The Haute Route: 5th April, 2008

Six days on skis along the most famous ski touring route in the world

Ski in France, Italy and Switzerland and cross more than 23 glaciers

Follow in the footsteps of Joseph Ravenal and the successful Alpine Club members who pioneered the route

The Haute Route is probably the most famous ski tour in the world. The classic route crosses more than 23 glaciers on a 90 mile ski traverse between Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland. On the way you climb and descend about 10,000 metres, ski in three countries, pass Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles Rouges, the Col du Chardonnet, the Fenêtre du Saleina and the Matterhorn.

The Haute Route was first completed on foot by members of the Alpine Club in 1861 and later developed into a ski route by Joseph Ravenal and his party of ski-mountaineers in 1903. The days are long, the climbs are tough and the skiing is fantastic.

Most ski tourers aspire to completing the Haute Route. We don’t recommend this route as a first ski tour as it is quite tough, but it is definitely a great 2nd or 3rd ski tour.

“I can remember few such perfect days of wild skiing and powder snow ” - Dr. P. Cadigan

OUTLINE ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Fly to Geneva
Arrival in Geneva and minibus transfer to Hotel Couronne in Argentiere. We meet up in the evening to collect hire gear, chat with our guides and instructors and prepare for the week ahead. This year we are following the Verbier variante of the Haute Route (next year we will follow the Grand Lui variante).

DAY 2 - the Col de Chardonnet
The first day of the tour starts with a descent from the top of the Grandes Montets ski lift across the Argentière glacier with its tumbling seracs and ice falls. Then there is a long, three hour climb up to the Col du Chardonnet on the ridge of the Aiguille d’Argentière before a steep (sometimes roped up) descent on the other side. You ski across the Plateau du Trient and on to the Trient refuge at 2691m.

DAY 3 – Val d’Arpette
We set off on one of the best ski descents on the Haute Route to the small village of Champex. From the Trient hut we ski down the Glacier du Trient before taking a short climb to the Col des Encandies. Then there is the long, classic ski descent of the Val d’Arpette to Champex village. From there we take a bus or a taxi to the ski resort of Verbier and take the cable car to the Mont Fort hut.

DAY 4 - Mont Fort to the Dix Hut
Today's route takes us on a long traverse of the mountains to the Dix hut via the Rosablanche and a good ski decent of the Prafleuri glacier down to the Lac des Dix. Then we climb the long gradual route to the hut.

DAY 5 - Dix to the Vignettes Hut
We attempt to ascend to the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla (3796m) on our route to the Vignettes hut. This is the highest peak on the tour and a great ski route. The day is long and dramatic and there is plenty of stunning scenery to keep your mind focussed throughout the day.

DAY 6- Dix to the Vignettes Hut
We set off early from the Vignettes hut and climb the short distance to a col before skiing the long route down the Arolla glacier. From there we put skins back on and climb once more, this time to the small Bertol hut perched high up above the glaciers on a rocky outcrop. The Bertol hut is one of the quietest and nicest huts anywhere on the Haute Route.

DAY 7- Bertol Hut to Zermatt
The climax of the tour takes us on a 30 kilometre ski across 7 glaciers and 3 cols as we head down to Zermatt. We pass the Matterhorn (first climbed in 1865 by Edward Whymper with a group of mountain guides and friends) as we ski the final leg on the Stockji glacier. We walk down through the village to our hotel and a well deserved drink in Zermatt.

DAY 8 - Back to Geneva or a Rest Day !
Transfer to Geneva Airport for connections back to the UK or on to the next ski tour......

Please Note: This itinerary may be altered if conditions, weather forecasts or the overall fitness of the group are judged to put the safety of the group at risk. Pyrenean Mountain Tour Guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary without notice. These changes will be explained to the group as and when they occur.

Variations of the Haute Route
The itinerary we have described above is called the “Verbier Route ”. But there are a number of variations to this route that can be used. The two main variations are known as the "Classic Route" and the "Grand Lui" routes.

The Grand Lui provides the hardest skiing with the longest climbs and steepest descents. On day two of the Haute Route we climb to the top of the Grand Lui and ski down to the village of La Fouly and take a taxi from there to Bourg St. Pierre to join the classic route once more. A further stage can be added via the St Bernard Monastery if time allows.

The Classic Route route is often difficult to complete as it is very avalanche prone. From Champex you take a bus to Bourg St Pierre and climb from there to the Valsorey hut, then the Chanrion and the Vignettes hut. .

See Peter Cliff's book for all the details.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING NEEDED FOR THIS TREK
We recommend that people joining this trek are equipped with the following:

Technical equipment
Ski Touring Skis with Touring Bindings
Ski Poles
Skins (with good glue!)
Ski Crampons
Ski Strap (for tying top of the skis together when carrying on rucksack)
Avalanche Transceiver
Ice Axe
Crampons
Climbing Harness
Figure of 8
1 metre sling
Two screw gate karibiners

Clothing suggestions
Thermal underwear- 1 set as a base layer
Fleece
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof overtrousers
Warm hat
Warm gloves
Warm walking socks
Sun hat or peaked cap
Sunglasses/Goggles

Other useful items
40-60 litre rucksack (needs side straps so that you can carry skis)
Head torch and batteries
Sun block for face and lips
Personal First Aid kit (plasters,compede, paracetamol)
Water bottle or Platypus
Penknife

Optional items
Change of clothing to include: underwear,tracksuit bottoms/ long-johns,dry shirt, spare socks.
Camera and film
Paperback novel
Maps
Ear plugs(there is always one snorer)
Snack bars/dried fruit/chocolate
Sheet sleeping bag (if you like them)

Ski Touring Equipment Hire
Pyrenean Mountain Tours offer a full equipment hire pack. You can hire everything you need for this tour or individual items at the costs shown in the table below. We are unable to provide equipment "last minute" so you need to book what you need well in advance.

Please remember to carry as little gear as possible. A heavy rucksack will make the trip hard work and less fun.