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Longer/easier start with an acclimatization day via Refuge Albert 1er (2707 m)

Can be done in one day with a good altitude acclimatization or split to two days with an overnight on the Refuge Argentière (2771 m) to acclimatize. 


The hardest part is the descent from the Col du Chardonnet (3323 m) – there might be a rope for a safe steep descent, but you need your own for the case it would be burired under snow or damaged. 


1. Cabane du Trient (3169 m) via steep Col du Chardonnet (tougher, narrow descent >45° – rope needed)

6.7 h: 12 km 1100 m up over 3321 m 1150 m down

The first day of classic Haute Route.

  1. from lift from Argentière to Aiguille des Grands Montets (3295 m) (24 Chf)

  2. Glacier d'Argentière (2560 m)

  3. ↑ long climb to Col du Chardonnet (3321 m) 

  4. ↓ rappel  by rope – depending on snow conditions, the gradient might be >40°or >45° at the very top – the narrowness of the pass makes it necessary to descend on crapons with a safety rope anchored at the top. There is a fixed rope there, but it can be covered by snow, so you need to have your own as a backup.

  5. traverse below Grande Fourche (3080 m)

  6. ↑ climb with steep end to Fenêtre de Saleina (3261 m)

  7. Cabane du Trient (3170 m) (booking)


Update: The lift goes only to Bochard. That means more 300 m of initial climbing. The new lift replacing the former one is hoped to complete by winter 2023/24 season.


There was no drinking water on the Trient hut except for an option to purchase.


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2. ↓ Descent to Champex, crampons, commute

2 h: 10 km 20 m up 1660 m down

  1. Cabane du Trient (3170 m)

  2. along the edge of Glacier du Trient (2780 m) to avoid crevases

  3. on crampons to Col des Ecandies (2793 m), partly on bare rock

  4. easy descent to Champex with the last part on a blue ski piste 

Commute by a taxi or bus (1 ¼ h) to Bourg St. Bernard (1920 m) (~130 ChF in 2015)


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5. Cabane du Vélan (2641 m) from Bourg St. Bernard, on feet >35°

5.8 h: 9 km 1350 m up over 2922 m 650 m down

The classic route goes to a Cabane de Valsorey (3030 m).

We shortened the classic route to 6 day by merging with a previous day: Trient – Champex – & commute by taxi to Bourg St. Bernard.


  1. Bourg St. Bernard (1920 m)

  2. ↑ Col de Pro (2779 m) (top by feet >35°)

  3. ↑ Col de Montorge (2900 m) >35°

  4. ↓ to 2320 m

  5. ↑ to Cabane du Vélan (2642 m)


The Cabane du Vélán has the smallest beds I've ever slept in. They are so narrow that it is almost impossible not to get mutually awaken by your rotating neighboring sleeper during the night.


We chose Vélan just because we merged 2 days. When enough time, it's better to continue to the Cabane de Valsorey (3030 m) instead.


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Classic start: Cabane du Trient (3170 m) via Col du Chardonnet (3323 m)

Some go right to the Cabane du Trient (3170 m), but taking one more day on the Refute Albert 1er (2707 m) might be handy to get a good altitude acclimatization. 

Even better to take one more acclimatization day-trip from Chamonix before it. 


1. Refuge Albert 1er (2707 m), crampons, >40-45°

6.2 h: 11.3 km 947 m up over 3014 m 1004 m down


A new lift that will go a bit higher than the Buchard (replacing the former one) is hoped to complete by winter 2023/24 season.


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2. Cabane du Trient (3169 m) from Refuge Albert 1er (crampons)

6 h: 10 km 900 m up over 3313 m 417 m down

Alternative to an easy day to have a peek of Col de la Grande Lui from Glacier du Salienaz through Col des Plines and Fenêtre du Tour. 


There was no drinking water on the Trient hut except for an option to purchase.


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What's nearby:

Besides being the longest variation, snow conditions might prevent you from passing it fully on skis via La Fouly, which is just 1600 m. Watch for the snow level.


3. Via Col de la Grande Lui to La Fouly (>45°, exposed, loose rocks, crampons, rope)

7.2 h: 16.1 km 905 m up over 3400 m 2390 m down

Passing the hardest pass on the route. 

