Haute Route Chamonix - Zermatt

The Haute Route was first completed as a glacier trek during the summer of 1861 by members of the Alpine Club (UK). They named it the High Level Route. It is one of the most spectacular high mountain itineraries in the world, winding its way from Chamonix to Zermatt over remote alpine passes, traversing glaciers and requiring a number of nights in mountain refuges.

In 1903 the Haute Route was skied for the first time, by a group of Frenchmen who translated the name to the Haute Route ski tour, and it passed into ski legend. It remains one of the most famous and most coveted ski tours in the world, with fantastic scenery and exhilarating skiing.

 

The Haute Route adventure is linking the two alpine centres of Chamonix and Zermatt. This great journey traverses the very heart of the Alps, taking in such peaks as the Rosa Blanche and Pigne d’Arolla. There are constantly changing views of Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Grand Combin and Monte Rosa. In the winter this is ski touring at its best, high in the mountains, from refuge to refuge, with long climbs and stunning descents. In summer we hike the Haute Route through acres of alpine pasture, travel across glaciers and stop off at remote picturesque villages.

Starting in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif and ending up in the shadow of one of the most famous mountains in the Alps, the Matterhorn, the Haute Route is a journey that every ski tourer, mountaineer or enthusiastic hill walker, should undertake at least once in their lives. Contact us for availibility.

Have a look at the Ski Tour and Glacier Trek pages for more details, and see the Winter Itinerary for our interactive Google map of the tour which can be downloaded and viewed in 3D with Google Earth.