CHAMONIX - ZERMATT HAUTE ROUTE SKI TOUR

The Chamonix to Zermatt traverse is undoubtedly the most famous multi-day ski tour in the world and for good reason, it is a stunning journey through incredible high mountain terrain. This is an adventure that should be on every skiers bucket list.

GUIDING RATIO – UP TO 1:6     

from €750 / person

INTRODUCTION TO SKI TOURING

Take your first steps towards ski touring with this introductory training course covering ski touring equipment, how to travel safely in the mountains on skis and avalanche safety.

GUIDED DAYS – 3          

GUIDING RATIO – UP TO 1:6      

from €275 / person

BERNESE OBERLAND & BERNESE OBERLAND 4000ERS

The Bernese Oberland is the most heavily glaciated region in the Alps and is a ski tourer’s paradise. For the ski mountaineer it is possible to make ascents of up to seven 4000m peaks including the striking Finsteraarhorn. With many fine ski peaks and snow cover late into the season this is an area not to be missed.

GUIDING RATIO – UP TO 1:6     

from €695 / PERSON

MONTE ROSA

The Monte Rosa massif is only matched for size by Mont Blanc and is home to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th highest summits in the Alps. This is a challenging ski touring destination where it is possible to ski numerous 4000m peaks.

GUIDED DAYS – 6          

GUIDING RATIO – UP TO 1:4       

from €750 / person

SKI TOURING AUTONOMY

This course is for intermediate to experienced ski tourers who want to learn to tour independently in the mountains safely – to plan and execute their own trips.

GUIDED DAYS – 5          

GUIDING RATIO – UP TO 1:4       

from €650 / person

Ski touring takes place off-piste in the mountains and you need to be able to ski to a good standard being comfortable making turns of different radius in variable snow conditions. The course will be physically demanding so you should be prepared for days in the mountains ascending up to 1000 vertical metres a day on skis whilst carrying a pack and safety equipment.

You will require appropriate skis fitted with touring bindings, skins, ski crampons and avalanche safety equipment: Transceiver, shovel and probe. If we head onto glaciated terrain then a harness will also be required. If you have any questions regarding ski touring equipment then please get in touch.

EQUIPMENT HIRE

Ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet can be provided for a hire fee of €15 per day.

Skis and safety equipment can be arranged with Concept Pro in Chamonix. They are located next to the Aiguille du Midi lift and my clients receive a preferential rate on all equipment rented. Pre-booking equipment is essential especially during holiday periods.

INCLUDED

• IFMGA Mountain Guide

• Arrangement of any mountain huts used for the course itinerary

• Provision of group safety equipment for the days on the mountain

• Local travel required to complete the course itinerary

• Uplift costs for your Mountain Guide (in the Chamonix valley area only)

• Assistance in arranging local accommodation

The Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route is the most famous ski tour in the world and the epitome of the multi-day ski traverse. This is a real adventure where we will traverse the whole gamut of mountain terrain; climbing couloirs, crossing high mountain cols, deep valleys and huge glaciers. This is an unforgettable ski tour with an epic final day that finishes in Zermatt after skiing past the iconic Matterhorn.

The Chamonix to Zermatt traverse was first skied in 1911 as a winter route between the two towns and has changed a lot over the following century. Now the traverse is served by a network of excellent mountain huts allowing the ski tourer to carry just their personal belongings and safety equipment and rest in relative comfort each night.

The classic Haute route has been affected markedly by lower snow cover and glacial retreat in recent years. This route via the Col du Chardonnet, Bourg, the Cabane de Valsorey and past the Grand Combin has become much more challenging. This route is still an option for experienced ski tourers with extensive mountaineering experience – please get in touch if interested in this.

The Verbier Haute Route is the most common route taken now and is an excellent variation combining some of the best parts of the 1911 route but reducing the mountaineering difficulty to a reasonable level. The itinerary is as follows:

Day 1: Argentière to the Albert Premier Hut

We use the Grands Montets ski lift to gain height easily from Argentiere before traversing the glacier d’Argentière and starting our ascent to the col du Passon. After roughly a 2.5 hour skin we will carry our skis up the final couloir to reach the col. From here it is a steady traverse on skis to the excellent Albert Premier hut.