  1. Cabane du Trient

  2. easy ↑ to Col de Plines (3294 m) 

  3. harder ↓ to Glacier du Salienaz – the top is steep and frozen in the morning (yet skiable)

  4. ↓ Bivouac Envers des Dorées CAS (self-service)

  5. traversing Glacier du Salienaz – a rope migt be handy for safety depending on conditions

  6.  Col de la Grande Lui – top (on crampons >45°) can be frozen and the very top 3 m are a climb over loose rocks. Not an extreme, but it's exposed, but you must comfortable climbing a steep terrain with loose rocks on crampons and skis on your back. 

  7. ↓ over Cabane de l’A Neuve – it was closed including the winterraum and the conditions of spring snow would actually even make it risky to access. 

  8. ↓ further down to La Fouly – we were lucky to have snow except for the last kilometer despite the very low snow season 2022. 

Check the snow level – La Fouly is just 1600 m!


The next two days continue via Fenêtre d'en Haut (2720 m) to Grand St-Bernard hospice and the other day to Cabane de Valsorey (3037 m) where it rejoins the core haute route again. 

I consider the Valsorey hut better and it will make also the next day easier. 


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4. Grand St-Bernard hospice (2469)

11.3 km 1200 m up over 2722 m 330 m down

  1. La Fouly

  2. Fenêtre d'en Haut - Col de Fonteinte (2720 m)

  3. Grand St-Bernard hospice (2469)

Restaurant open: June – mid Oct, hospice for accommodation all year. 


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5. Cabane de Valsorey (3030 m) from Grand St-Bernard hospice, on feet >35°

6.8 h: 16.9 km 1675 m up over 2922 m 1175 m down

  1. Grand St-Bernard hospice

  2. ↓ easy, the end is on a wide road that is closed for traffic in the winter

  3. Bourg St. Bernard (1920 m)

  4. ↑ Col de Pro (2779 m) (top by feet >35°)

  5. ↑ Col de Montorge (2900 m) >35°

  6. ↓ to 2320 m

  7. ↑ Cabane de Valsorey (3030 m) 


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The route continues from Bourg St. Bernard (1920 m) either from the purist variation via Grand St-Bernard hospice or a classic variant of commuting from Champex by taxi. In the classic variant, you can save another 300 m of climbing by starting in Bourg-St-Pierre (1630 m) by sacrificing an ascent to Col de Montorge and being a chicken. 


Credits: one photo of Vélan hut is from their web. 


6. Cabane du Chanrion (2461 m), crampons >40-45°

9.3 h: 19.2 km 1570 m up over 3700 m 1780 m down

  1. Cabane du Vélan (2642 m)

  2. ↓ to Torrent de Valsorey (2396 m) (icy)

  3. ↑ on ski crampons (it was icy) to Cabane de Valsorey (3030 m) (refreshments:)

  4. Glacier du Meitin (3200 m)

  5. on crampons to Plateau Culoir (3700 m) >40-45° below Grand Combin with a view of Mont Blanc

  6. ↓ downhill to Glacier do Sonadon (3440 m) 

  7. Col du Sonadon (3520 m)

  8. ↓ downhill to (2240 m)

  9. ↑ Cabane de Chanrion (2462 m) (booking)

There is only a Swisscom mobile signal on the hut, no wifi. 


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7. [alternative]: Cabane des Dix (2928 m)

5.4 h: 13 km 1170 m up over 3547 m 700 m down

  1. Cabane de Chanrion (2462 m)

  2. ↑ early up by icy traverse to the glacier du Brenay

  3. passing right below huge crevasses of the Glacier de la Serpentine in (3150)

  4. ↑ Col de la Serpentine (3547 m)

  5. ↓ avoiding crevases on Glacier de Tsenâ Réfien

  6. Cabane des Dix (2928 m) (booking)


There is a shorter but harder alternative via Col de Cheilon and Col du Mont Rouge, but there are steep 2-3. passes (from Dix) are steep, so plan accordingly.


No mobile signal. There is a WiFi in front of the hut, that is usable only when not many are connected).


Cabane des Dix is also accessible from Arolla (1030 up 80 m down) in less than 5 h. The route starts on piste that retains snow till spring. There is a tricky descent from Pas de Chèvres by ladders, followed by a steep descent in loose terrain to the Glacier de Cheilon. The last step from the bottom ladder is quite big. There might be a rope to help with the last step. This route is closed in the summer. 



