Vital Issues to Know & FAQ – Earth Trekkers

It’s a unprecedented journey however not with out its challenges. With 14 levels, a number of variations to the route, and a slim window of time that the Walker’s Haute Route might be tried, simply planning it could really feel like an journey.

After which there are the bodily challenges. The Walker’s Haute Route is among the hardest multi-day walks in Europe, much more difficult than the Tour du Mont Blanc, so you’ll have to assess in case you are even in a position to hike the total route. And a few coaching and pre-trek climbing actually pays off as effectively.

And at last, there could also be belongings you by no means considered. What’s a typical day like on the Haute Route? What if the climate is dangerous? What is going to I eat? The place will I sleep?

On this information, we hope to reply all the questions you will have in regards to the Walker’s Haute Route, and possibly some you haven’t considered but. And if we missed one thing, tell us within the remark part under and we’d be more than pleased to reply your questions.

Walker’s Haute Route: Questions & Solutions

What’s the Walker’s Haute Route?

The Walker’s Haute Route is a multi-stage stroll by means of the French and Swiss Alps. It’s often walked from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland.

On this path, a lot of the mountain ascents are finished very first thing within the morning, on the facet of the mountain that’s nonetheless within the shade, till the morning solar will get greater within the sky. That method, a lot of the climbs are finished within the shade, serving to hold hikers cool.

There are a number of variations to the Walker’s Haute Route. The traditional route has 14 levels, and through this journey, walkers will cross 10 of the best mountain passes in France and Switzerland.

We hiked all 14 levels and made a couple of detours. Our distance got here in at 204 km (127 miles) with 14,300 m (47,000 ft) of complete ascent and 13,700 m (45,000 ft) of complete descent. We hiked the Haute Route in 13 days from the top of July into early August 2022.

It takes most individuals 13 to 14 days to stroll the Haute Route.

Walker’s Haute Route map

Walker’s Haute Route Elevation Profile

There’s Extra Than One “Haute Route”

Courting again to the nineteenth century, the Haute Route initially began out as a mountaineering route after which grew to become an alpine snowboarding route. The title “Haute Route” in French interprets to “Excessive Route.”

Within the twentieth century, as climbing trails have been developed all through France and Switzerland, a variation of the skier’s Haute Route was tailored to a strolling route and have become what we now know because the Walker’s Haute Route.

However this strolling route isn’t the one “Haute Route” on the planet.

The time period “Haute Route” may also consult with the mountaineering route by means of the French and Swiss Alps, from Chamonix to Zermatt. To do that, you have to have a really excessive degree of health, mountaineering expertise, and a data of the Alps. This time period additionally refers back to the snowboarding route from Chamonix to Zermatt within the winter months.

Hauteroute.org is an organization that hosts multi-day biking occasions, the place beginner cyclists can full a 3, 5, or 7-day biking route by means of the Alps or Pyrenees.

And as multi-day walks and treks develop in recognition, different international locations are establishing their very own “Haute Routes,” like this one in Norway.

A Typical Day on the Haute Route

On a typical day on the Walker’s Haute Route, hikers will stroll about 16 km (10 miles) with 1,140 meters (3,740 ft) of complete ascent. This takes 6 to 7 hours on common.

We prefer to get an early begin. On most days, we might get up between 6 and 6:30 am, pack up our day packs, and have breakfast. In each place we stayed, whether or not it was a mountain hut or a resort, we might have some type of breakfast. This was often espresso, juice, meat and cheese, bread, muesli, and fruit.

On most days, between 7 and seven:30 am we might begin climbing. And most days, we had about 6 hours of climbing, which meant that we have been completed between 1 and a pair of pm. We’d sit all the way down to a sizzling lunch after which examine into our resort or mountain hut, take showers, and calm down for the remainder of the day.

Within the night, we might have dinner and play playing cards and typically socialize with different hikers.

There isn’t a must get began that early, nevertheless it does have its benefits. It’s cooler earlier within the day and the climate is best. Some afternoons, thunderstorms rolled in round 2 or 3 pm, and it’s a good suggestion to be off the paths when these storms roll by means of.

Tim and Kara on the Walker’s Haute Route

How Exhausting is the Walker’s Haute Route?

