Haute Route-ski tour (Chamonix-Zermatt)
The classic ski tour of the Alps!
The Haute Route ski tour is an ancient classic, often found on many bucket lists. This route traverses through some of the most stunning Alpine landscapes, spanning between Chamonix and Zermatt. The journey between these iconic villages has been undertaken on foot and skis for over a century.
The Chamonix to Zermatt route is longer and slightly more challenging compared to the shorter Verbier to Zermatt route. We recommend the longer tour for individuals with prior experience in off-piste skiing and at least basic ski touring skills, gained perhaps from Lapland in Finland, Sweden, or Norway.
The Verbier to Zermatt route offers a shorter and easier alternative. It still includes two quite demanding days on the third and fourth touring days. Overall, this shorter version is the best choice if concerns about the tour's intensity arise.
We allocate 6-7 days for the tour (see Verbier – Zermatt tour itinerary). Currently, we have chosen the most popular route via Verbier, potentially accommodating participants starting from both Chamonix and Verbier. Another option is the Classic route, one of the original paths used by the first Haute Route skiers.
The Verbier route is slightly easier in terms of general conditions and has fewer avalanche-prone spots compared to the Classic route. We will make the final decision on the route selection in early winter, based on the conditions in the mountains and the popularity of the different route options.
Your guides
Pette Halme
Pette has lived along the Haute Route in Verbier for over 20 years. He knows the area and conditions better than the back of his hand.
Pette Halme
Pette has lived along the Haute Route in Verbier for over 20 years. He knows the area and conditions better than the back of his hand.
Haute Route-ski tour (Chamonix-Zermatt)
Program of the week
HAUTE ROUTE CHAMONIX-ZERMATT
Thursday is the travel day to Chamonix.
Friday is planned for independent skiing and acclimatizing in the Chamonix ski area.
Saturday, the first day of the tour, is quite challenging as we ascend to a height where an acclimatization and warm-up day is necessary.
On Saturday we ski the off-piste areas around the Chamonix ski area. The main goal is to get to know each other and enjoy a day outside the marked slopes. At the same time, we ensure that everyone departing on the trip can handle different snow conditions and check all equipment to ensure it lasts throughout the tour. In the afternoon, we descend to the Argentière hut where we spend the night.
Early Sunday morning, we depart from the hut to ascend towards the Chardonnay Pass. We aim to reach the Trient hut by early afternoon. The day is pretty tough with a significant amount of ascent totaling about 1200 - 1300 meters and descent only 400 - 500 meters.
Early Monday morning, we descend to the village of Champex, from where we continue by car towards Verbier. We ascend by lifts to Mont Fort (or Col de la Chaux) and continue towards the Pra Fleuri hut. Here, we will meet the group that started from Verbier (if there is one), and from here we travel together all the way to Zermatt.
The program continues below with the Tuesday of the Verbier - Zermatt trip.
HAUTE ROUTE VERBIER - ZERMATT
Saturday is the travel day to Verbier.
On Sunday, we ski the off-piste areas around the Verbier ski area. The main goal is to get to know each other and enjoy a day outside the marked slopes. At the same time, we ensure that everyone departing on the trip can handle different snow conditions and check all equipment to ensure it lasts throughout the trip.
On Monday, we begin the tour itself. The first day is relatively easy with ascent of about 600 - 700 meters and descent of about a kilometer. We aim to arrive at the Pra Fleuri mountain hut around 2:00 - 3:00 PM.
Early Tuesday (around 7:00 AM), we depart towards the Cabane de Dix. We aim to arrive there by midday. The ascent for this day totals about a kilometer with descent only 400 - 500 meters. This is the least exciting day in terms of skiing but the scenery more than makes up for the lack of skiing excitement.
On Wednesday, we ascend from Cabane de Dix to the Pigne d'Arolla peak, the highest point of the entire tour at just under 3800 meters. The ascent involves nearly a kilometer of elevation gain with almost the same amount of descent. In the afternoon, we arrive at the Vignettes mountain hut, which is in a truly spectacular location. The views are unparalleled. Pigne d'Arolla is a popular peak for heli-skiing, so although the descent is stunning, we rarely get to make fresh tracks as helicopters often reach the summit before hikers.
Thursday is a reasonably long day from the Vignettes hut to the Bertol hut, with ascent of about 1100 meters. This mountain hut is located in an incredible location on a rocky ridge at around 3300 meters altitude. The last 40 meters to the hut are ascended using ladders fixed to the rock. The hut offers breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and many other four-thousanders.
On Friday, we have an ascent of only about 300 meters, after which we can peacefully enjoy a long descent to Zermatt and arrive in the village (and back to Verbier or Chamonix) in good time.
Saturday is the contingency day for the tour, which may be needed if, for example, we have to stop for a day due to weather during the trek. If the contingency day is not needed, this day is a free day for skiing in the Chamonix or Verbier ski areas.
Sunday is a travel day back home.
Flights and ground transport
Transfers from Geneva to Chamonix (or Verbier) and back are done quickly and comfortably with minibuses.
Difficulty level
The Haute Route skitour lasts 6 or 7 days, and some of the days are quite demanding. While it doesn't require superhuman fitness, a good basic fitness level and experience in full-day hikes are necessary. You also need to have sufficient skiing skills to handle different, often challenging, snow conditions. Daily hikes are about 5-8 hours long, and on some days, there is an elevation gain of about 1300 - 1350 meters.
Equipment
We will send participants a detailed equipment list.
Price
Price includes
- Airport transfers Geneva-Chamonix/Verbier
- 4 nights accommodation in 2-3 star hotels in Chamonix/Verbier, 2 nights before and after the tour (double / twin rooms, including breakfast)
- 7 days of guiding (6 guided days on the Verbier-Zermatt route)
- All guide expenses
- 6 nights in mountain huts with half-board (4 from Verbier)
- Taxi transfers on the third day from Champex village to Le Châble village and from Zermatt back to Chamonix/Verbier
- Avalanche safety day in Helsinki in the fall of 2024
- Carbon footprint compensation fee
Price excludes
- Flights
- Lift tickets
- Drinks with the dinners in the mountain huts
- Guide fees for the extra day, if needed
Accommodation
The hotels before and after the tour are comfortable 2-3 star hotels in Chamonix or Verbier. During the tour, accommodation in mountain huts is typically in large dormitories (10-15 people), but sometimes in smaller rooms (2-6 people).