Haute Route Day by Day Itinerary
Subject to change depending on weather / mountain conditions and participants fitness.
Day 0:
Telephone appointement with your guide for a program briefing, plus gear check, and confirm meeting time in the morning of Day 1, around 8-9 AM.***
Night in the hotel (2 or 3 *** depending availability) in shared twin room on Bed & Breakfast base. Dinner is at your charge.
The guide will bring you the gear, if you have requested from us.
Day 1: Grands Montets to Albert 1er Hut
From the top station of les Grands Montets cable car we descend from the Rognons glacier on to the Argentière glacier.
We head to the col du Passon through easy south and sunny slopes, a beautiful climb facing the impressive north face of the Argentière basin.
Once at the bottom of the couloir, we put our skis on our back-pack, put crampons on and ascend the 80m of couloir, to arrive at the col du Passon (3030m.)
Here we can admire the Tour Glacier and the north face of the impressive Chardonnet mountain.
We ski down to Albert 1er hut by crossing the glacier plateau.
This first day is not that long and will be a good occasion to practice our ski touring skills and avalanche safety.
Hours: 4 to 5
Altitude range: -900m / +540m
Mont Blanc range
Day 2: Albert 1er to Bourg St Pierre village
We climb the Col supérieur du Tour pass (3388m) then have an easy ski down the Trient glacier into Switzerland to reach the col des Ecandies (2796m).
Here we have some short steep sections and we will most likely use ropes and crampons. A superb ski descent takes us to the picturesque lakeside village of Champex where we will take a taxi to drive to the village of Bourg St Pierre at the bottom of the Valsorey vallée.
Hours: 5 to 6
Altitude range: +1041m/ -1100m
Ski down the Pigne d'Arolla
Day 3: Champex - Bourg St Pierre - Valsorey hut
Transfer by taxi to the entry of the Valsorey valley, just above the village of Bourg St Pierre. We follow the river on the left side until the bottom of the steep slope which is leading to Valsorey Hut.
There is still 500 m to climb but the scenery is just amazing with the Mont Velan and the Grand Combin on each side. Night at Valsory hut 3033 m.
Hours: 5 to 6
Altitude range: +1300m
Mont Blanc range on the sun rise
Day 4: Valsorey hut to Chanrion Hut
The most beautiful and the most alpine stage of this ski tour. We set off at 5am to cross the fairly steep section that brings us to the "plateau du couloir," then to the Sonadon col (3520m).
We start skining up for 300 m then the slope demand that we carry our skis and use crampons and a rope.
From the col, we set foot on the Mont Durand glacier that we descend to arrive at the Chanrion hut.
Hours: 5 to 6
Altitude range: +730m
Ascend of Plateau du Couloir above Valsorey hut
Day 5: Chanrion Hut to Vignettes Hut
We climb the Brenay glacier to the Brenay col (3639m) and absorb the magnificent view across the Alps from this sublime glacial plateau.
From there, we easily reach the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla (3790m). The panorama extends from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn, linking together a succession of glorious peaks.
A superb descent between seracs awaits us down to the Vignettes hut.
In case of bad weather or poor conditions on the Brenay glacier, we can go along the Otemma glacier which is much easier.
Hours: 5 to 6
Altitude range: +1330m and -602m
Ski the Stockji glacier
Day 6: Vignettes Hut to Zermatt
The last day of this magnificient tour. We start the day by going to the col de l'Evêque 3392 m, and ski down the otherside on the upper Arolla glacier.
We climb to col du Mont Brulé 3214 m and ski down the other side on the Tsa de Tsan glacier that we follow up to the col de Valpelline 3551 m.
If we have enought energy we can climb the "Tête de Valpelline" 3798 m or head down on the glacier de Stockji toward Zermatt. Here we are dwarfed by the pyramid of the Matterhorn, one of the Alpes' most famous - and infamous - peaks.
Long way down to Zermatt on the Zmutt glacier dominated by the huge pyramid of the Matterhorn. Return by taxi to Chamonix
Hours: 6 to 7
Altitude range: +1200m and -2000m