The Walker’s Haute Route is hard. We had a number of days the place we hiked greater than a mile in ascent (greater than 1,600 meters), which is a whole lot of climbing to do. Earlier than the Haute Route, we had solely finished this a couple of instances (on Half Dome, the Enchantments, and climbing rim-to-rim within the Grand Canyon).

And the subsequent day…it’s not a relaxation day. You will have to get up and do it once more.

We additionally did the Everest Base Camp trek in 2014. Tyler and Kara have been simply 10 and 11 on the time. By way of climbing, the Haute Route is MUCH tougher. The longer distances, large ascents, and knee crushing descents make the EBC trek nearly look flat.

However what makes the Everest trek tough is the altitude. For a lot of the EBC trek, we have been effectively over 10,000 ft, getting as much as 18,000 ft at one level. That is fatiguing in a a lot totally different method.

On the Haute Route, you by no means recover from 3,000 meters (10,000 ft), though you do get shut a couple of instances. Altitude illness isn’t a priority, nevertheless it does take a couple of days to adapt to climbing at this greater altitude.

All 4 of us agree that the Haute Route is more durable than the Everest Base Camp trek. The longer day by day distances, the large quantities of ascents, and only a few relaxation days makes the Haute Route bodily harder than EBC in our opinion.

The view from Fênetre d’Arpette, Stage 3

How Match Do You Have to Be?

It is advisable be very match to hike the Walker’s Haute Route.

If you happen to plan to hike the Haute Route, a 16 km/10-mile day with 1,100 meters/3,500 ft of complete ascent must be straightforward for you, earlier than beginning this trek.

The day after day climbing does construct up a degree of fatigue that sticks with you to the top of the trek, so that you must have a wonderful degree of health earlier than beginning this stroll, or you’ll be miserably drained and sore for many of it.

We have been all doing lengthy, hilly runs of 8 to 13 miles within the months main as much as the Haute Route. Earlier than beginning the Haute Route, we spent 9 days climbing within the Dolomites of Italy and 4 days climbing within the mountains round Chamonix, France.

We went into the Haute Route with a excessive degree of health. Even so, the primary few climbs have been nonetheless robust.

As you progress by means of the Haute Route days, your degree of health will improve. The large climbs get simpler, partly since you are healthier, but additionally as a result of I believe you simply mentally and bodily modify to day after day of massive mountain ascents.

Tyler, who was 19 on the time and very match, crushed the ascents and spent a whole lot of time ready for us to catch up. Kara, by the top of the Haute Route, was proper there with him. And Tim and I (at 51 and 47 years previous on the time) have been no sluggish pokes on the path (however our youngsters made us look that method).

If you happen to do any climbing after the Haute Route (should you plan to spend a while in Zermatt), you’ll fly up the climbing trails. Think about doing the climb up the Breithorn…it’s a 4,000+ meter ascent however the Haute Route coaching can have you effectively ready for this mountain climb.

In conclusion, I like to recommend that you just practice for the Haute Route by happening lengthy runs and/or doing back-to-back mountain hikes simply earlier than this trek. If you are able to do a few of this climbing round 3,000 meters (10,000 ft) or greater, that’s an added bonus.

Col de Prafleurie, one of many highest mountain passes

When Can You Hike the Haute Route?

There’s a slim window of time you could hike the Walker’s Haute Route.

That is usually finished from mid-July by means of mid-September, when the paths are away from snow.

Mountain huts open mid-June, however going this early, you threat climbing on trails which might be nonetheless snow-covered, which could possibly be harmful.

We hiked the Haute Route from July 24 to August 5, which can also be the busiest time to be on the paths.

Walker’s Haute Route Stage 12

How Crowded are the Trails?

Many of the levels take you thru distant territory. On as of late, you will note only a few different Haute Route trekkers and a handful of day hikers. If our pictures seem like we have been out on our personal, that’s as a result of we have been (however getting an early begin helps too). More often than not, the Haute Route trails have been splendidly uncrowded.

Probably the most crowded trails have been levels 1, 2, and three, once we shared the paths with these climbing the Tour du Mont Blanc.

The TMB is a way more standard trek and the variety of hikers on the paths and within the motels and lodges illustrated this. On as of late, we encountered an nearly regular stream of hikers coming in direction of us (the TMB hikers stroll the identical trails in the other way).

