Haute Route

[[Image:Hauteroute-alps-seabhcan.jpg|thumb|250px|Two alpinists on the [[Otemma Glacier]] on the ''Haute Route'']] The '''Haute Route''', (or The High Route or Mountaineers' Route) is the name given to a route (with several variations) undertaken on foot or by ski touring between [[Chamonix]], [[France]], and [[Zermatt]], [[Switzerland]]. First charted as a summer [[mountaineering]] route by members of the [[Alpine Club (UK)]] in the mid 19th century, the route takes around 12+ days walking (or 7+ days skiing) the 180 km from the Chamonix valley, home of [[Mont Blanc]], to Zermatt, home of the [[Matterhorn]]. Originally dubbed "The High Level Route" in English by members of a [[England|British]] hiking club, the term was translated into [[French language|French]] when first successfully undertaken on skis in 1911. Since then, the French prevails. While the term ''haute route'' has become somewhat genericized for any of the many multi-day, hut-to-hut alpine tours, the "Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route" remains the original. ==Walking Haute Route== There is occasionally a danger of collapsing glaciers which can render the path virtually impassable. However, a lower level variation exists that crosses no glaciers. {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ===Huts and villages on the walking route=== *[[Le Tour village]], France *[[Albert Premier Hut]] *[[Cabane du Trient]] or [[Orny Hut]] *[[Champex]] town, Switzerland *[[Valsorey Hut]] or [[Chanrion Hut]] *[[Vignettes Hut]] *[[Arolla]] village, Switzerland *[[Bertol Hut]] *[[Schonbiel Hut]] *[[Zermatt]] town, [[Switzerland]] {{col-2}} ===Low level variation huts and villages=== *[[Chamonix]] town, [[France]] *[[Argentière]] village, [[France]] *[[Trient, Switzerland|Trient]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Champex]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Sembrancher]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Le Chable]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Verbier]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Arolla]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Les Haudères]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Zinal]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Gruben]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[St Niklaus]] village, [[Switzerland]] *[[Zermatt]] town, [[Switzerland]] {{col-end}} ==Ski Touring Haute Route== [[Image:Hauteroute.jpg|thumb|250px|View of [[Matterhorn]] and [[Dent d'Hérens]] from the summit of [[Tête Blanche]], high point of the Haut Route (3,710 m (12,172 ft))]] First successfully completed in 1911, The Haute Route [[Ski touring|ski tour]] is likely the most famous and coveted ski tour in the world. Using high mountain huts to allow skiers to stay high and cover substantial distances, it winds through the highest, most dramatic peaks of the Alps from [[Mont Blanc]] to the [[Matterhorn]]. It requires good weather, favourable snow conditions and strong effort to complete this line. Because of this, roughly half of the skiers who begin the tour do not complete it. There are many variations of the HLR (High Level Route) that work their way between [[Chamonix]] and [[Zermatt]], including those listed below. It is also possible to add ascents of a number of excellent ski peaks to any of the routes. The winter Haute Route deviates from the summer route to avoid terrain that is dangerous or impassible when snow covered. Many people will also ski the Haute Route in the opposite direction, by variations that select better ascent and descents. On 2 May 2008 [[Lionel Bonnel]] and [[Stéphane Brosse]], members of the [[Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne]], set the record in 21 hours and 11 minutes. === Classic Route === The winter Haute Route's original line which involves long climbs and mountaineering with ice axe and crampons. *Day 1: [[Argentiere]] village, [[France]], over the [[Mont Blanc Massif#Passes|Col du Chardonnet]] and the [[Graian_Alps#Passes|Fenêtre du Saleina]] to the [[Trient Hut]]. *Day 2: [[Champex-Lac]] via the [[Val d'Arpette]]. Bus or taxi to [[Bourg-Saint-Pierre]]. *Day 3: Long climb up to the [[Valsorey Hut]] on the shoulder of [[Grand Combin]]. *Day 4: Over the [[Plateau du Couloir]] and down the [[Glacier du Mont Durand]] to the [[Chanrion Hut]]. *Day 5: A long climb up the [[Otemma Glacier]] to the [[Vignettes Hut]]. *Day 6: A long day to [[Zermatt]] over the [[Col de l'Evêque]], [[Col du Mont Brulé]] and [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col de Valpelline]], then a long descent under the shoulder of the [[Matterhorn]] and [[Dent d'Herens]]. *Day 7: Optional extension to [[Saas-Fee]] over the [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Adler