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Chamonix · Ski touring
The Haute Route is a six-day ski traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt, crossing roughly 120 km of glaciated terrain and finishing beneath the Matterhorn. Skiers climb on skins each morning and sleep in mountain huts, with the Pigne d'Arolla at 3,796 m the high point.
The Haute Route is a six-day ski traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt, and almost every operator programmes a seventh day as weather contingency.
TYPICAL ROUTE: The tour opens with a briefing the evening before — kit check, transceiver check, and a conversation about the forecast. Day one is usually a warm-up at the Grands Montets, partly to ski, partly so the guide can watch every member of the group before committing to the traverse. A short tour then leads to the Argentière hut for the first night.
The second day crosses into Switzerland by either the Col du Chardonnet or the Col du Passon, depending on which is in condition. Both involve sections of roped movement on foot, and the Chardonnet in recent years has often required an abseil rather than a ski descent.
From there the route works through the Val d'Arpette, a transfer to the Verbier lift system, and a series of cols leading to the Prafleuri hut. The middle days are a dream: early start, skins on, several hundred metres of climbing, a beautiful descent, another climb, arrival at a hut in the mid-afternoon.
The final day is the one people remember: three cols and six glaciers, finishing with a 1,900 m descent under the north face of the Matterhorn into Zermatt.
The route leaves Chamonix through the Argentière basin, crossing into Switzerland at either the Col du Chardonnet or the Col du Passon and descending to the Trient hut or the Relais d'Arpette above Champex. From there the Val d'Arpette gives a long north-facing descent to Champex, followed by a road transfer to the Verbier lifts.
The Swiss middle section runs through the Prafleuri hut, the long traverse above the Lac des Dix, and the climb to the Dix hut. The Pigne d'Arolla at 3,796 m is the high point, sometimes climbed (dependent on the guide/route) with the Vignettes hut below it on its rock crest.
The season is March to early May. Before March the days are too short for the long stages and the huts are unstaffed; by mid-May the snow cover could be lacking.
Relevant dates proposed by guides. Each option may vary slightly, so it's worth checking the details and talking to the guide first.
20 Mar 2027
2,250 EUR
Adventure Base
7 days
Embark on an epic six-day journey crossing spectacular glaciated terrain from Chamonix to Zermatt. The Haute Route ski tour has earned its reputation…
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Santeri
Steep Skiing Techniques with Dave Searle
Really great course. I got a lot out of the course that helped me progress my skiing the rest of the season. 5/5 would recommend.
Enea
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
Really good, Francesco was great, I learned a lot and had a great time
yanxiang
3 days Alpine Training & Summit Pigne d’Arolla (3,796 m)
It was great! I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about alpinism techniques.
Alexandra
Crevasse Rescue course
The guide was super competent and the course was very useful for me. Thank you!
Satyen
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
Really great 2-day BMC course in Italy! Learned a lot about mountaineering, safety, and glacier travel. The instructors were knowledgeable, patient, and made the whole experience super fun. Highly recommended!
Finlay
Monte Rosa tour: Climb, learn and discovery the High Mountains
Absolutely incredible tbh. The guides were always willing to give more info than the course outlined if you had a question.
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The Haute Route requires you to climb 1,000 to 1,250 metres on skins on consecutive days, then ski down carrying a pack in whatever snow you find. Prior ski touring experience is essential — this is not a first tour.
Six days of skiing between Chamonix and Zermatt, plus arrival and departure days. Most operators programme a seventh spare day for weather, which significantly increases the chance of completing the full traverse.
A guided Haute Route from Chamonix costs from €1,825 to €2,250 per person for a seven-day programme. That typically covers guiding, hut half-board and the guide's expenses. Lifts, taxis, lunches, drinks and equipment hire are usually extra.
On the Haute Route, guides rearrange hut bookings and adjust the itinerary rather than cancelling. The spare day absorbs one bad day. Where the traverse cannot be completed, the tour usually continues as day touring from a valley base.
On the Haute Route the guide manages glacier travel and carries the rescue kit, so it is not a prerequisite. That said, a crevasse rescue course beforehand makes you a more useful rope-team member and is recommended by most operators.
The best time to ski the Haute Route is mid-March to late April. Earlier means short days and unstaffed huts; May brings unstable afternoon glaciers and thin snow cover in the lower valleys. Late March is the most commonly booked window.
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