As soon as on stage 4 (Champex-Lac to Le Chable) we left the TMB circuit and have been on our personal.

There are a couple of locations alongside the Walker’s Haute Route the place you’ll encounter some day hikers (Lac Bleu and Lac de Moiry), however this isn’t the norm. For essentially the most half, levels 3 by means of 14 are moderately empty.

Walker’s Haute Route stage 2, a view of Le Tour and Mont Blanc

Ought to I Hike the Haute Route or the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a multi-day trek that loops round Mont Blanc. It’s usually finished in 11 days, has a distance of 180 km (110 miles), and has roughly 10,700 meters (35,000 ft) of complete ascent. It’s shorter and simpler than the Walker’s Haute Route.

The Tour du Mont Blanc has been on our to-do listing for a very long time. It’s recognition and the truth that you hike round Mont Blanc sounds superior. However finally, we selected the Haute Route as a result of it sounded extra fascinating.

Strolling throughout the French and Swiss Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn…how superior does that sound? And doing so on a much less crowded path by means of a much less touristy space, for us, the Walker’s Haute Route gave the impression of a greater possibility. Plus, we liked the additional problem of climbing the more durable route.

I’m so glad we selected the Haute Route.

For one factor, the TMB trails have been very crowded, and so was the dorm that we stayed in in Trient. As soon as we left the TMB trails behind, the climbing was a way more nice expertise.

And through our time in Chamonix, we had so many great views of Mont Blanc that I don’t really feel prefer it’s essential to hike for 11 days for comparable views.

If you happen to don’t thoughts climbing an extended, tougher route, and also you wish to hike by means of the Alps on quieter trails and expertise extra tranquility alongside the hike, choose the Haute Route.

However in case you are in search of one thing shorter, simpler, and extra well-known, then go together with the Tour du Mont Blanc.

We spoke to a number of totally different individuals who did each and so they unanimously agreed that the Haute Route is more durable, however it’s a extra stunning journey than the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Lac des Dix, stage 7

The Haute Route is Not as Distant as You May Suppose

On the Haute Route, you’ll spend days strolling by means of distant landscapes and can keep in mountain huts removed from the cities and hamlets. It’s common, on a few of these days, to see only a few different hikers on the paths.

However not every single day is like this.

Additionally, you will have days the place you stroll from city to city, or descend beneath gondolas on slopes which might be stuffed with skiers within the winter, or stroll previous lakes which might be busy with day hikers.

Our favourite days have been the extra distant ones, the place we felt like we have been all on our personal, gazing at majestic mountains and large glaciers.

However strolling by means of the Swiss cities, despite the fact that it could not sound as thrilling, has its benefits.

The Haute Route is extra than simply climbing by means of a rugged mountainous panorama. On this stroll, additionally, you will get to expertise a much less touristy facet of Switzerland.

As you stroll by means of the small cities, locals will put their heads out of the home windows and say Bonjour! as you go by means of city. On the town, you possibly can cease off at a café for a snack, some water, or to take a break. Outdoors of city, you’ll stroll previous farms and see cows, horses, goats, and sheep.

At instances, you’ll stroll alongside gravel roads, predominant streets of city, and even busier two-lane roads that run by means of Switzerland.

And nearly each night time, you’ll sleep in a small city or hamlet. And with that comes a sizzling dinner, the possibility to remain in a resort moderately than a mountain hut or dorm, and have mobile service to remain in contact with family and friends.

Sembrancher, Walker’s Haute Route Stage 4

You’ll See a Lot of Cows

Since a whole lot of the Walker’s Haute Route trails go by means of farms, you will note a whole lot of cows alongside this journey. The clanging of cow bells, and dodging a couple of cow pies right here and there, turns into a standard expertise on the Haute Route.

Cows on Stage 12 of the Walker’s Haute Route

And There’s a Good Probability You’ll See Ibex or Chamois

We noticed each ibex and chamois a number of instances on the Walker’s Haute Route.

An ibex has lengthy horns, is often discovered above the tree line, and are often unafraid of individuals. We noticed ibex close to Cabane de Prafleuri, alongside the mountain peaks close to a number of the highest mountain passes, and on the Europahütte.

