A Haute Route Ski Touring Pass

HAUTE SKI ROUTE

Chamonix - Zermatt, French-Swiss Alps

From

BookNow

  • Level

    Advanced to expert ski tourers.

  • Group

    Max 6 guests.

  • Dates

    March 24 - April 1, 2023

Included

NotIncluded

World's Most Classic Ski Tour

The Haute Route is one of the most sought-after mountain journeys in the world. It links Europe's main mountain hubs for skiing and alpinism: Chamonix and Zermatt.

Day in and day out, you will ski through the breathtaking scenery of the impressive north wall of the Argentiere basin and finish just below the Matterhorn.

Experience Required:

Advanced to Expert Ski Tour

Skiers getting ready to ski down

The Haute Route it’s a tough and committing trip, with some long and tiring days, and steep and exposed terrain in both ascent and descent – requiring experience and a careful approach.

The Haute Route is not a trip for beginners or those with just a few days of experience in ski touring. 

This is an Advanced Level Alpine hut-to-hut tour in which you need to demonstrate the following skiing skills:

1. Technical Ski Ability – your off-piste ski ability should be at Ski Tech Level 3-4. At this point you want to handle difficult snow/steep slopes more confidently in better style. But have no issue whatsoever going down 45dg slopes if necessary.

2. Physical Fitness – On skis: you can skin uphill at 300-400m/hr for 5-6 hrs a day (~2000m of ascent each day).

3. Alpine Ski Touring Experience – you should have solid ski touring experience, using an alpine touring setup/equipment. This means at least 3 weeks ski touring experience, preferably including some hut-to-hut touring. 

Skiers getting ready to ski down

WhatPeopleSay

    Logistics, guides, huts, and everything else was first class (and very reasonably priced). Would highly recommend to anyone looking to ski tour the Haute Route.
    Ski Tourer in the Haute Route

    WrittenBy: C. ROMAN

Friends over a hill ski touring in the Alps

A GUIDE AND A TEAM OF 6

Please read this before signing up. It is required to bring your best game to the team we will configure.

You should be in good physical condition. A faster group can utilize small weather windows each day, increasing the likelihood of a successful crossing in mixed weather.

A good-paced group can avoid warm afternoon weather, which often leads to poor snow/ski conditions and avalanche danger. Also, arriving at the hut in good time gives more time for food, relaxation, and recovery for the following day.

We will be a team of people who depend on each other for a successful trip – abandoning the route may be unsafe without a guided escort to the valley, in which case the success of the whole group may be compromised.

If you arrive well prepared, then all you need is a bit of sunshine, and half-decent snow, then you will enjoy the journey of a lifetime – so come prepared, do it safely and enjoy.


Haute Route Ski Tour
Skiers with ropes hiking up a mountain in the French ALps
A group of 4 ski tourers from a drone

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Help one another.
Haute Route Ski Tour
A group of 4 ski tourers from a drone
Skiers with ropes hiking up a mountain in the French ALps

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Help one another.

REFUGE ACCOMMODATION

Hut-to-Hut rest.

Alpine huts or ‘Refuges’ are uniquely positioned in the high mountains, often in spectacular and improbable situations – they are worth the journey for the views alone.

In them, you will find food, shelter, and a bed for the night.

Using huts allows skiers to travel light and enjoy skiing without a huge amount of extra kit, thus making spectacular high-level mountain journeys possible.

Mountain Refuge on top of a mountain in the Haute Route

EAT. SLEEP. SKI.

Taken care of.

Mountain Refuge on top of a mountain in the Haute Route

For breakfast, there is usually a hot drink, cereal, and bread with butter and jam.

More luxurious huts will offer orange juice and cheese/cold meats as well, although it can be tricky to face a huge breakfast at 4-5 am, so most places keep it simple.

Evening meals tend to be simple and wholesome, with a fixed daily menu: generally, there are 3 courses, with soup and bread to start, the main meal with meat, vegetables, and plenty of carbs (often rice, pasta, or polenta) and to finish, a simple dessert like a fruit cocktail or chocolate mouse.

Vegetarians will usually get an egg/cheese-based alternative and other special diets can usually be catered for too – gluten-free can be challenging, however, so we advise people to bring an emergency meal or two just in case.

We recommend taking picnic lunch supplies from the valley to last the majority of your trip if possible, as it gives us the most flexibility. However, lunches can also be purchased if you arrive at the hut in the middle of the day eg. pasta, soup, rosti, sandwiches and they also sell chocolate bars etc. if you need to stock up.

