Tents, sleeping bags, gas stoves... Leave them at home. Ther route has an abundant variety of warm alpine huts serving two meals a day. All we have to do is skitour and enjoy the far-reaching views.
On the first day, we refresh our avalanche safety knowledge, practice rope ascents and descents, and master techniques for walking in crampons and using cordelettes.
The following five days are dedicated to skitouring and freeriding on glaciers. With early-bird mornings starting at 6–7 am, we have all chances to get to the next alpine hut until dark and enjoy the best lines along the way. The daily climb is 600–1500 vertical meters.
On the 7th day, we ski down to Zermatt and get a car transfer to Chamonix for an après-ski dinner with a view of the beautiful Mont Blanc.
€ TBA
dates 2022/23:
TBA
7 days
guiding ratio:
1:6
arrival/departure:
Chamonix (France)
Arrival/departure location: Chamonix. We meet there the day before to discuss the details.
Day 1
Day of acclimatization and training. We take a car transfer and ski lifts to the Argentière Glacier to practice ropes, crampons and other glacier touring tools. Then we return to Chamonix and stay overnight.
Day 2
We drop all casual clothes and travel bags in a storage room, grab everything we need for the expedition, and take a car transfer to Verbier. We get to the starting point by a ski lift and commence our touring journey towards the first spot—the Rosablanche peak (3,336 m). We ski down to La Cabane de Prafleuri (the Prafleuri Hut) and call it a day!
Daily climb: 850 vertical meters, descent: 650 meters.
Day 3
We skitour towards La Cabane des Dix (the Dix Hut). After a short climb and a decent alpine run, we skin along the shore of Le Lac des Dix (Lake Dix). We take the final 500-meter climb and are already home. Depending on how fast we are, we have two options: chill and relax or ride a few more lines.
Daily climb: 900 vertical meters, descent: 600 meters.
Day 4
We spend the whole day skitouring and freeriding in the surrounding area and return to La Cabane des Dix for an overnight stay.
Day 5
We climb the Pigne d'Arolla (3,796 m), shred a few lines and ski down to our next shelter: La Cabane des Vignettes (the Vignettes Hut). And again, depending on how fast we are, we can chill there or enjoy a few more rides.
Daily climb: 1,000 vertical meters, descent: 650 meters.
Day 6
It is the longest day of our expedition: we head for our last alpine hut—Schönbielhütte (the Schönbiel Hut) located at the foot of the Matterhorn. We skin up the Tête Blanche (3,710 m) and enjoy a long lane of over 1,000 vertical meters. Following this, we take a short skitour trip to Schönbielhütte and give our weary muscles a well-deserved rest.
Daily climb: 1,400 vertical meters, descent: 1,600 meters.
Day 7
We will make time for a relaxed breakfast, pack up and ski down to Zermatt. From there, we take a car transfer to our final destination—a bar in Chamonix to share impressions and enjoy a proper après-ski.
Descent: 900 vertical meters.
Chamonix has various accommodation options available at booking.com. Meals are either available at a hotel (if included) or at a cafe/restaurant. You will need to book two nights at the beginning (the arrival day and day one) and one night at the end of the programme (the last day). We can also arrange accommodation for the entire group—if we book in advance and everyone is willing to live in the same place.
During the Haute Route expedition, we stay in alpine huts, meals included (breakfast+dinner). They provide a hostel-type accommodation: from 6-bed to 20-bed rooms with bunk beds. The shower is charged separately and is not available in some huts. We can also stock up snacks in the huts en route or in Chamonix stores in advance.
Note. If you are allergic to food or have specific preferences, please indicate this in your application, and we will inform the administration.
We will drop all casual clothes and travel bags in Chamonix and travel lightweight carrying only our touring gear, apparel and personal necessities. Please don’t forget to pack alpine climbing gear, a few extra t-shirts and personal hygiene kits. Please also remember to bring a sleeping bag liner—it is obligatory in all mountain huts.
Temperatures during the expedition can range from −15°C/+5°F in the morning to +5°C/+41°F in the afternoon.
Please consult the list of equipment to bring everything you need. If you are not sure about your gear or simply need some advice, do not hesitate to contact us.
Price includes
- certified guides;
- car transfer from Chamonix to Argentière and back;
- car transfer from Chamonix to Verbier;
- car transfer from Zermatt to Chamonix;
- accommodation and meals in alpine huts (5 nights, breakfast+dinner).
Price does not include
- tourist Schengen visa (if necessary);
- medical/evacuation insurance;
- accommodation and meals in Chamonix;
- skipass (2 days);
- snacks and alcohol;
- tips for guides.
