut (1250m ascent, 1350m descent ~6.5hrs).
Day 6 - Fri
The Final Day - crossing the Col de L'Eveque, Col du Mont Brule and the Col Valpelline, before a huge descent down past the Matterhorn to Zermatt. 750m ascent, 2400m descent ~8-10hrs from the Vignettes (or 650m ascent, 7-8hrs from the Nacamuli). PM Transferback to Chamonix.
Why Ski The Haute Route With Alpine Guides?
Ski Touring Specialists
We are the only UK ski guiding company that specialise exclusively in ski touring - our guides are experts who know the Haute Route intimately.
Proven Track Record
Our record of success on the Haute Route speaks for itself - we have a much higher than average completion rate for the route.
Friendly Guides
Our team are all well known for their enthusiasm, patience and good humour on the hill - things that make a big difference during a hard weeks touring.
Well Balanced Groups
We vet people carefully before allowing folk to join each group - this means that everyone is able to ski at a similar pace and enjoy the trip.
Private Itineraries
As well as our scheduled trips, we regularly run private Haute Route tours for groups of friends and individuals each season.
Food and Accommodation
We run all of our ski tours on a guiding & instruction only basis. Our recommended hotel in the Chamonix valley is the friendly Hotel Les Lanchers** in Chamonix Les Praz. You are however free to make other accommodation arrangements if you choose (Chamonix has numerous hotels and gites available at a wide variety of prices - click on 'reservation' at the Chamonix website for more details). The guide will book all hut accommodation for the tour - you pay for these direct as we we go along.
Travel
Chamonix is easily reached via airport transfer from Geneva (bookable online). Again, we will arrange all transport needed during the tour, including the return transfer back from Zermatt to Chamonix - you simply pay for these items direct as we go along.
Ability and Experience
You need to be a competent off piste skier (see ski ability level 2-4), with with some previous ski touring experience already under your belt to join this trip - if you are unsure about your experience, then please contact us for a chat. The Haute Route is a demanding week, which requires good levels of fitness (see fitness level 3) - so we advise you to prepare well in advance with regular cardiovascular training and ideally some skiing.
Acclimatisation
Due to the altitude of much of the route, arriving a couple of days in advance to acclimatise can be useful (Chamonix has plenty of high altitude skiing at this time of year).
Equipment
We will supply you with a full kit list. You are responsible for bringing personal clothing, a rucsac and ski mountaineering skis, boots and kit (local hire is available). We are delighted to be working on this tour with Backcountry UK, who provide excellent service and advice as a leading retailer of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK.