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7. [alternative]: Cabane des Vignettes (3160 m) via Pigne d'Arolla (3787 m)

7.2 h: 12.5 km 1380 m up over 3787 m 700 m down

This longer alternative makes the following (the longest) day and the whole route a bit shorter.

  • Cabane de Chanrion (2462 m)

  • ↑ early up by icy traverse to the glacier du Brenay

  • passing right below huge crevasses of the Glacier de la Serpentine in (3150)

  • ↑ Col de la Serpentine (3547 m)

  • ↓ short descent

  • ↑ ascent to Pigne d'Arolla (3787 m) – beatiful views of Matterhorn and Dent Blanche

  • ↓ descent to 3250 m

  • traversing a steep slope down to Col des Vignettes – passing a small rocky ridge (just a couple of steps)

  • beautiful view of the hut right before the Col des Vignettes

  • short traverse with a couple of steps on feet at the end to Cabane des Vignettes (3160 m)

The following day starts by traversing back to col des Vignettes on feet followed by traversing a steep slope down and a short descent to the col de Charmotane (3008).

Cabane des Vignettes (3160 m)

  • Charging is free only by solar, typically to 18h, then paid

  • No water available, only bottled water to purchase

  • Mobile signal before hut (including Salt)


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8. Dix to Cabane de Bertol (3264 m) via Pigne d'Arolla (3787 m)

9.7 h: 23 km 1980 m up over 3790 m 1620 m down

The longest day. 

An alternative is to make it shorter by climbing the Pigne d'Arolla (3790 m) the day before and an overnight on Cabane des Vignettes (3160 m) – above.

  1. Cabane des Dix (2928 m) 

  2. ↑ avoiding crevases on Glacier de Tsenâ Réfien

  3. ↑ early climb to Col des Tsijiore Nouve (3400 m)

  4. ↑ ascent to Pigne d'Arolla (3787 m) – beatiful views of Matterhorn and Dent Blanche.

  5. ↓ descent to the col de Charmotane (3008). 

  6. ↑ easy climb to Col de l'Evêque (3379 m)

  7. ↓ nice descent, avoiding crevasses, followed by a long slight slope with snow getting wetter in the spring

  8. ↑ climbing again, soon with a traverse of a 35° slope to the Plan Bertol (2664)

  9. ↑ climbing 400 m up to Col de Bertol, the slope can get uncomfortably wet in the spring afternoons with a bit steeper slope at the top.

  10. ↑ Cabane de Bertol (3311 m)

There is a longer alternative via Col du Mont Brulé and around Tête Blanche that avoids loosing 400 m of altitude by an uninteresting descent (wet snow in the spring) . The Col du Mont Brulé is  steeper (on feet or crampons) but can be reached earlier in the day when an alternative route from Cabane des Vignettes is chosen. 


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9. ↓ Zermatt

4.1 h: 23 km 611 m up over 3707 m 2300 m down

  1. Cabane de Bertol (3311 m) 

  2. ↑ Tête Blanche (3707 m)

  3. ↓ avoiding crevases on Stockjingletscher

  4. ↓ last part on a red ski piste to Zermatt


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Hardest, purist route via Col de la Grande Lui (3416 m)

Views of Mont Blanc from shadows of Grand Combin: Vélan/Valsorey – Chanrion – Dix

Around Arolla to Zermatt via Vignettes/Bertol

Safety

Roughly half of all skiers do not complete the tour due to weather. Plan escape routes and allow a spare day or two to wait at a hut for better conditions. More days on the tour increase the risk of encountering bad weather.


The best conditions are from early March to May, when huts are also guarded.

In late May, snow begins to melt at lower altitudes, and the risk of wet snow avalanches increases in the afternoons.


Start early each day to minimize risks and review accummulating risk constantly.


Proper acclimatization is necessary before starting the route, at least a day, depending on your sensitivity to altitude sickness.


Knowledge of techniques and methodology for traversing avalanche and glacier terrain with crevasses is necessary.


You'll need to carry a full set of avalanche and glacier equipment, including crampons, ski crampons, ice axe, harness, rope (30 m is OK), pieps and probe.


Commute

Bus or taxi is needed a 2nd day to move to Bourg-Saint-Pierre of the classir route. A longer purist alternative avoids the commute by passing via Col de la Grande Lui.


Maps

Swiss topo map with ski tours (Android, iOS free, including offline). Thanks Swiss Administration!


Huts


Map of Area

General info

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