Day 2: Albert Premier to Mont Fort

We start by skinning up the upper Glacier du Tour and depending on the conditions cross either the Col du Tour or Col Supérior du Tour into Switzerland. After traversing the Trient Plateau and a short ski down to the col des Écandies the skis go back on our packs and we climb over the col and ski down the long Val d’Arpette to Champex. Here we take a taxi transfer to La Chable and the Verbier ski lifts. We use these to gain the Cabane du Mont Fort for the night.

Day 3: Mont Fort to the Cabane de Prafleuri

We can make relaxed start today as we climb over the Col de la Chaux and the Col de Momin to reach the Grand Désert – a large open glacier. A gentle skin up this and we can leave skis below the final climb to La Rosablanche, 3335m where we have great views south to the Grand Combin and east to the route we follow on day 4. A nice descent on often great snow down the Glacier de Prafleuri leads to the Cabane de Prafleuri which is hidden away in the valley and a nice place to spend the night in a remote setting.

Day 4: Prafleuri to the Cabane des Dix

This day starts with an ascent of one of two cols to gain access to the slopes above the huge lac de Dix. When the dam was built this was the hiughest dam wall in Europe and has subsequently been base jumped! In rare winters we can ski down to the lake and then ski across its surface before making the ascent to the Cabane des Dix via the ‘Pas de Chat’. Most years we will end up doing a long descending traverse above the lake to reach the same point. The Cabane is situated on a rocky island in the glacier with a fantasic view opposite to the north face of Mont Blanc de Cheilon. The welcome from Daniel and the team here makes this one of the best overnight stops of the trip.

Day 5: The Cabane des Dix to the Cabane des Vignettes

After a short ski down from the hut to the glacier below we embark on a long skin up to the Serpentine where a short section of steep skinning or on crampons leads to the Col du Breney. From here a short skin gains the summit of the Pigne d’Arolla which at 3787m is the high point of our traverse. From here we have a great view of the magnificent peaks of the Western Valais out to the Matterhorn and Zermatt. The ski from the summit down to the spectacularly perched Cabane des Vignettes is frequently excellent and we will aim to arrive early at the hut to get plenty of rest before the big final day.

Day 6: Cabane des Vignettes to Zermatt!

This is a colossal final day and one of the best ski touring days in the Alps. With approximately 27km and 1200m of climbing as we cross 3 cols to reach the final descent. The Col de l’Eveque is a steady skin, the Col de Mont Brulé is a roped climb with crampons and ice axe before we skin up to the Col de Valpelline where many of the 4000m peaks of the Alps are laid out before us. This is one the the best viewpoints in the whole Alps and is guaranteed to take your breath away. An exhilarating final descent down huge glaciers around crevasses and past seracs leads to the ultimate finale - skiing under the north face of the Matterhorn and down to Zermatt. A well deserved late lunch and a drink await before we get a taxi transfer back to Chamonix.

The Haute Route can also be done self supported in winter; as a 3 day speed tour eschewing any mechanical uplift or taxis; or for the ardent ski mountaineer via more difficult cols and with multiple summits en route - including the difficult and serious Grand Combin, the ultimate ski mountaineers’ peak. Please get in touch if any of these variations are of interest.

Cost: 1:4 €995 / person 1:6 €750 / person. please contact me for other route variations, ratios and prices

Suitability: The Haute Route is physically demanding. You should be prepared for 6 long days in the mountains with climbs of up to 1400m a day. Basic mountaineering experience is useful and an additional training day can be added at the start of the itinerary for anyone who wishes to improve their mountaineering and avalanche safety skills.

For this trip you will require: Touring boots and skis; crampons, harness, ice axe & helmet; Transceiver, shovel and probe. If you have any questions regarding ski equipment or appropriate kit then please get in touch.