Chamois are usually discovered the place there’s extra vegetation, such because the forest or in areas with thick brush. They’ve a white face and smaller antlers. They’re extra afraid of people, so should you spot one, they have a tendency to run away nearly instantly. We noticed chamois on the stroll between the Europahütte and Zermatt (stage 14).

An ibex on the Europahütte 

Will I Have Mobile Service?

For more often than not, sure. Because you spend most nights in a small city or hamlet, and spend time strolling from city to city, you’ll have mobile service for almost all of the trek.

As soon as within the extra distant areas, you’ll lose the mobile sign (we didn’t have service between Cabane du Mont Fort to Arolla…levels 6 and seven).

We used Airalo as our mobile service supplier.

You Can Have a Scorching Lunch Virtually Each Day

One in every of our favourite issues about doing the Walker’s Haute Route was the possibility to have three meals a day. We began early sufficient within the morning that by the point we completed the stage, it was early afternoon. The 4 of us may sit all the way down to lunch, eating on rosti, pasta, and cheeseburgers.

There have been a couple of days the place this wasn’t a risk, since we didn’t finish the day on the town or go by means of a city (notably levels 6 and seven). On as of late, we ordered a packed lunch from the resort/hut that morning after which ate it on the path.

Refuge du Col de Balme

You Can Eat No matter You Need

Six to seven hours a day of climbing, going roughly 16 km (10 miles) every day…we have been HUNGRY. We usually ate 4 meals a day and ate no matter we needed. Many days, despite the fact that we knew we might finish on the town, we nonetheless ordered the picnic lunch from the hut/resort within the morning, and ate it as a second breakfast, often on the prime of a mountain go.

Tim and Tyler every misplaced greater than 5 kilos on the trek. Kara and I misplaced much less. However we have been consuming like loopy…cheese, meat, potatoes, ice cream sundaes, chocolate. Not the healthiest of diets, nevertheless it was a pleasant perk, to indulge for per week or two, with out packing on the kilos.

Keep in Mountain Huts, Residences, and Even 5-Star Motels

On the Walker’s Haute Route, you possibly can keep in something from a dormitory to a 5-star resort.

The Walker’s Haute Route might be finished with out spending some huge cash. The dormitories are comparatively low cost, averaging about $80 USD per day, which incorporates your mattress, breakfast, and dinner. For just a little additional, add on a packed lunch. If you happen to backpack the Haute Route (carry your whole issues, moderately than hiring a baggage switch service), you will get by on $100 USD per day.

We’ve stayed in hostels and dormitories around the globe, together with mountain huts on the Everest Base Camp trek. The dorms in Switzerland are our least favourite. Small mattresses are lined up in a single lengthy line, and you would be sandwiched between two strangers, in a room holding 6, 8, 10 or extra individuals.

Dorms have rooms that may accommodate 2 individuals and 4 individuals, however these are onerous to get (make your reservations in January or February) and never at all times assured once you make your reservation.

There are a couple of locations the place it’s important to keep in a dorm (mountain hut), since that’s all there’s. On the listing are Cabane du Mont Fort (finish of stage 5), Cabane de Prafleuri (finish of stage 6), Cabane de Moiry (should you select to not keep in Grimentz on the finish of stage 9), and the Europahütte (finish of stage 13).

Cabane de Louvie was our favourite mountain hut. It’s situated on a stupendous lake (it’s the header photograph for this information). Because it’s a detour off the principle Walker’s Haute Route path, this hut is much less touristy and fewer crowded. It’s effectively well worth the detour and a nicer place to remain than Cabane du Mont Fort.

If you happen to plan to remain within the dorms for a lot of the trek, I like to recommend including in a couple of motels alongside the best way. It’s good to have some privateness, your individual rest room, and to flee being packed in a sizzling room with a bunch of individuals.

We solely stayed in dorms/huts when obligatory. More often than not, we stayed in a resort on the town.

Our favourite locations have been Resort Mont-Lac in Champex (we had an condominium and washer), Resort Mélèze in Grimentz (small, cozy, clear, with impeccable service and an onsite restaurant), and Resort Dents de Veisivi in Les Haudères (stunning Swiss-style resort).

