Summer Haute Route

Victorian British mountaineers in the Alpine Club first pioneered the "High Level Route" between the two centres of Alpinism - Chamonix and Zermatt as a summer mountaineering challenge. It has since gone on to be a very popular winter ski tour. In the summer it is a fantastic journey through the best scenery the Alps has to offer giving the oportunity to climb some simple peaks along the way.

The Haute Route involves a lot of glacier travel and some long days. No technical experience is required as there are few steep sections. You will be coached in crampon and ice axe use on the first day and how to rope up on glaciers and crevasse rescue on the second day.

Summer Haute Route

• Day 1 - A gentle 2 hour walk to the Albert Premiere Hut 2702m using the lifts at Le Tour. At the hut we will go on to the glacier to coach basic crampon and ice axe techniques.
• Day 2 - Before we reach the Col Superior du Tour (3289m) giving access to the Trient Glacier and the Trient Hut (3170m) we practice some crevasse rescue techniques. A long descent (1670m) then takes us down to the small Swiss village of Champex.
• Day 3 - We take a short taxi ride to Bourg Saint Pierre from where a long walk up the Valsorey, climbing 1200m, takes us to the Valsorey Hut (3030m).
• Day 4 - Next we traverse the Plateau du Couloir to go around the Grand Combin, a key section on serious ground that is always memorable. A gentle descent and a night in the Chanrion Hut.
• Day 5 - Traversing the Pigne d'Arolla (3790m) makes for a wonderful climb and quick descent down to the Vignettes Hut 3160m or continue down to the village of Arolla.
• Day 6 - A long walk up to the Bertol Hut (3311m) perched impressively on the crest of the last major ridge before Zermatt.
• Day 7 - The last day is breathtaking. We traverse the Tete Blanche with the many 4000m peaks surounding Zermatt coming in to view before the long final descent under the Matterhorn to Zermatt.

No previous Alpine experience is necessary as you will be coached in all the skills you need. The Summer Haute Route makes a great introduction to Alpine Mountaineering and gives you a feel for the major climbing areas. If you have walked in Scotland in the winter using an ice axe and crampons it will be an advantage but not essential. You do need to be fit, used to long walking days for many days in succession.

The prices below cover the guiding fees and eight nights half board accommodation. Cable cars, lunches and valley transfers are not included. The table gives prices for 7 days of mountaineering but there is no restriction on the length of a course. The prices are per person.

Having spent seven days training and acclimatising you will be in great shape. Why not add three days to the course to climb Mont Blanc? Booking three days instead of just two doubles your chances of getting to the top as there are two feasible summit days instead of one. The maximum ratio for Mont Blanc is one guide to two clients.

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