In Chamonix many of the roads and streets are named after famous mountaineers and guides. I live on avenue Ravenel La Rouge a Chamonix guide who made many first ascents in the Mont Blanc region including the classic high level route from Chamonix to Zermatt.
This traverse is probably the moat famous ski tour in the world. Linking two major alpine centres across some pretty spectacular glacier scenery with some well positioned mountain huts along the way.
In the spring the huts are fully booked and the ski track is in place allowing groups to slot in behind each other every day. It can be a pretty busy place!
Last week I joined Graham Frost for some aspirant guide observation for an early season haute route. The huts are shut this time of year so we used the winter rooms, normally a small section of the hut is left open with a dozen bunk beds, a wood burning stove and somewhere to sit and eat your dinner.
This winter room approach rewards a hardy ski tourer, deserted mountains and fantastic cold powder snow. Away from the three resorts we passed through we saw just two other skiers and we made fresh tracks in some great snow.
It is hard work though, every evening there’s snow to be melted, dinner to be cooked and any luxury’s need to be carried on your back. The trail breaking can be extremely hard work also, the downside to fresh soft snow on a 1300m climb!
Graham’s group were well up to the challenge, and we had a good team effort everyday at the huts with folk mucking in with chores in the evening and carrying their share of the food.
We opted for the classic haute route, starting from the Grand Montet in Chamonix, passing through Verbier and onto Zermatt. Fine sunny weather for the first three days gave way to snow over night at the Dix hut forcing us away from the Peigne and down to Arolla.
After a long afternoon breaking trail to the Bertol hut we were in a good position to get to Zermatt the following day in the brief weather window forecasted. Unfortunately the cloud and wind came a little early and we turned around at the final col to retrace our route to the Bertol hut and down to Arolla. It was a tough decision after all the hard work of the previous few days but the thought of descending a tricky glacier in zero visibility made the choice easy in the end.
Nice powder for our warm up day at Grand Montet
The col du Chardonnet, the first climb of the tour
Fine sunny weather climbing to the col
Loving my new Ski Trab Volares
Enjoying the afternoon sun at the Trient hut
Leaving the Trient hut and crossing the col des Ecandies
Below the col des Ecandies. The benefits of early season touring – cold fresh powder!
We swapped the deserted mountains for the busy resort of Verbier, thankfully not for long.
Solitude
Fresh snow and clearing weather at the Dix hut, looking across at Mont Blanc de Cheilon.
Leaving the Dix hut to ski to Arolla
The ladders on the Pas de Cheves
A well spread out group on our way up to the Bertol hut.
Trail breaking was hard work.
1300m of ascent from Arolla to the Bertol
The well positioned Bertol hut.
Colin in the clouds on the final afternoon, close to Zermatt but not quite close enough…