EQUIPMENT HIRE

Ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet can be provided for a hire fee of €15 per day or €60 for the tour.

Avalanche Transceiver, Shovel and probe can be hired for €15 per day or €60 for the tour.

Skis touring equipment can be arranged with Concept Pro in Chamonix. They are located next to the Aiguille du Midi lift and my clients receive a preferential rate on all equipment rented. Pre-booking equipment is essential especially during holiday periods.

The Bernese Oberland is the most heavily glaciated region in the Alps and is home to the Grosser Aletschgletscher, the largest in the Alps. This glaciation combined with numerous skiable peaks makes for fantastic ski touring terrain where the descents take your breath away. Due to the large distances between huts and peaks the Oberland lends itself to ski mountaineering and is possibly my favourite massif for ski touring in the Alps.

This massif is also home to nine 4000m peaks making it a ski mountaineers’ paradise. All nine can be skied but for the experienced ski alpinist (the Schreckhorn north face is somewhat steep) there are seven 4000m summits that can be incorporated into a tour here. The two Fiescherhorn summits can be climbed as part of a ski touring itinerary with a group of up to 4 clients. There are a further five 4000m peaks that can be climbed on this trip at a 1:2 ratio including the mighty Finsteraarhorn, at 4273m the highest peak in the Bernese Alps.

An Oberland 4000m summits 1:2 ratio alternative below:

Day 1: Jungfraujoch - Monch, 4110m - Konkordiahütte

This day requires being acclimatised as we will go straight up the Monch from the Jungfraujoch. If conditions are good we will ski the steep south face or descend back down the southeast ridge and ski to the Konkordiaplatz and the Konkordihütte,

Day 2: Konkordiahütte - Grünhornlücke - Wyssnollen - Finsteraarhornhütte

This is a slightly easier day as we skin over the Grunhornlücke and turn back on ourselves to climb up to Wyssnollen, a small summit with great views. This is a front row seat for tomorrow’s challenge. A nice ski down the ascent route and we finish by skinning to the Finsteraarhornhütte.

Day 3: Finsteraarhornhütte - Finsteraarhorn, 4273m - Finsteraarhornhütte

Steep skinning from the start gains the glacier at 3300m and an easier climb to below the Fruhstückplatz (the breakfast place) where we carry our skis over the ridge to gain the glacier the far side. This is slightly steeper and we skin carefully through crevasses to reach the Hugisattel col at 4088m. We will leave the skis here, rope up and climb the northwest ridge to the spectacular summit. This is the highest peak in the Oberland and is also has the third most prominent peak in the Alps with a height gain of 2280m from the nearest main col (Simplon).

Day 4: Finsteraarhornhütte - Grosses Grünhorn - Konkordiahütte

We return over the Grünhornlücke and make a short descent before a steep skin takes up to a steep step and ski carry to gain the shoulder of the Grunegghorn. We skin and climb along the ridge to the summit of the Grunegghorn and then onwards up to the summit of the Grosses Grünhorn, 4043m. This summit is known colloquially as ‘the bastard’ due to it getting climbed rarely for its relatively modest grade. Depending on conditions we will ski either the west flank of the Grünhorn or the southwest slope of the Grunegghorn to reach the Konkordiaplatz.

Day 5: Konkordiahütte - Gletscherjoch - Abeni Flue - Hollandiahütte

A steady skin up the Grosser Aletschfirn and then a climb up the Gletscherfirn lead to the Gletscherjoch. If conditions are good we will mountaineer up the northeast slope of Abeni Flue carrying skis and then descend the southwest side to the Hollandiahütte.

Day 6: Hollandiahütte - Mittaghorn - Lotschental - Blatten

A short skin takes us to the Anujoch and from here we put crampons on and climb the south ridge of the Mittaghorn, 3896m. Time to savour the final view north into the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley before we ski down the Anungletscher into the Lotschental and down to Blatten where we take a bus and then train to Interlaken.

guided days: 6

guiding ratio: 1:2

cost: €1750 per person

The Bernese Alps stretch from Les Diablerets in the west to the Grimselpass in the east and form the northernmost high massif in the Alps. They rise abruptly to over 4000m from the plains of northern Switzerland and are a forbidding sight from all points of the compass. The barrier of large peaks hide the heavily glaciated interior of the massif where there are surprisingly amenable and logical routes between the glacier basins and peaks.

Many companies propose a Bernese Oberland 4000ers trip with a large client to guide ratio. This isn’t feasible as most of the 4000m peaks require some Alpine climbing experience and a 1:2 guide to client ratio. This ensures safety and a good chance of success on these peaks. The Hinter Fiescherhorn, 4025m and Grosser Fiescherhorn, 4049m can be built into a classic ski touring itinerary with 1:4 ratio. The Monch, 4110m; Jungfrau, 4158m; Grosses Grünhorn, 4043m; Finsteraarhorn, 4273m & Aletschhorn 4194m can all be guided at 1:2 ratio.

It is also possible to climb the Aletschhorn via the Hasler Rib or ski mountaineer the wild and remote south face of the Lauteraarhorn, 4042m at a ratio of 1:1. Please get in touch if you are interested in any of these peaks via some steeper ascents and descents.

A classic ski touring itinerary could look like:

Day 1: Jungfraujoch - Louwitor - Konkordiahütte

Starting from Interlaken we take the famous Jungfraujoch railway through the Eiger to access the glacier at 3450m. From here we skin through some impressive crevasses to the Louitor col at 3658m before descending the Kranzbergfirn to the Konkordiaplatz. This is the junction of five glaciers and an impressive place. We will stash our skis and then climb a long set of steps up the side of the cliff to the Konkordiahütte. Nowhere in the Alps is glacial recession and global warming more apparent than here. Please look at my eco statement here.

Day 2: Konkordiahütte - Grünhornlücke - Wyssnollen - Finsteraarhornhütte

From the bottom of the stairs we skin to the Grunhornlücke col with a fantastic view ahead to the Finsteraarhorn. A short ski down and then we turn back on ourselves to climb up to Wyssnollen, a small summit with great views. A nice ski down the ascent route and we finish by skinning to the Finsteraarhornhütte. There is no phone signal here and it is nice to get away from the modern world for a couple of days.

Day 3: Finsteraarhornhütte - Hinter Fiescherhorn - Finsteraarhornhütte

We have a couple of peak options for today depending on conditions and how everyone is feeling. The Grosses Wannenhorn, 3906m or up to the twin summits of the Fiescherhorns 4049m. We’ll return to the hut for a well deserved drink and rest.

Day 4: Finsteraarhornhütte - Grunegghorn - Konkordiahütte

Today we skin back over the Grunhornlücke and ski a short way down the other side before making a steep skin towards the Grunegghorn. At 3450m There is a short steep climb to gain the shoulder of the peak. We usually do this roped up carrying our skis. There is great exposure as we skin up the ridge to the Grunegghorn foresummit at 3788m. Depending on conditions we may climb the ridge to the main summit or descend from here. A steeper ski down leads us back to the Konkordiaplatz and the stairs of doom to the hut.

Day 5: Konkordiahütte - Gletscherjoch - Hollandiahütte

A slightly easier day today as we make our way past the great north face of the Aletschhorn and up to the Gletscherjoch before skiing down and skinning gently up to the Hollandiahütte.

Day 6: Hollandiahütte - Abeni Flue - Lotschental - Blatten

To make it easy we’ll leave our hut kit behind and skin up to Abeni Flue, 3961m with light bags before returning to the hut for a drink. From the hut we ski down the huge Lotschental valley to reach Blatten and the end of our long trip. There is a bus and train link here to take us back to Interlaken and the end of our trip.

Guided days: 6

guiding ratio: 1:4 or 1:6 without the fiescherhorn ascent

cost: 1:4, €850 / person, 1:6, €695 / person