Chamonix-Zermatt - The Walker’s Haute Route

The classic walk in the shadow of great peaks from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn, the Chamonix to Zermatt route skirts the northern slopes of the Pennine Alps. Described in 14 stages (180km, 11 passes and 12,000m of ascent and descent), this is one of the most beautiful treks in Europe.

1:  General Tourist Guides

The Rough Guide to Switzerland by Matthew Teller (Rough Guides, 2nd edition 2003) – Of the many general tourist guides on the market, this is the best and most comprehensive. Entertaining, factual, full of surprises and highly recommended.

Switzerland by Damien Simonis, Sarah Johnstone & Lorne Jackson (Lonely Planet, 4th edition 2003) – Good coverage, in typical Lonely Planet style.

Blue Guide to Switzerland by Ian Robertson (A&C Black) – Regularly updated and worth consulting.

Michelin Tourist Guide – French Alps (Michelin, 1998) – Useful information for visitors to the Chamonix–Mont Blanc region.

The Green Guide to Switzerland (Michelin, 2000)

The Alps by R. L. G. Irving (Batsford, 1939) – Long out of print, but available on special request from public libraries (it may also be obtainable  via internet booksearch sites), this book contains lengthy chapters on both the Mont Blanc range and that of the Pennine Alps, with some interesting background information.

2:  Mountains and Mountaineering

Numerous volumes devoted to mountaineering in regions of the Alps through which the Chamonix–Zermatt route travels are to be found in bookshops and libraries. Those listed below represent a very small selection, but there should be plenty of reading to provide an appetizer for a forthcoming visit – or to feed nostalgia.

The High Mountains of the Alps by Helmut Dumler and Willi P. Burkhardt (Diadem Books, London/The Mountaineers, Seattle 1994) – A sumptuous large format book devoted to all the alpine 4000m peaks, of which there are many along the Haute Route. Mouth-watering photography and intelligent text make this a collector’s item.

Alps 4000 by Martin Moran (David & Charles, 1994) – This is the fascinating account of Moran’s and Simon Jenkins’s epic journey across all the 4000 metre summits of the Alps in one summer’s frenetic activity.

Scrambles Amongst the Alps by Edward Whymper (first edition 1871, numerous editions since, including one published in 1986 by Webb & Bower, with superb colour photos by John Cleare) – Scrambles is the classic volume of mountaineering literature which covers Whymper’s alpine campaigns from 1860 to 1865. It contains the account of his fateful first ascent of the Matterhorn, but much more besides of interest to walkers of the Haute Route.

Wanderings Among the High Alps by Alfred Wills (Blackwell – latest edition 1937) – Another record of Victorian adventures with guides on peaks and passes of the Pennine Alps, as well as other areas.

The Alps in 1864 by A. W. Moore (Blackwell – latest edition 1939) – A two-volume personal account of a summer’s mountaineering with Whymper and Horace Walker.

On High Hills by Geoffrey Winthrop Young (Methuen, 1927) – Winthrop Young was one of the great pre-First World War climbers whose accounts are of high literary merit. This volume includes many references to the Pennine Alps.

Men and the Matterhorn by Gaston Rébuffet (Kaye & Ward, 1973) – A well-illustrated book dedicated to the most famous mountain in Europe.

The Mountains of Switzerland by Herbert Maeder (George Allen & Unwin, 1968) – Large format book with magnificent monochrome photographs.

Alpine Points of View by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 2004) – 101 full-page colour photographs, plus evocative text, that depicts the diverse landscapes of the alpine range – includes a number of images taken on the Walker’s Haute Route.

The Outdoor Traveler’s Guide to The Alps by Marcia R. Lieberman (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York 1991) – Much of the range is covered, albeit in brief essays, but Mont Blanc and several of the Pennine valleys are treated well. The book is illustrated by Tim Thompson’s high-quality colour photographs.

Alpine Ski Tour by Robin Fedden (Putnam, 1956) – An account of the High Level Route ski traverse.

3:  Mountain Walking

Walking in the Valais by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 3rd edition 2003) – A walking guide in the same series as the present book, it covers all the valleys of the Pennine Alps traversed on this route; 120 walks described.

Mont Blanc Walks by Hilary Sharp (Cicerone Press, 2005) – A selection of 50 walks and four multi-day treks in the shadow of Mont Blanc by a respected guidebook writer and trekking guide.

Tour of Mont Blanc by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 2nd Edition 2007) – The early stages of the C–Z trek are shared by the TMB. This is the standard guide to that classic trek.

100 Hut Walks in the Alps by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 2nd edition 2005) – As the title suggests, a large selection of alpine hut walks. Some of those used on the Chamonix–Zermatt route are included.

Classic Walks in the Alps by Kev Reynolds (Oxford Illustrated Press, 1991) – A large format book which describes, among others, the Chamonix–Zermatt route plus several day walks in the Pennine Alps.

Tour of the Matterhorn by Hilary Sharp (Cicerone Press, 2006) – A guide to this ‘new’ circular trek which shares several stages of the C–Z route, but in the opposite direction.

Walking in the Alps by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 2nd edition, 2005) – From the Alpes Maritime to the Julians of Slovenia, 19 regions of the Alps are described with their walking and trekking potential in this 495 page alpine ‘bible’. The Pennine Alps and Mont Blanc range are well covered.

Walking in the Alps by J. Hubert Walker (Oliver & Boyd, 1951) – Inspiration for the previous title, Walker’s book has long been out of print. Although much has changed in the Alps since it was written, it remains one of the best and most readable of all alpine books. A fine chapter is devoted to the Pennine Alps.

Walking in the Alps by Helen Fairbair, Gareth McCormack, Sandra Bardwell, Grant Dixon and Clem Lindenmayer (Lonely Planet, 2004) – A selection of multi-day tours and treks, includes the Walker’s Haute Route.

Walking in Switzerland by Clem Lindenmayer (Lonely Planet, 2nd edition 2001) –Good coverage of most Swiss mountain regions, in the Lonely Planet format.
Backpacking in the Alps and Pyrenees by Showell Styles (Gollancz, 1976) – Contains an account of a large section of the Walker’s Haute Route.

4:  Climbing and Ski-touring Guides

Valais Alps East by Les Swindin and Peter Fleming (Alpine Club, 1999) – A ‘selected climbs’ guidebook which includes many of the summits above Zermatt, but not the Matterhorn.

Valais Alps West by Lindsay Griffin (Alpine Club, 1998) – Produced by that doyen of mountaineering journalists, this is the companion volume to the guide above. It covers most high peaks of the Pennine Alps from the Mont Vélan group to the Matterhorn.

The Haute Route Chamonix–Zermatt by Peter Cliff (Cordee) – Describes the glacier route for ski-tourers.

Alpine Ski Mountaineering: Volume 1 – Western Alps by Bill O’Connor (Cicerone Press, 2003) – An inspirational guidebook to a number of terrific ski tours, it includes the Classic Haute Route, plus others in the Pennine Alps.