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Haute Route, finally completed.....

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Did the Haute Route (Chamonix -> Zermatt) a couple of years ago but the weather closed in on the last night and we weren't able to get to Zermatt Sad

So on Saturday morning Tim and I headed up to Arolla with a view to completing the last stage - Cabane des Vignettes to Zermatt.

Made our way up from Arolla to Cabane des Vignettes. It's on the left side of the right hand col in the picture - you can just about make out the helipad sticking out...


Ad for the Gay Ski Touring society...


The Cabane des Vignettes perched on a cliff!


It's pretty busy at the moment with Haute Route season and people training for the PdG so no room at the inn. Needing to kill a couple of hours in the hope of a late cancellation we decided to head up one of the neighbouring peaks. The Pigne d'Arolla...


Took some pics on the way up. UFO!


Tomorrows route - hopefully!


Prayer flags at the summit


It was pretty hard work. Recovering in one of the complientary deckchairs...


We got lucky and they had a couple of beds spare. Pretty good ones too!


Dawn start for 25km's to Zermatt. We were the 2nd group out....


The Pigne in the morning sunshine. Getting busy on the track.


Smokey


The skin track to the 2nd climb - Mt Brulé


The last bit is pretty steep. Good practice on the conversions!


At the top of the 3rd climb - Col de Valpelline - The Matterhorn made an appearance


Gaping crevasses on the Stockji glacier


Wonderful feeling to be alone(ish) high up in the Alps in the April sunshine and got some miles in our legs in prep for the petit PdG!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
awesome Very Happy spring is a great time of year!

those crevase photos give me the heebie jeebies though!
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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?
bobinch, good effort glad the no booking gamble worked out. You probably got the best snow of the weekend too. Makes me think we should have gone for it in the week but I'd have missed those days on Mt Gele so. Snowing here atm.
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dang, how are those big BD booties on a long haul??

great shots
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
barry, they're Tim's. He bought them last year and skis everywhere on them. Had to change the inner boot this year as it packed out pretty badly. They are relatively heavy (2.2kg's?) but we have both decided to go a bit heavier on boots (I've gone for Dynafit Titans) and save the weight on skis and bindings. Light boots tend to be pretty soft and as we usually ski for the downhill and rarely do multi day tours or races they don't really make sense for us. Saying that they were fine for this 2 day trip and we will also use them on the PdG. Only reason I would go for lighter boots is if I was getting into regular multi day ski tours which would be daft given all the lift served powder we get around here!
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Swirly, we told them we'd sleep anywhere and didn't think they'd send us down. We thought we'd get a blanket on a cold, stone floor so got pretty lucky in the end! To be honest, even if we'd had to go down we had decided to try and do the Zermatt day from Arolla - it would have been a long day but we got from Arolla to Vignettes in 2 hours and you wouldn't need to leave the Vignettes until 8am to comfortably make it to Zermatt by 2pm. We took it pretty easy and it took us 6 hours including a lunch stop and plenty of photo stops. I reckon you and Gorilla should go for it. If you can't get in the Vignettes there is always the Bertol or at worst the Bouqetins unmanned refuge. Or just go down to Arolla and go in the morning from there.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
bobinch, forecast to snow for the next couple of days, might give it a go if we get a window after that even if we drive to Arolla and just do what you've done.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Swirly, you'll like it. The Stockji glacier is something else!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Swirly, Sorry you didn't make it Sad Here are some more pictures of the Stockji

Dent D'Herens


The crevasses are so big and full of snow you could probably ski through straight through the middle of them!


Heading further down the glacier under the shadow of the Matterhorn


Looking back up the valley. Dent d'Herens on the left


The Matterhorn from underneath


Here is a link to Swiss Topo maps. You can drill right down to 1:250000 and print out in colour. Great free resource. http://map.schweizmobil.ch/
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
stunning as always. Smile
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
nice pics
i find myself drawn to the Dent d'Herens - looks like a nice mix of skiing and mountaineering
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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.
bobinch, fab, fab pictures!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Good effort. Vignettes is one of my favorite huts - Chanrion being my favorite. Despite numerous attempts I've never made it past Vignettes for the final push to Zermatt.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
bobinch, Awesome pics Very Happy
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