Pass]]. === Verbier Variation === The purest skiing line, and the most frequently done. *Day 1: [[Argentière]], [[France]], over the [[Mont Blanc Massif#Passes|Col du Chardonnet]] and the [[Graian_Alps#Passes|Fenêtre du Saleina]] to the [[Trient Hut]]. *Day 2: [[Champex-Lac]] via the [[Val d'Arpette]]. Bus or taxi to [[Verbier]] and the [[Mont Fort Hut]]. *Day 3: Over the [[Rosablanche]] to the [[Prafleuri Hut]]. *Day 4: Around [[Dixence]] reservoir and up to the [[Dix Hut]]. *Day 5: Over the [[Pigne d'Arolla]] to the [[Vignettes Hut]]. *Day 6: A long day to [[Zermatt]] over the [[Col de l'Evêque]], [[Col du Mont Brulé]] and [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col de Valpelline]], then a long descent under the shoulder of the [[Matterhorn]] and [[Dent d'Herens]]. *Day 7: Optional extension to [[Saas-Fee]] over the [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Adler Pass]]. === Grande Lui variation === A longer, harder, more technical route that eliminates the road break of the [[Verbier]] and Classic variations. *Day 1: [[Argentiere]] village, [[France]], over the [[Mont Blanc Massif#Passes|Col du Chardonnet]] and the [[Graian_Alps#Passes|Fenêtre du Saleina]] to the [[Trient Hut]] or down to the [[Bivouac Dorés]]. *Day 2: Over the [[Grande Lui]] through the [[Col du Saleina]] or around it via the [[Swiss Three Cols]] and a long descent to the village of [[La Fouly]]. *Day 3: Up the [[Val Ferret]] and over to [[Great St. Bernard Hospice|Grand St. Bernard Hospice]]. *Day 4: Down to [[Super St. Bernard]] and over the shoulder of [[Mont Vélan]] to the [[Vélan Hut]]. *Day 5: Up the [[Grand Combin]] and over the [[Plateau du Couloir]], down the [[Glacier du Mont Durand]] to the [[Chanrion Hut]]. *Day 6: A long non-technical climb up the [[Otemma Glacier]] or a stiffer climb over [[Les Portons]] to the [[Vignettes Hut]]. *Day 7: A long day to [[Zermatt]] over the [[Col de l'Evêque]], [[Col du Mont Brulé]] and [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col de Valpelline]], then a long descent under the shoulder of the [[Matterhorn]] and [[Dent d'Herens]]. *Day 8: Optional extension to [[Saas-Fee]] over the [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Adler Pass]]. [[Image:Vignettes.jpg|thumb|300px|Vignettes Hut, near Arolla, Switzerland]] ==="Backward" Haute Route=== *Day 1: From [[Zermatt]] under the [[Matterhorn]] up to the [[Schonbiel Hut]]. *Day 2: Over the [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col de Valpelline]] and up to the [[Bertol Hut]]. *Day 3: Down then up over [[Pennine Alps#Passes|Col Collon]] to the [[Vignettes Hut]]. *Day 4: Over the [[Pigne d'Arolla]] and down [[Les Portons]] to [[Chanrion Hut]]. *Day 5: Across the [[Otemma Glacier|Otemma]] Gorge, up & over into the [[Aosta]] Valley. Hitchhike to [[La Palud]]. *Day 6: Ride the lift to the [[Vallee Blanche Aerial Tramway|Vallée Blanche]]. Descend to [[Chemin de fer du Montenvers|Montenvers]] and ski or take the cog train out to [[Chamonix]]. ===Peaks and passes on the route=== See the route descriptions. Optional ski peak ascents along the listed Haute Route variations include the [[Mont Blanc]], [[Rosablanche]], [[Pigne d'Arolla]], [[Mont Blanc de Cheilon]], [[Mont Vélan]], [[Breithorn]]. Some of these peak ascents will require an additional day or more, and range from easy to very technical and difficult. ==Further reading==. (In French). Also published in German as ''Haute Route: Von Chamonix nach Zermatt/Saas Fee'', ISBN 3763359192. ==External links== {{External links|date=August 2010}} * [http://www.the-haute-route.com/ The Haute Route: Chamonix – Zermatt 2009. Winter trip report with photos] – English * [http://www.camptocamp.org/summits/115772/fr Haute Route Chamonix – Zermatt – General presentation and detailed routes] – French * [http://sites.google.com/site/stephabegg/home/tripreports/alps/walkershauteroute Walker's Haute Route 2005 – trip report and PHOTOS] * [http://www.kevreynolds.co.uk/ Kev Reynolds] Writer of ''The Walker's Haute Route'' * [http://www.markseaton.com/haute-route.htm Google Earth file] of Haute Route features. * [http://www.swisstopo.ch/en/products/analog/maps/fkski Swiss Topo] maps. The 1:25,000 series are very detailed, but too bulky to use as field maps for long tours. ''5003: Mont Blanc – Grand Combin'' and ''5006: Matterhorn – Mischabel'' cover the summer Haute Route. The winter Haute Route and its variations are covered by the following 1:50,000 maps which include ski-touring routes in red:

*282 S Martigny 1:50,000 *283 S Arolla 1:50,000 *284 S Mischabel 1:50,000 [includes Saas Fee extension & Zermatt day-tours]

{{Coord missing|Switzerland}} {{Mont Blanc massif}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2010}}