THE CLASSIC HAUTE ROUTE - SKI TOURING CHAMONIX – ZERMATT - SPRING 2010
Haute Route Ski Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 : Welcoming in Chamonix. Prepare equipment and review ski tour.
Day 2: A perfect way to acclimatize for the Haute Route is to ski the Vallee Blanche. Although this run can be accessed by lifts, it is
rugged glacial terrain that will allow the skier to prepare for the type of necessary along the Haute Route. Spectacular views of some
of the worlds best know mountains are an added treat.
Day 3: Leave Chamonix to go to Argentière and ascend the Grand Montet by gondola. From the top, we will ski down and skin up to
the Argentière Hut (2,771 m / 9,089')
Day 4: Departing from the Argentière Hut, we will climb the Chardonnet Pass take in the spectacular views before skiing to the Trient
Hut.
Day 5: This day sports a descent starting in the high mountains and finishing on the Rhone valley floor via Champex. Transportation
will be provided to Verbier with the day ending at the Mt. Fort Hut.
Day 6: The Rosablanche will be our high point for this day followed by a marvelous alpine descent of this snow and glacier clad
mountain, finishing at the Prafleuri hut.
Day 7: Traverse from Prafleuri hut to les Dix hut via the col des Roux, lac des dix and the pas du chat ( the cat step )
Day 8: The climb to the top of the Pigne d'Arolla provides splendid views and leaves us, after a pleasant descent, perched at the
Vignette Hut.
Day 9: After ascending the Tête Blanche via Col Brulé and col de L’Eveque we will enjoy the thrill of our final Haute Route descent
into Zermatt.
Difficulty:
This is a strenuous tour and requires a high level of fitness. Participants must be strong skiers able to perform strong stem christies
while carrying a pack in variable conditions: Powder, hard spring snow, crud and everything in between. Basic mountaineering skills
are helpful, we may use a rope, ice axe, and crampons. Your guide will be happy to teach you these skills during the tour.
Tour dates: March 22 - 30, 2010 / April 12 - 20, 2010
9 days / 9 nights. Not including travel time from and to your location.
Plan your own tour at your own dates. Contact us for details
2010 price:
5 persons $ 2,500.00 per person
4 persons $ 2,800.00 per person
3 persons $ 3,350.00 per person
Service include:
Professional Bilingual guide & expenses
Transportation during the tour,
Lifts, Aiguille Du Midi, Argentiere, Verbier, Furi-Zermatt
Train and buses, Champex to Verbier.
Hotel in Chamonix 2 nights, with breakfast
Zermatt 1 night. With breakfast
Mountain Huts 6 nights, with breakfast and dinners.
Group technical equipment. First aid kit, ropes, radio, rescue sled, repair kit.
Satellite phone ( per minute charge)
Transfer luggage’s to Zermatt.
Service does not include:
Transfer to Chamonix and from Zermatt
Meals in town, picnic lunches
Personal gear
Rescue insurance
Incidentals
Ski Mountaineering Equipment List:
Technical gear:
Transceiver/Shovel/probe
Harness & Prussiks
2 Locking carabiners
Ice axe ( short 50 to 60 cm.)& Crampons
Personal gear:
Alpine Touring skis with AT bindings or telemark skis
Alpine Touring boots or telemark boots (make sure they fit well)
Ski crampons / Adjustable poles / Climbing skins
Snowboard package. (I recommend the split board system)
Back pack (45L - 50L)
Warm Hat (wool or fleece) & Sun hat or visor
Sunglasses & Goggles (flexible and carrying case)
Light weight gloves (fleece) & Heavy weight gloves or mittens w/ Goretex shells
Neck gaiter or scarf
Layering system:
Light, Mid weight Capilene underwear - top and bottoms (1 set)
Warm socks and liners (2 sets)
Sweater or Synchilla fleece jacket/ pullover
Jacket - Goretex with good hood & Ski pants and Goretex pants
Cotton T- shirt - for hut (1)
Down coat is not useful but if you do bring one, make sure it is very compact. Better to use a puffball style.
Other items:
Camera, film & batteries / Sunscreen & lip screen
Personal items - toothbrush, toothpaste, handi-wipes
Extra pair of prescription glasses or contacts (and contact solutions) - if applicable
Prescription medication / Small first aid kit - aspirin, Advil, moleskin, tape
Head lamp & batteries
Water bottle - Nalgene (1) and Thermos - unbreakable
Ear plugs / Passport
Money for extra food and incidentals in huts
Lunches and snacks for the tour.
