Haute Route Diary

To give you an idea of what we at CMG can offer; below is a typical Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route that we have designed to maximise the skiing. We run our trips over 7 days which gives us an extra day to juggle if the weather is not quite as we ordered. The itinerary allows us greater flexibility than many Haute Route variations if the weather dictates that we need to change course.

Day 1, Friday

Arrive in Chamonix.

Day 2, Saturday

Warm up tour

Meet at the hotel to discuss equipment for the week. We head to Le tour or Flégère kitted out for ski touring, take a warm up run and then set off on a short ski tour to sort out teething problems with our equipment. We gain some altitude and acclimatisation, run through some mountain safety drills, not to mention throwing in a few turns. In the afternoon we have a final meeting about the week ahead.

Day 3, Sunday

Grands Montets to Trient Refuge via the Col de Chardonnet and Fenêtre de Saleina

We meet early in order to take the first cable car to the top of the Grands Montets. The Haute Route begins with a ski descent to get those muscles warmed up. From the Argentière Glacier we have our first challenge - skinning for three to four hours up to the Col de Chardonnet and a picnic lunch at 3320 metres. From there we descend the steep eastern side of the col with ropes. One option is to continue down the Saleina glacier, a big descent to Praz de Fort. On this occasion we have a booking at the Trient refuge and pass over the Fenêtre de Saleina (a short ascent) to access the Plateau du Trient. We are now in Switzerland. We remove our skins and schuss across to the Trient refuge. One final short ascent takes us to the hut and a well earned cup of tea.

Day 4, Monday

Trient Refuge to Cabane de Mont Fort via the Val d'Arpette and Champex.

After our taxing first day of up-hills we have a kinder day to look forward to - gravity on our side - focused on downhill. The descent of the upper Trient glacier and the north facing slopes of the Val d'Arpette through open woodland all the way to the road above Champex is one of the rewarding ski descents of the week. After lunch in the picturesque lakeside town of Champex we take a taxi to le Châble and then the lifts to Col des Gentianes to ski down to the Mont Fort refuge. One alternative is to spend the night in the village of le Châble and take an early cable car on Day 5 to the top of Mont Fort and take advantage of skiing the challenging couloirs and ridges on the back side of Mont Fort en route to the Prafleuri refuge.

Day 5, Tuesday

Cabane de Mont Fort to the Prafleuri via the Col de la Chaux, Col de Momin and the Rosa Blanche.

The day begins with an easy skin to the Col de la Chaux across rolling terrain. A short descent is followed by gentle skinning to the Col de Momin. On this day we have the chance to gain a peak - the Rosablanche. This provides a perfect high vantage point for a picnic followed by a fantastic descent of frequently buttery powder blanketing rolling terrain to the Prafleuri - one of the cosiest remote huts in the Alps. It's even got hot showers!

Day 6, Wednesday

Prafleuri to the Dix Hut via the Col des Roux and the Lac de Dix.

Now the grandeur of the terrain is building up as we arrive at the Dix hut nestled under the North face of the Mont Blanc de Cheilon. To arrive at this point involves gaining the Col des Roux and circumscribing the left bank of the Lac de Dix - a combination of skiing and skinning along the flats. There's a short steep slope to gain known as the Pas de Chat then a gentle uphill following the frozen riverbed to the Dix hut. In the afternoon we have the opportunity to gain more turns from neighbouring peaks.

Day 7, Thursday

Dix Hut to the Vignettes via the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla.

Today we truly gain the feeling of being in the heart of the Alps. Though the coming days are not easy; we are now well acclimatised and with a slow start we build a steady rhythm. From the top of the Pigne d'Arolla at 3796 metres we have reached the highest point on the Haute Route and before our skis stretches a wonderful descent to the Vignette hut.

Wow, what a day!

Day 8, Friday

The Vignettes refuge to Zermatt via three Cols: l'Evêque, Mont Brulé and the Col de Valpelline, and the final descent of the Stockji Glacier.

This is the most strenuous day of the trip and the most spectacular with a final descent that traverses seven glaciers, dips briefly into Italy and is lined with marvellous peaks not least of all the mighty North Face of the Matterhorn. This descent is truly a fitting finale to the Haute Route journey.

Arriving in Zermatt mid afternoon we find a suitable al fresco cafe for refreshments and a late lunch before joining our transfer to Chamonix. It is possible to end your journey in Zermatt we just need to pre arrange the transfer of your luggage from Chamonix.