 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They are amazing pictures! Surely real contenders for next year's calendar.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks ruthie!
I have put the photos up into a site now, in case anyone's interested. Going to add some google maps refs and more links in a bit - any further suggestions welcome!
http://the-haute-route.com/
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Brilliant report, firebug! I wanted to send you by twitter too, but perhaps public note here is better!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Fantastic report and lovely photos. Haute Route really on my wishlist now!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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demos, thanks - look forward to reading yours next year!
lizski, cheers - you should! 
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Amazing pics firebug, must have been demanding. Did you do any training specifically for this?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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nice site, firebug
***pedant alert*** the mountain at the top of the Arolla Glacier is Mt Collon, not Mt Blanc de Cheillon 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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firebug, Great report.. lot of stuff to read over and over
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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firebug,
Great pictures.
I am glad to say that when I did the Haute Route in 2000 we did not go to the Bertol hut. Those ladders would have freaked me out and I noticed that you also used ladders elsewhere which we did not.
I thought we were doing the classic route but perhaps not. I am trying to work out from a guide book which way we went.
I know the last day was very long with three climbs although none of the climbs was difficult. The walk out in Zermatt took up quite a bit of time.
Does anyone know where we might have started on the last day? I am pretty sure we stopped at the Vignettes hut at some point and I was wondering whether the Vignettes hut to Zermatt is possible in one day.
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You know it makes sense.
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richjp, the traditional last day was Vignettes to Zermatt as you did. That is rather a long day though. Breaking it at the Berthol has the advantages of:
1) arriving in Zermatt around midday so you can get back to Cham/home at leisure
2) getting about twice the descent (normally powder all the way) down from the Col de l'Eveque
3) the absolutely stunning views from the Berthol - probably the best on the whole route when I did it.
The downside is a long climb up in the afternoon with the sun behind you in, when we did it, increasingly slushy/sticky snow, and that ladder can be a bit intimidating. I had a 'mare climbing up the valley (skins got wet and picked up about a kg of snow every three steps  ) so I was last up. As one other in our group was going up the ladder though, the guy just up above him leant out to the side and threw up  - which didn't do my colleague any favours  .
The main variation in the route is in the second day after Champex. The "classic route" takes the taxi past Verbier and further up the valley, so then there's a long climb up which includes a tricky/dangerous traverse over the Plateau du Couloir and uses the Valsorey and Chanrion huts (IIRC). The more normal route now is to use the Verbier lift system then go via Montfort (which we skipped and went straight on to ->), Prafleuri and Dix before rejoining the main route at Vignette. The danger of this route is avalanches in the Val des Dix, but it seems generally OK if you're out of there before about 11-11:30am. There is a ladder IIRC from the Dix to the Vignette but we took a more direct route avoiding it.
firebug, excellent. An experience that will stay with you for ever. Looks like you had some really nice weather too - which makes a huge difference. We had mostly pretty gorgeous weather (in March 2005), but had dodgy 2nd (Verbier) and last (Matterhorn) days, so missed summiting both the Rosablanche and Tete Blanche. My photos here
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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GrahamN,
Thank you for that.
What we did after Champex was the Verbier route although there were no lifts working. This was about the second week in May and the huts were closing down literally the day after we passed through them. We therefore took a minibus up as far as we could and then had a steepish hot skis on shoulder job under a chairlift as I recall, followed by skinning to the Montfort hut.
The route I think then was as you described it. We were made aware of the avalanche danger you mentioned and the guides did indeed make sure we got through that area very early.
The last day although long, was not too taxing as both the skinning and the skiing down were pretty straighforward. The sting in the tail was the long walk out in Zermatt which was probably three hours or more because of the time of year. Even then it was not too bad as we knew by then that we had accomplished the tour and could just amble down at a reasonable pace.
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FAQ
), UNTIL I saw all them ladders - instant heebies!! No chance, never, not gonna happen! 