What do we need or not: We do not need a sleeping bag since the huts are equipped with blankets, you may use a sleeping sac, I
do not use any myself. The huts operate like a restaurant, you can buy, drinks, snacks, postcards, T-shirts. Breakfast and dinner are
serve at one time and are healthy meals. Still!! These are mountain huts and the sleeping arrangement is dorm style, the outhouse is
separated from the hut( short walk). No water available for washing just for the teeth, I suggest “wet ones” instead.
Each hut has a corner to dry clothes if needed, overall they are warm and cozy.
Hut are equipped with phone and you will be able to use a phone card to call the US if needed ( I successfully use ATT&MCI card)
Personal gear: Ski gear: Alpine touring boots, skis with AT bindings, skins, skis crampons, poles. Or same with telemark set up. The
safety gear include, tranceivers, probe, shovel, harness, ice axe, crampons.
You do not need to have much extra maybe one pair of socks and a cotton Tshirt, We can dry things well over night. The lightest pack
possible make for an easier tour.
Use a light pair of gloves for most uphill and a heavy pair for downhill and stormy days, sun glasses and goggles can be hard to
protect, leave them near the top of your pack in a case you need them. Bring a small first aid kit to deal with blisters if needed, have
some aspirins and band aid. Do not forget sun cream and lip protection and a base ball cap.
The sun can be intense. For clothes use the layering system. In a storm you should have three to four layers on. On the bottom use
long Jones, ski pants and Gore-Tex. Some people prefer to use Gore-Tex as day pants, with a good zipper you should be able to vent
them well. Top, you need, first a comfort layer, silk or capilene, second a warm layers that breath well but is warm, fleece turtleneck
plus fleece jacket. At last the Gore-Tex jacket that protect you well against wind, snow, cold. For Snacks: diversity is the Key, bring
what you like to eat.
If you decide to tour with a snowboard, please let’s set a meeting time to talk. In the past I tried short skis, snowshoe and split board. I
recommend the split board but a high level a proficiency is require. One must be able to handle hard spring snow as well as deep
snow. From the previous experiences it is not easy especially with deep snow.
Haute Route Ski Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 : Welcoming in Chamonix. Prepare equipment and review ski tour.
Day 2: A perfect way to acclimatize for the Haute Route is to ski the Vallee Blanche. Although this run can be accessed by lifts, it is
rugged glacial terrain that will allow the skier to prepare for the type of necessary along the Haute Route. Spectacular views of some
of the worlds best know mountains are an added treat.
Day 3: Leave Chamonix to go to Argentière and ascend the Grand Montet by gondola. From the top, we will ski down and skin up to
the Argentière Hut (2,771 m / 9,089')
Day 4: Departing from the Argentière Hut, we will climb the Chardonnet Pass take in the spectacular views before skiing to the Trient
Hut.
Day 5: This day sports a descent starting in the high mountains and finishing on the Rhone valley floor via Champex. Transportation
will be provided to Verbier with the day ending at the Mt. Fort Hut.
Day 6: The Rosablanche will be our high point for this day followed by a marvelous alpine descent of this snow and glacier clad
mountain, finishing at the Prafleuri hut.
Day 7: Traverse from Prafleuri hut to les Dix hut via the col des Roux, lac des dix and the pas du chat ( the cat step )
Day 8: The climb to the top of the Pigne d'Arolla provides splendid views and leaves us, after a pleasant descent, perched at the
Vignette Hut.
Day 9: After ascending the Tête Blanche via Col Brulé and col de L’Eveque we will enjoy the thrill of our final Haute Route descent
into Zermatt.
Difficulty:
This is a strenuous tour and requires a high level of fitness. Participants must be strong skiers able to perform strong stem christies
while carrying a pack in variable conditions: Powder, hard spring snow, crud and everything in between. Basic mountaineering skills
are helpful, we may use a rope, ice axe, and crampons. Your guide will be happy to teach you these skills during the tour.
Tour dates: March 22 - 30, 2010 / April 12 - 20, 2010
9 days / 9 nights. Not including travel time from and to your location.
