Haute Route in 2003
Haute Route passes amazing natural environments. This guide is more GPS intensive and is provided with Google map files. Since we were the first party to do this in 2003, we broke trails much of the time. Our trip coincided with the first days of American-Iraq war.
To use the Google map path, download map path file and use Google map. I tried to give as much information on angles of tour. Starting from day three, the navigation becomes difficult with mountains and saddles (or cols). I also provided snapshops of the route.Mont Fort Hut and Dix Hut were open. The rest were closed. We carried our sleeping bag and provisions for two nights. Vignette Hut was just opening. I had a good chat with Sherpas from Kumbu in Nepali.
Because there was no trail beyond Lac Dix, it was a lot of grunt work breaking trails but it was completely devoid of human presence. This is a great way to do the route because you gradually acclimatize and the last day is long.
Physically, it was not too bad but we were quite nervous of bad weather. Fortunately every day was superb. Only reason why you want a guide is that when the weather turns bad, you want him figure out a quick way out if possible.
However, after Dix Hut, you are in the heart of the route and it is difficult to bail. So, you need to dig a hole and shiver. So, it is important to carry closed foam mattress.
Enjoy and be prepared with glacier travel. Refresh on rescue. You are traversing much of glaciated terrain.
Day 1: Argentiere over the Col du Chardonnay and the Fenetre du Saleina to the Trient hut.
Grand Montet - Trient hut path - Google map
Day 2: Champex-Lac via the Val d'Arpette. Bus to Verbier and ski to Mont Fort Hut
Day 3: Mont Fort hut to Prafleuri hut
Day 4: Prafleuri hut to Dix hut.
Day 5: A long climb up the Otemma glacier to the Vignette hut.
Day 6: Cabane des Vignettes to Zermatt
In bad weather, navigating the Stokji glacier is difficult. There are two plateaus navigate through and stay right heading down.
Here are some picture from Google maps with POV, point of views so you know which direction you are pointing.
Here are snapshots of the trip from Google earth 3D features.
Photo albums compiled by other trippers
- This one is great with shots of each spot with good orientation. Note he does not start from Argentiere hut.