The Haute Route

For Himalayan climbers, it's Everest. For alpinists, it's the Matterhorn. For big wall climbers, it's El Capitan. And for ski mountaineers, if there's one objective that represents what it's all about, that has a magnetic attraction, the box that just has to be ticked, it's the Haute Route.

In truth, there are many Haute Routes, but THE Haute Route is the journey from Chamonix to Zermatt. Conceived by the Alpine Club in 1861, it traverses some of the finest alpine scenery in the world, starting in the shadow of Mont Blanc and finishing under the spectacular north face of the Matterhorn. On the way it crosses a wide variety of terrain: complex glaciers, narrow cols, airy summits with altitudes up to nearly 4000m.

The snow can be everything from the fluffiest powder to the most horrendous breakable crust. You get to visit 3 countries - France, Switzerland and Italy - stay in mountain huts that range from spartan to luxurious and (depending on which variation you take) climb up and ski down up to 10,000m in 7 days of eating, sleeping, breathing and living a full-on mountain skiing experience.

There are many ways of doing the Haute Route, but most start in Chamonix, the magnet for alpinists and off-piste skiers just an hour's drive from Geneva airport. Most parties will start by having a day of off-piste at Les Grands Montets to warm the legs up, finishing at the Argentiere hut with the cinema screen of the Droites just opposite. The first "proper" day is one of the hardest - a 3 or 4 hour climb to the Col de Chardonnet, then descent off the far side usually involves a rope for extra security.

The climb to the Fenetre de Saleina can be steep and hot, and the Trient hut is always very welcome. Day 3 crosses the Col des Ecandies which can hold great powder even late in the season, and then a ski down to the village of Champex. A bus to Verbier follows for a pleasant late lunch, and then Verbier's efficient lift system whisks you to the Col des Gentianes and a sweeping descent to the Mont Fort hut, with its great menu and hot showers (!).

Crossing 2 cols on day 4 leads you to the summit of the Rosablanche at 3336m, a great viewpoint to see both where you've been, and the delights to come. Descent to the Prafleuri hut follows, a charming secluded spot that's a million miles from the bright lights of Verbier. You traverse the next day - all day - over the Col Roux and then along the shore of the Lac des Dix, eventually gaining the Dix hut, one of the best in the Alps with its friendly staff and excellent Swiss cuisine.

Day 6 is the high point - in altitude terms at least - of the Haute Route, skiing over the Pigne d'Arolla at 3796m. The ascent switchbacks up for 4 or 5 hours through glacial terrain, eventually leading to the summit where you can marvel at how extreme skiers can ski the 55° of its north face. Descent down to the Vignettes hut is a much more amenable angle (phew!). Perched on a cliff edge, there's time to rest here before the final big day.

This last day is a ski mountaineer's icon. Travelling through three cols, across seven glaciers and visiting two countries, it demands skiing ability, crampon work, navigation skills, and good luck with the weather. If all goes well, the reward is the 2000 m descent down the Zmuttgletscher right under the north face of the Matterhorn. A series of beautiful pitches take you from the Col de Valpelline down to the resort of Zermatt. If snow conditions are good, the skis only come off at the start of Zermatt's high street. Beer will never have tasted so good!

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