Plan your own tour at your own dates. Contact us for details
2010 price:
5 persons $ 2,500.00 per person
4 persons $ 2,800.00 per person
3 persons $ 3,350.00 per person
Service include:
Professional Bilingual guide & expenses
Transportation during the tour,
Lifts, Aiguille Du Midi, Argentiere, Verbier, Furi-Zermatt
Train and buses, Champex to Verbier.
Hotel in Chamonix 2 nights, with breakfast
Zermatt 1 night. With breakfast
Mountain Huts 6 nights, with breakfast and dinners.
Group technical equipment. First aid kit, ropes, radio, rescue sled, repair kit.
Satellite phone ( per minute charge)
Transfer luggage’s to Zermatt.
Service does not include:
Transfer to Chamonix and from Zermatt
Meals in town, picnic lunches
Personal gear
Rescue insurance
Incidentals
Ski Mountaineering Equipment List:
Technical gear:
Transceiver/Shovel/probe
Harness & Prussiks
2 Locking carabiners
Ice axe ( short 50 to 60 cm.)& Crampons
Personal gear:
Alpine Touring skis with AT bindings or telemark skis
Alpine Touring boots or telemark boots (make sure they fit well)
Ski crampons / Adjustable poles / Climbing skins
Snowboard package. (I recommend the split board system)
Back pack (45L - 50L)
Warm Hat (wool or fleece) & Sun hat or visor
Sunglasses & Goggles (flexible and carrying case)
Light weight gloves (fleece) & Heavy weight gloves or mittens w/ Goretex shells
Neck gaiter or scarf
Layering system:
Light, Mid weight Capilene underwear - top and bottoms (1 set)
Warm socks and liners (2 sets)
Sweater or Synchilla fleece jacket/ pullover
Jacket - Goretex with good hood & Ski pants and Goretex pants
Cotton T- shirt - for hut (1)
Down coat is not useful but if you do bring one, make sure it is very compact. Better to use a puffball style.
Other items:
Camera, film & batteries / Sunscreen & lip screen
Personal items - toothbrush, toothpaste, handi-wipes
Extra pair of prescription glasses or contacts (and contact solutions) - if applicable
Prescription medication / Small first aid kit - aspirin, Advil, moleskin, tape
Head lamp & batteries
Water bottle - Nalgene (1) and Thermos - unbreakable
Ear plugs / Passport
Money for extra food and incidentals in huts
Lunches and snacks for the tour.
What do we need or not: We do not need a sleeping bag since the huts are equipped with blankets, you may use a sleeping sac, I
do not use any myself. The huts operate like a restaurant, you can buy, drinks, snacks, postcards, T-shirts. Breakfast and dinner are
serve at one time and are healthy meals. Still!! These are mountain huts and the sleeping arrangement is dorm style, the outhouse is
separated from the hut( short walk). No water available for washing just for the teeth, I suggest “wet ones” instead.
Each hut has a corner to dry clothes if needed, overall they are warm and cozy.
Hut are equipped with phone and you will be able to use a phone card to call the US if needed ( I successfully use ATT&MCI card)
Personal gear: Ski gear: Alpine touring boots, skis with AT bindings, skins, skis crampons, poles. Or same with telemark set up. The
safety gear include, tranceivers, probe, shovel, harness, ice axe, crampons.
You do not need to have much extra maybe one pair of socks and a cotton Tshirt, We can dry things well over night. The lightest pack
possible make for an easier tour.
Use a light pair of gloves for most uphill and a heavy pair for downhill and stormy days, sun glasses and goggles can be hard to
protect, leave them near the top of your pack in a case you need them. Bring a small first aid kit to deal with blisters if needed, have
some aspirins and band aid. Do not forget sun cream and lip protection and a base ball cap.
The sun can be intense. For clothes use the layering system. In a storm you should have three to four layers on. On the bottom use
long Jones, ski pants and Gore-Tex. Some people prefer to use Gore-Tex as day pants, with a good zipper you should be able to vent
them well. Top, you need, first a comfort layer, silk or capilene, second a warm layers that breath well but is warm, fleece turtleneck
plus fleece jacket. At last the Gore-Tex jacket that protect you well against wind, snow, cold. For Snacks: diversity is the Key, bring
what you like to eat.
If you decide to tour with a snowboard, please let’s set a meeting time to talk. In the past I tried short skis, snowshoe and split board. I
recommend the split board but a high level a proficiency is require. One must be able to handle hard spring snow as well as deep
snow. From the previous experiences it is not easy especially with deep snow.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
HOME
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |