Chamonix to Zermatt, France, Switzerland
By The Alpines · Updated 2025-01-15 · 12 min read
The Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route is the most famous ski tour in the world. Over 6 to 7 days, you traverse the highest section of the Alps, crossing glaciers and high cols between two of mountaineering's greatest towns. The route passes beneath the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Grand Combin, and a dozen other 4,000m peaks — a skyline that reads like a greatest hits of Alpine mountaineering.
This is serious ski touring. You'll skin uphill for 1,000–1,500m per day, cross crevassed glaciers, and navigate cols at nearly 3,800m. The skiing is varied — from steep powder descents to flat glacier traverses — and conditions can change from spring sunshine to whiteout in hours. Mountain huts along the route provide warmth, food, and camaraderie, creating an atmosphere unique to high Alpine touring.
The Haute Route demands strong ski touring fitness, glacier travel skills, and the ability to perform in committing Alpine terrain. But for those ready for it, there is simply no better ski mountaineering experience on earth. The final descent into Zermatt with the Matterhorn filling the sky is one of the great moments in mountain sport.
Take the Grands Montets lift and skin up to the Col du Chardonnet (3,323m). The descent to the Trient glacier is a thrilling introduction — steep, committing, and often on firm spring snow. Continue to the Cabane du Trient or A Neuve hut. This is a big first day that sets the tone for the tour.
Cross into Switzerland via the Fenêtre d'Arpette or take the valley route to Verbier. From Verbier, skin up through the Mont Fort area and over the Col de la Chaux towards Cabane de Prafleuri. These middle days involve long glacier traverses and steady climbing through increasingly wild terrain.
The heart of the Haute Route. Cross the Col des Roux and Col de Riedmatten (or the Pas de Chèvres ladders) to reach Arolla. From here, a big day skins up to the Cabane des Vignettes (3,160m), one of the most spectacularly positioned huts in the Alps, perched above the Pigne d'Arolla glacier.
The grand finale. Summit the Pigne d'Arolla (3,796m), then traverse to the Cabane de Bertol via the high glacier plateau. The final day descends the Stockji glacier into Zermatt, with the Matterhorn growing larger with every turn. The ski into town is the culmination of a week in the high mountains — unforgettable.
The Haute Route ski touring season runs from mid-March to early May, with the sweet spot being late March through mid-April. You need stable spring conditions: cold, firm snow for early morning skinning and cols, with softening snow for afternoon descents. Too early and the days are short with high avalanche risk; too late and the glaciers become dangerously crevassed.
April typically offers the best combination of settled weather, reasonable snow conditions, and long enough days for the big stages. Easter week is the busiest period — huts fill up and you may need to book well in advance. Late April and early May can offer superb corn snow skiing but require flexibility, as conditions can deteriorate quickly at altitude.
The Haute Route demands strong ski touring fitness, the ability to skin uphill for 1,000–1,500m daily with a heavy pack, and comfort on glaciated terrain at altitude. You need to perform consistently over 6–7 days with no option to stop.
6–7 consecutive days of 6–9 hour ski touring with no rest days and limited recovery
1,000–1,500m of daily ascent on skins carrying a 10–12kg pack at altitude
Extended time above 3,000m with cols at 3,300–3,800m — fitness drops noticeably at this altitude
Descents on variable snow — from breakable crust to steep ice to heavy spring mush — require strong legs and technique
Early starts in sub-zero temperatures, long days in the sun, and sleeping in mountain huts — your body needs to cope and recover
You're ready for this adventure when you can:
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Last updated: 2025-01-15 · 12 min read