In every of our Haute Route stage guides, we listing the place we stayed and provides extra choices to look into. You may see all of those guides in our Walker’s Haute Route Journey Information.

Cabane du Mont Fort

What about Baggage? Do I Should Carry The whole lot With Me?

No. You shouldn’t have to backpack the Walker’s Haute Route should you don’t wish to.

Since many levels finish on the town, and the cities are linked by roads, you possibly can rent a baggage switch service that can transport your baggage from resort to resort.

Every morning, we’d pack up our baggage and put it within the resort foyer. Sooner or later in the course of the day, the baggage service would choose up our suitcases and drive them to the resort within the subsequent city. By the point we completed the stage and checked into the resort, our baggage was there ready for us.

There are a couple of levels the place you can not get your issues, since you possibly can’t drive to the extra distant mountain huts. On as of late, we needed to carry what we wanted in our day packs (change of garments, toiletries, and many others.) However this solely occurred a couple of instances (levels 5, 6, and 13).

The corporate we used is Taxi Follonier.

The view from the Sentier de Chamois

What if the Climate is Dangerous?

Sooner or later, it should rain as you stroll the Haute Route. We received fortunate and this solely occurred a couple of days. And more often than not, when it did rain, it was within the afternoon or night, so it didn’t have an effect on our trek.

But when it does rain, or if storms are within the forecast, there are quick cuts to take in the course of the stage (these are effectively outlined within the ebook Trekking Chamonix to Zermatt, The Basic Walker’s Haute Route by Kev Reynolds) to shorten it or keep away from sections of the path that would develop into harmful in storms or rain.

Or, if the climate is admittedly dangerous, it’s attainable to fully skip many levels, by hiring a taxi or driving a bus from one city to a different. The one time this isn’t attainable is when climbing from Cabane du Mont Fort to Arolla (levels 6 and seven) since that is essentially the most distant part of the Walker’s Haute Route.

It’s Straightforward to Skip or Shorten the Levels

If you happen to don’t have a full 14 days to hike the Walker’s Haute Route, you possibly can eradicate some levels. The very best ones to skip are Stage 1 (Chamonix to Argentiere) and Stage 13 (stroll immediately from St. Niklaus to Zermatt within the valley, combining levels 13 and 14 into at some point).

You can too shorten levels, by driving the cable vehicles to eradicate large climbs or descents. Levels 5, 10, and 12 fall into this class.

Haute Route Stage 10. You’ve the choice to take the gondola and skip the downhill hike.

Is the Walker’s Haute Route Value It?

Completely. That is an unbelievable journey throughout the French and Swiss Alps. Strolling from Chamonix to Zermatt takes you to distant mountain huts, to tiny hamlets on the mountainsides, and small villages within the valleys. Alongside the best way, you get to see a number of the most breathtaking views of the Alps. It’s a tricky trek however you’ll make some unbelievable recollections that you’ll cherish for the remainder of your life.

Remaining stage of the Walker’s Haute Route

Steadily Requested Questions

How lengthy does the Haute Route take?

In complete, the Walker’s Haute Route is 209 km (130 miles) with 14,800 meters (48,500 ft) of complete ascent. Most individuals do that in 13 to 14 days, averaging about 16 km (10 miles) per day.

How onerous is the Haute Route?

The Walker’s Haute Route is hard. On the typical day, you’ll hike 16 km (10 miles) with 1,100 meters (3,500 ft) of ascent. And you’ll do that 13 instances in a row, should you full the Haute Route in 13 days. With the day by day lengthy distances, large climbs, and typically painful descents, this can be a robust trek and it’s often known as one of many hardest multi-day walks in Europe.

Do you want a information for the Haute Route?

No, you don’t want a information for the Walker’s Haute Route. The paths are very effectively signed and straightforward to observe in Switzerland. A very good guidebook (we suggest Trekking Chamonix to Zermatt, The Basic Walker’s Haute Route by Kev Reynolds) will clarify the day by day route and offer you choices to shorten it, ought to you will have dangerous climate.

What do you do along with your baggage on the Haute Route?

You may both backpack the Walker’s Haute Route (carrying the whole lot in a backpack) or you possibly can rent a baggage switch service. The switch service will transport your baggage from one resort to a different, so that you by no means have to hold your issues, apart from a small day pack.