Back country skiing and snowboarding

Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route Skiing Riding with a Mountain Guide

From Chamonix Mont Blanc, ski and alpinism capital to the bottom of Matterhorn Zermatt in Switzerland: the effort of skinning up a mountain rewarded by untamed back country skiing/snowboarding descents in splendid landscapes and in the heart of a preserved nature.  Chamonix-Zermatt, a historical long-distance ski trek traversed since the end of the 19th century as a means of connecting these two large capitals of mountaineering, also called the Haute Route. The pleasure of the physical effort, an autonomy in the mountains, wild off-piste skiing snowboarding, moments of sliding to experience in the French and Swiss Alps.

The Program

• Day 1 | Chamonix – Argentière Hut
  Altitude gain = 590 feet |Descent = 2296 feet
  Meet at 9 :00 am in front of the entrance to the Grands Montets cable car. After checking that we have all of our necessary equipment, we ride to the top of the two cable cars. Descent by way of the Rognon Glacier to the Argentiere Glacier. After an hour of backcountry skiing, we arrive at the Argentiere Hut. In the afternoon, we will familiarize ourselves with the avalanche rescue equipment and the backcountry ski equipment.
  
  
• Day 2 | Argentière Hut - Champex
  Altitude gain = 3,349 feet | Descent = 7, 647feet
  Chardonnet Pass at 10, 902 feet, Fenetre de Saleina at 10,698 feet and then descend on the Trient Glacier to the Ecandies Pass at 9,173 feet. Descend into the Arpette Valley to Champex Village. You are then in Switzerland! Night in a typical Swiss hotel around the Champex Lake (showers).
  
  
• Day 3 | Verbier –Cabane Prafleuri
  Altitude gain = 2,624 feet Descent = 3,868 feet
  Early in the morning, we take a taxi or the local bus for the Verbier ski area. Lift up to the Gentianes Pass. Descend to the foot of Chaux Pass at 9,645 feet and then ascend it. Then, the Momin Pass at 9,852 feet. Ascend the Rose Blanche at 10, 912 feet without back pack and descend to the Prafleuri Cabane at 8,608 feet.
  
  
• Day 4 | Cabane Prafleuri - Cabane des Dix
  Altitude gain = 2,368 feet Descent = 1,377 feet
  Col des Roux at 9,199 feet, descend via the Pas du Chat at 7,828 feet, climb back up to the Dix Cabane at 9,606 feet.
  
  
• Day 5 | Cabane des Dix – Cabane des Vignettes
  Altitude gain = 2,847 feet Descent = 2, 086 feet
  Ascend La Pigne d’Arolla at 12,454 feet and descend to the Vignettes Cabane at 10,360 feet.
  
  
• Day 6| Cabane des Vignettes – Cabane Bertol
  Altitude gain = 3,786 feet Descent = 3,362 feet
  Eveque Pass at 11,128 feet. Descend the Arolla Glacier and then climb up to the Bertol Cabane.
  
  
• Day 7| Cabane Bertol - Zermatt
  Altitude gain = 1,354 feet Descent = 6,968 feet.
  After traversing the Tete Blanche Pass at 11,692 feet, optional ascent of Tete Blanche at 12,217 feet, and then we begin our descent on the Stockji Glacier and then the Tiefmatten Glacier before arriving at the foot of the Matterhorn which wel follow all the way to the slopes of the Zermatt Ski Resort.
  Normally, we arrive in Zermatt in the middle of the day. Our taxi awaits us in Tach Village (15 minutes from Zermatt). We need two hours to return to Chamonix.

NB : This progam is only indicative and can be modified by the mountain guide due to bad freezing conditions or due to the the level of the participants or due to weather and snow conditions.