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Trekking Chamonix to Zermatt
The classic Walker's Haute Route
ISBN
9781786311382
Availability
Published
Published
12 Jul 2022
Reprinted
28 May 2024
Edition
Seventh
Pages
256
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm
Weight
290g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
Guidebook to the Walker's Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. The 225km route typically takes 2 weeks to walk. Described in 14 stages, the route crosses 11 passes between Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and involves more than 14,000m of ascent and descent. A complete guide for planning and walking the route, with accommodation information
Seasons
Alpine summer walking, so mid-June to mid-September; snow could remain on higher passes well into July.Centres
Chamonix, Argentière, Trient, Champex, Sembrancher, Le Chable, Verbier, Arolla, Les Haudères, La Sage, Zinal, Gruben, St Niklaus, ZermattDifficulty
225km, 11 passes and 14,000m of ascent make this a fairly tough trek; high alpine mountain walking, some sharp colsMust See
Mont Blanc and Chamonix's Aiguilles, Grand Combin, the Grand Desért, the fabulous Vals d'Hérens and Moiry, the Twära view of the Dom, Weisshorn, the view of the Matterhorn on the approach to ZermattISBN
9781786311382
Availability
Published
Published
12 Jul 2022
Reprinted
28 May 2024
Edition
Seventh
Pages
256
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm
Weight
290g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
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Overview
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A guidebook to the Walker’s Haute Route, a classic trek between Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland. Covering 215km (134 miles), this long-distance trek linking Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn takes around 2 weeks and is suitable for trekkers with Alpine experience.
The route is described west to east in 14 stages, each between 9 and 20km (6–12 miles) in length. The route takes in 11 passes and 14,000m of ascent, with several route alternatives included allowing you to select the itinerary that suits you.
- 1:50,000 mapping included for each stage
- GPX files available to download
- Detailed information on mountain huts, facilities and refreshments along the route
- Advice on planning and preparation
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Table of Contents
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CONTENTS
Mountain safety
Overview map
Map key
Route summary table
Preface
Introduction
The Walker’s Haute Route
Getting there and back again
Accommodation
When to go
Notes for walkers
Not enough time?
Equipment
Languages
Paths and waymarks
Safety in the mountains
Wildlife and plants
Maps
Recommended apps
Using this guide
Chamonix to Zermatt
Stage 1 Chamonix – Argentière
Stage 2 Argentière – Col de Balme – Trient
Stage 3 Trient – Fenêtre d’Arpette – Champex
Stage 3A Trient – Col de la Forclaz – Alp Bovine – Champex
Stage 4 Champex – Sembrancher – Le Châble
Stage 5 Le Châble – Clambin – Cabane du Mont Fort
Stage 5A Le Châble (Les Ruinettes) – Col Termin – Cabane de Louvie
Stage 6 Cabane du Mont Fort – Col Termin – Col de Louvie – Col de Prafleuri – Cabane de Prafleuri
Stage 7 Cabane de Prafleuri – Col des Roux – Pas de Chèvres – Arolla
Stage 8 Arolla – Lac Bleu – Les Haudères – La Sage
Stage 9 La Sage – Col du Tsaté – Cabane de Moiry
Stage 9A La Sage – Col de Torrent – Barrage de Moiry/Grimentz
Stage 10 Cabane de Moiry – Col de Sorebois – Zinal
Stage 10A Barrage de Moiry – Col de Sorebois – Zinal
Stage 11 Zinal – Forcletta – Gruben
Stage 11A Zinal – Hôtel Weisshorn/Cabane Bella Tola
Stage 11B Hôtel Weisshorn/Cabane Bella Tola – Meidpass – Gruben
Stage 12 Gruben – Augstbordpass – St Niklaus
Stage 12A St Niklaus – Grächen/Gasenried
Stage 13 St Niklaus – Europa Hut
Stage 13B Grächen – Europa Hut
Stage 14 Europa Hut – Täschalp – Zermatt
Stage 13A/14A St Niklaus – Täsch – Zermatt
Appendix A Walks from Zermatt
Appendix B Climbing from Zermatt
Appendix C Useful contacts
Appendix D Bibliography
Appendix E Glossary
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Updates
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June 2022
Route alterations during 2022
Please check locally before changing plans as some of these routing changes may be resolved during the summer. Probably only the Sentier des Chamois closure on Stage 6 may cause a re-plan, and there are several work arounds for that.
If you have better information ion these, or more seasonal updates that we can pass on to trekkers please let us know by email to updates@cicerone.co.uk or using the contact form on the cicerone.co.uk website.
The alternative descent into Trient via Catogne on Stage 2 is now rerouted to descend directly to La Peuty.
On Stage 6 the very fine Sentier des Chamois path after the Cabane de Mont Fort is closed and the alternative route takes the harder Col des Chaux. Alternatively take the lower route from near the La Chaux cable car and join the path later, or use the Cabane de Louvie route (Stage 5A) or make the ascent to Louvie from Fionnay.
There are re-routings across the glacier after the Dix hut on Stage 7. The direct route to Arolla avoids any difficulties.
There are path re-routings below the Twara viewpoint on Stage 12 after the Augstbordpass.
June 2022
Closure of Europaweg and new route
The Europaweg is now closed between Grächen and the Europahütte. This was an exposed route, prone to rockfall from above and to many trekkers, rather scary. Treemendous, but scary.
The visit to the hut allows a last high-level overnight and the crossing of the fantastic 400metre Charles Kuonen suspension bridge and is still recommended.
The new route options are set down in the latest (seventh) edition – ISBN 978 178631 138 2. These updates therefore cover previous editions of the C-Z guide.
To overnight at the EuropeHütte, there are two options:
Either take the valley route to Herbriggen and then climb to the Europehütte. This is our preferred option. (Stage 13). Its also possible to continue upvalley to Randa and make the 2hr, 800m climb from there, passing the new suspension bridge.
Or, overnight in Grächen and take the descending route to Herbriggen and then the new route to the Europahütte. (Stage 13B)
The direct one-day route through the Zermatt is described in Stage 13A/14A. This is unchanged from previous books.
See download below for stages 12A, 13 and 13B.
1138 Chamonix Zermatt 7th Ed 2022 LAYOUT (9.005 MB) -
Downloads
By Kev Reynolds
Kev Reynolds was a freelance writer, photojournalist and lecturer. A prolific compiler of guidebooks, his first title for Cicerone Press (Walks & Climbs in the Pyrenees) appeared in 1978; he later produced many more titles for the same publisher. A member of the Outdoor Writers' Guild, the Alpine Club and Austrian Alpine Club, his passion for mountains and the countryside inspired a lifetime's activity, and he regularly travelled throughout Britain to share that enthusiasm through his lectures. Sadly, Kev passed away in 2021. He will be remembered fondly by all who knew him and by many more he inspired through his writing and talks.
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