HAUTE ROUTE DETAILS
SOME STATISTICS OF THE HAUTE ROUTE
Total vertical of ski climbing ----------
9400 m / 30,840 ft
Total vertical lift assisted climbing -- 6660 m / 21,850 ft
Total vertical of downhill skiing ----- 14560 m / 47,769 ft
Number of downhill ski runs --------- 19 (some over 2000 m /
6500 ft)
Hardest day of tour ------------------- day 2 (1500m / 5000ft
of climbing)
Number of ski peaks climbed -------- 10
Highest point of trip ------------------- Mont Blanc du Tacul
4248m / 13,930 ft
DATES - April 14-24, 2010
COST - $3,350 Cdn
Price includes the following from when we meet in Zermatt until
the last day of the tour (morning of April 25th) :
- all meals except lunches and snacks
- all public transportation, taxi, ski
lifts, hotels and mountain huts
- Swiss Air Rescue Insurance
- and guiding by certified guides.
DIFFICULTY AND ABILITY LEVELS
The Haute Route is located in big mountains - The terrain
is rugged, some glaciers are heavily crevassed, and there
are many steep slopes. That being said a strong intermediate
skier should easily manage most terrain encountered. Ropes
will be employed by the guides in any seriously exposed positions.
To clarify the definition of a strong intermediate skier.
You should be able to ski reasonably comfortably in all conditions
including wet, heavy snow, icy conditions, deep powder, and
breakable crust, all while wearing a 20 lb pack! Good 'survival
skiing' techniques will be an asset. You should be well practiced
at doing kickturns, sidestepping, and sideslipping. For those
wishing to telemark, please consult us directly about your
skills.
As for any mountain trip we should be prepared for winter
weather including snow and ice storms with high winds. Many
of the days will start at 5 or 6 AM to take advantage of the
better, safer travelling conditions encountered earlier in
the day. Often we are arriving at the huts by 2 PM. Daily
distances range from 6 - 12 km (4 - 8 miles) with 2000 - 4500
ft average per day of ascent and descent.
It does happen that some people get tired early or have 'low
energy' days. There are several ways to accommodate this.
It is possible to skip some of the peaks or have some people
wait at the base while others climb the optional peaks.
In summary, the Haute Route is not a high alpine ski - traverse
for the extreme or expert skier only. It is a ski mountaineering
trip of average difficulty which should be easily managed
by strong intermediate ski mountaineers who have extended
downhill experience and who also enjoy physical endurance
sport on a regular basis. Although we should be prepared for
less than ideal snow conditions it is not uncommon to also
have some champagne powder and some beautiful spring corn
runs. If you are still unsure if this is the trip for you,
join us for the shorter Whistler Haute Route and / or Whistler
Backcountry day trip. This will give you some sense of a Haute
Alpine Adventures trip.
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