Mushroom Omelette from above

Breakfast is served

Let's go!
Arriving to a mountain refuge in the Haute Route

Itinerary

  • DAY 1

    Image of the mountains of chamonix

    ARGENTIÈRE HUT OR ALBERT 1ER HUT

    Depending on the availabilties in the huts and opening of the cable cars, we either aim for Argentière or Albert 1er hut. Hours: 5 to 6

  • DAY 2

    Ski touring Chamonix

    ALBERT 1ER TO CHAMPEX

    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). Hours: 5 to 7

  • DAY 3

    Views of the hut you stay in during the night on the Haute Route ski tour expedition

    CHAMPEX TO PRAFLEURI HUT

    Ski lift up as far as the Gentianes pass (2903m), and ski tour up to the summit of the Rosablanche (3336m). Here a panoramic view of peaks surrounds us before we ski down to the Prafleuri hut (2624m). Hours: 4 to 5

  • DAY 4

    Ski tourer having the view of the alps and the clouds below him

    PRAFLEURI HUT TO DIX HUT

    A 6 am departure to cross the short col des Roux is followed by a long traverse above Dix Lake which we follow to the Pas du Chat. We climb up to the Dix hut (2928m) opposite the imposing north face of Mont Blanc. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 5

    Views of the Matterhorn

    DIX HUT TO VIGNETTES HUT

    A climb to Serpentine pass (using crampons) - leads to the spectacular Pigne d'Arolla (3796m). Admire the view stretching from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn before skiing seracs down to Vignettes. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 6

    3 girls Enjoying a picnic in the mountains of Chamonix

    VIGNETTES HUT TO BERTOL HUT

    We descend to the Mont Collon glacier and then climb to the Evêque pass dominated by the peaks of the Evêque and the Cardinal. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 7

    Ski tourer in Zermatt doing a zig zag

    BERTOL HUT TO ZERMATT

    We cross the Mont Miné glacier to ski up to the Tête Blanche (3724m) to take in the awe of the Matterhorn pyramid. Then we have the final descent to Zermatt on the famous Stockji and Zmutt glaciers. Hours: 4 to 5

Itinerary

  • DAY 1

    Image of the mountains of chamonix

    ARGENTIÈRE HUT OR ALBERT 1ER HUT

    Depending on the availabilties in the huts and opening of the cable cars, we either aim for Argentière or Albert 1er hut. Hours: 5 to 6

  • DAY 2

    Ski touring Chamonix

    ALBERT 1ER TO CHAMPEX

    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). Hours: 5 to 7

  • DAY 3

    Views of the hut you stay in during the night on the Haute Route ski tour expedition

    CHAMPEX TO PRAFLEURI HUT

    Ski lift up as far as the Gentianes pass (2903m), and ski tour up to the summit of the Rosablanche (3336m). Here a panoramic view of peaks surrounds us before we ski down to the Prafleuri hut (2624m). Hours: 4 to 5

  • DAY 4

    Ski tourer having the view of the alps and the clouds below him

    PRAFLEURI HUT TO DIX HUT

    A 6 am departure to cross the short col des Roux is followed by a long traverse above Dix Lake which we follow to the Pas du Chat. We climb up to the Dix hut (2928m) opposite the imposing north face of Mont Blanc. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 5

    Views of the Matterhorn

    DIX HUT TO VIGNETTES HUT

    A climb to Serpentine pass (using crampons) - leads to the spectacular Pigne d'Arolla (3796m). Admire the view stretching from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn before skiing seracs down to Vignettes. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 6

    3 girls Enjoying a picnic in the mountains of Chamonix

    VIGNETTES HUT TO BERTOL HUT

    We descend to the Mont Collon glacier and then climb to the Evêque pass dominated by the peaks of the Evêque and the Cardinal. Hours: 6 to 7

  • DAY 7

    Ski tourer in Zermatt doing a zig zag

    BERTOL HUT TO ZERMATT

    We cross the Mont Miné glacier to ski up to the Tête Blanche (3724m) to take in the awe of the Matterhorn pyramid. Then we have the final descent to Zermatt on the famous Stockji and Zmutt glaciers. Hours: 4 to 5

Girl skiing over the clouds with the sun shining

TripSummary

  • Level

    Advanced to expert ski tourers.

  • Group

    Max 6 guests.

  • Dates

    March 24 - April 1, 2023

Included

  • Mountain Guide

    Expert High Mountain Guide (UIAGM qualified)

  • Hotel 1st Night

    1 night B&B in 3* hotel in Chamonix the night before

  • 6 Nights Refuge Accommodation

    6 nights in mountain refuges with dinner and breakfast

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

    Includes all food meals. Snacks are on you.

  • Safety Equipment

    Safety Equipment provided if needed (ropes, shovel, probe).

  • Taxi Zermatt - Chamonix

    Transport from Zermatt back to Chamonix at the end (taxi is approx 80€ per person, depending on the number of people and taking into account the guide).

NotIncluded

  • Flights

    Youchamonix

    Arrive at hotel Pointe Isabelle in central Chamonix anytime March 24th.

  • Additional Snacks/Drinks in Huts

    Additional snacks and drinks in the refuges.

  • Ski and Safety Equipment

    Personal ski and safety equipment (touring skis, boots, harness, transceiver)

  • Travel Insurance in case of Emergency

    Alpine insurance (rescue, medical fees & repatriation).

  • Snacks

    We recommend always packing food snacks for the tour.