The Haute Route, (or The High Route or Mountaineers' Route) is the name given to a route (with several variations) undertaken on foot or by ski touring between Chamonix, France, and Zermatt, Switzerland.
First charted as a summer mountaineering route by members of the Alpine Club (UK) in the mid 19th century, the route takes around 12+ days walking (or 7+ days skiing) the 180 km from the Chamonix valley, home of Mont Blanc, to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn.
Originally dubbed "The High Level Route" in English by members of a British hiking club, the term was translated into French when first successfully undertaken on skis in 1911. Since then, the French prevails.
While the term haute route has become somewhat genericized for any of the many multi-day, hut-to-hut alpine tours, the "Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route" remains the original.
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There is occasionally a danger of collapsing glaciers which can render the path virtually impassable. However, a lower level variation exists that crosses no glaciers.[1][2]
Huts and villages on the walking route
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Low level variation huts and villages
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First successfully completed in 1911, The Haute Route ski tour is likely the most famous and coveted ski tour in the world. Using high mountain huts to allow skiers to stay high and cover substantial distances, it winds through the highest, most dramatic peaks of the Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. It requires good weather, favourable snow conditions and strong effort to complete this line. Because of this, roughly half of the skiers who begin the tour do not complete it.
There are many variations of the HLR (High Level Route) that work their way between Chamonix and Zermatt, including those listed below.[3] It is also possible to add ascents of a number of excellent ski peaks to any of the routes. The winter Haute Route deviates from the summer route to avoid terrain that is dangerous or impassible when snow covered.
Many people will also ski the Haute Route in the opposite direction, by variations that select better ascent and descents.
On 2 May 2008 Lionel Bonnel and Stéphane Brosse, members of the Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne, set the record in 21 hours and 11 minutes.[4]
The winter Haute Route's original line which involves long climbs and mountaineering with ice axe and crampons.
The purest skiing line, and the most frequently done.
A longer, harder, more technical route that eliminates the road break of the Verbier and Classic variations.
See the route descriptions.
Optional ski peak ascents along the listed Haute Route variations include the Mont Blanc, Rosablanche, Pigne d'Arolla, Mont Blanc de Cheilon, Mont Vélan, Breithorn. Some of these peak ascents will require an additional day or more, and range from easy to very technical and difficult.
- 282 S Martigny 1:50,000
- 283 S Arolla 1:50,000
- 284 S Mischabel 1:50,000 [includes Saas Fee extension & Zermatt day-tours]