Trekkers' Haute Route Chamonix to Zermatt
Haute route pronounced like “Oat” is The Classic “High” mountain route that traverses the heart of the Swiss alps from the village of Chamonix, France to the village of Zermatt, Switzerland. This hikers version utilizes the vast trail network to link up high mountain passes into the many valleys and villages along the way, following a similar way as the renowned skiers Haute Route. A small and light weight pack is rigor du jour here as we link up mountain huts and small gites along the way. Most of these accommodations are half pension providing three course meals, breakfast and full bar. Where the dinner is not included we will use a local restaurants true to the local customs. This world class trek has some of the most stunning scenery in the Alps starting beneath the Mt Blanc massive and ending under the iconic Matterhorn and countless peaks along the way. This trek is for those looking to be walking 6-8 hours a day in the mountains for 8 days covering 150 kilometers (93 miles) with lots of up and down immersed in ineffable terrain while relaxing at comfortable huts, hotels and auberges every evening along the way.
Here is an example itinerary of one way to enjoy this trek. The final itinerary will be based on our hut and hotel bookings at the time of reservations.
Itinerary:
Day 0 – Meet in the evening for briefing/gear check then dinner at hotel in Chamonix.
Dy 1 – Chamonix – Montroc, We will be departing Chamonix with the use of the Brevent lift to get us to Planpre. Then we walk the traversing on the Grand Balcon Sud working our way towards the Col des Montet and the stay the night in Montroc. The first day has us hiking 14 kilometers while ascending 900 meters and descending 1500 meters.
Day 2 – Montroc - Trient, The village of Mont Roc gives us access to the trail head to begin the walk to gain the Col de Balme the border between Switzerland and France, the first of many cols. From here It's above tree line hiking before dropping into the steep forested valley to Trient. A shared room/bath style auberge will be at the days end. We will be covering around 14 kilometers with 850 meters ascent and 1100m descent.
Day 3 – Trient - Champex, Early morning walk up the valley under the Aiguille de Tour and pass through the Fentre d' Arpette as in window or Col in drop into the beautiful valley for the evening in Champex hotel or gite. We will have covered 14k with 1400m ascent and 1000m descent.
Day 4 – Champex – Prafleuri, We will have a Taxi take us from Champex to Le Chable which is at the base of the ski complex of Verbier. We will ride the lifts to the top of Col des Gentiones to begin hiking through the Grand Desert then under the Rosa Blanche to the Cabane de Prafleuri, a traditional mountain hut with shared rooms, bath and great food. The days trek is 11k with 700m ascent and 800m descent.
Day 5 – Prafleuri – Arolla, From Prafleuri we have a short steep walk up the Col des Roux before beginning the long traverse above the Lac des Dix and through the airy Pas des Chevres using in situ ladders where we gain the first glimpse of the Matterhorn. From here it's down a large glacial cwm that then drop into the timeless village of Arolla. We will stay at the historical Kurhaus house and pretend it's 1896 again. This is one of my favorite places to “afternoon” in the Alps. It's easy to relax here after hiking 17k with 650m ascent and 1200m descent.
Day 6 – Arolla – La Sage, Dropping down and traversing the Val d' Arolla through forest and pastures of surreal beauty brings us to the village of La Sage. We will stay at an auburge with shared rooms, likely finding a local restaurant. This hike is over 18k with 750 ascent and 1100m descent.
Day 7 – La Sage – Zinal, A nice walk up through the Col de Torrent before descending to the Lac de Moiry. Here there is a restaurant for a potential lunch near the lake before walking up the Corne de Sorebois summit of 2895m. From here it's a walk down through the ski area of Zinal or if the knees need a break we can ride the ski lift down to hotel. Without the lift this day is the biggest of the week covering 22 kilomters and 2000 meters of both ascent and descent.
Day 8 – Zinal – Gruben, Leaving Zinal is a beautiful uphill and traversing trail that brings us through the Col de la Forcletta and down into the tiny village of Gruben for night at the hotel there. This day we will hike 13k with 1200m ascent and 1100m descent.
Day 9 – Gruben – St. Niklaus, We cover 13 kilometers staring with the Augstbordpass with 1100 meters of ascent and 900 meters of descent. We will use the lift coming down from the Jungu to the vilage of St. Niklaus hotel.
Day 10 – St. Nik – Zermatt, A short train to Randa to start a long and beautiful walk over 18 kilometers with 1900 meters of ascent and 1700 meters descent into the village of Zermatt and our hotel.
If you have time after the trek there are many other possible alpine adventures available from Zermatt. Considering you will be acclimated and fit it may the time to climb one of the many 4000 meter peaks from Zermatt which I can guide or help connect you with a guide. Options would be such stunners such as the Matterhorn, Obergabelhorn, Zinalrothohorn, Monte Rose, Breithorn, Pollux/Castor, or the Liskim.
As on all mountain tours projected this far in an advance, weather, avalanche hazards and group's abilities it's important to realize the sentiments of Dolores LaChapelle's words,
”When you dance with the mountain the mountain always leads.”
Ski skills and fitness level needed for an enjoyable outing:
Participants need to be solid intermediate to advanced hikers who are comfortable in variable mountain conditions in a variety of terrain including rocky, wet and loose with potential snow. There are some steep sections on this tour often on well laid trails, albeit the occasional loose rocky areas. It is important to have the skills to hike efficiently in this terrain while managing ones body temperatures, properly hydrating and getting the right caloric intake for a long day out. There are a number of hard days interspersed with easier days on this tour, there is also the use of lifts or taxis in some areas if needed to save the knees. At a minimum standard of fitness, hikers need to be able to walk on a tour for 6 - 8 hours with a 10kg/22lb pack covering up to 1500m (5000’) of climbing and up to 1500m of descending.
Trip Cost and Dates:
This for groups of 4 - 6, please inquire about cost.
Trip Costs Includes:
IFMGA/UIAGM Licensed Mountain Guide for 10 days at up to a 6 to 1 ratio
Lift tickets as needed, Brevent, Verbier, Zinal, Jungu
Trains as needed
11 nights lodging in a hotel (double bed occ.) with Dinner/Breakfast
Taxi shuttle Champex-La Chable with gear shuttle to Zermatt
Office support
Trip Costs Do Not Include:
Air transportation to or fro Airport
Lunch food or town food
Drinks and treats at huts
Travel insurance (optional but highly recommended)
Delays due to:
unpredictable circumstances such as bad weather, avalanche hazards, transportation problems including trams and trains, sickness, lost baggage, pandemics etc…
Terms and Agreement:
500.00 USD Deposit per person is due at time of booking
Total payment due 60 days prior to departure date
Cancellations of 60 or more days prior to departure, I will charge 100.00 fee and refund the remaining amount.
No refund for cancellation made within 60 days of departure date! If you or I are able to resell your trip space we will refund all but 100.00 of the total amount.
If I cancel the trip you can expect a full refund
Equipment List for the Haute Route Tour:
One of the remarkable things about hiking in the Alps is the ability to access amazing terrain in a stunning alpine setting, all from the comfort of a world-class hut system. The term "hut" does not serve these accommodations any justice. They are architecturally beautiful and blend the old world of historic huts with modern, off-the-grid technology. Equipped by helicopter, they are able to provide fine meals, comfortable beds and the occasional shower. These resources enable us to travel with very small and light packs, enjoying our tours and climbs so much more than we would carrying a full overnight kit.
Your aim should be to get all your gear into a 25 liter pack weighing around 7kg/15 lbs. As with any mountain environment, we will encounter extreme temperature swings. The following list is a recommendation of what I feel is a proven kit to manage the conditions we may encounter. Thermal regulation is a full-time job in the mountains and having experience with your layering system and equipment prior to the tour is strongly recommended.
The Right Equipment, the Bigger the Smiles!
Technical Gear:
Pack (35 liters)
Ski poles for trekking (triple telescoping best for packing when not in use)
Trail running shoes or light weight hiking boots
Small light weight bivy sac or emergency blanket
Head:
Polar fleece or wool ski hat
Baseball hat or visor (dark underside of visor)
Buff (goggle them, their amazing)
Sunglasses/sunscreen
Upper Body:
Light Weight Synthetic or Wool t-shirt
Light Weight Synthetic or Wool Long Sleeve base layer
Schoeller Soft shell Jacket
Shell Jacket (waterproof /breathable)
Windbreaker (optional)
Insulating jacket/Puffy (synthetic fill best)
A comfy and breathable quick drying "hut shirt"
Lightweight Gloves, leather or rubber/cotton work glove
Lower Body:
Underwear as needed (synthetic preferred).
Lightweight quick drying shorts
Light weight Schoeller Soft Shell Pants
Lightweight Shell pants must have side zippers to at least knee high
Trail running shoes or light weight hiking boots
2 pairs of light synthetic/polypropylene liner socks
2 pairs of medium weight wool/poly hiking socks
Huts/Rifugios/Cabanes have hut shoes for our use
Miscellaneous Kit:
2 1-quart water bottles or (potassium/magnesium additives)
Camelback or dromedary bag w/ hose & 1 Nalgene
1 headlamp (w/replacement batteries)
Sleeping bag liner Mandatory in all Mountain Huts! Small and light weight, silk is a nice option.
1 toiletry kit (toothbrush & small tube paste, lip balm, gold bond, feminine
hygiene, ear plugs, handi-wipes or hand sanitizer, pack towel) Keep it Light!
1 Personal First-Aid kit (includes Ibuprofen band-aids, blister kit/compeed, meds, cough drops, Tums etc.)
Prescription eyeglasses (back up for contact lenses)
Any medications you will need to take during the trip
Small stuff sacks lined with plastic garbage bags (keep layers dry) to organize clothing and gear
Charging cord/plug/extra battery pack for electronics recharging
